Pipistrel Virus Build Manual

K i t M a n u a l f o r P i p i s t r e l S i n u s a n d V i r u s A i r c r a f t

Pipistrel

Sinus & Virus

Kit Build Manual

http://www.pipistrel.si © Pipistrel Release March 2009 © Page 1 of 267

K i t M a n u a l f o r P i p i s t r e l S i n u s a n d V i r u s A i r c r a f t

Table of Contents

What do you need?......................................................................................................................................4

Preparing the Fuselage .............................................................................................................................. 5

Preparing the undercarriage.....................................................................................................................10

Fitting the undercarriage to the aircraft...................................................................................................18

Firewall setup ............................................................................................................................................ 21

Mounting the engine to the firewall..........................................................................................................22

Sound dampening material ...................................................................................................................... 23

Painting the fuselages interior (part 1) ................................................................................................... 25

General touch ups and painting the fuselage (part 2)............................................................................27

Lining the fuselage interior with carpet and mounting the fuel taps....................................................29

Fitting the cockpit carpet .......................................................................................................................... 32

Installation of the heat duct, oil tank bracket and wire bundle fittings.................................................33

Cutting the slots for the fuel gauge ......................................................................................................... 34

Fitting the throttle assembly and the flap handle ................................................................................... 34

Fitting the ballistic chute (part 1) ............................................................................................................. 37

Fitting the ballistic chute (part 2) ............................................................................................................. 43

Fitting the lower fuel system .................................................................................................................... 49

Fitting the Velcro for the seats..................................................................................................................54

Rudder pedal preparation ......................................................................................................................... 55

Seat belt preparation..................................................................................................................................56

Drilling the rudder cable holes..................................................................................................................58

Running the rudder cable outers..............................................................................................................58

Mounting the pedals ................................................................................................................................. 61

Fitting the rudder cables .......................................................................................................................... 69

Mounting the upper flaperon pushrod bracket.......................................................................................70

Mounting the electrical panel ................................................................................................................... 71

Fitting the rudder assembly ..................................................................................................................... 72

Horizontal stabilizer preparation..............................................................................................................81

Preparing the elevator / rudder ................................................................................................................ 83

Fitting the horizontal stabilizer ................................................................................................................ 88

Installation of the sliding elevator trim knob .......................................................................................... 93

Fitting the trim system .............................................................................................................................. 95

The Control System .................................................................................................................................. 98

Mounting the control system..................................................................................................................102

Nose wheel cable preparation ................................................................................................................ 107

Finishing the rudder cables ................................................................................................................... 109

Fitting the rudder .................................................................................................................................... 110

Fitting the brake lines ............................................................................................................................. 111

Mounting the fuel lines in the cabin ...................................................................................................... 117

Fitting the windscreen ............................................................................................................................ 118

Installation of the strobes ....................................................................................................................... 123

Fitting the engine (part 1) ....................................................................................................................... 126

Fitting the engine (part 2) ....................................................................................................................... 167

Fitting the dashboard ............................................................................................................................. 175

Fitting the front cowls ............................................................................................................................. 178

Fitting the cowling around the exhaust and final cowl touch ups ...................................................... 187

Propeller setup ........................................................................................................................................ 191

Fitting the nose wheel ............................................................................................................................ 196

Wing preparation ..................................................................................................................................... 197

Assembling the airbrakes........................................................................................................................215

Mounting the wings ................................................................................................................................ 223

Fitting the Wheel Spats ........................................................................................................................... 229

Fitting the nose wheel spat .................................................................................................................... 233

Fitting the luggage rack and headsets...................................................................................................234

Mounting the Autopilot System..............................................................................................................237

Automatic nose wheel and rudder centering systems ........................................................................ 245

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K i t M a n u a l f o r P i p i s t r e l S i n u s a n d V i r u s A i r c r a f t

Congratulations on your purchase or evaluation of the Pipistrel Sinus or Virus aircraft kit.

The Sinus and Virus are unique aircraft, providing exceptional performance, unparalleled

flying qualities and astonishing economy.

The building procedures explained in this manual are aimed towards the abilities of an average

person with basic tools. Most of the precision manufacture has been performed at the factory

under controlled conditions, and this will provide the homebuilder with an aircraft which should

be every bit as good as a factory manufactured plane.

Most of the construction can be performed by the builder alone, but you will require additional

assistance for some tasks. Possibly a friend or partner could assist you with some of the

construction. In situations, where you need to rotate the fuselage or fit the wings, you may

need three people.

By following these simple instructions and the accompanying photographs, we expect that you

will need around 250 to 400 hours of enjoyable construction to finish the aircraft. Should you

have any questions with this manual or the construction techniques please contact Pipistrel USA

for clarification. If you aren't used to the metric system, be sure to check Appendix 1 where we

have added a conversion table to help you with certain measurements.

As this is a new version of the kit manual for Pipistrel's Sinus and Virus rcraft, we would like your

feedback and suggestions on the different tasks, so we may improve the manual for future

customers. Please email [email protected]m with any of your questions

They say a picture is worth 1000 words... so we have tried to incorporate this in our manual and

let the pictures do the talking. With over 1000 deruddered images to select from and print out

you will probably find many answers to your questions in the photos and accompanying text.

Time to build..... Lets start !!

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K i t M a n u a l f o r P i p i s t r e l S i n u s a n d V i r u s A i r c r a f t

What do you need?

Space

Pipistrel Sinus aircraft have a wingspan of just under 15 meters, while Virus aircraft have

approximately 12.5. In order to work the wings comfortably, you're going to need a work space

that is at least 9 meters long, because Sinus wings measure approximately 8 meters long. This

would give you a little space at each end to move around a little more if you're making a Virus.

Work Conditions

Working with epoxy requires, that the components epoxy and work space need to be around 21

degrees Celsius until the epoxy completely cures. For all other steps and procedures you aren't

required to heat your workspace.

Work Conditions

Here is a list of tools that will definitely come in handy when making your Pipistrel aircraft:

Vapor mask Tape measure

Variable speed drill Swaging tool

Set of metric drill bits (longer ones if possible) Work lamp (one that you can hang in the aircraft if

need be)

Metric thread taps Scissors or clippers

Metric step drill Paint brushes

Standard metric open-end wrenches Dremel hand drill

Standard metric ratchet sockets Dremel sanding drill bits

Standard metric Allen wrenches Heat gun

Special NutSert installation tool Various files for sanding, grinding and polishing

Right angle hand drill (or drill angle attachment) Felt-tip marker (erasable)

Jigsaw Drill bits for countersinking

De-burring tool Vernier caliper set

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Materials

Here is a list of materials that you will definitely need when making your Pipistrel aircraft:

Loctite 243

Loctite 262

Sheets of plastic for masking while painting (3M

Painter's Masking Tape Pre-Taped Drop Cloth is highly

recommended)

Grease (SKF bearing grease or Xintex)

Silicon (black if possible)

WD-40

Sandpaper (80 and 100 granulation)

Electrical tape

Two-sided tape

Rubber gloves

Preparing the Fuselage

Support the fuselage on a suitable stand and support the rudder on a piece of foam to

protect it from damage.

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Mask the elevator pushrod with masking tape to keep out dust and debris from the

pushrod bearings during the early fuselage preparation phases.

Sand the cockpit openings smooth to remove the sharp edges from manufacture

Sand the windscreen edge to ensure a good fit of the Lexan windscreen, paying particular

attention to the section marked with ovals in the photos below. The key is to make sure

the edges around the windscreen are smooth and not sharp.

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The sections highlighted below need a little extra material taken off the inside edge to

make sure the windscreen seats perfectly. Be sure to do both sides.

With a marker pen, mark the center of the fuselage halves above the firewall section.

Look for the strip of raised plastic on the fuselages surface, which is a result of the

fuselages manufacturing process. This will assist you in finding the center position, which

in turn will be used to locate the windscreen brace.

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K i t M a n u a l f o r P i p i s t r e l S i n u s a n d V i r u s A i r c r a f t

Clean the windscreen mounting areas with thinners or alcohol removers to ensure they

are clean and will bond properly. Blow them with compressed air and a vacuum to

ensure they are totally clean.

Drill holes in the floor for the cables, flaps and the trim slot. Use the Dremel tool to cut

the holes and then sand smooth with a file and sandpaper. The same goes for the flap

handle area and also the throttle nutserts. The factory will already have these positions

marked for you in marker pen. Look at Appendix 2, 3 and 4 for hole diagrams with exact

dimensions.

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K i t M a n u a l f o r P i p i s t r e l S i n u s a n d V i r u s A i r c r a f t

Dremel the holes and slots, use a vacuum cleaner to keep the dust under control when

cutting.

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Preparing the undercarriage

Drilling the main axle hole:

NOTE: The main axle hole most likely has already been drilled for you.

•The main axle hole is drilled half way in from both sides to avoid drifting

•The use of a reamer drill is recommended

•The tighter the fit the better, therefore drill cautiously. The last thing you want to do is

drill a hole that is too big.

Placement of the main axle and endplates:

•Place the endplates - be sure to align the plates correctly, as shown in the pictures below.

If aligned the wrong way, drilling the holes could cause perforation of the undercarriage's

upper edge. When the plates are aligned correctly, the holes are drilled further away

from the edge and will not cause perforation of the undercarriage.

•Slide the axle through and fix the assembly with the washer and the non-machined nyloc

nut - apply Loctite 243 to the axle's threads before assembling the washer and nyloc nut

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Now we have to to drill the holes for the brake pins.

The goal is to drill a hole that is just deep enough, so that the pin, once placed, sticks out

exactly 1 cm from the brake assembly resting plate. This can be done by marking the

drill.

Insert the pins and tap them in with a hammer

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Placement of the brake assembly:

First check to see that the brake pad fits nicely into the brake assembly housing. It

should slide in and out of the housing smoothly, without being hindered or getting stuck.

If needed, lightly grind the brake pad's two alignment pegs with a file until the pad slides

in and out of the housing nicely. This is very important in order for the brakes to function

properly.

Slide the brake assembly on and ensure that it is properly seated on the resting plate. If

necessary, use a piece of pipe to tap it flush on the resting plate.

Note that there is a left and a right brake; they must be fitted so the hydraulic nipple is

pointing to the front of the aircraft on both sides of the plane.

Fit washer and clean brake – NOTE: FOR ALL VIRUS AND SIRUS MODELS WITH SERIES

NUMBER 277 AND GREATER, IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO PLACE A WASHER BETWEEN THE

BRAKE ASSEMBLY AND THE WHEEL. THESE MODELS HAVE AN ALTERED BRAKE

ASSEMBLY WITH A BIGGER FLANGE AND THUS DO NOT REQUIRE THE WASHER.

Brake assembly WITH washer

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K i t M a n u a l f o r P i p i s t r e l S i n u s a n d V i r u s A i r c r a f t

Wheel placement:

Place wheel on the axle

Thoroughly grease the bearing and the wheel hub

Place the bearing and apply even more grease around the bearing afterwards

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Fit the dust cover on the axle after thoroughly greasing it.

Fit the nyloc nut - note there is no washer as the nut is especially machined to fit

Tighten the nut up so that the wheel still turns freely - do not over tighten the nut or the

wheel may bind

Wipe off excess grease

Fit the wheel spat spacer, but first apply Loctite 243 to the axle's threads

When tightening the spacer, be sure not to also tighten the locknut. Brace the locknut

while tightening the spacer as shown below.

Check one last time to ensure that the wheel turns freely and quietly.

Also grab the wheel with two hands and check to see that there is no free movement of

the wheel along the axis.

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Go to other side of axle and tighten the other locknut, torque setting 6 Newton meters.

Mark all nuts with red paint. Repeat for other side.

Check tire pressures at 32 psi or 2.2 atmospheres

Modification of the landing gear for the aircraft with a nose wheel:

Aircraft with a nose wheel have a different way to run the brake lines and it is necessary to

make modification to the tops of the landing gear legs. Normally the brake lines come from the

brakes and travel up the inside of the legs and enter into the cabin. If the aircraft has a nose

wheel, it is necessary to modify the exit hole so the line actually travels the normal route, goes

back into the landing gear leg and exits on the bottom where it then enters the cabin on the

front side of the leg.

Drill a hole at a 45 degree angle directly beside pre-drilled hole located on top of the

undercarriage's legs. Do the same for the other side. Check to make sure no sharp

edges remain.

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K i t M a n u a l f o r P i p i s t r e l S i n u s a n d V i r u s A i r c r a f t

Fitting the undercarriage to the aircraft

For aircraft equipped with a nose wheel, the undercarriage is attached to the fuselage with bolts

and special washers.

These washers require a recessed hole to be drilled in the cockpit floor. Use an

appropriate drill bit.

It is important that the washer is seated properly; if you make the hole too big, it will

allow the undercarriage to move around excessively and if you make the recess too small,

the bolt and washer wont be seated properly. If by chance the holes are drilled too big,

be sure to fill them in with epoxy.

Note: for aircraft without a nose wheel there is no recess. There are just normal bolts

mounted with locknuts and a plate to hold the undercarriage in place.

Setup for aircraft without a nose wheel

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Put a fair amount of epoxy around the top of the holes in the cockpit. This makes the

large locating washers sit perfectly in the holes.

Then put a light smear of grease around the bottom of the washer and around the bolt

shaft to stop the epoxy from sticking to the metal parts. It is important to have the

washers seated properly to avoid future damage to the structure

Cover the tops of the landing gear leg with silicone before mounting as shown below

Place undercarriage bolts into floor of fuselage and fit undercarriage leg. You'll need

someone to lift the front of the plane to do this, as its not so light.

Tighten the nylocs on the undercarriage to 5.5 Newton meters. Apply Loctite 243.

Wipe up any excess epoxy and grease. After 24 hours it is necessary to retighten the

bolts again to 5.5 Newton meters to allow for the epoxy to come out while it is curing.

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The last step is to prepare the fuselage for the brake lines. Position yourself under the

fuselage so that you're looking directly at the undercarriage and your legs are pointing

towards the engine.

Locate the center mark of the undercarriage's groove and drill two holes. Each hole

should be approximately 3 cm from the center mark.

Dremel the opening in the side of the aircraft for the brake lines to run from the pedals to

the wheels. The position is already marked in marker pen by the factory.

Be careful not to go to deep or you can go through the outer shell of the aircraft, then

clean up with a drill and sandpaper

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