“One Week Wonder” Day 4: Coming Together

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A Zenith CH 750 kitplane was being built at AirVenture 2014 as a "One Day Wonder" project.
  • The project was on schedule, with assembly progressing smoothly and volunteers working reasonable hours.
  • The plane reached a stage where the fuselage and engine were complete, but significant detail work remained.
  • Volunteer fatigue was starting to show, but spectator enthusiasm was helping to maintain morale.
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The first thing this morning, we visited the One Day Wonder pavilion in the middle of AirVenture 2014 and checked on the project to build and do initial taxi testing of a Zenith CH 750 kitplane before the convention wraps up Sunday afternoon. Charlie Becker, EAAs manager of homebuilt programs, told us that assembly is running on schedule, plus theyve not had to work later than 5:30 any evening. The airplane is on the landing gear and the engine is on the firewall-Becker said its to the point you can sit inside and make airplane noises. He also said that the detail work, so important to making an airplane fly, is just beginning-the airplane is now at the stage often described by homebuilders as 90 percent done and 90 percent to go.

Becker said that the volunteers are showing signs of fatigue, but the presence of so many spectators, many of whom are standing in line to put at least one rivet in the airplane, is keeping the enthusiasm level high. Its expected that the wings will be attached to the fuselage today.

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