The QUICK way to build your airframe !

 

 The Express Builder Assist Facility
 Tumwater, WA

 

 

Airframe Construction in as Little as 400 Hours

Express Aircraft Company's revolutionary Builder Assistance Program with its full-featured facility offers on-site builders all the jigs, set-up, clean-up, and technical support as well as a structured construction program that will allow builders to complete their major airframe components in under 400 hours!  Countless months, if not years, of construction time can be saved using our structured and simplified process... all designed to get you in the air as quickly as possible.

This is an educational program to expose you to every facet of aircraft construction while minimizing the time to complete the required tasks for your Repairman's Certificate (the 51% rule). We speed you through the construction of your wings by pre-installing many of the parts, then, you do the final bonding. Dan or Ryan will perform some of the most critical tasks to relieve you of worry about those hafta-getit-right-the-first-time jobs.

You still get to do a wide variety of operations such as bonding composite parts, laying up small composite parts, riveting metal parts and mechanical assembly. A few tasks, such as cutting into the composite/foam sandwich to install the seatbelt hardpoints, are purposely left to you so you learn the skills needed to repair or modify the structure of the aircraft. You lay up small parts, such as the tie-down hardpoints, so you are comfortable fabricating your own custom or repair parts.

Ryan Stone learned composite construction from the bottom up in our factory.  He has more than a few completed airframes under his belt. Other factory personnel will provide support as needed.

Our guys hustle before you arrive to set up for your build session. For instance, when you come to build wings, the upper wing skin will be installed in the fixture with the spar bonded down and all the ribs glued and Q-celled all ready for you to start fiberglass-taping the ribs.

During your session, they show you how to work with 'glass and make good looking, strong joints. Dan and Ryan continue to watch over your work to make sure the result is the best product you can build.

Please Click here and Read Our Builder Assist Program Policy

Click here for Olympia area hospitality

 

 

 

Advantages of

The Express Builder Assist Program

  • Build your aircraft on precision fixtures

  • No need to purchase specialized tools

  • Immediate technical assistance with any problems encountered

  • Huge time savings over building at home

  • All major airframe components completed in only 6 weeks

  • Structured schedule eliminates wasted time and mistakes

  • 100% of your time is devoted to building your aircraft

  • Learn fabrication and repair techniques

  • And now includes the embedded wing and tail antennas

Our Builder Assist Program is designed to be competed in only three, 2-week construction sessions.  Each session will focus on key areas of completion to allow for easy final finishing once the program is done. There will be one Builder Assist Employee with you at the facility at all times

The sessions start on Monday and run Monday through Saturday for two weeks. The work day is 7 AM to 5 PM for a ten-hour day, a total of 120 hours for each session. Sunday is a no-work day. You will need the rest. Take the time to see some of the beautiful sights around the area or just relax.

One hard-working person can complete the tasks required for the 51% rule; however, they usually end up leaving some tasks for the factory-finish crew. We recommend that two people attend the sessions. The FAA allows unlimited unpaid help, so bring along a friend and/or family member to help. There is no additional charge for helpers.

A small refrigerator is supplied to keep your lunch and cold drinks. There is a microwave oven and a coffee pot. There are fast food restaurants within a few minutes drive.

For details of construction take a look at our on-line Construction Manual.

See our FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions) page for the answers to the questions that are popping into your head right now.

 

 

 

Session #1 - (weeks 1-2)

  • Construct wings

  • Install fuel quantity probes

  • Install fuel plumbing

  • Install main landing gear mounts

  • Install NAV/GS antennas

  • If time permits, construct ailerons and flaps

  

  

 

Session #2 - (weeks 3-4)

  • Mate upper fuselage to lower fuselage

  • Install bulkheads in lower fuselage

  • Install seat mounts in lower fuselage

  • Install firewall & engine mounts

  • Install tail COM antenna

  • Close out vertical stabilizer

  • Construct seats

  • As time permits, work on ailerons, flaps, elevator and rudder

  

Note: This tail number was put on with Photoshop, it's not something we do in Builder Assist

 

Session #3 - (weeks 5-6)

  • Finish any incomplete items from previous sessions

  • Finish ailerons, flaps, elevator & rudder

  • As time permits, install flight control systems

  • As time permits, mate & align wing to fuselage

  • As time permits, install horizontal stabilizer to fuselage.

  

 

Specialized Tasks

Once the program is done, you will be ready to work on the final finishing tasks necessary to complete your high-performance Express aircraft.  Some of these tasks (which are NOT included in the Builder Assist Program) include the final mating of the wings and flight controls, installation of the electrical system, avionics,  flight instruments and engine (and firewall forward work). You may contract with us to provide Finishing Services.