The Skeleton of the Canyon Lightning ⚡
- UL Plans
- Apr 21
- 1 min read
April 21, 2026
The Canyon Lightning is quickly moving from a pile of sticks to a high-tech airframe. Today was a big production day in the West desert.
Current status:
✅The Tail Group: Horizontal stabilizer, fin, and rudder are all framed and gusseted over the 1:1 templates. They are now ready for my custom-milled 1-1/2" foam inserts.
✅Custom Milling: I took a standard 4x8ft sheet of 2" purple foam board and sandwich sliced it on the table saw. Now I have 1-1/2" inserts for the tail and 1/4" skins for the fuselage.
The Vision:
By skinning the fuselage in 1/4" foam before the carbon wrap, I'm creating a perfectly smooth, aerodynamic surface. No "starved dog" looks here - just a sleek, glossy carbon finish that will look like a factory prototype.
I'm proving every day that you don't need a million dollar shop to build a world-class aircraft. Follow me for more progress updates! I'll also be doing weight and strength reviews soon.
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