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« « Previous Post: Forward Fuselage #5 (Fuselage Box assembly, floor, and spar tunnel.) | Next Post: » »

Forward Fuselage #6 (Aft lower cabin details, idler.)

Posted by on May 3, 2014

Total Build Time: 634 Hours.

There are quite a few details on the floor of the forward fuselage, under the area that will eventually be the seat. I made a few angle components, including one that will support the lower part of the seat sling. A clearance is cut in the angle to allow the elevator pushrods to pass (they will come much later, when I initially rig the aircraft control surfaces.)

 

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I continued to work with the fuselage upside down for this, although it’s arguable whether having it right-side up may have been easier at this point.  Several angles, channels and gussets are placed into position and pilot drilled.

 

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I discovered a discrepancy in the laser-cut holes, the holes in 2 of the clips didn’t match the left and right support channels. I contacted Sonex and they said to line them up as well as possible, and the updrilling process should result in good rivet holes. I drilled these holes after everything was in position within the fuselage, and I was able to get good holes.

 

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I ran into a clearance issue where the corner gussets are placed underneath the lip of the landing gear attach brackets on the side panel. I ended up having to drill out the attach brackets and remove some material from them so that the gussets would insert freely into position.

 

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More pictures as all of the details are drilled/clecoed into position.

 

 

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I pilot drilled and clecoed as much as I could into place prior to up-drilling the holes for rivets. I did discover, however, that nearly the entire lower floor assembly can be assembled and riveted outside of the fuselage, then inserted as (mostly) 1 piece. I tested the access before I added each part, and verified that there is room to insert everything pictured here as a whole. The lower angle/cap was the last part to go in, once this assembly was in place.

Also pictured here is the idler assembly.

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Here are the lower aft cabin details riveted in place (minus rivets in the floor… it’s still held in place with a LOT of clecoes.)

 

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With this step of the process complete, I flipped the fuselage upright.

 

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I also opened the final box from the kit that was still factory-sealed. In it are the glare-shield, windshield and canopy.

 

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I placed the glare-shield into its approximate location, and added a cardboard box to simulate where the seat sling will be. This was fun!

 

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The next few steps should be the glare-shield/instrument panel, the seat, the engine mount and the landing gear.

 

 

 

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One Response to Forward Fuselage #6 (Aft lower cabin details, idler.)

  1. Bryan Cotton

    Very cool. Looks like an airplane.

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