11/5/2007
Tonight I started by sitting in the airplane to rethink and rearrange the instruments and such just a bit. Since I now have a better idea of how things will work behind the panel, I can start to fit them where I want them to be so I can cut the panel. I also decided that I will not use the canopy jettison mechanism for several reasons, but I don't feel like typing them out, so if you want to know, email me. :o)
Here is more or less how the panel will be arranged.
After that I removed the panel. I will take all the paper instruments off, and draw the actual dimensions on the panel to make sure I have everything laid out properly.
After a call from a new builder (Ken Fletcher, RV-7A, Chicago area), I got started on the aileron trim installation. It's a separate kit that came with the fuselage as an option. Since everything else in the airplane is manual, you could've probably guessed I'd put in manual aileron trim.
So, first the plastic block was chamfered to fit the bracket. The picture is not very good to see the chamfer, but it fits perfectly.
Then I drilled #10 holes in the prescribed locations in the block, then matched those holes to the bracket, and marked the 1/2" hole location for drilling with the unibit.
The bracket was then clamped to the 739 seat pan, and I drilled the attach holes to #19. The hole with the red arrow is a little close to the edge, but it's just a pass thru hole for the screw. It will attach with the platenut, and that will provide the strength in the part. I also drilled the center hole.
Then the bracket was drilled to the middle seat ribs. The two platenuts that were there before were removed for this to be installed.
Last, I riveted two of the four platenuts to the bracket. The other two need the #8 dimple die from work, so those have to wait.
2.25 hours