Overhead Console, Brake Lines, and Fuel Lines

My last post was November 20th and since then work in the shop has been sporadic, not the steady pace I usually have. Visiting friends,Thanksgiving, travel, and all the holiday events create chaos in the shop schedule. We flew to visit Brian and Brandi over in Atlanta. It's a little over an hour flight for us, so not too bad. They usually fly over to visit us but their RV-10 is getting painted and we owed them a visit anyway. Departure was delayed due to nasty cross winds cutting our visit a little shorter than I hoped, but we had fun seeing them regardless. On the flight back home I lost the right vacuum pump, not a big deal since we were VFR. But I can't wait to finish the RV-10, it won't even have vacuum pumps!

We then flew up to St. Louis later that week for turkey and pumpkin pie in the rented Cessna. The trip up was with a 35kt headwind.....ouch. Of course, the winds died down for the return flight so we only had a 10kt tailwind. Baby Ayla slept both trips there and back the entire flight! I had to pick up an IFR clearance on the return trip and, when reaching our destination, leave the beautiful sunshine behind to descend through about 3000 ft of overcast. I was excited about possibly having to shoot an approach, but we dropped out of the clouds around 5000ft. So no luck.

My brake line and fuel line order from Bonaco arrived. The hoses look really nice. The brake line is the standard kit Bonaco supplies for the RV-10 and the fuel lines are custom sized per my order. All of my fuel lines are going to be flexible stainless steel to replace the aluminum tubing that are per plans. This makes the installation easier and should keep the fuel cooler as it travels to the engine. I didn't take any pictures of the brake lines yet...I'll try and remember to do that.

My fuel line measurements are:

QTY 1 - Straight to 45deg - 14.0in Total Length (Fuel pump to firewall)            

QTY 1 - Straight to Straight - 7.0in Total Length (Fuel selector to fuel pump)               

QTY 2 - Straight to Straight - 9.5in Total Length (Each side of fuel selector to Fwd Fuse Rib fittings)
QTY 2 - Straight to 45deg - 28.5in Total Length (Fwd Fuse Rib fittings to wings)

I think these measurements are going to work out really well, but I haven't attached the wings yet for a final fit so don't blame me if you order the same thing and it doesn't work out....: )

Dates and Times

November
Sat 23 -4.7hrs- Overhead fiberglass work. Curved fwd edge molded. Started Bonaco brake line install.

Mon 25 -1.25hrs- Worked on overhead console edge flange

Tues 26 -1.0hrs- same as yesterday, but the opposite side 

December
Tues 3 -1.5hrs- worked on brake line install

Wed 4 -1.5hrs- worked on brake lines and fuel lines

Sun 8 -4.5hrs- Riveted fuel pump mount, worked on fuel lines, cut insulation, laid fiberglass for lip on overhead. A buddy stopped by to help me rivet the fuel pump mount to the lower skin inside the tunnel. We also got some of the fuel lines torqued. Thanks Aaron!
Mon 9 -1.0hrs- sanded and applied layer of build up on one side of overhead

I wouldn't expect much more from me this year. Ayla is going to be ONE YEAR OLD in about a week! Wow already, I know. So were having a party of course and then Xmas, more traveling, food, holiday events, visiting, cold weather.....

Creating molding for where the overhead will flare out at the front.

I'm creating a lip running down the side where an LED light can be tucked inside and the headlines can tuck under.

I cut a piece of foam at an angle using the table saw and taped it into place. A small piece of the angled foam can be seen above. This forms the mold for the fiberglass lay up.

Beginning to lay the fiberglass.

Fiberglass and filler applied. More sanding and filling coming soon.

Torquing what I can on the work bench. I think the stainless steel flex lines are going to work out really well.

Working hard in the shop.

Finished - Baggage Door & Brake Lines / Started - Control System and Rudder Pedals

I've done a lot lately. A lot of little things which always feels like I've just been piddling around in the shop and really accomplishing anything. Although, I can now say: the brake lines are finished along with the parking brake, the baggage door section is complete, the antenna doublers are installed, more interior panels were soundproofed and installed, the seat floors were riveted in place, and I started on the rudder and control system sections. I do need to say Thanks to Ed for his video he posted on his baggage door. I basically followed the exact same installation method he had done and it turned out great.

 

 

Dates and Times

Tue 17 -1.0hr- built bracket for parking brake

Wed 18 -1.25hrs- repositioned brake lines

Thurs 19 -1.0hr- insulation

Sat 21 -6.0hrs- with help, antenna doublers installed, com antenna cables, insulation, rivet seat panels, finished brake lines, installed parking brake, torqued brake lines

Sun 22  -4.25hrs- Primed control system parts, riveted seat floors, cut tubing, riveted side closeout panels

Mon 23 -3.5hrs- riveted baggage door side panel, built rudder pedals, riveted ends onto control tubes 

Tues 24 -1.25hrs- push pull tube end caps 

Wed 25 -1.25hrs- control system work

 

You can buy an installation kit from Airward for the parking brake. It's essentially a machined bracket with hardware and costs a whopping $170. OR you can bend a piece of aluminum into a hat channel,  reorient the valve lever, and bolt into place and you have the same thing for free! I used the Permatex thread sealant on the NPT fittings and torqued the AN fittings as described in AC 43.13.

 

 

Final brake line install with soundproofing and torque stripe.

 

Finished installing the side closeout panels and ran coax for the com antenna



Riveted the rudder pedals together.



The push pull rods look so cool like this. Wrap some copper wire around them and it would look like I'm building something much more sinister than an airplane.

Baggage Door and Brake Lines

I finished building the baggage door, although the section isn't complete because there are some closeout panels I need to install and I'm waiting on some more insulation before I do that. Building the door wasn't bad, although access to the rivets inside the c-channels is a bit annoying. Installing the brake lines wasn't bad either, although I find working with the hard lines can be tedious and finicky. Neither of the sections are complete as I am lacking a few steps in each. Should be finishing them soon.


Times
11th -1.25hrs- Deburred, dimpled, primed door parts.
14th -4.5hrs- Finished building baggage door.
15th -4.75hrs- Worked on brake lines.


I used some strips of insulation inside the door to make the internal skin a little stiffer. The strips will help absorb any impacts against the inside of the door.

 

 

I taped up some 0.063" spacers to help align the door hinge.

 

Only the finest quality tools are used for constructing an airplane.

Door is finished....sans lock.

Bending brake lines.

Almost finished installing the brake lines.

This is how the part pictured above fits into the aircraft. I had to make this part on both sides twice before I got it correct. Luckily my unused pitot line from the kit is the same material allowing room for the trial and error.