ADAHRS Mount and Pitot Line Bracket

The ADAHRS units need to be mounted in the same axis as the airplane and since the sub-panel sits at an angle I designed a mount for them.

The ADAHRS mount is simple, two extrusion pieces make up the legs and the rest I bent from sheet metal. The second ADAHRS will install above this one in the empty holes.

The side view shows the different lengths of the legs which makes an angle in the mount. This angle allows the ADAHRS to sit straight with the aircraft while mounted on the angled sub-panel.

I added a piece of j-channel to the back to prevent any vibration movement in the plate and thus the ADAHRS unit.

Once the ADAHRS was installed I could finish running the Pitot, Static, and Angle of Attack lines.

I made a small bracket to hold the pitot line Y-fittings. I didn't want to drill any holes in the small flange of the longeron so the bracket actually installs on the instrument sub-panel flange and then a leg bends aft to attach the fittings. Having the Y-fittings allowed me to install 90 degree connectors into the ADAHRS which provides more clearance for the big screen that is going to be installing in front of it. I just need to go back and add silicon tape to the tubes to prevent any abrasion against the outer skin.

The Last Skin

The last skin was installed over the weekend! A friend of mine stopped by to crawl into the tailcone and hold a bucking bar while I finished riveting. After we were done I sat and tried to think of any other skins that needed to be riveted. I couldn't think of any. The occasion is a bit of a milestone but went by without celebration after a long day of working on the plane. OK, I had a beer that night, but it was more for myself after the long day than a celebration, but we'll count it anyway. 

I spent most of the day working on the ultra high level double top secret handles. I got the prototypes fully working and will be writing up installation instructions soon for all you future installers. Stay tuned on this.

Dates and Times

Fri 13th -9.5hrs- Prototype handles installed and operating, installed ADAHRS tray, installed doors, riveted last skin

Sun 15th -4.75hrs- Worked on door fitment, finished blind rivets in skin, sanded and prepped for body filler around cabin top

Here is the ADAHRS tray installed with the splitter cable and static tubing in place.

This is a closeup of how I fixed the splitter cable in place. You can't use anything steel around the ADAHRS so Adel clamps are out. So I made a small hat shaped bracket and lined it with friction tape. It's screwed in place with brass screws and nuts.

A grainy picture of inside the cabin...it's dark so this is the best I got. It really doesn't do it justice to show just how cool it is to sit in the plane with everything closed up.

I sanded the doors down just a bit around the edges, but for the most part everything lined up really well. The gaps between the door and cabin top turned out better than I thought they would....very happy with the results.

Last skin is fully riveted in place!

After prepping I smeared the fairing compound, died black for around the window edges, around the entire perimeter of the windows and cabin top. I smoothed it out as best I could, but the sanding is what will really do the job.   ...then soon it will be time to prime!

Static System and Another Vacation

Another vacation makes for a break in building the plane and it's updates. Yep, we took another vacation, this time boating with the in-laws. This is a yearly trip for us and I can't wait to be able to fly to the lake instead of driving the 10+ hours. I currently rent an airplane when I need to fly, but renting an airplane is only feasible if it's for a short trip. A week long boating venture would cost me a great deal as I would pay for the airplane to sit on the ground all week (major negative to renting). So, we load up the car every year and begin our trek. This year we had the baby for the first time which slowed us down a little, but the trip was long before she came along, so what's the difference.

After returning from vacation and completing my duties around the house I was able to get back to the plane. With the wings being finished it's time to prep the tailcone for attachment to the fuselage. The first step was installing the static system. As I stated in an earlier post I am using the SafeAir1 pitot/satic kit. I installed the static system before installing the aft skin on the tailcone for accessibility to the area. The static system install was easy and I finished everything in a few short nights. Next is riveting the aft upper skin and then the big shuffle day when the wings move to the loft and the whole shop is rearranged in preparation for the tailcone install.

Mon 29th -0.75hrs- Started static system install
Tues 30th -1.25hrs - Prosealed static ports in place, made adel clamp tabs for stringer
Wed 31st - 1.5hrs- Riveted tabs to stringer, installed clamps and hose

Static tubing runs from each static port to a tee and then down the upper LH stringer.

 

 



I made little tabs to attach the adel clamps to. This avoided drilling large #10 screw holes in the stringer. They are attached using two 470AD3 rivets.

The static ports are installed with Proseal. Riveting the ports in place can create a puckered look in the skin caused by having so many rivets in a close proximity. The proseal is still drying and I plan on giving them a good test pull to be sure they are secure.....otherwise I'll try plan B - rivet in place anyway.

Prosealing the ports in place does make a really nice finished look.

Back of Static port. The adel clamp picks up an existing tooling hole in the frame.

I made a small angle to attach the tee port to. It attaches in place using an existing hole as well.

"I'm ready to go swimming!"