Sonex* Forward Fuselage 3


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Some details from the just-released F03 & F08 drawings. The seat hinges are 3.5" longer than the planning guide indicates. (I know the guide is just a guide, and I have to wait to see if 9 72" pieces of hinge are sufficient for the entire airplane since the cowling, canopy, and wheel cover installations are not yet available...) 11/14/99. There was just enough hinge for all of the parts. 8/00.

Detail of flap quadrant and trim handle. 11/14/99. Flap quadrant drawing was later revised to add a flap lever retention feature at the most aft lever position (different from part shown here). 8/00

Details for the spar pass-through box. 11/14/99.

Seat. Looks pretty small for two, but there is space on each side in the cockpit (if I'm reading the print correctly). Center stick. Hole at aft of seat for seat belts. Cut forward portion of hole for stick with fly (hole) cutter. Wanted to do aft portion (2 3" dia. holes), but drill press does not have enough reach. Simple enough to cut by hand. Formed bend at base of seat by clamping sheet under metal bar at edge of work table, bending by hand, then hammer forming for a tight bend radius. 11/21/99

Felt like a pretty slow week for airplane parts. Made several parts from angle stock & other small gussets & clips. 11/21/99

Did the stainless steel work. This is the upper firewall with box for fuel filler neck. Part below is the 6061 lower windshield strap. SST is much more difficult than aluminum to debur, and it makes a lot of heat when drilling. Cut hole in firewall for filler box with small cutoff disks in dremel-type tool. This leaves sheet flatter than when drilling a hole & using metal snips to enlarge hole. I have not riveted this yet, but the rivets are installed from the inside of the filler box out. With a reconfiguration of the flat pattern for the filler box (moving the firewall flanges to the filler box), the rivets could be installed from the flat (cockpit side) of the firewall rather than from the close quarters inside the box. 11/21/99

Cockpit mock up. Set sides on bottom, clamped in forward cross member. Set in wing pass through structure (backwards), glare shield, some channel stock, and the seat. Shows that there is space on either side of the seat. 11/22/99

Cockpit mock up. 11/22/99

Cockpit mock up. 11/22/99

Cockpit mock up. 11/22/99