Douglas Adam’s talks about the fundamental interconnectedness of things. He must have built an airplane in a previous life. Having wrestled Steen’s seat pans into the non-standard seat frames, I wanted to install seat backs. The front one goes up to the rear bulkhead, which due to a slight misunderstanding with my welder when he added the shoulder harness support, lost all its mounting tabs is currently attached to air……
Since my sheet metal skills are minimal and I didn’t want to introduce compound curves if I could avoid it. I wound up installing the firewall and sheet metal on the top to locate the front pit bulkhead. Of course this has lead to more questions.
The previous rebuilder had started work on it and had chosen 2024 T3 .025. He also ended it in the middle of the rear cockpit, forcing a seam where you don’t want it. Since the canopy skirt needs something a little more solid to sit on, I have a couple of options.
Since my sheet metal skills are minimal and I didn’t want to introduce compound curves if I could avoid it. I wound up installing the firewall and sheet metal on the top to locate the front pit bulkhead. Of course this has lead to more questions.
The previous rebuilder had started work on it and had chosen 2024 T3 .025. He also ended it in the middle of the rear cockpit, forcing a seam where you don’t want it. Since the canopy skirt needs something a little more solid to sit on, I have a couple of options.
- Remake it with thicker skin, extending it back.
- Double up the skin in the cockpit area. Yellowbird appears to have something like this. I have to reduce the size of the opening for the locating tabs and latches anyway.
- Add stiffeners. What do you guys think is the best way forward?
