33 - Rudder & Brake Sys (rudder trim and pedal extensions); 35 - Upper Fwd Fuse (subpanel, panel frame); Avionics (fabricated avionics shelves)

Lots of little tasks done in three separate sections, including figuring out how the massive amount of remote avionics boxes and other avionics components will be mounted between the panel and subpanel.  Thanks a bunch to Ken B., whose subpanels I have mimicked - his new website can be found at:   rv-14a.com.   Final major painting of the interior was completed as well (last bits will be the roll bar and associated structure).  Specifically, the following were accomplished since the last post:

- fabricated release pins; assembled release mechanism; installed forward top skin doublers (AD2-2 rivets); trimmed cowl shims
- broke edges of top forward skin; dimpled #40 and #30 holes in skin; countersunk #30 holes in forward parts of longerons; dimpled shims and firewall flanges
- attached Aerosport Products rudder pedal extensions
- fabricating two shelves for avionics that fit under the avionics bay
- fabricated two 2” angle aluminum brackets in the map box - drilled for AN3-3A bolts
- painted panel frame, subpanel, panel standoffs, circuit breaker channel, and canopy rails
- temporarily attached rudder trim arms (only to find out I’ll need to attach them later, permanently, after the rudder cables are attached to the rudder)
- prosealed forward top skin to subpanel and firewall

Fabricated release pins:

33 - Rudder & Brake Systems (completed); 34 - Flap Actuation System (completed); 54 - Flap Position Sensor (completed); 35 - Upper Fwd Fuselage (started)

Lots accomplished during the past days, including finishing 3 sections and starting the Upper Fwd Fuselage section - i.e., the section that eventually will get most of the avionics!  This post also contains step-by-step instructions on how to attach 4 extremely difficult to reach adel clamps that attach the rudder cable guides, which have stymied more than a few builders.  Specifically, the following were accomplished since the last post:

- drilled pedal bearing blocks; attached rudder pedals to fuselage; attached brake fluid reservoir (bolts and Proseal); attached Aircraft Specialty brake lines to pedals and gear brace (waiting for proseal to cure before installing last two lines on brake fluid reservoir); started two adel clamps that secure the rudder cable tubing
- finished installing all 4 adel clamps to secure rudder cable tubing; separated, deburred, primed, and painted rudder cable links; riveted cable guides to tunnel sides
- Finished attaching the brake lines
- Drilled flap torque arms; connected torque arms and flap crank to fuselage, and bolted (final torqued)
- installed flap actuator; safety-wired and tested actuator (9V batt)
- Installed the flap position sensor, including micro-molex pins in the corresponding connector shell
- Assembled left and right forward rib assemblies and hinge rib assemblies; trimmed sub-panel (including area for center stack); riveted channel assembly

Installed rudder/brake assembly:

32 - Baggage Area (completed AND painted interior); 33 - Rudder & Brake Systems (assembled brakes, rudders)

Finished the baggage area AND painted the interior of the fuselage - what a major step; extremely motivational.  Also started the rudder and brake section.  Specifically, the following were accomplished this week:

- deburred edges of baggage floors; drilled holes for lemo (Bose) plugs; updrilled two holes from 3/8” to 7/16” for mic jacks; dimpled both baggage floors
- riveted nutplates to baggage floors; installed and started riveting both baggage floors to fuselage substructure; clecoed most remaining nutplates to floor and substructure; finishing running rudder cables to forward center console
- finished riveting baggage floors; installed baggage floor splice; installed flap motor channel; installed flap motor brackets; broke edges of baggage side covers
- finished baggage area by riveting side panels; started scuffing interior (for paint); up-sized hole in forward overhang for brake lines pass-through between left/right sides
- finished scuffing with scotchbrite, 2 acetone wipe-downs, 1 SEM Prep wipe-down, 2 light coats of SEM gray primer, 3 top coats of Cardinal Paint light gunmetal gray GR10-4A05 semi-gloss  - interior has been painted!
- separated parts for brake pedal assembly, deburred, and clecoed brake pedal assemblies together; final-drilled #12 holes.  I decided not to paint the pedals - they look great as-is, and the paint will scuff off in the first few hours.
- Assembled brake pedals, bolted the pedals to the rudders, attached the brake cylinders, and clocked the AN fittings on the brake cylinders

Clecoed the baggage floors in place: