Twisted: Week 109 - Cell end cover and Access panels

Monday 16 September 2013

Week 109 - Cell end cover and Access panels

Hours to date: 1109.75

I've installed the safety cell cover mountings.

As you'll see below these are rather nifty little fixings made for composites.

They have spikes which embed themselves into the honeycomb and then a layer of glass is used over the outside end as a final way to make sure they stay put.

Fits pretty good - one of the easier jobs on a Twister.

Pete says you cannot have too many access panels in the lower fuse area. So I've made another 2 to add to the one already done as part of the oil cooler mod.

The same method is used as before to make the flanges.

I've put one access panel in the front area which will give good access to the fuel system. And the other on the port side - which gives access to the throttle/brake assembly, parking brake and flap drive.

Obviously on a retractable you already have the wheel well holes that act as good access areas.

I also thought while I'm making these holes I may as well go ahead and cut out the holes for the undercarriage legs.

I first tried using the factory markings. But as you will see below they are not enough - I am guessing those markings are for the retractable version.

By doing this job slowly I was able to get a hole that is no bigger than it needs to be but allows the undercarriage legs to come in and out.

I've also started to fit the upper U/C leg fairings.

I'm not going to attach them the way the manual says. Rather I will go for the same idea as Adrian Hatton and put nut plates underneath the fuse and then leave the lower area as it is here - as the U/C leg needs to be able to flex and move in relation to the fairing.

The reason for the change of set up is - I don't believe the fairing can be made to sit flush with the lower part of the fuse using the method described in the manual. It would be an area of great drag if it doesn't sit exactly flush.