Getting closer to bonding the safety cell mod but first there is a lot of prep work to be done and that's what has been taking up my time this week. Got a case of 'Sanders elbow' doing this.
I also spent quite a bit of time doing test runs with tape holding the front of the cell in the right position - my earlier calculations seem to be right. 5 inches at the base and 7 at the top. A side effect of changing the angle of the footwell is that the Micro block that the rudder pedals get attached to will have to be modified to sit flush at the right angle - easily done, just got to add more material to it.
Just as well I didn't order the BRS option on this kit - there would be no room for it. The space I am taking up with my mod is normally reserved for the Ballistic parachute and explosive charge.
I also bonded in the seatbelt reinforcement plywood blocks and sanded everything down smooth so nothing can chaff the belts. Still got to fill in the honeycomb with micro on that job.
Finally I made the top access hole in the fuselage a little larger so access will be easier for the cell mod.
Hopefully this week I can begin the bonding of new Kevlar and honeycomb to the front of the safety cell. This will be done in several stages - most likely a 'tacking' stage first with flock on the struts then once that is dry the outside layer of Kevlar followed by honeycomb in the void and then finally another layer of Kevlar on the inside.
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| Front of cell roughened up for bonding |
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| Ditto at the other end and on the firewall support struts |
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| Seatbelt reinforcement flocked in place and sanded |
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| Upper access hole made bigger |
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