Week 115 - Baggage tray

Hours to date: 1174.75

The seat is fitting really well now and with the addition of the two plywood blocks either side it doesn't move at all.

Don't worry about being able to get the seat out with them hard up against it - the seat does flex slightly so you are able to remove it after they have set.

I won't be bothering with the plywood blocks behind the seat as I have extended the cell sides (see previous post).

I've also sanded down the plywood blocks at their outside edge so they blend into the surrounding area more. I'll post of pic of these later.

As you will see below the seatbelt hole on the right hand side got obscured by the seat edge - this is a result of the cell not being square. Only thing to do here is build out with micro on the inside and Dremel back where needed.

Onto the baggage tray - as you can see I had to use a lot of micro to fill the edge gaps. This may be as a result of my battery box pushing the tray higher than is normal. I made a 'shelf' underneath on the edges of the tray out of duct tape to stop too much micro going down the sides. This worked out well.

I fitted the tray to the back of the seat using micro too.

To finish off the baggage tray I will add a layer or two of carbon to the edges (top and bottom) where the micro sticks out - to make it more durable - otherwise it will no doubt get chipped in everyday use.

After that I'll fit the tray back in and then make up some support brackets. I'll use the same fixings on the outside as I did for the cell rear cover, the ones that embed themselves into the honeycomb.

Finally there are the thigh supports - which don't really support my thighs but do provide a smooth transition from the edge of the seat and stop any foreign objects from entering the control area below the seat.

They turned out okay - I used 6 layers of glass and am keeping 3M in business with the amount of duct tape I used.

Pete fixes these to the seat but I may fit them to the cell I think - we'll see.

Plywood blocks fitted to edge of seat to stop sideways movement.

Mod to seat with micro so starboard seatbelt hole is open.

Duct tape from hell for the thigh supports layup.

Duct tape on the seatback where the tray is fitted to it with micro.

Tray in place ready for micro - note duct tape 'shelf' underneath to stop micro going down the sides too much.

Lottsa micro.

Not too much needed to fit the seat.

Baggage tray with micro - I'll layup some carbon over the micro to make it more durable and stronger.

Thigh supports - after trimming out - they fit really well and make the seat more comfortable for your legs.

Pattern making video tutorial

Another awesome video from the boys at EasyComposites.

Part 1 of 3.

I wish I'd seen this before making the oil cooler ducts - oh well good knowledge for next time.

http://youtu.be/XeeSsmsm9h0?t=4s

They also have an excellent set of tutorials showing how to make a carbon fibre car bonnet using an existing metal bonnet as a mould.

Week 113 - Seat continued

Hours to date: 1152.25

The seat is coming along nicely - however before I get into that I will talk briefly about the battery.

I decided it was time to order one as it is yet another thing that must be done before the cockpit can be painted.

The good news is that it fits perfectly.

Finally something going right for me!

I lined the inside of the cover and base area with special sticky backed foam which takes up any gaps and makes the battery resistant to moving around and being subject to shocks.

After that I drilled out some holes for the terminals to come through.

All pretty straight forward.

Back onto the seat...

I was only able to take the seat so far with regards to correcting the tilt of the safety cell in relation to the wing spar tunnel. This was mainly due to the left middle part of the seat contacting the safety cell (see photo below).

It is pretty good now - I used a spirit level to confirm things were square. I am only about 1 or 2 degrees out so it should be okay.

I may build up the starboard side some more - we'll see how it feels. If I do that then I'll have to put some micro underneath the seat middle on the starboard side so it contacts the cell properly.

The procedure - as described in my last post - went smoothly enough, duct tape everywhere then a heap of micro on the seat edge and where it will contact the cell on the duct tape. Use a stirring stick to clear up the edges as much as possible, then squidge the seat down with some weight on it and leave it to set.

I'm leaving it for 48 hours as I want it to be set properly hard before I sit in it.

As you will see below I am also making up some foam block (and micro) fillers for the thigh supports. When I get those right I will cover the lot in duct tape and lay glass over the seat front and onto those areas. That will likely be the subject of my next post.

These supports also act as a block to stop any foreign objects from entering the area of the lower control column.

Battery - it fits!

Terminals coming out the side

Anti-shock foam lining on the cover

Seat view from the back - you can see how much out the starboard side is

Ditto from the front - nothing I can do about this really.

Duct tape everywhere

Micro on seat and duct tape area then a heavy weight (my dusty tool box) and leave it to set.

Foam block and micro to make up moulds for the thigh supports.

Week 111 - Seat

Hours to date: 1137.25

As usual with me - I am my own worst enemy sometimes - and this is the case with the seat. Yet another modification, and in doing so it has probably trebled the time to fit.

I found the original position to be too upright - it's just a personal preference - but I prefer to be more laid back in a seat. Maybe it's my years of glider flying in this position and my previous aircraft - the Rans S-10 - also with a very laid back seat position, which influenced this decision.

In my defence I can only say that in the end I will be more comfortable - and for me this is a very big part of building your own plane. If you can't make it fit you like a glove then what's the point?

Because of cutting the seat back down I've had to extend the cell edges outwards in the seat back edge area.

Easily done with a flock 'mountain' and two layers of carbon.

In a much earlier post you would have noted that I also extended the lower front part of the seat.

It does feel comfortable now - still some fine tuning to do though until it is perfect.

And of course due to my cell being installed on an angle the seat has to be modified to compensate for this.

I've just flocked in the plywood blocks that 'lock' the seat in place at the front lower edge. There are also some further small plywood blocks that need to be flocked in around the seat back area to stop it moving from side to side - I'll do those next I think.

After all that is done - it will be a case of putting duct tape everywhere the seat contacts the cell and then putting a heap of micro on the seat edges to 'fit' the seat to the cell perfectly.

Pete has built some nice seat extensions at the front which support your thighs - I will be doing the same.

Extending the cell sides in the seat back area.

Flocking in the plywood seat blocks

Seat back cell extensions - both done.

Mirror formation

Pete Wells took this photo on his way back from Italy on the weekend.

The Spitfire is owned and flown by Peter Teichman. The only flying Mark XI in the world.

Great photo Pete!

Week 110 - Fuel Selector

Hours to date: 1124.0

The access panels on the lower fuse are now finished.

Both came out very well - practise makes perfect (well an improvement on last time anyway).

The airstream passing by should hardly know they are there.

Onto the fuel selector.

No expense spared here - top of the range Andair (Made in England). A beautiful piece of kit - and so it should be for £276.

I also bought a check valve from them (a one way valve) - and that was a whopping £62.40. This will be used in the return line for the fuel system.

I've located the fuel selector in roughly the same area as Pete does. 

The French Twister has the fuel selector on the right-hand side of the cockpit area. This is a no-go for me as my oil cooler occupies that space. Also I will have a side pocket in that area - plus I don't like all the extra plumbing that is involved just to have the fuel selector in that place.

I've had to move my location forward from where Pete puts his due to the fact he has retractable gear and I have fixed gear. The fixed gear runs right across where he puts his fuel selector.

I've gone as close to the gear as I dare. The selector is easy for me to reach in the cockpit - although I will have to slacken off my shoulder straps to do so. No bad thing in my mind as changing the fuel should not be a duty taken lightly by the pilot.

The tricky part of installing this selector is that it is a flat plate but I am installing into an area which is all compound curves.

So how to get around that problem?

Simples.

I ground away the top layer of Kevlar on the cell and all the honeycomb in the area needed. Bevelling the edges down as I went to give a smooth transition.

This leaves just the bottom layer of Kevlar which is now flexible and so can be made flat with the selector and top face plate bolted together - thereby crushing the Kevlar layer to make it flat.

After putting release wax on everything and cutting out 2 layers of carbon I was ready to go.

Once this carbon is set hard it will make this area flat. Then I will add another 3 layers of carbon to the bottom of the cell in the same area - should be plenty strong enough.

I used flock to fill in the exposed honeycomb and make a smooth transition to the rest of the cell.

As you can see the selector is nowhere near my leg and can only be turned off by lifting the knob on the dial anyway so there is no danger of it being turned off by mistake. Also the rudder action is not one where you need to move your legs back and forth - just your ankles move the tops of your feet - so again this should not introduce any unwanted bumping of the fuel selector.

Final stage of the access panels - closing the gaps with Micro

Panels and access hole done.

A flush fitting access panel

Andair fuel selector and check valve

Location underneath - black line is where the gear leg runs over

Fuel selector - in relation to pilots leg

Ditto - set to Right tank here.

2 layers of carbon going on top. Face plate bolted down to make it flat.

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.

Cell end cover in place

Fixing before layer of glass

Composite fixing - note the spikes.

Cut out for the gear leg - using factory markings - not big enough

Too tight in this area

Extra access panel holes - top and right

Gear fairing fits nicely to the leg - after a bit of sanding on the inside.

This is the shape you need to go for.

One flange layed up - one to do.

Week 108 - Control stops and Upholstery

Hours to date: 1097.5

I've made up the carbon plate that goes over the parking brake and am pretty pleased with the way it turned out.

I used 6 layers of carbon and duct tape as a release.

It is screwed into place with 4 self tappers.

Solid as a rock now.

As promised I've included a picture of the rudder control stops in their finished state. I made a small 'mountain' of micro in between both the stops to transfer some of the load. Hopefully this will be strong enough.

The next control stop job was the elevator - which I have to say is one of the easiest jobs so far on the Twister.

The up elevator limit is already set by the elevator hexes when you bond them in. This uses the lower carbon rib in the fin area as a stop for the Brass weight and is set at 80mm.

For the down limit the upper carbon rib is used but has to have a small plywood block bonded on to set the limit in exactly the right place. 60mm.

Piece of cake.

As you will see below I have had some samples made up for the upholstery on the seat (and side pocket).

I'm going for a dark grey leather (to match the rest of the cockpit interior) set off with orange stitching.

The centre of the seat will have an orange stripe - most likely in Dynamica (a cheaper version of Alcantara).

Should be a good look.

I need to crack on and get the seat fitted and painted then I can send that off for upholstering.

Rudder control stops

Elevator control stop 'down' position

Set to 60mm 

Leather sample for seat

Ditto

Carbon cover plate over the parking brake

LAA Rally - Sywell

It's that time of year again.

I just paid a quick visit to the Rally this year on the Sunday.

A few of the highlights are below.

For more info about the Verhees Delta follow this link: http://www.verheesengineering.com/gb/delta.html

3/4 scale Mosquito replica from France. 30,000 hours build time!

Morane Saulnier Parasol wing

Brandli Cherry BX-2 Swiss designed plans build.

One off warbird looking homebuilt

Another single seat composite machine (Starlight SL-1) not many of these about

The bizarre and brilliant Verhees Delta

Spitfire Mk26 with Jabiru flat 8.

UKs newest design - Swift. Wonder where they got the wing shape inspiration from??

UK agent for UL Power - Mark Jones

Travel Air Mystery Ship - 1920's air racer (NOT MY PHOTO)

Verhees Delta again...