Regretting ordering a slider

[Trevor778]

Yes, I think they look much cooler on the ground. But, after today I wish I had ordered a tipper. My day job I'm an AME E, kinda like an A&P that specialises in avionics and electrical. We just call it a little different here in Canada. So today I was sent to look at an rv 7a, this is great cause Im building a 7. The customer was having some auto pilot issues that I assumed were easy to resolve. But with the slider I can finally understand what everyone is talking about when it comes to access behind the panel. I had one leg over the rail, the other over the seat, shoe horned myself between the 2 sticks on my back and was just able to get to the top of the panel. Turns out the connector had been soldered poorly, I simply replaced the connector with a crimp type and we were done. I think a tipper would've made that job a 1 hour ordeal vs a 3.

Anyways, just my little rant. Maybe I should be in the garage building instead.

[LifeofReiley]

Yup... you could spend many more hours getting water out of the avionics and spending BIG bucks getting them repaired after a good rain storm. Just install a couple of access panels on the boot cowl with a Slider.

[Lan Vinh Do]

I had a tip up, sold it. I will build another one with a slider. I was flying ifr and it took a while to seal the front. I always had water on the avionic when inwas flying ifr. I think that with the big glass panel, i will be able to acess the wiring by removi g the screens

Vinh do
Rv10 c-gmce

[DakotaHawk]

I have a slider -7, and fly almost weekly with my buddy who flys a tip-up -6. He won't fly if there's any weather, because of the water that drips down onto his avionics through the tip-up joint.

I have a three part panel, divided between the Flight Instruments, the Radio Stack, and the Passenger Glove Box panels. By just removing a couple of screws, I can remove an entire panel for maintenance. Although I still spend a lot of time inverted under the panel, it's only because I'm still limber enough to get down there without too much damage to my body.

In the photo, you can see the joint between the Flight Instrument Panel and the Radio Stack Panel...

[kevinh]

cool photo!

[LifeofReiley]

Nice job Scott, I've got the same panel setup, works Great!

[Sig600]

Just like DH, I'm planning a segmented panel so that parts/panels can come out. It's all about how you design it.

You won't regret a slider when you're taxing around with the canopy back!

[flyboy1963]

Trevor, feel your pain........any of us that have been upside down and over 40, or 180 lbs.....yeah, it's not pretty getting under the panel on a slider.

A 'must have' is a removable passenger stick..... pull out the cushions, throw an old piece of carpet in there, put your tools & flashlite in the footwell etc.
For major jobs, remove one of the seat backs, so you can get your butt or leg into the baggage area for more 'comfort'
I sit on the side rail, feet on the wing, and kind of lower myself into the 'tub'. Swivel my head & torso under the panel, and maybe one leg inside for balance, and I'm good for a short session. ( or until I realize what I forgot in my toolbox!)

Sounds to me like you did the right thing, given the problems most guys are talking about with sealing the tipper hinge area...... but hey, it never rains in Maple Ridge, does it????

[Trevor778]

lol, no we get no rain here on the coast.

Maybe 2 nice 10" skyviews will open up the panel a bit. Get those out and there's tons of room

[GusBiz]

Originally Posted by DakotaHawk

Scott with a surname like yours and a panel like that I surprised that you haven't been nick names Disco Stew

(Ref: the Simpsons)