Tip: Aileron Boot Installation

Rick6a · #1 03-03-2009, 07:16 AM

I have had the pleasure of working with Abby Erdmann of Flightline Interiors on two separate occasions. Years ago, a time when she first got into the aircraft upholstery business based largely upon word of mouth and a very happy first RV airplane customer, I placed an early order for one of her first accessory offerings, aileron boots for my RV-6A. Alas, the fabric I received did not fit properly. After going back and forth a few times we decided what Abby needed a full size ring to work with so I made one up and sent it to her for use as a template. Fast forward a few years. By now, demand for her work has increased dramatically. Timing is everything. For the -8 project, I chose to have Flightline Interiors do its upholstery work and made the call to her. During the course of our conversation, Abby shared that she had no reliable reference for the -8 series aileron hole opening. Upon her request I happily fashioned a second full size ring exactly like the one shown below and she used it as an aid for sewing the -8 series boot fabric together. Originally, we discussed including a series of installation photos such as those shown below for her to include with the instruction sheet but upon reflection I ultimately decided it best not to. Too many variables. Shown below is the way I decided to install her boot fabric on my new construction RV-8 but my method of choice is certainly not the only way to approach this small project.

BTW, I am proud that Abby chose to display the interior treatment of "Dakota Queen" and my RV-8 seats on her website as examples of Flightline Interior's superb workmanship. http://www.flightlineinteriors.com/p...v4/default.asp

f1rocket · #2 03-03-2009, 07:44 AM

I was trying to get a set of RV-4 boots to fit on my F1 but no joy. I talked to Abby and she made me up a set of custom fit boots in a day or two and charged me the same price as a standard set. They fit great.

Abby was great and I highly recommend her. Great customer service, quality, and speed.

scsmith · #3 03-03-2009, 02:18 PM

Hey Rick,
I'm confused about something. On my RV-8 fuselage, the skin is doubled on the sides where the aileron pushrods come through, and the inner part has a stamped stiffener ring around the "D" shaped hole. So, there is a gap between the two skin plies at the place where your screws would pull up. Did you just tighten the screws and pinch the two plies together, or drill oversize holes in the inner ply to let the screw head go through to the inside face of the outer ply, or ???

Rick6a · #4 03-03-2009, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scsmith

Hey Rick,
I'm confused about something. On my RV-8 fuselage, the skin is doubled on the sides where the aileron pushrods come through, and the inner part has a stamped stiffener ring around the "D" shaped hole. So, there is a gap between the two skin plies at the place where your screws would pull up. Did you just tighten the screws and pinch the two plies together, or drill oversize holes in the inner ply to let the screw head go through to the inside face of the outer ply, or ???

Steve,

It was so long ago I did that project that I really cannot recall how I did it. I do know I would not have pinched two sheets together. A close examination of the relevant detail (photo #6) in the montage reveals there is no gap between the two sheets. I went though a ton of detail photographs trying to answer your question and this is the best shot I could come up with. If there is a gap, this photo suggests I located the screw hole pattern just outside the perimeter of the stiffener ring.

scsmith · #5 03-03-2009, 05:54 PM

Thanks Rick. I can tell by your pictures that you don't have the same stiffening ring area. This is most likely a change in the pre-punch fuselages from the older ones. I have one of the last original kits before the -1 prepunch.

Noah · #6 03-03-2009, 08:12 PM

Anybody know whether her control stick boots include the sheet metal "stick boot rings" for mounting to the airframe, or if the builder supplies those.
They are about 5 X 5-7/16 inches, with 6 screw holes and a large rectangular cutout for the stick boot.

I sent an email a couple of weeks ago but haven't heard back.

Rupester · #7 03-03-2009, 08:48 PM

I ordered mine last summer and they did not include the mounting rings. There's a sketchy (literally!) drawing with the boots to give you a decent head start on fab'ing your own mounting rings. Incidentally, I like the rings shown above better. I'd use that method if I was starting today.
I agree with all... Abby is super to deal with .... another one of those great folks you just want to buy stuff from.

Veetail88 · #8 03-04-2009, 09:05 AM

Rick,

You said,

Code:

I do know I would not have pinched two sheets together.

As a first time builder and trying to fight my ignorance, I wonder about such a statement. Why?

Rick6a · #9 03-04-2009, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Veetail88

.....As a first time builder and trying to fight my ignorance, I wonder about such a statement. Why?

Jesse,

You ask a perfectly reasonable question. As you may have noticed, many lightening holes have a ring pressed around them. That pressed ring is a very effective way of increasing the strength of the part. To arbitrarily squeeze that pressed ring flat for whatever reason will diminish the strength of the part.

Veetail88 · #10 03-06-2009, 12:13 PM

Rick,

I went back and re-read the post. It makes sense that you wouldn't want to flatten that part. I was not putting the "pinching sheets together" together with that idea. I was soncerned that there was some sort of problem in general with sandwiching sheets together.

Thanks for the input.