[N282RV]

Question 1

I am getting back to work on the project and I am wondering how accurately the throttle, mixture firewall penetration call outs are. I am some time from having a engine in a condition to put on the firewall but would like to get the throttle quad, ect finished up. Do I dare drill the firewall with out my engine in place?

Question #2

I am ready to put the skirt on my canopy, there is some space behind the fiberglass and the frame, maybe a 1/8 inch +- a bit, how did people fill this area or do you just put the rivet and and let there be a gap?
I thought about just filling it in with some PRC or something then pulling the rivets. Any wisdom on this?

 

[chris mitchell]

Re your question 2, I have a similar issue with the diagonal part of the bottom rail as it sweeps up to join the top rail(hope that identifies the area well enough). At first I thought I'd just let the rivet pull the panel, but then I worried that the rivet head might in due course vibrate its way through the panel. I've decided to reinforce with a bit of tape and epoxy and to build up the area locally with some filleting mix (West system - I think its a mix of microballoons, colloidal silica and microfibres) so that there is solid contact between the frame and the panel before putting the rivet through.

I think in my case the problem has arisen because the angle between the flange that abuts the canopy and the lower part of the panel is a bit too high up - but lowering the panel locally there has unhelpful knock-ons elsewhere, as does lowering the whole panel. Bit of a pain but its turned out to be the best compromise short of moulding a whole new bespoke skirt.

Be interested in other comments.

Chris

 

[Rick6a]

Maybe

.......I am some time from having a engine in a condition to put on the firewall but would like to get the throttle quad, ect finished up. Do I dare drill the firewall with out my engine in place?......

I did just exactly what you ask about. The firewall penetrations and throttle quadrant were installed before the engine was hung and it worked out fine BUT it is important to know I also installed a Van's OEM Lycoming and for the most part adhered to Van's FWF drawings for doing so. All bets are off if you use a different engine because at least some of the penetrations may require an adjustment in location to accomodate.