When you figure it out let me know.
I haven't touched my fuselage yet except to inventory everything. The other day I was sweeping the hangar out, noticed the same hole and wondered the same thing.
I don't have the drawing number in front of me but it shows how to install the step weldment there. Seems to me the -8 shouldn't have the cutout. But the rivet holes are open along with the holes on the inside spar.
I'm a few months away from ordering my fuse, so I can't confirm. However as I nose around other's projects I have noticed and been told that, that particular skin comes out of Van's factory with that hole punched out in 100% of all skins. So it doesn't matter if your going straight -8 or -8A, you get a hole.
I've never been one to fuss or waste time complaining / debating tailwheel vs. nosewheel, but if this is true, it does rub me a little wrong when a guy decides to build a sport plane in it's truest form (tailwheel), that he has to work around a factory alteration taylored towards the trainer.
If I could find out they were running this part through the factory when I order my fuse, I would be tempted to run up to Van's and see if they could run it w/o the hole. Doubtful, but you never know.
I see flush patch work in my near future.
FYI, Scott Thompson has a few pics on his build site of how he patched the hole. Since it's covered by the flap fairing anyways, maybe make it a simpler patch? Guess it's up to us how we want to deal with it.
I thought VANs puts a pilot hole for the step to be drilled out. Mine (7A) had a pilot hole (and smaller than pre-punched hole) that only showed the starting place for the step, if builder choose to put one in.
I thought VANs puts a pilot hole for the step to be drilled out. Mine (7A) had a pilot hole (and smaller than pre-punched hole) that only showed the starting place for the step, if builder choose to put one in.
