How did you fasten your cowling?

  • Total voters
    85
hinges

Hate the hinges. Can't get a good look at things for a preflight. Have avoided pulling plugs, cleaning air filter, fixing things in general because its such a P.I.T.A.....especially lower cowl, that takes 3 people to re-attach.
Previous plane had a solid nose bowl, typical hinged sides, like a piper, where you could get at everything in seconds. Looked just as clean when closed if it fits well.
 
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After 2,380 flying hours, I have to say that the hinges have worked very well. They are light, cheap, reliable, very low drag, less work to install, easy to use when installed correctly, and hold up very well over the past almost 13-years of flying.
 
Hinges all around on my RV-8, with 1138 hours. Louise's RV-6 has hinges on the firewall, screws along the sides and on the bottom. I can generally pull my cowl quicker than she can pull hers. I love the clean looks of the hinges.

On the -3 we're building, since it has cheek cowls that interrupt the lines of the firewall, I am planning on using Camlocs along the firewall, and hinges on the sides (top to bottom cowl joint). At least I am planning it that way for now.....

I haven't had a cowling that I could open to inspect the engine for a preflight since...well, I haven't owned one that I could do that with in 30 years of airplane ownership. I generally pull the top cowl about once a month for some reason or other - of course, I do about five or six oil changes a year with my flight rate.....

Paul
 
I did hinges. However I am have a bit of trouble getting the top (long) firewall pin in. Otherwise, I can cowl and decowl in a minute or two. The nose fasteners are a bit of a pain. I may do something different there (camlocs?)
 
Both

I used Skybolt 1/4turn fasteners around the firewall, and hinges along the sides.

Don
 
Mil-Spec fasteners

I used the Mil-Specs all the way around. It takes me about 5 minutes to remove my entire cowl (maybe a little longer than the standard hinges), but I find it easy and clean.
 
If you decide to stick with the hinges, start bugging Geoff for RV8 cowl pin covers.
 
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Ditto

RV6_flyer said:
After 2,380 flying hours, I have to say that the hinges have worked very well. They are light, cheap, reliable, very low drag, less work to install, easy to use when installed correctly, and hold up very well over the past almost 13-years of flying.
Click to expand...

10 years and 1400 hours and my hinges are still working well. As Gary said there quick and easy if installed correctly. I have seen some that take 3 men and an ape to get the cowl on. I lucked out and mine are easy to use.
 
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