Crawl back in fuselage

[Joe Mckamey]

What are the easiest things to use/make in order to make it easy to crawl back in the fuselage behind the bulkhead? Most use wood planks?

Anyone have any pictures? Thanks- we are new to this airplane

 

[Mel]

Whatever you use, make sure that the load is being distributed among the bulkheads and not the skin.

 

[Bob Y]

If you’re just reaching behind the baggage-compartment bulkhead, like to address SB-00116, I made this collapsible shelf for my iS. Saves your back and stomach from crawling over the fuel tank.

 

[wirejock]

Not a 12, but I cut two 1x6 to fit from baggage bulkhead to the aft bulkhead wide enough to handle both. Then I cut the fuse crate lid (1/4" plywood) into two pieces that spanned across the fuse. Before crawling inside, I put four saw horses under the bulkhead to support my fat self so the skin wasn't bearing all my weight. Final addition was a kindergarten nap mat. They come in various thickness and fold up. Really handy to lay on and slide or fold up as a pillow.
Worked great.

 

[jrtens]

We all went through this back in 2022 with SB00053:

New Service Bulletin 00053

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MV6X4M4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 FYI, the shop heads on all my bulkhead rivets are facing forward, this isn't going to be fun. Going to ask my Urologist if he can get me a discount.

www.vansairforce.net

pink foamboard, swimming pool noodles, pillows - interesting

 

[DHeal]

Be sure to put a stable support under the tail tie-down ring -- if you venture too deep into the tail cone the fuselage will tip tail down. I use an old quilt, foam pads, and plywood panels for my occasional tail cone spelunking. Oh and carry a cellphone so you can alert the search-and-rescue crews when you need to get extracted.

 

[Tony_T]

 

[BruceW]

Granted, these pics are from the detached fuse, but idea of pads & planks, etc.

 

[Brantel]

For my 7 I went to the UPS Store and picked up a few large trash bags of packing peanuts. Leave some air in the bag to allow the peanuts to move and conform. They will spread the weight across a very large surface area. You can then put a plank on to of them to lay on. Works like a dream! I will do the same for my 12 if I ever have to get back in there.

Don’t forget to support the tail or it will tip back!

 

[MacCool]

I had to get back there to rivet an ADAHRS bracket on.. I cut a plywood plank and was able to get back there enough to drill the bulkhead, but I sent my granddaughter (9 y/o ) in to do the riveting while I held it in position. While she was there she went a few feet farther back to re-secure the manual trim cable with a sticky zip tie.

 

[Brett H]

What are the easiest things to use/make in order to make it easy to crawl back in the fuselage behind the bulkhead? Most use wood planks?

Anyone have any pictures? Thanks- we are new to this airplane

I have used pieces of two inch thick extruded styrofoam cut to fit between the bulkheads and other things that need to be protected.

The styrofoam seems to distribute my weight and feels better on my knees. My knees have made dents in the styrofoam.

Don’t forget to support the tail.

Brett H
Columbus IN N4BH

 

[AN23]

I go to Goodwill and head straight to their pillow bin. They have hundreds of different shape and size pillow for $1 each. I get a bunch of the big ones, use them, then re-donate..