So I have built side consoles from scratch and installed a really pretty DJM Throttle quadrant that falls naturally to the hand. But this is a non-pre-punched, non-trimmed, roll-your-own-interior kit. On the RV-8, all the parts were pretty much designed and even cut out. On the RV-3, if you don?t build it, it doesn?t exist. So here I was, staring at this open space ahead, and outboard of, the throttle quadrant. Things could fall in there! If I was doing a purpose-built airplane for say?racing, or aerobatic competitions, interior details wouldn?t make any difference. But this is a plane we plan to spend time in while traveling alone, so we want it to look nice.
Digging through the scrap bin, I found a nice flexible piece of 0.025? aluminum. A little Origami, and I had a sort-of ?L?-shaped piece, with a couple of tabs sticking out to ?hopefully? pick up the top through-bolts on the quadrant. Imagine my surprise when they actually worked!
Imagine my further surprise when I realized that I could actually match the curve of the quadrant!
The outboard edge, where the closeout meets the side skin, will probably get a little thin rubber seal, so it can?t abrade. But other than that little detail, we have one more box checked off under ?nice interior??..
From such little details comes a homebuilt airplane. But beware ? these little details take time, and detours from the straight and narrow can push those first flight dates out a very long way?.choose your projects wisely!
Paul
Digging through the scrap bin, I found a nice flexible piece of 0.025? aluminum. A little Origami, and I had a sort-of ?L?-shaped piece, with a couple of tabs sticking out to ?hopefully? pick up the top through-bolts on the quadrant. Imagine my surprise when they actually worked!
Imagine my further surprise when I realized that I could actually match the curve of the quadrant!
The outboard edge, where the closeout meets the side skin, will probably get a little thin rubber seal, so it can?t abrade. But other than that little detail, we have one more box checked off under ?nice interior??..
From such little details comes a homebuilt airplane. But beware ? these little details take time, and detours from the straight and narrow can push those first flight dates out a very long way?.choose your projects wisely!
Paul
