alpinelakespilot2000
Well Known Member
Just a word of suggestion for those who haven't yet cut their tailcones for the tailwheel mount...
I would encourage you to cut the slot wider (and longer) than you think you need to in the fitting process. I cut my slot originally believing I had left more than enough room around the mount to avoid chafing later. I had not wanted to cut too much out because I figured that would look sloppy. However, I figured this clearance when everything was only clecoed together. When I later riveted the tailcone, the rivets really sucked the skin up closer to the bulkeads and closer to the tailwheel mount. In fact, on one side of my slot, the tailcone skin is just barely touching the mount's weld where it exits the aft bulkhead. Although the landing energy will force the tailwheel mount up and away from the skin, I am still concerned about the potenial for rubbing over the long term.
Not sure there is much I can do about it now, but hopefully someone else can learn from this. In short, make the slot significantly larger than you think necessary.
I would encourage you to cut the slot wider (and longer) than you think you need to in the fitting process. I cut my slot originally believing I had left more than enough room around the mount to avoid chafing later. I had not wanted to cut too much out because I figured that would look sloppy. However, I figured this clearance when everything was only clecoed together. When I later riveted the tailcone, the rivets really sucked the skin up closer to the bulkeads and closer to the tailwheel mount. In fact, on one side of my slot, the tailcone skin is just barely touching the mount's weld where it exits the aft bulkhead. Although the landing energy will force the tailwheel mount up and away from the skin, I am still concerned about the potenial for rubbing over the long term.
Not sure there is much I can do about it now, but hopefully someone else can learn from this. In short, make the slot significantly larger than you think necessary.