Useful Baggage Compartment Mod

[Rick6a]

Many thanks to Chris Pratt for making me aware of a simple baggage compartment modification that allows quick inspection
of the elevator bellcrank zone in the -8 series without having to unscrew and remove the baggage shelf. As you can see,
two KM610-64 camlocs weigh less than one Hartwell latch. With about a 3 oz. total weight penalty and a few hours work,
here is my variation ready for reinstallation on the next trip to the airport (when it warms up.)

 

[Ironflight]

Looks nice Rick, but you just cost yourself 0.6 ounces!!! You really only need one latch there....

We had a thread a while back where people shared their pictures of access doors in that location - yours looks very professional, as I would expect!

 

[chrispratt]

Rick:

Looks cool, but you need to make it wider. That way you can access the battery terminals (assuming you have a big Concorde in the back) and even change the battery without having to take the whole baggage area out. That was the original intent. The bellcrank check was a bonus.

Check the thread.

Chris

 

[Rick6a]

......but you need to make it wider. That way you can access the battery terminals
(assuming you have a big Concorde in the back) and even change the battery without having to take the whole
baggage area out. That was the original intent. The bellcrank check was a bonus. Check the thread. Chris

Chris,

I was not aware of the modification or Paul's excellent past thread discussing it. However, upon reviewing the thread
I do note a lot of good ideas! In my case, I did not aft mount a battery so I sized the opening large enough to inspect
or remove the aft mounted strobe power pack I did install. But that was my secondary concern. I cut in the opening
further aft than some of the designs I saw in the thread based upon a recent thread discussing potential autopilot servo
failure modes. My main intent is to get a good look and have at least some limited physical access to that elevator
bellcrank from time to time.

 

[rocketbob]

Would it make more sense to hinge the front, so you can see in there better?

 

[Rick6a]

Would it make more sense to hinge the front, so you can see in there better?

Putting the hinge in front would not have made sense because I made the door longer rather than wider.
If the hinge were in front, the door would open towards you and because of its length, not fully.
That would have been obstructing all around. I reinstalled the baggage shelf earlier today and when in the
open position, the door is completely out of the way and leans naturally against the vertical bulkhead cover.

 

[rocketbob]

Rick, I should have said, would it have made more sense to make the front face hinged.... in other words the door would have been on the front vertical surface.

 

[RatMan]

Rick, I should have said, would it have made more sense to make the front face hinged.... in other words the door would have been on the front vertical surface.

Not if you want to see the elevator bell crank, it's behind the battery. That is, IF the battery is mounted in the rear. His door opening is right above the rear battery location and the bell crank. Perfect for what he said he wants to do.

 

[weekendflyboy]

Rick very good idea. Looks good.
I have these camlocs on my website at a very reasonable price. They are very useful for all access doors.
http://www.nonstopaviation.com/camlocs-p-14569.html