Everything has been primed and final coated, with the exception of the map box door, which will be painted or maybe powdercoated to a final color yet to be determined. It is cleco'd together and awaiting final riveting before it is complete.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Map Box
Although a relatively trivial project, it was nonetheless, a fulfilling process....like just about every aspect of this project. Unfortunately, it was such a relatively small scope of work that I got carried away and did not do a thorough job of photographing the construction sequence.
Everything has been primed and final coated, with the exception of the map box door, which will be painted or maybe powdercoated to a final color yet to be determined. It is cleco'd together and awaiting final riveting before it is complete.
Final riveting of the map box.
Everything has been primed and final coated, with the exception of the map box door, which will be painted or maybe powdercoated to a final color yet to be determined. It is cleco'd together and awaiting final riveting before it is complete.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Forward Upper Fuselage, Part 1
The upper firewall section with spacers and cowling hinges ready to be attached.
There are a myriad of nutplates on the perimter of the upper firewall/doubler assembly. Here I am dimpling nutplate holes in preparation for the large batch to install.
After lots of dimpling, its now time to rivet the nutplates and cowling hinges in place.
A shot of the dimpling of the canopy rib flanges that add support to the upper firewall/fuselage junction, but more importantly will provide a mounting surface for the lift struts of the canopy.
The antenna shelf is now installed, along with 2 of its own nutplates onto the upper firewall assembly.
The upper firewall assembly is now ready to mount to the fuselage. Actually, a batch of firewall sealant (the nasty black stuff, which is actually used to seal the fuel tank) is spread along the upper surface of the lower flange of the upper firewall assembly prior to riveting. This will act as a seal against potentially noxious fumes from the engine compartment migrating into the cabin.
Glamor shot of the upper firewall now permanently resting in place. Of note are the left and right forward skin stiffeners (diagonal line of rivets at the base of the upper firewall) which are also now installed.
Same view as above but from the interior.
Next up is the installation of several sub-assemblies onto the panel base. Shown below are the instrument panel's stack angles with all of their nutplates recently riveted into place, slated for installation on the panel base.
The canopy ribs have their nutplates attached along with a doubler and the canopy strut attach angle. This is another of the sub-assemblies for the panel base.
The upper engine mounts are final drilled #30 and then blind riveted onto the panel base.
And finally, the com supports are also installed onto the base.
The underside (inside of cabin) of the panel base showing the manufactured heads of the blind rivets.
A shot of the panel base cleco'd into position.
Another shot of the panel base with the cleco'd canopy ribs shown. Note that I will be postponing final riveting of the panel base to the fuselage until I receive the Viking Aircraft Engines fuel pump module. The fuel pump module is installed on the floor of the fuselage just below the panel base. Installation of the fuel pump module along with the fuel pressure and fuel flow transducers will be simplified by easier access to that area. The panel base and the upper forward fuselage skin install will have to wait until I am further along with the fuel system.
In the meantime, I am dimpling and riveting nutplates to the panel attach strips.
Here, the side cowl hinge spacers are shown with the upper forward fuselage doubler about to be installed on the upper firewall.
There are a myriad of nutplates on the perimter of the upper firewall/doubler assembly. Here I am dimpling nutplate holes in preparation for the large batch to install.
After lots of dimpling, its now time to rivet the nutplates and cowling hinges in place.
A shot of the dimpling of the canopy rib flanges that add support to the upper firewall/fuselage junction, but more importantly will provide a mounting surface for the lift struts of the canopy.
The antenna shelf is now installed, along with 2 of its own nutplates onto the upper firewall assembly.
The upper firewall assembly is now ready to mount to the fuselage. Actually, a batch of firewall sealant (the nasty black stuff, which is actually used to seal the fuel tank) is spread along the upper surface of the lower flange of the upper firewall assembly prior to riveting. This will act as a seal against potentially noxious fumes from the engine compartment migrating into the cabin.
Glamor shot of the upper firewall now permanently resting in place. Of note are the left and right forward skin stiffeners (diagonal line of rivets at the base of the upper firewall) which are also now installed.
Same view as above but from the interior.
Next up is the installation of several sub-assemblies onto the panel base. Shown below are the instrument panel's stack angles with all of their nutplates recently riveted into place, slated for installation on the panel base.
The canopy ribs have their nutplates attached along with a doubler and the canopy strut attach angle. This is another of the sub-assemblies for the panel base.
The upper engine mounts are final drilled #30 and then blind riveted onto the panel base.
And finally, the com supports are also installed onto the base.
The underside (inside of cabin) of the panel base showing the manufactured heads of the blind rivets.
Another shot of the panel base with the cleco'd canopy ribs shown. Note that I will be postponing final riveting of the panel base to the fuselage until I receive the Viking Aircraft Engines fuel pump module. The fuel pump module is installed on the floor of the fuselage just below the panel base. Installation of the fuel pump module along with the fuel pressure and fuel flow transducers will be simplified by easier access to that area. The panel base and the upper forward fuselage skin install will have to wait until I am further along with the fuel system.
In the meantime, I am dimpling and riveting nutplates to the panel attach strips.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Fuel System, Part 1
The fuel system work began with a deviation from the plans. Because N79AM will be Viking powered, a Honda Fit automobile conversion, the normally installed Facet fuel pump was replaced with a drain valve beneath the baggage compartment floor. The Rotax 912S-based RV-12 does not feature a fuel tank drain other than the gascolator (if you consider that a drain) at the firewall. The Viking powered RV-12 utilizes two high pressure fuel pumps (a primary and backup), mounted in the forward console, where the FT-60 (a.k.a. the red cube) fuel flow transducer resides. The photo below shows the original fuel pump mounting bracket, but with an AN tee fitting that will serve as the mainstay of the drain valve. Also shown are a spacer plate and a lock plate that will hopefully keep the bushing (threaded into the vertical leg of the tee) from turning if I ever decide to remove the drain valve for a more rapid fuel tank dump. On the right side is the drain valve and washers for mounting. Locktite 567 is the thread sealer/lubricant for sealing the threads.
View of the underside of the drain valve assembly with the lock plate in place and the spacer plate along side.
Top view of the drain valve installed in the original location of the Facet fuel pump in a standard RV-12.
Here is a poor photo of the exterior of the bottom skin, where the drain valve will protrude from the aircraft.
Next, the fuel line construction (bending) began in earnest. Shown here is the tubing bender in action. Prior to the bending is the flaring process (not shown).
After a few bends, you end up with a nice run of line that, in this instance, is to extend from the bottom of the fuel tank to the fuel drain valve. Don't flare the end of the tubing until you put the sleeve and nut in place. Don't ask me why!
And here is a close up of this section of fuel line installed in the aft section of the fuselage. In the upper right is the attach point to the fuel tank.
The next run of fuel line is to traverse from the outlet of the fuel drain valve upstream all the way to the fuel shutoff valve, located in the center compartment beneath the two seats. In this photo, we see the dog-leg that is required to route the line from the outlet of the valve up to and through a couple of bulkheads. This run is nearly 41 inches long and features a couple of difficult bends. The first bend (downward) is required to prevent possible interference with the flaperon mixer. A final jog upward in the fuel line is required to properly mate the terminus of the fuel line with the shutoff valve.
Following is a picture looking aft from the mounted fuel shut off valve to the drain valve.
Close up of the fuel shut off valve, before it was mounted in its designated location.
Another angle showing the lengthy run from just forward of the drain valve to the fuel shut off valve.
Next job was to install 2 low pressure fuel filters (100 micron) upstream from the fuel shut off valve. These redundant fuel lines will connect to the 2 fuel pumps spec'ed by Viking Aircraft Engines for the Honda Fit engine. 3/8" fuel line was formed into a 270 degree "return" line to feed the 2 filters. Below, I am finishing the final flare of this intermediate run of fuel line.
Here is the finished product prior to installation. A couple of Adel clamps will secure this section to the adjacent seat bottom ribs.
An Aeroquip female swivel with a tee ties into the intermediate (270 degree) fuel line which provides a couple of legs for the low pressure filters. This brilliant arrangement was entirely "lifted" from another RV-12 Viking builder. When I first saw his work, I was dumbstruck by its elegance, quality and precision. I told him that I would like to think that given enough time I might have been able to come up with something this nice on my own...but alas imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. Many thanks Larry! You're the man!
Plumbing forward of the low pressure fuel filters will continue after the engine and fuel pump module is delivered. My Viking engine is on an accelerated schedule for delivery...more on that in the near future.
Up next is the 1/4" return line which also begins in the rear section of the fuselage, where it ties into the fuel tank. This shot shows the first fit up of the initial run from the tank forward to a bulkhead.
Final bends with AN nuts and sleeves attached with the fancy fuel line isolators installed. Those sections of the 1/4" return line will be clamped to the corresponding locations of the 3/8" fuel line between the tank and the baggage bulkhead sub-assembly.
View of the underside of the drain valve assembly with the lock plate in place and the spacer plate along side.
Top view of the drain valve installed in the original location of the Facet fuel pump in a standard RV-12.
Here is a poor photo of the exterior of the bottom skin, where the drain valve will protrude from the aircraft.
Next, the fuel line construction (bending) began in earnest. Shown here is the tubing bender in action. Prior to the bending is the flaring process (not shown).
After a few bends, you end up with a nice run of line that, in this instance, is to extend from the bottom of the fuel tank to the fuel drain valve. Don't flare the end of the tubing until you put the sleeve and nut in place. Don't ask me why!
And here is a close up of this section of fuel line installed in the aft section of the fuselage. In the upper right is the attach point to the fuel tank.
The next run of fuel line is to traverse from the outlet of the fuel drain valve upstream all the way to the fuel shutoff valve, located in the center compartment beneath the two seats. In this photo, we see the dog-leg that is required to route the line from the outlet of the valve up to and through a couple of bulkheads. This run is nearly 41 inches long and features a couple of difficult bends. The first bend (downward) is required to prevent possible interference with the flaperon mixer. A final jog upward in the fuel line is required to properly mate the terminus of the fuel line with the shutoff valve.
Following is a picture looking aft from the mounted fuel shut off valve to the drain valve.
Close up of the fuel shut off valve, before it was mounted in its designated location.
Another angle showing the lengthy run from just forward of the drain valve to the fuel shut off valve.
Next job was to install 2 low pressure fuel filters (100 micron) upstream from the fuel shut off valve. These redundant fuel lines will connect to the 2 fuel pumps spec'ed by Viking Aircraft Engines for the Honda Fit engine. 3/8" fuel line was formed into a 270 degree "return" line to feed the 2 filters. Below, I am finishing the final flare of this intermediate run of fuel line.
Here is the finished product prior to installation. A couple of Adel clamps will secure this section to the adjacent seat bottom ribs.
An Aeroquip female swivel with a tee ties into the intermediate (270 degree) fuel line which provides a couple of legs for the low pressure filters. This brilliant arrangement was entirely "lifted" from another RV-12 Viking builder. When I first saw his work, I was dumbstruck by its elegance, quality and precision. I told him that I would like to think that given enough time I might have been able to come up with something this nice on my own...but alas imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. Many thanks Larry! You're the man!
Plumbing forward of the low pressure fuel filters will continue after the engine and fuel pump module is delivered. My Viking engine is on an accelerated schedule for delivery...more on that in the near future.
Up next is the 1/4" return line which also begins in the rear section of the fuselage, where it ties into the fuel tank. This shot shows the first fit up of the initial run from the tank forward to a bulkhead.
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