Fuselage - Cabin

2006-07-29 - The baggage compartment (steps and AFT side covers). (3.5 Hrs).

Continue to work on the F-750 baggage side covers, and steps. Also, I drilled the hole in the bottom of the fuselage for the flap pushrod that was missed a few hundred hours ago.

Since I was working on closing up the baggage area, I though I would look into the hole that is needed for the flap push rod. Turns out that the hole should have been drilled when F-623 was installed. I figured I had better drill the hole while I still had access to this area. Note, I am laying on my back for this picture.
BTW, in DWG 28 for the skins, the plans say to drill the hole, not the instructions. I spent over an hour looking at plans and hunting down parts to figure out what size hole needed to be drilled. Turns out that the pushrod is made from AT6-058x5/16, aluminum tubing, so the hole would be, ah, let's see, 5/16".

There, that's better.

Getting ready to rivet the F-750 baggage side covers, and I discovered a little problem. That hole in the side of the F-724 bulkhead should have been drilled to 5/8" and had a snap bushing inserted for the rudder cables--idiot!

That's better. There's enough room to get to this from the AFT side of F-724, but it would be hard to do from the FWD side, once F-750 is installed. Glad I caught this, now do the left side.

Look Ma, no cleco's. F-750 is finally installed and riveted. Now, do the left step and F-750-L.
As an aside, the next step in the manual says to install the steps, so I guess Van didn't forget about them, after all, as I had implied. It pays to read ahead, which I usually do, but apparantly, not this section.

I am very happy with the left step. Only 1 smiley, and it wasn't even bad enough to drill out.

And, there's the left F-750.

Cleco'd the F-747 baggage floors back on, and clamped the F-751 lower baggage bulkhead in place. Van wants you to have the top skins in place when fitting these pieces. I'm not convinced that they are needed, but I'll put them back on, anyway.
I'm feeling sick, so that's enough for today. The management really needs to make sure that there is water available out in the factory when it's hot like this. I smell a lawsuit.

	Since I was working on closing up the baggage area, I though I would look into the hole that is needed for the flap push rod. Turns out that the hole should have been drilled when F-623 was installed. I figured I had better drill the hole while I still had access to this area. Note, I am laying on my back for this picture. BTW, in DWG 28 for the skins, the plans say to drill the hole, not the instructions. I spent over an hour looking at plans and hunting down parts to figure out what size hole needed to be drilled. Turns out that the pushrod is made from AT6-058x5/16, aluminum tubing, so the hole would be, ah, let's see, 5/16".
	There, that's better.
	Getting ready to rivet the F-750 baggage side covers, and I discovered a little problem. That hole in the side of the F-724 bulkhead should have been drilled to 5/8" and had a snap bushing inserted for the rudder cables--idiot!
	That's better. There's enough room to get to this from the AFT side of F-724, but it would be hard to do from the FWD side, once F-750 is installed. Glad I caught this, now do the left side.
	Look Ma, no cleco's. F-750 is finally installed and riveted. Now, do the left step and F-750-L. As an aside, the next step in the manual says to install the steps, so I guess Van didn't forget about them, after all, as I had implied. It pays to read ahead, which I usually do, but apparantly, not this section.
	I am very happy with the left step. Only 1 smiley, and it wasn't even bad enough to drill out.
	And, there's the left F-750.
	Cleco'd the F-747 baggage floors back on, and clamped the F-751 lower baggage bulkhead in place. Van wants you to have the top skins in place when fitting these pieces. I'm not convinced that they are needed, but I'll put them back on, anyway. I'm feeling sick, so that's enough for today. The management really needs to make sure that there is water available out in the factory when it's hot like this. I smell a lawsuit.