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Aft fuselage warning question

HeliCooper

Well Known Member
In section 10 they twice mention looking forward to the systems installation. On page 10-14 there is a note and on page 10-19 there is a warning to review 10-21 and on before proceeding. Do they want you to install these systems before you rivet the skins on? After reviewing the pages it looks like there will be plenty of room to work after the skins are on but with the multiple notes and warnings I feel like I am missing something.

Thanks,

Jim
 
I think the suggestion is that it is much easier to run wires (or conduit with pull strings) now, rather than later.
 
During my pre cover inspection, two rivets way back in the tail of the cone need replacement. I pondered on how to get there without damage. My elderly buddy (not picking on the elderly just dramatizing my predicament and bragging on my whatever) doesn't get around too easy now days. When he arrived I had the tail up in the air and the opening pointed down on two saw horses. I showed him the two rivets needing bucking from the outside and told him I had them labeled #1 and # 2 on the inside. He said I don't know if I can crawl up under, to which I responded you are not expected to. I had the assembly attached to my overhead hoist and it was sitting on the sawhorses only to stabilized it. I hoisted the assembly up , he stepped under with ear muffs on and I lowered the unit down over the top of him. He laughed at my plan but it worked perfect.
Not directly related to the OP , but it is an option for someone trying to get inside and do the wiring later than Van's recommends.
 
Not to step on toes, but planning to finish the airframe before adding wiring, plumbing, and other internals is just shooting yourself in the foot. If at all possible, install everything possible before closing anything. I start with interior paint because I find it easier to put things in and leave 'em in (It's not always possible) wherever possible. Touch up the paint later!

Perfection is the enemy of completion!

YMMV!
 
The manual gives the warning before installing just the sides. That is what is so confusing. If they wanted you to install those internals before you rivet the sides up why didn't they just order the manual that way. With the sides installed you will still have plenty of room to work around.
 
While you can definitely install the systems after the airframe is closed, you'll find that on your second airplane, you'll find a way to have everything on hand so that you can drill holes, run cables, fit the plumbing, while it's still open and accessible.

QB kits are also a bit of a problem. I'm working on an RV-6 QB right now. It was quite a pain just to drill the static line holes under the canopy rails, which were already installed on the QB. Van's could do everyone a favor by pre-drilling a few more plumbing and wiring holes! I mean, seriously, how many RVs don't have a static system?
 
Adding that I think it's because of the premade harness, which the connector won't fit through the stiffener "hole", and the skin has to be movable to get the connector through (ie push out the skin a bit and run connector and harness between the skin and then move the wires into the slot). As mentioned can be done after but the connector would have to be cut off and redone I think.
 
Adding that I think it's because of the premade harness, which the connector won't fit through the stiffener "hole", and the skin has to be movable to get the connector through (ie push out the skin a bit and run connector and harness between the skin and then move the wires into the slot). As mentioned can be done after but the connector would have to be cut off and redone I think.

Yep.

Good reason to not use the Van’s wiring kit. All those clunky Molex connectors are a pain. That and you get to decide what wire to use (as in shielded where it makes sense).

I have never had a problem running wires as the last step on any of my projects.

Carl
 
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