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Gap under seat

Machsandy

Active Member
Our RV10 has a small gap in the skin on both sides, on the outboard forward corner, under the seats. As we are doing SB-00007 and replacing the landing gear mounts it has allowed us to see how much detritus enters through those gaps, particularly grass, here in the UK the majority of strips that we use are grass.

Does anyone know why the gaps are there? My guess is that in the case of a significant fuel leak then it will allow fuel to drain? Also I wonder if it can allow CO to enter the cabin area?

Has anyone blocked up these gaps?
 
Our RV10 has a small gap in the skin on both sides, on the outboard forward corner, under the seats. As we are doing SB-00007 and replacing the landing gear mounts it has allowed us to see how much detritus enters through those gaps, particularly grass, here in the UK the majority of strips that we use are grass.

Does anyone know why the gaps are there? My guess is that in the case of a significant fuel leak then it will allow fuel to drain? Also I wonder if it can allow CO to enter the cabin area?

Has anyone blocked up these gaps?

I filled them with bondo from the inside. I fly in the midwest winters and took several steps to close every opening possible, including all the gaps around the main wing spars. Learned my lesson with the 6; The drafts are no fun when flying at -10F at altitude and 160 KTAS. It is almost worth running at peak EGT instead of LOP to up the heat output. The descents were miserable.

Did your mounts have cracks?
 
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Oh Yes! Small cracks in both top outboard mounting holes, exactly as suggested in SL-0033.

Thanks for the info, I would appreciate other’s input. Why do you think the design leaves the gaps?
 
Guess

I'm very far from being an expert, but I'd guess it is simply due to the sheetmetal forming. I'm surprised nobody makes an aftermarket plug.
 
Agree that they are probably a byproduct of the sheet metal forming. I don’t want to leave them open for a number of reasons.

Since I finished my unpainted -10 just prior to Oshkosh, I specifically wanted to see what others had done with that area. I looked at many -10’s, and most just left the holes open. Several had filled them, and that’s what I’m going to do. Just haven’t decided the best way to do that.

Anyone have suggestions?


I'm very far from being an expert, but I'd guess it is simply due to the sheetmetal forming. I'm surprised nobody makes an aftermarket plug.
 
What I did...

I used two pieces of packing tape stuck adhesive to adhesive to make a sheet of plastic. I then taped this sheet over the hole and filled that area, from the inside, with pro seal/canopy sealant.

Once cured, I removed the tape from the outside...nice, smooth, correctly shaped plug...
 
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