Made a start on the cockpit floor today. First a piece of 6061-T6 0.050" aluminium sheet was cut to shape and then clamped to the underside of the fuselage. This allowed all the cut-outs needed to clear the tubing to be marked. The sheet was then removed and cut to shape. At this point it became clear that it was going to be impossible to insert the sheet into the fuselage in a single piece so it was cut along the line of the main fuselage cross-member. The two edges of the sheet touching the cross member were folded up 30 degrees about 3/8" from the edge to allow the sheet to rest on the lower longerons which are only 3/4" diameter whereas the cross member is 1" diameter. The rear section was folded up 90 degrees to fit against the cross member that forms the front edge of the seat and was cut out in the centre to clear the control column torque tube. Next there are about 80 tabs to weld onto the tubing, drill, and fit with clinchnuts to support the two sections of the floor and cut outs are needed for the brake master cylinders and the rudder torque tube carry through.
Made a start on the cockpit floor today. First a piece of 6061-T6 0.050" aluminium sheet was cut to shape and then clamped to the underside of the fuselage. This allowed all the cut-outs needed to clear the tubing to be marked. The sheet was then removed and cut to shape. At this point it became clear that it was going to be impossible to insert the sheet into the fuselage in a single piece so it was cut along the line of the main fuselage cross-member. The two edges of the sheet touching the cross member were folded up 30 degrees about 3/8" from the edge to allow the sheet to rest on the lower longerons which are only 3/4" diameter whereas the cross member is 1" diameter. The rear section was folded up 90 degrees to fit against the cross member that forms the front edge of the seat and was cut out in the centre to clear the control column torque tube. Next there are about 80 tabs to weld onto the tubing, drill, and fit with clinchnuts to support the two sections of the floor and cut outs are needed for the brake master cylinders and the rudder torque tube carry through.
