Skybolts [7.5 hours]

I installed the top cowling Skybolts.

Since I didn’t use the Skybolt flanges, I needed to drill out both the cowl and the custom built flange holes that I’ve been cleco’ing so far for holding the cowl in position. I used a step drill to take a section of holes out to 15/32″, removed the cowl, and drilled the flange holes further to provide enough clearance for the retainers. A tapered hand reamer is handy for touching up the 15/32″ cowl holes slightly to fit the rings.

I used floating retainers for the lowest position on each side. These allow a bit of up/down movement, not sure they were necessary but I put them in anyway as they were part of the kit.

  • f53a
    f53a
    Installing Skybolt retainers
  • f53b
    f53b
    Installing Skybolt fasteners
  • f53c
    f53c
    Every second fastener done
  • f53d
    f53d
    Most done
  • f53e
    f53e
    Clamping retainer prior to riveting
  • f53g
    f53g
    All Skybolt retainers installed
  • f53h
    f53h
    All Skybolt retainers installed
  • f53f
    f53f
    Skybolt fasteners complete

 

Cowling bump, oil door etc. [16.5 hours]

While waiting for the 3D printed inlet plenum, I went back to complete a few cowling jobs.

The hole that I cut out of the lower cowling to clear the A/C compressor needed to be filled in. To do this, I taped a 1/4″ thick cardboard spacer in front of the A/C compressor, then applied play-doh to build up a shape that looked aerodynamically reasonable. I applied more masking tape over this, and then packing tape to act as a release agent. I then took the bottom cowling off, and applied two layers of fiberglass cloth over the taped off area. Once this cured, I pried it off, trimmed the excess, and scuffed the resulting shape all over.

After removing the tape and packing, I epoxy’d and cleco’d the shape piece in place, turned the cowl over, applied thickened epoxy to fill the gaps around the cutout, and then applied two layers of glass cloth over the entire inner area. Once cured, I applied a layer of micro to the outside, and sanded it back to form the final shape. There were a lot of crater sized pin holes and these will have to be filled, apart from this the A/C compressor bump on the lower cowling is done.

I also did the oil door. I stiffened the door with a piece of 0.063″ Alclad,  bent into shape by hitting it with a rubber mallet. In retrospect, I should have either drilled some lightening holes in it or perhaps 0.032″ would have been OK, the door is quite heavy. I used a pair of Cessna KM610-64 Camloc’s for the catch, building up the button area with thickened epoxy to match the oil door thickness.

I also fitted the Aerosport RV-10 emblem covers to the cowling halves. Just follow the instructions, being careful not to epoxy the cowl halves together anywhere except where you intend to.

  • f52a
    f52a
    Taped 1/4" cardboard spacer in front of A/C compressor
  • f52b
    f52b
    Essential materials
  • f52c
    f52c
    Building up the shape
  • f52d
    f52d
    Taped up with packing tape
  • f52e
    f52e
    Two layers of glass cloth
  • f52f
    f52f
    Trimmed shape in place
  • f52g
    f52g
    Applied two layers of glass cloth to inside cutout
  • f52h
    f52h
    After one round of micro, needs more work
  • f52j
    f52j
    Oil door and stiffener plate
  • f52i
    f52i
    Alclad plate to stiffen oil door
  • f52k
    f52k
    Setting stiffener plate in place
  • f52l
    f52l
    After epoxy set
  • f52m
    f52m
    Drilling oil door hinge
  • f52n
    f52n
    Drilling holes for release catches
  • f52o
    f52o
    Release catch buttons built up with thickened epoxy
  • f52p
    f52p
    Release catches in place, roughly sanded
  • f52q
    f52q
    Release catches in place, roughly sanded
  • f52s
    f52s
    Stainless steel catch plates in place
  • f52r
    f52r
    Almost completed oil door
  • f52t
    f52t
    Glassing in Aerosport templates
  • f52u
    f52u
    After curing, with holes drilled and template punched out
  • f52v
    f52v
    After initial cut
  • f52w
    f52w
    Aerosport emblems in place