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We just passed the 1,000 hour inspection / ten years of annuals. I wanted to really go through the plane with a fine-toothed comb, as by this point a few things are wearing out, or building up... This is the first of many learnings I will be sharing from the process.
I have observed that a large amount of sticky, dirty / sandy gunk has accumulated in the belly interior, both fabric and metal areas. It has spread right throughout the plane, but it's worse near the front and at the port side. It quickly became obvious how this is happening:
It's collects around stringers and contains small rock fragments, sand, organic matter - all kinds of stuff which you don't want rotting away next to metal / fabric parts. There's a lot of it too. It's not causing any major consequences, but it's highly preventable and hence I thought I would mention it.
We have ultralight marine carpets on the floorboards, and we vacuum regularly. Without those, the problem would be a lot worse, as dirt could easily bypass floorboards. I have probably vacuumed up 10 lbs of dirt in the last 10 years, which would otherwise have ended up in the belly.
I suggest consideration of sealing up the tunnel area, or the footwell area, such that debris from pilot's footwear is caught there - and can be easily vacuumed up before it spreads throughout the whole fuselage.
I have observed that a large amount of sticky, dirty / sandy gunk has accumulated in the belly interior, both fabric and metal areas. It has spread right throughout the plane, but it's worse near the front and at the port side. It quickly became obvious how this is happening:
1. Debris from boots on pedals is dropping down below the floorboards onto the tunnel, and from there it can easily travel all the way down the belly interior, as far as the tail if it wants. It tends to collect on the port side of the port belly stringer especially. Maybe there's some propwash effect pushing it there, at a guess. Or maybe it mostly comes from the pilot who sits on that side.
2. Oil from the engine area is working its way down the outside of the tunnel and because of the overlap (in my build), being passed onto the inside of the metal belly panel (it cannot pass the little tube where the fabric terminates though, not on the interior of the belly).
2. Oil from the engine area is working its way down the outside of the tunnel and because of the overlap (in my build), being passed onto the inside of the metal belly panel (it cannot pass the little tube where the fabric terminates though, not on the interior of the belly).
It's collects around stringers and contains small rock fragments, sand, organic matter - all kinds of stuff which you don't want rotting away next to metal / fabric parts. There's a lot of it too. It's not causing any major consequences, but it's highly preventable and hence I thought I would mention it.
We have ultralight marine carpets on the floorboards, and we vacuum regularly. Without those, the problem would be a lot worse, as dirt could easily bypass floorboards. I have probably vacuumed up 10 lbs of dirt in the last 10 years, which would otherwise have ended up in the belly.
I suggest consideration of sealing up the tunnel area, or the footwell area, such that debris from pilot's footwear is caught there - and can be easily vacuumed up before it spreads throughout the whole fuselage.
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