Back in the Game

[Cguy]

For those of us flying completed aircraft...., watching your progress is a reminder on how much work ANY airplane is to build! Note to self: "Be careful, don't wreck it, you've forgotten how much work it was to build!" Coming up on 3000 hours flight time on my 2007 S-7S build.

[PropMan]

Got the bottom painted white. Gray stripe shot today. Red will be shot in a couple days

[PropMan]

Looking real good!

Thanks, slowly making progress.

[interstate al]

Looking real good!

[PropMan]

More ecofill, more sanding. Hopefully some color in a week. Oh yeah, ironing a few edges down too.

[PropMan]

Fuselage is covered, finally! Ekobond to seal the weave has been applied, shot the 2 cross coats of ekofill. Now to listen to some music while I sand for the next week.

[PropMan]

I decided the prop needed to be finished while the woodshop is still reasonably cool, 79 degrees. (-:

[Cguy]

The dorsal fin area on any plane has always given me cold sweats, real visible too! But they have always come out OK just pretty challenging compared to most other areas.

[PropMan]

Looking like 2 days of work to attach each side. Half way done with the right side.

[PropMan]

Fabric has begun!!!
Belly is on, dang that took better part of today.

[Cguy]

Wow, flush rivets and fasteners, nice touch!

[PropMan]

Ok, got it done except for attachment and camloc fasteners, After seeing how much Camlocs are I elected to hinge it. Now we'll call it a door

[PropMan]

Brooks, Thanks for the pic. Yes, I plan on Stewarts method, then add the fasteners.

[Cguy]

One of the mods I did on both of my S-7 builds, was a aft baggage door, no regrets. It allows me to get into the area behind the baggage area, where I can keep light gear like a mattress pad, pillow, anything light but bulky. I also put a "ski hatch" in the plywood bulkhead at the rear of my baggage compartment, good for carrying 10' long PVC conduit, or a 78" Prince prop, both which I've done. Good advice on the fabric tension pulling things out of whack, as usual any mods lead to extra work!

[Bcone1381]

I recently installed my tail inspection frames and covers. Your cargo opening looks similar in design. Your material is exactly what I used for the frame and cover. Follow Stewarts Systems advice and attach your frame to your fabric from the inside after the first shrink to 250. After the glue cured an X is cut and fabric pushed through the frame, wrapped around and glued from the inside. The frame gets encapsulated.

If you choose to install quarter turn fastener receptacle after you cover & wrap, you eliminate obstructions from allowing fabric to adhere solid without those obstructions. After this photo was taken I riveted (squeezed) 4 tinnerman nut plates in each corner of the lower frame. It worked out nicely.

I also applied a zinc chromate coating to these frames. The AL gets roughed for a Stewarts Glue mechanical bond. I wonder if the AL might corrode over time and loose glue adhesion. So I roughen it, clean it, Chromate it, then glue it.

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