BRS parachute handle work: 8 hours

This session I spent a ridiculous amout of time making a custom fitted cover plate for the BRS handle. After hours of work on the tiny part I installed platenuts to hold it in place. I'm very happy with the results.

I also added some lightening holes to my custom handle bracket.

Finally I worked on opening up the rear spar carry through to keep the elevator pushrod from rubbing.

Fitting the tunnel cover around the handle:

Cover plate almost finished:

Finished cover plate and bracket with lightening holes:

Interference with the carry through and pushrod is common. Vans allows shaving up to 1/8" off the carry through to provide clearance.

Forward elevator pushrod and BRS handle bracket: 9 hours

This work session I accomplished the following: made the forward elevator pushrod, made a new custom bracket for the parachute activation handle and started working on the floor cutout for the activation handle.

Trial fitting the forward elevator pushrod:

I modified the supplied BRS bracket and checked for more clearance for the pushrod.

I moved the hole in the bracket for the handle 1/4" to the right which resulted in plenty of clearance.

I copied the dimensions of the modified bracket on to some aluminum angle.

The new custom bracket:

Working on the cutout in the floor and tunnel cover for the activation handle:

Aileron trim and BRS: 3 hours

I got the aileron trim installed. I ended up having to remake the links from the servo to the aileron trim horn to get the horn in the correct middle position with the servo in the mid point of travel.

I also started looking at installing the BRS handle just aft of the aileron trim and on the right side of the tunnel to clear the servo.

Aileron trim horn, bearing block, links and servo.

Aileron trim servo mechanism:

Aileron trim plate ready for priming:

Testing aileron trim system:

Mechanism permanently installed:

Possible location for BRS activation handle:

Aileron trim work: 2.5 hours

I got started on installing the mechanism for the aileron trim. This system works by putting small amounts of pressure on the aileron controls via an electric servo and a set of springs.

This is another custom fit item that involves a lot of measuring, locating, etc.

Taping aileron trim bracket in place before clamping and match drilling through spar floors:

Locating additional aileron bracket screw holes:

Drilling mounting holes in the aileron trim bearing block:

Tunnel cover rework, aileron trim and BRS handle research: 8 hours

I got the tunnel cover rivet repaired which was more involved than I originally anticipated. I ended up riveting in a small doubler plate on the inside of the cover. It turned out great and I got the everthing cleaned up and primed.

I also located the hole and installed a plate nut for the tunnel cover in the spar floor.

A large amount of time was spent trying to determine the best way to fit the aileron trim and the BRS activation handle assembly in the tunnel together without interfering with the elevator pushrod. This involved phone calls and emails to the BRS engineer who worked on the system for the RV-7. This is a new project for them so a lot of the details such as this are not set in stone. For now we are going to look at handle locations forward of the spar and go ahead with the aileron trim install.

Completed tunnel cover:

Finished seat floors, worked on tunnel cover: 7.7 hours

I got all the plate nuts riveted in for the seat floors so they are now complete.

The rest of the time was spent working on the tunnel cover which involved a lot of tweaking and fitting to get it right. I got all the riveting done on the tunnel cover but one rivet turned out bad and will have to be reworked.

Seat floors complete:

Drilling tunnel cover plate:

Seat floors and misc wiring: 6.4 hours

This work session I did the following:
 -Prepped seat floors for priming and primed them
 -Used seat floors to match drill tunnel cover supports
 -Put some RTV silicone on electrical conduit where it contacts seat floors
 -Installed all seat floor blind rivets
 -Worked with headphone jacks
 -Marked and drilled holes for headset jacks
 -Installed wire clips for headset wires
 -Checked out seat heat wiring
 -Tested new electric cowl flap

New electric cowl flap from anti-splat aero:

This unit installs on the underside of the cowl and will help reduce cylinder head temps in the climb.

Headset jack location and wire clips:

Seat floors ready for blind rivets:

All blind rivets installed:

Seat floors and tunnel cover work: 3.9 hours

This work session: I match drilled the seat floors and completed the supports for the cover that goes in between the seats forward of the flap mechanism. The supports took a while because they have to be fabricated from a piece of z angle - more of an old school scratch building process.

Match drilling seat floors:

One cover support done, one to go:

Both cover supports finished:

Antenna doublers, BRS harness and seat floor prep: 7 hours

This work session: finished and installed antenna doublers for comm radio and transponder, installed wire clips in the forward pushrod tunnel, drilled holes in the seats floors for headphone wiring, started fitting seat floors such as fitting around seat belt anchors.

I also worked on the some of the parachute components including installing the rear internal kevlar harness that links the bottom reinforcement plate to the top anchor and the aft parachute harness. I also did some research on locating the parachute activation handle.

Antenna doublers:

Rear parachute anchor points and kevlar harness:

Top anchor point and parachute harness:

Comm antenna doubler installed:

Pushrod tunnel wire clips:

Another shot of the comm antenna doubler:

Baggage floors and misc: 6.3 hours

During this session I finished the installation of the baggage floors which including prepping the left baggage floor and doing all riveting. I also installed the elevator bell crank and installed the autopilot pitch servo. I also started working on the antenna doublers for the comm radio and transponder. Lastly I spent some time researching when to install the aft parachute harness.

Right baggage floor complete:

Left baggage floor in progress:

Left baggage floor blind rivets done:

Both baggage floors complete:

Installing elevator bell crank:

Autopilot pitch servo installed:

Baggage floor work: 4 hours

During this session: drilled access holes in baggage bulkhead for BRS parachute activation cable and the autopilot servo wire harness. I also installed wire clips in the control tunnel, match drilled the right baggage floor in place, deburred and started riveting the right floor in place.

 Right baggage floor in progress:

Wire clips in pushrod tunnel:

Finished ADS-B antenna install: 4.5 hours

My ADS-B antenna, from Delta Pop Aviation, is installed. This technology for traffic and weather data is going to be a big safety improvement for light aircraft.

There was a lot of prep work involved to fit the doubler. The most time consuming was using the pop rivet dimple dies to make the dimples for the flush pop rivets in the fuselage skin.

I sealed the antenna to the fuselage with silicone caulk as per the EAA video on the subject.

Everything turned out good and I'm sure the other antenna installs will go a bit faster.

Doubler plate clecoed in place:

ADS-B antenna installed: