Cowling work with a bit of instrument panel and BRS fairing

After numerous rounds of fitting, removing the cowl, trimming and sanding I have the initial bottom cowl fitting done. I believe that everything is where I want it to start installing the Skybolt fasteners and prepare for a lot of fiberglass finishing work.

I took some time to experiment with a couple of coats of the Rage Xtreme body filler on my parachute harness fairing. I'm very happy with it so far. Very easy to work with and great results! I plan on using it on all the fiberglass.

Nice to have the garage open to work! 

  

For a diversion from the cowl I spent some time and got the placard / access panel done on the instrument panel:

I needed the placard and this extra access will make it easier to do hook everything up!

I carefully cut the hole with the Dremel after drilling the corners with a step bit:

One advantage of doing the panel with a CAD program is being able to print out a template to keep everything lined up:

All Skybolt firewall flanges in place

All firewall flanges are attached:

Drilling spacer strips (The bottom cowl extension is very thick so I opted to double the .025 spacer strips):

Cowling fastener work

I mocked up the fairings and flanges to figure out the spacing for the skybolt fasteners that would work with the parachute harness fairing. I used 3" spacing for the fastener above the parachute fairing and then the standard 3.5" spacing for the 4 flanges below.

Mocking up the flanges for the left side. (Both skybolt flanges on either side of the fairing had to be cut down for the fairing to fit.)

Left side skybolt flanges riveted on:

Mocking up the right side flanges. (This side went very quickly.)

Right side flanges riveted on: