Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Work Begins On F-1203A Bulkhead

The finishing touches were put on the newly installed F-1204CL-L&R forward bulkhead side assemblies by installing the F-1204M rollers on each side. These rollers become a part of the fuselage that will come into play to provide easy insertion and removal of the spars.
Installing the F-1204M roller assembly on the right side of the fuselage.

Moving on, the F-1203A bulkhead receives quite a bit of attention … all the countersinking was done prior to painting, so all that is left to do is add quite a few parts onto the bulkhead. The instructions have the builder assemble the two control column mount assemblies. Each control column mount is comprised of four pieces which are riveted together … F-1233A control mounting spacer, F-1233B-L&R control column mount brackets and a com-3-5 bearing. The four rivets surrounding the bearing end up being double flush because the rivet holes on both the left and right mounting brackets are countersunk. Because access was good, the remaining rivets in the control mount assemblies were riveted using AN470AD4-7 rivets in place of LP4-4 rivets.
The parts that will make up the two control column mounts.
Control mount bearing already installed – now squeezing AN470AD4-7 rivets in the place of LP4-4 pop rivets to complete the bracket.
Finished control column mounting assemblies with all solid rivets in place of LP4-4 rivets.

The F-1203A bulkhead will be receiving quite a few parts as can be seen in the photo bellow. The F-1203D stub spar receptacles are sandwiched between the F-1203A bulkhead and the F-1203D stub spar receptacle supports. The stub spar is on the leading edge of the wing and it has a tab sticking out that will be inserted into the receptacles to secure the leading edge of the wing.  Care must be taken when reading the instructions here because ONLY TWO of the center rivets are riveted at this time to hold the spar receptacle assemblies together. This is because another layer of parts (F-1203E-L&R) will be added onto the forward side of the F-1203A bulkhead and will cover these rivets.
Parts that will be riveted onto the F-1203A bulkhead.

The only two rivets that are set at this time in the F-1203A bulkhead/stub spar receptacles are the two center rivets. They will keep the parts secured in place and are pointed out in the next photo. The F-1203 bulkhead doublers will cover these two rivets and then be riveted in place along with the rest of the stub spar receptacle rivets. Because of the way the doublers are put together, there is a small valley created between them that clears the rivet heads.
F-1203E bulkhead doublers ready to be placed on top of the two set rivets.
F-1203E bulkhead doublers now covering the two previously set rivets and in position for riveting. Clecos with blue tape and areas with blue tape are rivet locations not to be riveted at this time.

After the F-1203E-L&R doublers were secured in place onto the F-1203A bulkhead assembly with Clecos, the work session was completed by installing AN470AD4-8 rivets to finish the riveting of the doubler/bulkhead/stub spar receptacle assembly … except for the outer most holes marked with blue tape in the above photo.