Greg,
The flap tube conflict appears to be just about where your PVC comes
out. Don't fear putting wiring on the floor with the other lines. I
never use metal fuel lines as it is too much time. OK if you have it.
Don't get too carried away about what sleeve material is best for your
rudder cables, Nylaflow or Nyloseal sold through A/C Spruce is great.
As far as jigging, first, I have a lot of room in my shop for jigging a
plane for a couple of weeks. What you described is exactly what can be
used. For a Tri-gear jigging the aircraft can be nothing more than a
flat table (set the table height at about 20 inches so you can get the
gear on) or use one of the on line ideas you have seen before, and
secure it to the floor with the fuselage bottom secured to support the
center of the module. I have a steel frame but wood will do. Ensure
the wing pins are level, and secure the center cockpit section to the
table. A simple tail support of ply will keep the tail from sagging.
Use a string to make sure the bottom canoe is not sagging. Do your best
at installing the rear bulkhead and tail torque tube square and level.
I use a 1x4 with a 1.5 inch half moon cut in it to ease one end or both
ends of the torque tube dead level if you suspect your canoe is warped,
and recheck it is square with the wing bolts. I also mark the floor
with the centerline to aid in the install of the gear. Always remember
to look ahead to ensure the cross tie bar is clear in the rear when
installing the gear. I shim and bond the gear alignment angle to the
floor and square the gear and install it. Then rig the wings and
install the cross member. (Many tri-gears were put on the gear first,
then the wings rigged. Level the aircraft with steel tubes stuck in the
end of the axel and secure on blocks bondoed to the floor or if you are
careful chock the wheels and use wing jigs to ensure the wings are
straight...)
Once the gear are good, pull them out if you want and the jig and rig
the flaps. Then back to the tail to finish up that and get the top
fitted. Fit the top and align the tail to vertical. That needs a plumb
bob hung over the tail post sighted down the corner made in the back of
the tail post and finish clecoing the top. You could put the plane on
its gear now and roll it around, plus make your lower access hole at
this time... Take it apart and finish the inside of the canoe. Your
careful jig alignment early on will almost guarantee it will stay where
it should. Maybe a little stick under the torque tube and a small
amount of pressure will be necessary to get it all perfect on final
gluing, but it will work.
The reason the book calls for the top to be put on is less time is loss
in jigging the plane. The top jigs it reasonably straight. But it's a
pain in the chest, back, head and elbows. If your space is limited, and
you must move the plane so the wife can get the car in for work on
Monday, then following the procedure above means resetting your jig.
That's time consuming. If your jig is on rollers, mark the floor or
make bondo dimples to hold the wheels or some bolt heads that screw down
marks on the floor to reset the jig for weekend work.
Gotta go to work,
Bud
----- Original Message -----
From: Greg Fuchs <mailto:gregoryf.flyboy@comcast.net>
To: europa-list@matronics.com<mailto:europa-list@matronics.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 2:46 AM
Subject: RE: Europa-List: Fuel line position exiting the cockpit
module
Hi Bud,
Thanks for the response. I used aluminum tubing for the long runs, and
high quality, high pressure (Gates) rubber for the tank outputs to tank
switch valve, and the one short run from the tank switch valve to the 2
pumps. That is what the thin-walled pvc tubing was for, so that the hose
can be easily rethreaded in 5 years (or whenever), and keep it away from
the tight-clearance (roll and pitch) controls. I have been considering
putting the fuel supply hose on the floor instead, and using the pvc
'conduit' for electrical purposes, (especially since it is higher than
the fuel lines). For the aluminum tubing anchor points, I cut short
pieces of the 3/8" aluminum tubing, and flared them, to create a base
for the araldite/flox that would hold it to the glass, and drilled holes
in the other end, to be used for a quality tie-wrap(which uses metal in
the locking mechanism, and a short piece of the Gates 3/8" hose used as
a rubber standoff. It is a relatively lightweight solution (compared to
some), and seems to work well. Of course, since I have gone to the
trouble to fabricate stand-offs for the fuel line, I think I will leave
the aluminum runs where they are. You are right, it is too late J.
Thanks for the detailed notes on the order of procedure. I had planned
to install almost everything before the top went on, too. It does seem
like crawling around the back would be a hateful job. The pitch bulkhead
is installed, already. If there is any twist in the tail (I have made
measurements, but will be re-verifying again), I am hoping that getting
everything true, it will hold that way, after temporarily clecoing the
top on. Once done, I should be able to de-cleco, and do the rest of the
work. Upon re-clecoing, it should be pulled back into proper position (I
hope). My rudder cable will require about another 15 to 20 degrees of
change, and I might use UHDMW (Ultra High Density Molecular Weight?)
material, with a radius of 2.5" minimum, for the cable to rub on (I have
heard it is very slick), or another pulley. This would keep the rudder
cable lower in the module, and free up the space higher up, but I am
going to leave it for later, to find the optimum position based on where
the engine cage and any other possible items will affect the routing.
If all this does not work, my contingency plan is to use similar
cable-size sheathed brake cable of the type used for motorcycles. It can
be custom made, and no worries about anything being rubbed on this way,
and the weight is not much more, in my estimation, especially if it is
used just to get through the controls and the fuel tank. But that
probably will not happen. The first solutions will most likely work just
fine.
Questions: When you talk about "jigging" the fuselage, what are you
thinking about? Clecoing on the top fuselage, and getting everything
lined up could be considered a type of jig, or are you thinking of a
tail-twister (torquer) as a jig, to correct for any potential twist in
the tail? I am using about 6 old shelf planks, with cutouts that
simulate the shape of the bottom of the fuselage, to support it along
the bottom, with 3 castoring wheels, to roll it around with ease. Maybe
this is the type of jig you speak of???
By the way, if anyone (or you too, Bud) could let me know if the
aluminum line and tube look like they might hit the flap tube (my
question is still outstanding), let me know. I am just trying to get a
'feel' for their exit out the back of the module, and I think I can
modify the odds of them being a problem, by bending or repositioning
them now(while I easily can), before the module gets stuck down. I am
feeling too lazy to get out all of the flap parts, position them, and
finding out for myself. It is also made a bit more difficult, since the
hinge line is below the lower fuselage wall. It is a little hard to
judge with the 2D picture, and if that is the case, then I understand. I
will find a way to forge ahead.
Regards, and thanks to all,
Greg
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
From: owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com
[mailto:owner-europa-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of ALAN YERLY
Sent: Monday, February 02, 2009 4:23 PM
To: europa-list@matronics.com
Subject: Re: Europa-List: Fuel line position exiting the cockpit
module
Wished you would have asked earlier.
Just wire tie the fuel lines neatly to the floor. The gear and flap
is normally installed and I fit the baggage bay in before I run the
lines. I jig the fuselage well and don't put on the top until all the
work in the rear is done. I hate crawling back in the back. Better to
jig the fuselage properly, ensure it is square. Then put in the flight
control rods, tail tube, pitch bulkhead, gear, flaps, rudder cables,
autopilots, wiring, antennas, fuel system, batteries and other stuff in
the back, then fit the top. Makes all those lines and fittings etc.
much easier to de-conflict. I sheath my rudder cables when I can with
1/4 or 3/16 poly tube (like on the brakes) to guide them through the
saddle area to make sure the fuel lines, wires, etc. don't interfere.
Keep it light and simple, PVC can be heavy if you use it a lot. Those
who put the top on before all the junk is in, have bruises and another
200 hours of work.
Just a thought.
Bud Yerly
Custom Flight Creations
----- Original Message -----
From: Greg Fuchs <mailto:gregoryf.flyboy@comcast.net>
To: europa-list@matronics.com<mailto:europa-list@matronics.com>
Sent: Monday, February 02, 2009 6:04 PM
Subject: Europa-List: Fuel line position exiting the cockpit module
To the Gurus that came earlier:
It seems that the fuel lines exiting the back of the module might
come into
contact (or get close) with the flap control tube. Without going
through the
hassle of dimensioning the flap system to find out, what do you
think is the
best way to handle this?
I could cut the plastic guide-tube at exit, and bend the aluminum
fuel
tubing down and to port, or bend both. Will this work? Any other
ideas?
BTW, I have a Europa Tri-gear with electric flap positioning.
Thanks for any direction to follow or consider,
Greg Fuchs, A050
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