Nose Cone Access Hatch

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Includes: Firefly, Firestar, Mark III C, Mark III X, Kolbra, Sport 600, Slingshot, Twinstar Mark II, and Ultrastar
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planecrazzzy
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Nose Cone Access Hatch

Post by planecrazzzy »

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Ok, lemme Splain...

Last year ...I went over my FSII...it had sat for 6 years ...

I moved my battery to the nose...then took out the remaining plates of steel (CG)
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I flew it a couple times , I'm going through it for this year ...I want to put a little weight BACK into the nose.
Crap...that's under the Battery , I'm not fighting the tight area anymore ...

I tried to take pictures of how the Hinge was "SET" before the door was cut out...

This is a simple project ....With a little thought , you could do much better

Success .... it comes in CANS....always has

Gotta Fly...


My sewing machine is pulling Double Duty , as a Drafting Table .
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The pattern is square ...easy to use it to tape around it on a curved surface .
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Once the hatch was in place , the hinge clearance could also be laid out.
The material I found is soft aluminum .
(I'm saving my good hinge material for any control surface )
I scratched my azz and turned my head , and this is where it ended up .
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Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Re: Nose Cone Access Hatch

Post by planecrazzzy »

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I plan on using the same piece that I cut out as the hatch door.
This ...I need help , I used a piece of light steel for a cutting edge to get crisp lines on BOTH sides of the cut.
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Gotta Fly...
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Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Re: Nose Cone Access Hatch

Post by planecrazzzy »

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Ok, hinge is set , the Clecos will interfere with full travel , not a problem .
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The same cheater I used to make the long cuts couldn't be used for the shorter Curved surface cuts ...

Did I say it was light steel ...I needed lighter in order to bend it without a Hammer .
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I don't want square corners , my cuts go to the radius .

Gotta Fly...
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Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Re: Nose Cone Access Hatch

Post by planecrazzzy »

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I had to make a tool to get the cut to follow the tight radius , clean on both sides .
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scratched again ...hmmm. no hack saw blades around ...
Found a band saw blade .
Remember those Pumpkin carvers , little saws for tight radius
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When I cut the blade using the cut-off wheel .
I wrapped it in a wet paper towel and clamped it with wood .
Maybe I should have pointed the teeth for PULL cutting ... whatever , it worked ...
Fiberglass ain't easy to cut.
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I made all the cuts , leaving the slightest piece , then clipping them all at the end
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Gotta Fly...
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Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Re: Nose Cone Access Hatch

Post by planecrazzzy »

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I sized up where it goes , marked it with a sharpie .
I used the Dzus base to overlap the cut... just one more thing keeping stuff square
I drilled holes to grip the Bondo better , I scuffed and wiped lacquer thinner on it .
pre clamped it ...

Time to mix some Bondo,

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Gotta Fly...
.
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Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Re: Nose Cone Access Hatch

Post by planecrazzzy »

...........
Side piece in ...Top piece fitted , drilled , re-fitted ...Bondo

Gotta Fly...
.
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Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Re: Nose Cone Access Hatch

Post by planecrazzzy »

......Last one being put in place ...
Depending on temp and how "hot" you made the batch ...20 min is usually good for this application .
LATER , I'll be coating/sealing things with West Systems marine epoxy ...

Gotta Fly...
.
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Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Re: Nose Cone Access Hatch

Post by planecrazzzy »

.....Pix
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Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Re: Nose Cone Access Hatch

Post by planecrazzzy »

......
It's not winning any beauty contests ...She's all about function .
First thing that I did was clean up the wiring ...it wasn't bad , but now it's better ...
The way Kolbs NEED that forward weight , the battery makes sense ...
getting access makes sense too

Gotta Fly...
.
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Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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planecrazzzy
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Re: Nose Cone Access Hatch

Post by planecrazzzy »

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After the hatch was done , plenty of work was needed ...

Secure the Battery ... before , it had Styrofoam ,tape and cardboard ...and a bungee cord holding it in place .
Not to mention the plastic taped to the battery in the spring area ...

It was just for testing ,it did the job .

This mount is light , and higher than the other platform , giving the pitot tube "line" good clearance
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Gotta Fly...
.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
User avatar
planecrazzzy
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Posts: 1154
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Re: Nose Cone Access Hatch

Post by planecrazzzy »

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If I wiggle the battery , I shake the plane .
If I wiggle the spare parts box on top of the battery , I shake the plane .
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Gotta Fly...
.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
User avatar
planecrazzzy
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Posts: 1154
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2005 1:23 pm
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Re: Nose Cone Access Hatch

Post by planecrazzzy »

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<<<<<<<<<<<< About the picture ABOVE >>>>>>>>>>
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Ok , someone asked ...I'll explain it here

The battery spring on top ...

2 cotter pins
2 pieces of 30 amp copper wire
nylon string ...from one of my string lines
....and a spring

bungee cords will weaken in time ...even fail
This has a limited travel , depends on the spring .

Hope this helps , This type/style is used on screen doors a lot .

Gotta Fly...

PS My tail wheel has two of these
Sometimes you just have to take the leap
and build your wings on the way down...
                Gotta Fly...
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