Door Construction |
Date: |
Chapter: 11.0 Doors and Windows |
Section: Fuselage |
Section 11.1 Windows
June
2002 -
Chapter 11.1.1 - "Window Cut-outs"
The window cutouts were completed as part of the fast build fuselage option at the factory.
June 2002 -
Chapter 11.1.2 - "Fit Windows"
Window fitting was completed as part of the fast build fuselage option at the factory.
August
2003 -
Chapter 11.1.3 - "Install Windows"
The windows were installed as part of the fast build fuselage option at the factory, all that was left for us to do was to bed the windows in with Veloci-Poxy microballon slurry up to the outer skin line. We also did this for our added "strake bottom" windows.
Bedding Window Glass in Micro-balloons
Section 11.2 Doors
June 2002 -
Chapter 11.2.1 - "Fuselage Top Installation"
The fuselage top installation was completed as part of the fast build fuselage option at the factory.
June 2002 -
Chapter 11.2.2 - "Door Cutout"
The door cutouts were completed as part of the fast build fuselage option at the factory.
June 2002 -
Chapter 11.2.3 - "Fuselage Door Hole Treatment"
The fuselage door hole treatment was completed as part of the fast build fuselage option at the factory.
June 2002
-
Chapter 11.2.4 - "Deleted"
Complete/deleted.
August
2003 -
Chapter 11.2.5 - "Door Hinge Installation"
The door hinge installation was completed as part of the fast build fuselage option at the factory. The only portions of the work left to us was counter-sinking the screw holes, bonding the hinges to the doors with structural adhesive, and fairing the hinge to the inside of the door and filling the door screw heads with Veloci-poxy and microballons.
August
2003 -
Chapter 11.2.6 - "Install Door with Hinges to Fuselage"
The majority of this work was completed as part of the fast build fuselage option at the factory. However, the bedding of the hinges to the fuselage was left to us. This was done while the plane was inverted to complete the strake close-out work, and involved micro-glass in the hinge recess and then bedding the (duct tape-protected) hinges in the opening and tightening the (vaseline-covered) screws down. Once the micro cured, the tape was removed.
Bedding Hinges in Micro-Glass
Door Hinge Installation
Section 11.3 Latches
June 2002 -
Chapter 11.3.1 - "Install Door Latch Mechanism"
The door latch mechanism was completed as part of the fast build fuselage option at the factory.
June 2002 -
Chapter 11.3.2 - "Latch Base Assemblies"
The latch base assembly was completed as part of the fast build fuselage option at the factory.
October 2003 -
Chapter 11.3.3 - "Lock Housing"
The door lock that we used is from Aircraft Spruce, and allows us to use the same lock for the fuel caps and the pilot's side door. The bezel of the lock was filed down so that the lock mechanism just protruded through the skin of the door. The hole was drilled just above the strake and below the security lock so that the key lock could engage the same lock collar.
Pilot Door Lock
Rear of Lock Housing
Lock Housing Glass into Door
June 2002 -
Chapter 11.3.3a - "Pilot Door Security Lock"
The Pilot door security lock was completed as part of the fast build fuselage option at the factory. However, we decided to install our door switches on the security lock, this way we will know not only that the doors are closed and latched, BUT ALSO that the security latch is engaged. We chose this because a Velocity once lost the pilot's door in flight because it wasn't properly latched before takeoff. These switches must both be engaged to disable the warning light on the instrument panel, as well as to extinguish the dome lighting. Here we decided to use a Theater-Lighting, or "fade to black" module to give the plane and extra feeling of quality that you get from a high-end automobile. We got our unit from Serious Auto. This has worked out really nicely, but took some head-scratching to get working exactly right.
Security Latch Switch
"Theater Lighting" Fader Module Installed and Tested
Door Switch Wiring
More Door Switch Wiring
June 2002 -
Chapter 11.3.4 - "Install Windows in Doors"
The door windows were completed as part of the fast build fuselage option at the factory.
June 2002 -
Chapter 11.3.5 - "Install Latch Pin Tues in Fuselage"
The latch pin tubes were installed in the fuselage as part of the fast build fuselage option at the factory.
Section 11.4 Carbon Beams
June 2002 -
Chapter 11.4.1 - "Install Carbon Beams"
The carbon beams were installed as part of the fast build fuselage option at the factory.
September
2003 -
Chapter 11.4.2 - "Wing Strake to Beam Support"
The front of each strake baggage area was reinforced with foam and 4 plies of Unidirectional cloth to provide the wing strake to beam support.
June 2002 -
Chapter 11.4.3 - "Finish Installing the Beams"
The carbon beams were installed by the factory as part of the fastbuild fuselage.
Section 11.5 Finishing the Doors
2002 -
Chapter 11.5.1 - "Install Door Gas Springs"
The gas springs are surprisingly easy to install. First you drill and tap a couple of thin hardpoints, and flox and BID them onto the carbon beams about 14" up from the door pin. Once cured, the BID and the beam are drilled through were the spring ball will screw into the hard point, and door bracket is mounted just below the strake latch pin with self-tapping screws. Then the spring is attached. With the first door installed, the door bracket on the opposite side was aligned to achieve the same open door height on each side.
Door Spring - Fuselage Hardpoint
Door Spring - Door Hardpoint
Door Spring Installed
September
2003 -
Chapter 11.5.2 - "Installing Leading Edge of Strake to Door"
This is a fairly straight-forward section where you glass the strake leading edge pieces to the doors, so that the match up with the strakes and have tongue-depressor gap for door operation. However, we did notice on the new factory aircraft (Dash-5) they had installed these fingerwells on the doors, to help in pulling the door open (particularly when moist). We really liked the idea and copied it on our doors.
Pilot Side Strake Leading Edge
Co-Pilot Leading Edge Preparation - Exterior
Co-Pilot Leading Edge Preparation - Interior
October
2003 -
Chapter 11.5.3 - "Finish Installing the Beams"
FB
This section was primarily finished as part of the fast-build fuselage, however we did glass the front of the strake forward face with 2 BID, and layup 4 Uni plys onto the carbon beam and inside to the back wall of the strake forward face.
2002 - Chapter 11.5.4 - "Installing the Door Seal"
This section is not compete.
~ End of Chapter ~ End of Section ~