December 16, 2006 - Drill HS to Fuse
Lynnette helped me move the fuselage slightly so that I could run the tape measure from the firewall to the HS tips on both sides. I clamped the HS rear spar to the fuse vertical spars but was mystified as how to clamp the forward section.
I finally hit upon clamping wood blocks to the fuse deck to prevent
lateral motion of the HS. Vertical motion of the HS wasn’t a problem.
I started by measuring from the fuse to the HS tips, making sure they
were equal, both forward HS and aft HS. I got that down easily enough.
Then I ran from the firewall to the HS tips. I measured the right,
then the left. My heart sank when I saw the left was a half inch off!
But then I discovered the tape measure had slipped off the firewall. I
taped it down and was overjoyed to get the exact same length on the left
as the right! I tightened all the clamps.
It was time to drill the HS to the fuse longerons, a critical task that
could not be botched. I measured and remeasured, then went for it.
Both sides came out perfectly! I was psyched. I started with #30
long-bit, then #40 long-bit, then #12 with the angle drill. drilled the
holes in the spacers, then bolted down the HS. I was extremely pleased,
and relieved, how well it came out.
