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Fwd Tailcone skin

A

AviatorJ

Well Known Member
Originally I thought this was going to be one of the last things I was going to do before moving the plane to the airport. However I would like to work through the cabin top and to do that I feel as if I need to have the fwd tailcone skin on in order to do this. Did most people install this when the plans called for it or did they put it off for some reason?

Thanks
 
I'm just clecoing mine on to do the cabin top fitting, but I believe you have to have it riveted on before having the cabin top permanently attached.

My next project is the air conditioner, as it sits right under the forward skin.
 
majuro15 said:
My next project is the air conditioner, as it sits right under the forward skin.
Click to expand...

I have my AC Shelf installed. That was defiantly something I wanted to do before putting the skin on. My top is already permanently attached, minus this skin piece. I'll work on some minor things and I think I'll go ahead and attach this skin sometime this week.
 
I didn't...

My cabin top is permanently installed and the forward top tail cone skin is just clecoed...

Leaving that skin off gives you much better access to the tail cone...
 
rocketman1988 said:
My cabin top is permanently installed and the forward top tail cone skin is just clecoed...

Leaving that skin off gives you much better access to the tail cone...
Click to expand...

I concur! It's much easier to lean over the longeron than to climb through the baggage bulkhead. It was literally the last thing I installed before sending to the paint shop.

bob
 
Ahh, good to know then. I thought the skin had to go on before the top. Looks like I'll wait even longer on mine then too!
 
rleffler said:
I concur! It's much easier to lean over the longeron than to climb through the baggage bulkhead. It was literally the last thing I installed before sending to the paint shop.
Click to expand...

I thought I would have to do some micro blending on the aft part of the cabin. If that's not the case then I'll leave it for now.
 
AviatorJ said:
I thought I would have to do some micro blending on the aft part of the cabin. If that's not the case then I'll leave it for now.
Click to expand...

You do, I also put a layer of cloth over the seam as well. The blind rivets are covered with micro until smooth.

it it's still the last thing I did before going to paint. Your back will thank you for delaying this step until later in he process. It all depends how much you put behind the bulkhead. Since most of that isn't in the plans, Van's didn't account for that installation.
 
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