F-705G Canopy Latch Angle (tipup)

Yesterday I was trying to fit the F-787 side rail gusset and was unable to get clecos in the side skin through the longeron at the F-705 (seat back) bulkhead. Using a mirror, I could see that the F-705G latch angle is interfering at those holes. I did a search here and only found one thread addressing this. Poster bruceh notched his angle, and Vlad posted that he had done the same thing. Is this a common problem, and is notching the angle a good solution?

My F-705G-R in the mirror:


bruceh's solution:

My latch angle was not quite as close to the rivet locations as your's so I did not need to notch it. But the rivets were not easy to set. I don't have any pictures of that area.

I had to notch mine as well.



Gary Kohler

No notch, now what??

Miles, I am glad you posted this. I have the same issue but it is all riveted together, save the blocked rivets.

Mine came assembled except for the longeron rivets, kit bought from another. Typically, the original builder did a great job, but this part should have been notched. What is the recovery process to allow rivets along the longeron to be installed?? Only Cherry max will work as there is zero room for bucking.

Edit: Maybe a die grinder using a SS buffer agains the longeron??

Any help would be very much appreciated.

The day after I notched my F-705G latch angles, I found the answer to my own question, at least for slow builders, on DWG 20, F-705 BULKHEAD ASSEMBLY. Note 5, referring to the F-705G, says "... DO NOT RIVET UNTIL SIDE SKINS ARE INSTALLED. DRILL AND CLECO ONLY".

This seems counter to the instructions near the bottom of p. 8-10 under FINISHING THE FORWARD FUSELAGE AND LONGERON DETALS that has you "Rivet both side rails, canopy decks, and gussets to the longerons." Riveting the gussets to the longerons includes the F-705G in the stack up. (The "side rails" and the "canopy decks" seem to be the same parts; maybe tipup vs. slider terminology?)

Now that I more fully understand how the parts in this area fit together, I'm thinking of remaking the F-705G latch angles. I don't really like the notches, and now I think know what to do to avoid them.



It looks to me like the riveting order in this area should be something like:
1) The F-774 aft top skin to the longeron.
2) The forward face of the F-705G through The F-705D, E, and F bulkhead parts. Access to the area is greatly improved without the gusset or side rail (aka aft canopy deck) in place.
3) The four rivets through the top of the F-757 gusset, F-705F channel, the F-705G angle, the 2 rivets through the longeron, gusset, and channel, and the 3 rivets through the longeron at the aft end of the gusset.
4) The side rail (aft canopy deck).

And looking ahead to the canopy, it might be best to have already fit the canopy frame (roll bar), and maybe the latch mechanism before riveting any of this.

This is a sequencing issue - you are correct in that this part is riveted in later. The notching you have done is a little concerning as it has sharp corners / etc. This part does not need to go in until the roll bar goes in. You have lots to do until then - no need to hurry

I've already made the decision to make new angles. The material is on the list for the next time I place a Van's order. Like you said, no hurry.

longranger said:

bruceh's solution:

Click to expand...

I don't care for those squared-off notches...the corners look quite sharp, a good place for a stress crack to start. YMMV.

longranger said:

I found the answer to my own question, at least for slow builders, on DWG 20, F-705 BULKHEAD ASSEMBLY. Note 5, referring to the F-705G, says "... DO NOT RIVET UNTIL SIDE SKINS ARE INSTALLED. DRILL AND CLECO ONLY".

This seems counter to the instructions near the bottom of p. 8-10 under FINISHING THE FORWARD FUSELAGE AND LONGERON DETALS that has you "Rivet both side rails, canopy decks, and gussets to the longerons." Riveting the gussets to the longerons includes the F-705G in the stack up. (The "side rails" and the "canopy decks" seem to be the same parts; maybe tipup vs. slider terminology?)

Click to expand...

I?m at this point in the build and noticed the same contradiction in the plans.

longranger said:

It looks to me like the riveting order in this area should be something like:
1) The F-774 aft top skin to the longeron.
2) The forward face of the F-705G through The F-705D, E, and F bulkhead parts. Access to the area is greatly improved without the gusset or side rail (aka aft canopy deck) in place.
3) The four rivets through the top of the F-757 gusset, F-705F channel, the F-705G angle, the 2 rivets through the longeron, gusset, and channel, and the 3 rivets through the longeron at the aft end of the gusset.
4) The side rail (aft canopy deck).

Click to expand...

Miles (or anyone else who followed Miles?s riveting sequence: Was this ultimately successful? Did you encounter any trouble spots or gotchas later in the build due to delaying riveting the gussets and aft canopy decks? No problems fitting the roll bar and canopy latch mechanism with those still clecoed?

I?d like to avoid pull rivets in this area so I am leaning towards the ?delay until side skins are riveted? method. Unfortunately it looks like I?ll still have to grind the angles a little bit in order to make room for the shop heads on the skin-to-longeron rivets since my angle is so close to the longeron it?s almost touching: