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Anyone ever put a baggage door on a -7?

E

Echo Tango

Well Known Member
How plausible is this? I realize you can throw stuff behind the seats with the canopy open, but it would be nice to load from the side, too. Just something I've been thinking about. Finishing up my Emp. kit.
 
The inside lower portion of the baggage area is double walled, plus the rudder cable is in the way. So above there is a very small area about 8" x 8",
then there is a reinforced vertical stretcher, then another 8" x 11" area is available, just below the longeron. Pretty small openings thouogh.
 
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lorne green said:
The inside lower portion of the baggage area is double walled, plus the rudder cable is in the way. So a very small door about 8" x 8"
then there is a reinforced vertical stretcher, then another 8" x 11" opening is available, just above the longeron. Pretty small openings thouogh.
Click to expand...

hmmm... might not be worth the effort. i'll have to look at the preview plans. im guessing with some engineering (not by me) a longeron could be moved/bridged somehow. i'll get back to this in 5 or so years when i'm finishing up my fuselage, i guess :D
 
Tip-up, or slider? If slider then there are two kits available that allow the slider to tip forward after opening. Makes it very easy to access the baggage compartment.

I installed the Meske kit, and am very happy with it. Two different kits are sold by a VAF advertiser:

http://www.aircraftextras.com/Tip-Up-Slider1.htm



Echo Tango said:
How plausible is this? I realize you can throw stuff behind the seats with the canopy open, but it would be nice to load from the side, too. Just something I've been thinking about. Finishing up my Emp. kit.
Click to expand...
 
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I would keep in mind that it is a monocoque structure so the shell is important in overall strength. If you do put in a door I would make sure you have it fully engineered and keep all the paperwork mainly for resale. Its going to through up flags in a pre buy.

George
 
sailvi767 said:
I would keep in mind that it is a monocoque structure so the shell is important in overall strength. If you do put in a door I would make sure you have it fully engineered and keep all the paperwork mainly for resale. Its going to through up flags in a pre buy.

George
Click to expand...

correct. but they make windows work in airliners. so i think it would probably just end up being some doubling here and there. dunno, i'll have to message the other VAFer who did it. when i order my fuse
 
My baggage door

With the help of Bobbi Boucher, the IA that supervised my build, I put a baggage door on my 7A. A wood mold was made for the fiberglass portion, and the resulting mold conforms to the inside of the skin. One compression strut turned out to be sufficient to hold the door open. Rather than hinge on the centerline with a piano hinge as some have done, you can see (video below) the "C" shaped hinge brackets that we used. We angle cut the rear plexiglass and got a good edge to edge fit. The door latches with a bullet latch from a Lancair baggage door kit, with a push button release in the rear section of the pilots armrest. It can be reached when standing on the ground behind the wing. After some months of flying, I added a switch "opened" when the baggage door is closed and utilize the AFS EFIS warning light to show "BAGGAGE" on screen if the door is not closed at any time.

Old youtube video here, for an idea:
http://youtu.be/pmkfIffhrto

The door earned its keep during the construction process alone, and continues to be very convenient. The video shows the imperfect alignment, in that the door bumps the surrounding (reinforced by doubler) fixed door frame, but normal attention to closing keeps things in order.

This design is one of several that might work for you. Whichever you choose, I highly recommend a baggage door. The IA made several of the fiberglass frames and, if you liked this layout, could make one for you, I think. Email (not pm, please) me for her contact info.
 
That has got to be the coolest mod I've seen yet

I wish though that I had seen this about a year and a half ago.

Too late for me now.

Maybe the next time.
 
You did a good job on that door. Why didn't you use a smaller strut mounted to the roll bar?

I see this as a valuable alteration.

I might keep a pie shaped piece of skin/brace in the lower right corner from the bulkhead to the longeron. It would not take from the usefulness of the door, but would support that area.
 
Build a slider and take 3/4 hour to modify the tracks to allow it to tip up. You don't have to buy a mod kit. Baggage access is drop-in and stack vs. shove if you have a door. It's really easy to load if a tail dragger.

John Siebold
 
Stan Shannon (past on in 2010) put one similar to a Mooney in his rear window on a tip up. Worked rear well.
 
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