Brief Description: Mounting the Composit Instrument Panel (CPI)
I spent hours today getting the panel cut to fit around the longeron and panel deck. It just takes time to get the panel to fit properly without cutting out too much material. I made templates and did a lot of trial fits and removal. I used the wood template to get in the ballpark, but made everything at least 3/32” less then what was required per Laird’s notes. Then I just slowly filed into a good fit. I still have to fit the panel to the deck skin and that will take another 2-4 hours to do it so there is an absolutely tight fit. I have the 3 deck rib attach points and brackets in place and also made the attach angles for the longeron. I plan to make the entire panel removable even though Lairds panel plans show the composite panel permanently attached to the plane via rivets and structural epoxy. Laird’s way is more elegant from the front because there are no mounting screws showing around the panel perimeter. I feel there may be a future need to remove the entire panel and therefore will deviate some from his plans to facilitate this. The downside is more work and 13 visible screws. I don’t see the screws as an issue since there are 4 screws in every instrument showing, so what’s a few more to allow for a removable panel. Next will be fabricating the remainder of the attach angles, sanding the top of the CIP do fit the top deck skin, cutting the panel for the sub-panel plates and drilling and attaching a lot of nutplates.
