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Dave's RV-7A Builder's Log
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Date: 10-19-2014
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Number of Hours: 5.00
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Manual Reference:
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Brief Description: Modifications for GPS and audio panel
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When I came out to the hangar today, I had a pretty good game plan on the modifications necessary to get the GPS mounting bracket installed. Turns out that it was a lot more involved than I thought...go figure. I had read quite a bit about how others had done the same thing, and while Van's doesn't offer any solutions (as they haven't tested these mods, they won't commit to approving them), this is experimental aviation, and I can do what I need to do.
It seemed simplest to start with the required cutting of the sub panel. I made the initial cuts on the band saw and although my first thought was to only cut the minimum required to get the tray in, I eventually concluded that I was much better off to cut more and ensure that there was no interference between the structure and the mounting tray. I will probably put a doubler in to reinforce the opening.
Now to the rib. This was going to be the biggest challenge due to the fact that the angle bracket was going to have to be cut significantly shorter to get the tray in. I eventually (after much head scratching and a bit of fretting) decided to cut the rib and bracket back to the point shown in the picture in order to get the tray and all of the wire bundles installed. This meant that I would need a way to carry the load from the windshield post, so I found a piece of scrap angle, modified it, and then drilled it to the rib along the top. I'm no structural engineer, but I think the mod should be as good, if not stronger, than the original design. Now to clean up all the edges and make it look pretty.
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Initial marking for sub panel cut
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Mounting brackets fit
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Reinforcement bracket mods
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