This is one of those points in the build when you ask yourself….why did they have me install this now? My guess is that this was an add-on later, but either way, it would have been nice to install the stiffener rib back in section 10. That was the point in the build that the ADAHRS brackets were installed and you could still get to everything. Anyway, I loosened the rudder cables threw in a bunch of pillows and managed to get enough of my body passed the fuel tank to drill and install the stiffener. I took the precaution to support the back empennage to make sure the plane did want to tip back…that would be a bad day. I took many trips in and out of the plane to get everything completed…and it was really hot in the garage. Cyndi helped from the outside (top) to set clecos as I drilled each hole from the inside. The first part was a little challenging and that was to figure a way to get the rib over the J-channel in the top skin. A little bending and twisting did the trick. Another challenging task was to install the back shell, while jammed between the fuel tank and the back wall of the luggage area. The screws on the back shell assembly are extremely tinny in my fat fingers. Anyway it’s all done. I had to use my selfie feature on the photo to take a picture of the aft side connection port to figure out the right way to install the wires. I’m sure on the RV-12iLS the order of operations has been improved. I’ll get to find out at Oshkosh 2018, since I signed up to support the “One Week Wonder”.
