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Date:  5-13-2007
Number of Hours:  2.50
Manual Reference:  
Brief Description:  Fabricated and installed the tail tie down

Today was mother's day and Vicki went to Murrayville, TN with her mother to visit family, leaving me alone at home. I celebrated by going into the shop and working on the newly inverted fuselage. The instructions were very confusing about installing the tie down, but I tried to interpret them as best I could. First, I fabricated the tie down bracket from an aluminum extrusion supplied with the kit (it is the same extrusion used for the wing tie downs, which were riveted to the wing spars). Then, I threaded the hole with a 3/8" tap so that the tiedown eyebolt can screw into the bracket. After drilling the holes called out in the drawings, I back drilled the mounting holes in the aft fuselage bulkhead. Here is where the instructions got confusing. One sentence implies that the holes should be drilled in the bulkhead first, but then a few sentences later, it states that the tie down bracket should be drilled first and those holes should be used to back drill the bulkhead. I ended up using the later interpretation and used the angle drill to back drill the bulkhead through the tie down bracket from inside the fuselage. Then, I riveted the tiedown bracket to the bulkhead, only to remember that I was supposed to prime the bracket first. I had to go back and drill out the rivets for the tie down bracket, prime it and then rivet it in again. I guess I need the practice. Later in the afternoon, the whole family (I have 6 brothers and sisters) met at my parents' house to celebrate Mother's day. It is only fitting that I work on the project on Mother's day because my mom is a great supporter of my project. She has even reserved the first passenger flight for herself. I can't wait.
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My adventurous mom and me

My adventurous mom and me

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the tail tie down inside the fuselage (before I had to drill it out and prime it)

the tail tie down inside the fuselage (before I had to drill it out and prime it)

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