Fuselage center section #76 - Rudder pedals!

Started working on the rudder pedals today.

First was splitting these mount blocks.  Just marked the center and cut em with the band saw.

Mocked up the assembly, just followed the KAI's.

For whatever reason, I could not find enough of the type of nuts that Van's calls out to use for this temporary task, I just used these castle nuts to make it up.

Fuselage center section #75 - Seat back assembly.

 Today we got some much needed but concerning communication from Van's.

https://www.vansaircraft.com/2023/10/business-announcement-from-vans-founder-dick-vangrunsven/

On this day of so much gloom and doom, I did the only thing that I could do in this situation and went out and finished my seat backs!

I’ve got a finished emp/tailcone, soon to be finished fuse, a wing kit begging to be assembled and a finish kit on order. I’m all in and trust that Vans will be around long after I am gone.

Got started by riveting the seat back angle adjust ribs together.

One of the few places that Van's ask the builder to double flush rivet.  These turned out well since I could squeeze them.

Next I riveted the hinges to the seat backs.

And then riveted the angles to the seat backs.

Then I bolted on the seatback adjustment pins.  

Fabricated the seat back angle adjust rib hinge pins.  Cut to length, treat the ends per the directions, bend a 90 on the end.

Pins installed.

Installed the sliding pin assembly.  Had to clean up the boss that the pin slides in and the pin itself to get this to move freely.  Also used some Beolube on the pin.

All done!

I am skipping the fuel tank for now and am going to finish up the front of the fuse first.  Brake/rudder pedals are next!

Fuselage center section #74 - Seat back priming.

 Scrubbed and primed all the seat back parts tonight.

Fuselage center section #73 - Seat backs part 2.

 Finished up the prep on the seat back parts tonight.

Assembled the parts with clecos just to drill these two holes on each side of each seatback to #12.

Disassembled and deburred all the parts.  Next is scrubbing for primer!

Fuselage center section #72 - Seat backs.

 Got started on the seat back part prep tonight.

Marked these heavy angles to cut away the chamfer on the end.  This allows clearance for the seat back to tilt forward without these angles hitting the floor.

Cut em.....

Prepped all the angles and the angle adjust rib.  The heavy angles are very heavy!  It took a while to clean them up and my scotchbrite wheel lost some diameter!

Then I cut these hinges.  The plans call for a weird way to measure them.  Screw that, waste too much material for no reason.  I just measured and cut them per the length and with the eyelets per the drawing.

Next came countersinking these stiffeners.  I just used the deburr tool to do this as the countersink cage will fall off the edges.  Just took my time and kept checking the depth with a rivet.

Then cut them apart and deburred the edges.

Next match drilled the hinges to the angle adjust ribs.

Then countersunk the backside for double flush rivets.  Also just used the deburr tool to do these.

Fuselage center section #71 - Rollover bar brace and aft baggage bulkhead riveting!

 Riveted the remaining parts of the roll bar brace and aft baggage bulkhead tonight.

Cleco'ed the aft bulkhead ribs and supports to the rear of the baggage compartment.

Riveted the ribs to the fuse assembly, riveted the vertical braces and the nutplates.

Next riveted the aft gussets to the rollover bar brace.

Then riveted the aft end of the brace to the aft baggage bulkhead.

Then I riveted the fwd flanges to the back side of the rollover bar.

Then countersunk these ten holes and riveted the top of the brace to the rollover bar.

All done!

Next I riveted this assembly together with the nutplates and rivets.

Then riveted it to the pilot's side rib support.

Let's make some seats!

Fuselage center section #70 - Rollover bar brace and aft baggage bulkhead priming!

 Prepped and primed all the parts for the rollover bar brace and the aft baggage bulkhead.

Scrubbed all the parts with scotchbrite and pre-kote.  Hung up to dry.

Parts all primed and mostly dry.

Riveted this standoff per the directions.

Riveted this fuel pump bracket brace to the bulkhead rib.

Riveted the fuel pump bracket assembly together.