11-16-24
Cabin door skins
I started installing the door skins with the idea of having the door skin overlap the fuselage skin to provide a good seal but soon discovered there was a gap between the door frame and the outside edge of the door opening which most likely was caused by slight deformation during the weld process of the door frame.
As the door latch was already located and drilled, I explored a number of options trying to overcome this gap to include filling the gap with sealant and creating a 3D printed shim for this area. In the end, I decided to keep things simple and cut the door skin to fit just inside the door opening with a minimal gap. To seal the area, I will install a P-shaped bulb seal around the edges of the door.
Template for door skin to fit inside opening rather than overlapping edges
Door skin with overlap, will not sit flat
Gap between edge of cutout and door skin which is pressed against door frame
Door skin with initial cut to fit inside door opening, will require final fit and trim.
