14 & 28 Sep 2024
Inside front skins and rear passenger vent ducting
Manufactured U-shaped aluminium brackets similar to the Sling front ducting for the rear passenger air vents as support. Shaped the flexible round aluminium air ducting supplied by Sling into a rectangular shape using wood formers, trimmed to the correct length.
Manufactured flanges for the rear airvent cutouts, then drilled holes in the air ducting, the U-shaped support and the flanges to suit the Aveo airvents. I had already purchased some 2" aluminium flanges for the front section, but they needed to be trimmed on the sides to fit into the U-shaped front duct supports.
The aluminium air ducting was then secured to the U-shaped support channels with Sikaflex 295 UV, and rivets through the U-channel, air duct and flanges. Painted the whole lot black for corrosion protection, then installed in the airframe side channels with Sikaflex.
Manufactured splitters for the airvent pipe structures behind the dashboard. This is to ensure that warm air from the heater side is directed 50% to the rear passengers (otherwise it would only blow through the front vents). Riveted the splitters inside the pipework. Painted black. Riveted the pipework to the side ducts after applying some Sikaflex sealant.
Installed the inner front side skins, starting with riveting the floor area. Needed to drill new holes in most of the longerons to get the skins to fit. Trimmed the 90 degree bent portion at the rear middle section of each skin slightly at the top since they interfered with the upper longeron - this addressed the skin bulging. Seems to be a common problem with most builders - not sure why Sling isn't catering for the holes in the correct locations.
Used the Sling CB-BKT-015 brackets from the old pipework and drilled the NACA vent cutoff valves to suit, then installed M3 rivnuts in the brackets. Riveted the brackets to the fuselage, then secured the valves to the brackets with stainless steel buttonhead screws. Fits perfectly.
Fitted the cabin air pipe reducers, secured with Sikaflex.
Completed Service Bulletin 27 - left nose gear pushrod interfering with the firewall.
Torqued the front seatbelt forward bolts.
