Day 42

Today we riveted on the rear fuselage top skins. This is a step we need to take to prepare for installing the canopy next week. It was a rather straightforward process. The tricky part is getting them to lay down and follow the curve of the body. This just means using more cleco's. As with all the outer skins we began by scuffing and cleaning the surface. We also went around the area on the inside where it is in the luggage compartment for when it comes time to install the interior upholstery. (We also scuffed around the luggage compartment while access was a little easier before the skins and canopy go on) Once everything was prepped, we started by clecoing the bottom row and then working across the length of the skin placed a cleco in each hole of the ribs that wrapped up and over. We did this because it is very easy for the tabs on the ribs to get misaligned.

So, once everything was aligned and cleco'ed and we made sure all the rib tabs and longerons we tight against the skin we began riveting in the same order we had clecoed; Starting with the lower row where the upper skins overlap the lower skins, then moving up one ceclo at a time around to the top. We did the right side first up to the upper longeron, then did the left to that same point. Then we joined them along the top row where they overlap. The reason we didn't just rivet one whole side and then do the other was because again, it is very easy for the ribs to get misaligned and if you were to rivet one side, without the other being cleoco'ed it could get offset.

Once both sides were riveted, we then riveted the top row up to the parachute blow out. We have left the front luggage transition rib un-rivet at this point until after we have fitted the canopy. This is to make sure it fits tight around top. Our goal is to get the canopy dry fitted to the fuselage today with the holes matched drilled and start getting it ready to have the inside painted.