Day 148

Today we got the parachute cables set.

We started with the back of the canopy and wound the 4 cables and set them with heavy duty zip ties. Then using the cable tray that we had lined with high density foam we Cleco’ed it up in place with the cables resting inside.

This is essentially doing the cables backwards. Being that we chose to do this plane with the option to install our parachute system at a later time if we chose, the top of the tail does not have a cut away. It is from this access you would normally wind and set the parachute cables. As it is, we just wanted to be able to install it later, if we wanted, so still wanted the cables to be available. However, this meant winding the cables and setting the tray upside down, inside the fuselage.

The rested in there very well though, once we got them wound to just the right shape.

Once it was Cleco’ed in, it was then a matter of getting everything riveted in. This also proves slightly tricky, as normally this panel would have gone in at a different time. But with the use of some backup washers, a wedge tool, and wrapping the rivet gun head in a cloth so as not to scratch or freshly painted canopy, it came together very nicely.

Lastly we lifted the motor so that we could remove the upper motor mount bolts and install the front parachute cables where they attach to the firewall. With the motor lifted, the mount didn’t move and we could remove the bolts and put them back in again with little trouble. Then torqued everything to their proper values.