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And so it begins

Instrument panel

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cut out a pattern/mock up of the instrument panel and pasted a full size print just to see what it would look like. As you can see, I got this photo to post! Tried to post a 4 second time lapse video and it said the address was invalid.
 

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I picked up a couple sheets of aluminum from Van’s a few days ago. I’m making progress on the boot cowl and instrument panel. False boot cowl is one piece. Boot cowl is two pieces. Top will be riveted on, makes no sense to me to screw that section on since removing it would require removing the windshield. Lower section is all one piece which makes it a bit more of a project to remove but that shouldn’t have to happen often. Still have to make stiffeners, form the joggle where the top meets the bottom, remove the polycarbonate firewall and replace with stainless and then drill the rest of the holes at the forward edge of the boot cowl. I’ll hang the engine before I drill those last holes so everything is flexed to final position.
 

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Top will be riveted on, makes no sense to me to screw that section on since removing it would require removing the windshield.

look at the wildcat cub thread for how and WHY to make some of the top boot cowl quickly removable.... very simple to do and makes getting behind the panel quick and easy... and if you plan appropriately and point all the connector at the opening, makes troubleshooting a breeze!(garmin G3X)

https://www.supercub.org/forum/showthread.php?49775-Wildcat-Cub/page12
 
Mike,

I saw what you did with the modification of the composite boot cowl on the Wildcat Cub. Very cool. Unfortunately, I don’t have the skills, or tooling, to do that level of work. Mine will open at a position similar to Bill Rusk’s and Buggs builds. I’m putting a Dynon HDX 10” display in the panel. When pulled out it makes a big access hole.......that you can only get one arm through. Hopefully I can plan the avionics shelf so there is easy access to most connections.

Thanks for your input, all suggestions are welcomed.

Mr. Ed
 
Avionics

Question for everybody that put glass displays in their cubs and all the magic boxes on a shelf behind the instrument panel:

Did you provide a source of cooling air or screened vent holes to allow heat to escape/air to circulate? A cub isn’t exactly a tight aircraft but that space behind the panel could get a tad toasty.
 
Question for everybody that put glass displays in their cubs and all the magic boxes on a shelf behind the instrument panel:

Did you provide a source of cooling air or screened vent holes to allow heat to escape/air to circulate? A cub isn’t exactly a tight aircraft but that space behind the panel could get a tad toasty.

Small fan


Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org mobile app
 
Mike,

I saw what you did with the modification of the composite boot cowl on the Wildcat Cub. Very cool. Unfortunately, I don’t have the skills, or tooling, to do that level of work. Mine will open at a position similar to Bill Rusk’s and Buggs builds. I’m putting a Dynon HDX 10” display in the panel. When pulled out it makes a big access hole.......that you can only get one arm through. Hopefully I can plan the avionics shelf so there is easy access to most connections.

Thanks for your input, all suggestions are welcomed.

Mr. Ed

Tooling costs $90. Dropping the screen will cost??$$.
3 to 10k$ depending on the screen version....


Sent from my iPhone using SuperCub.Org mobile app
 
I Cub windshield can be out in 30 minutes or less. 5 or 6 screws across the skylight and down each side and it slide out of the boot cowl wrap around fairing. Don't do it often but is pretty simple and quick to do.

I leave the factory fresh air vent in the top of the boot cowl. Most people remove these at rebuild but I live in Texas where it gets hotter than I like and it is something I use a lot. It would dump a lot of air on those avionics.
 
My Dynon is cooled by attatching a small muffin fan on edge next to it. The GPS is surface mounted, so no loss of panel space.
 
I’m trying to fabricate the “D” window channel and not having much luck. Actually, no luck at all. I thought I would get on line and buy the stuff already bent. No luck searching so far. Would any of you folks have a source for this part?

Thanks for the help.

Mr. Ed
 
I’m trying to fabricate the “D” window channel and not having much luck. Actually, no luck at all. I thought I would get on line and buy the stuff already bent. No luck searching so far. Would any of you folks have a source for this part?

Thanks for the help.

Mr. Ed

Looks like Univair has it.

https://www.univair.com/piper/piper-j-3/view-all/u10057-000-piper-window-channel-left/

https://www.univair.com/piper/piper-j-3/view-all/u10058-000-piper-rear-window-channel-right/
 
Thanks! I searched Wag’s site and it came up with nothing. Same for several other sites. I must not have the right mojo. After spending the better part of two days building tools and trying to fabricate this part, that price looks like a bargain.

Mr. Ed
 
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Framed in my baggage door a couple weeks ago. I’ve also been working on my cable routing. Elevator cables run under the floor until about 2’ aft of this baggage door. Rudder cables routed along the lower corners of the baggage compartment and will be housed in a soffit formed into the Kydex interior panels.
 

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Overhead flap lever installed and wing root panels fabricated. Boot cowl and instrument panel fabricated and test fit. Also built the seat base and seat but still have to make the seat rails and latching mechanism. I made my seat folding and also with adjustable recline. It will have a latch to keep it from flopping forward.
 

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Using poster board to make patterns for the Kydex interior panels. The plan is to do the lower sidewalls in a light grey and the upper in an off white. Kydex isn’t here yet but I can use the poster board to also figure out where I want to mount nut plates.
 

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View attachment 47942
Framed in my baggage door a couple weeks ago. I’ve also been working on my cable routing. Elevator cables run under the floor until about 2’ aft of this baggage door. Rudder cables routed along the lower corners of the baggage compartment and will be housed in a soffit formed into the Kydex interior panels.
How is that large opening structured?
 
Truss structure top and bottom hidden behind the door frame. Upper longeron moved from fuselage midpoint as on original Piper to top like on CC and BC cubs. Stringers are also .5” 4130 and welded into position for added support. I didn’t just pencil this mod in. I hired an engineer to model it and do a stress analysis. Not cheap. Structure was beefed up per the analysis. It isn’t going to be a featherweight but I have hopes it isn’t going to turn into a Bradley fighting vehicle. Last time weighed it was 93 pounds. Completed fuselage should be 125 ish.
 
Pacer and Tri-Pacer is a top longeron fuselage as well. Doesn't sound heavy to me. Stock Super Cub fuselage is about 97-98 lbs with new fuselages running 115-125 lbs. Artic turn has big trusses and a baggage are you can stack large totes one on top of another. Looks like what you will have. Thanks for the informative reply. Always enjoy learning how people have done things especially when some thorough thought was put into it.
 
Overhead flap lever installed ....

Overhead flap lever seems to be all the rage now.
Never flown with one but it looks like a good place to whack your melon in a mishap.
Are they that much handier than a standard side mounted flap handle?
 
I’ve never flown with it up there either. Melon musher potential was a consideration as was the possibility of inadvertent repositioning of the throttle with a coat sleeve while tugging on that lever. Ultimately, it came down to cable routing. My baggage area is 7’ long and full depth of the fuselage. I didn’t want flap cables through there so the overhead lever was just easier. I hope it works out satisfactorily.
 
Have you worked out the potential interference with the aileron balance cable arrangement yet? I'm still fussing with where/how to do the flap handle.
 
Overhead flap lever seems to be all the rage now.
Never flown with one but it looks like a good place to whack your melon in a mishap.
That alone is reason enough NOT to place it overhead. There are so many occasions without a mishap being involved to whack one's head, I just see that as a big hazard which one day will be regretted. You guys do what you want, you will never find my flap handle next to my noggin.
 
I'm planning cable actuation, Steve. But thank you for that idea. Now you got me thinking again.
The whole overhead flap thing was copied from the F model Luscombe. Torque tube running across the front carry-thru on bearing blocks with a rod running back to each flap. Dirt simple.
 
Overhead flap lever seems to be all the rage now.
Never flown with one but it looks like a good place to whack your melon in a mishap.
Are they that much handier than a standard side mounted flap handle?

i learned years ago to never try to pick anything up off the floor when driving, had a couple of embarassing moments.. and would rather pull down than up.
 
The CC overhead has the torque tube that runs the full width of the cabin and uses push rods to operate the flaps. SJ is correct, dirt simple. That push rod system is not compatible or easily adaptable for use with Keller/Performance STOL flaps. What I’m using is the cable operated overhead flap actuator sold by Javron. In one of the photos in a previous thread you can see the lever. Pink string attached to the lever is the cable mock up. Cables run aft up in the left skylight area to a two pulley stack that routs it into the wing root.

Gordon: I’ve been out to the hangar a couple times measuring various aspects of the wing. The balance cable routing shouldn’t be affected by the flap lever. It will be close but I’ll probably put a fairlead up there just to make sure to keep them separated.
 
On my first solo takeoff in the pacer, I had forgot to put in some flap. I realized it (because I could not feel the handle when I reached for it) so looked over bent down to grab the handle and put in two notches, when I looked up I was 35 degrees to the runway heading for the trees. I hit the brakes and got it stopped. My instructor came over and asked if all was well (I am sure he knew what just happened. Prop was still turning so I just said Little problem I got it fixed and pulled the door shut. He stepped back and off I went. I was not the first and won't be the last to get bit by a low flap handle. Same issue with the Cessna, not as bad with the cub. Not a big deal for me because I always use some flap on takeoff and then the handle is handy. As far as hitting your head, yes that could be an issue but we should all be wearing a helmet so we have mitigation of the issue. Form should follow function what ever it takes to do the job right.
DENNY
 
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