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Some new side pockets for C-GOGO

chepburn

Well Known Member
Plans often don’t go as planned...

I set May 1 2020 as my retirement date from CAE over two years ago, (actually a bit longer…because Step 1 was finding a fantastic co-owner for C-GOGO so I could continue to enjoy the RV world well into the years of no regular paycheque). Despite management’s questions…. I had made my plans, so I stuck to them. NO REGRETS.

March arrived. Ya, you know what happened …we all do. So much for my extended OSH trip. So much for Young Eagles day. 2021 is the year now.

Well, when I first built C-GOGO, I tried my hand at all phases… structure, systems, avionics, paint, and finally sewing…

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HONEST… these used to look good in the plane !!! After 9 years of flying, they are getting kind of hmmmm… tired-looking? (Insert other appropriate synonyms here)

So, I have two lists going. My list, and Karin’s list. Alternating… really, they are.

As a retirement present, (to myself really) I decided it was time to upgrade those pockets. As my fellow RV8 aviators are aware, there isn’t a lot of room for all the crud we think we need beside us on a flight. Phone, maps, checklists, EFB, passenger mess avoidance containers etc etc.

It just so happens I have a lot of 7781 glass in my shop. (Another story entirely) So, time to make some sketches.

The original panels were made of fabric because of these:

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So, there has to be space behind a solid fiberglass panel for wire runs. Maybe this?

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I’ll spare you the rest of the details of my first two attempts.

Summary is:

Made the moulds. Made the parts. Tried the parts. Cleared the wires but the G.I.B’s feet were too constrained and could not freely move the rudder pedals.

Ahh well, I’m retired.

Apparently, I have the time now to do things more than once.

I need that front panel to hinge in so that its flush with the bulkhead when dual, and can be opened up when solo. Hmm.

So, more moulds. Freestylin this time round. None of that CAD ****. Those spaces between the bulkheads have a double taper. Whatever… deal with it.

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I bagged up the 7781 glass using 3 layers plus a stiffener for the front top edge (that ledge you see in the mould) and made a part run.

Because we have a left side, right side, fore and aft…. Eight moulds. Now, what am I going to do about those wire runs etc ?

I took the parts to the plane, popped them in place so I can see the bundle positions behind the fiberglass and marked each run with a sharpie.

I then cut the run lines out of the back part because I am going to bond cloth over to cover the slots.

Yup. Cut too much the first time. Make another one. It is a different slot pattern for each pocket. This is the front starboard side..

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And this is the aft starboard side:

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I had to add slot stiffeners to the rear panel because the cut line made the part too flexible when installed. So, another mould for stiffener channel than can be cut up and bonded as required.

So after all of this how do they look? Standby one....there is a Part Two....
 
part 2...

Part Two (of Two thankfully)

Now I’m thinking that I have a set of moulds that I’m only going to use once? Rv8bldr (Mark R)…. a former colleague at CAE and fellow RV8 builder suggested that maybe I should think about some of these for my fellow 8 pilots. Well, we'll see.

I cut and fit each side panel and bonded upholstery material directly to the fiberglass using the leftover material I had from the RV8 seats.
(Yup, they are looking pretty tired as well…. Time to call Flightline or Oregon…)

Here is the Starboard Aft panel before I installed the hinge pins:


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Well, here they are … the Starboard side panel in the plane.
That blue strip is an elastic that I have riveted in place to keep the panel from flopping open.
The back of the panel is held with Velcro adhesive strips so that it can be easily removed for annual inspections.
I had to add a single nutplate to resist the elastic pull.

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Here is the Starboard Aft panel in closed position…

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And open ....

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Here is the Front Port side:

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So that’s it…. List item #1 checked off (well #1 on my list, plus I finished a different #1 project on Karins list as well) and its only June…..


Cheers,

Chris
 
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Congratulations on your retirement, Chris. I beat you to retirement by three months which allowed us a winter getaway before covid shut down travel. I'm just about to attack my first airplane mod project since retirement. It's amazing how the days fill up!

Those are good looking panels. Iterative design is something you clearly understand. I wish more corporations had the same understanding as we often see parts that were designed on a CAD screen and never tested in situ, thus they lack the benefit of being informed by having been seen in place, perhaps by multiple sets of eyes. These panels of yours are a big improvement over their predecessors.

BTW I figured something was up with you since you keep flying over my house early in the morning... Again, congratulations on your retirement. A milestone event for sure!
 
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