Finished Flap Fabrication and Drilled for Com Antenna

After fitting and drilling the rear flap cover, I fit and drilled the side covers.  This totally encloses the flap motor assembly since the seats fit right up against this.

The rear flap cover gets a bunch of nutplates that are used to attach it to the F-705 upper channel and to attach the side covers to it.

After removing everything back down to the ribs, I vacuumed out the shavings and installed some adhesive zip-tie mounts.  I then used zip-ties to support the conduit between the bulkheads.  I finally got a chance to try the zip-tie gun I picked up from Harbor Freight last year.  This thing is great; it automatically tightens the zip-tie to a consistent tension (which is adjustable) and then cuts it off flush so that there is no sharp point sticking out to scratch you.

I also installed some adhesive mounts along the conduit aft of F-706 and trimmed off the front a bit.

Before installing the seat pans, I need to take care of a couple of final things that will be more difficult with them in place.  I’m installing the primary com antenna under the pilot’s seat, one bay outboard of the center bay with the crotch strap.  I drew a centerline on the floor in the bay and then positioned the template far enough aft that the coax can’t interfere with the aileron push tube.

I drilled the holes out to the specified size.

Here is what the antenna will look like installed.  This bay is very narrow, and the antenna mounts with a doubler plate, so I’m not going to add any additional reinforcement.

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