And for a complete change of pace, today we worked on getting the ELT installed. This is a required piece of equipment that in the event of a crash (or very bumpy landing!) will give off a signal that can hopefully be picked up by rescuers in time to deny a cougar a hearty meal. You are free to put it where you want and typically it is in the tail because that’s the area tends to survive a crash the best but I didn’t want mine there, not least because it is impossible to get to right now.
Here’s what it looks like, the ELT and the antenna.
It sits in a cradle, secured in place by a metal bar and some velcro (there are two straps when installed).
The unit has to be inspected every year, and the battery replaced at regular intervals, so you have to be able to get at it. A few people on the site have theirs under the passenger side baggage panel and I decided I would do the same. Then I discovered a very nice looking access panel from http://www.mrrace.com/ and my decision was made.
I was once again joined by my wife’s Uncle Allen who was a great help in sorting out my confusion over the instructions. He also continues to be the master metal cutter and was very much appreciated. He is escaping the heat to AZ for the summer so won’t be able to help for a few months.
Anyway, we decided on where we most liked the hole to be and traced around the two pieces.
We then drilled through the access opening into the baggage seat.
Then the painful part of cutting out the panel. We used a Dremel that overheated, some snips that couldn’t get a good bite and, finally, Allen brought out the big guns with the metal grinder. Eventually we got a hole that was big enough. It needs some clean up but is fit for purpose at least right now.
With the baggage seat back in the plane, I put the ELT in position underneath such that I thought it would be fairly easy to take it out, wire it up etc.
I traced around the cradle, removed the baggage panel and drilled through the holes in the cradle.
I spent a little time looking at my choices for antenna locations. My first choice was a bust because the ELT instructions say it needs 30″ between it and any other antenna. So I decided to put the ELT antenna further back and I will have a little fun hooking it up but it isn’t going to be impossible.
The antenna is just resting there for now. We will have to move the fuselage to the bench so someone can crawl down the back and tighten the locking nut and attach the coaxial cable that goes to the ELT device. I drilled the start of the COM antenna mounting holes but I need to find some thick metal for a backing plate.
Also today I riveted the baggage back to the sides. Poor baggage back has been waiting months for this, finally happened.
Still quite a bit to do before we can mate the fuselage parts again but we are ever closer.