Finally the main panel frame is re-installed. Yes it was in previously but this is after the screen printing and setting everything up on the practice frame.

I ended up making three panels. The first in MDF and the other two in 2024-T3 Aluminium .125″ thick. The first metal one will go in a sim I’m building, the second is below the ‘final cut’ so no waste! OK, the MDF is in the bin.

Its all been hand cut with a jigsaw and finished with a dremel and hand files. By the time I learned and set it all up in CAD I could have made 10 panels by hand. I didn’t need ten panels anyway. I’ve used nutplates almost everywhere too. If you need your panel done….ask someone else.

Fitting it for real, I found a few access problems and had things to cut and file. The frame went in and out quite a few times before it all started to settle down.

Once the frame was in, my avionics guy came over and we did a check fit for the canard. Well that was a surprise. The elevator cross tube was in the way of lots of things and one back shell looks like its not going to ever fit. The remote VHF radio has had to be positioned back to the spot you see above. Note we have minimal clearance to the G3X fan.

Here’s the same place with a new bracket installed. The VHF box now sits on an angle and the issue of the antenna at the back is resolved with it now clear. I’ve also had to move the earth tree back a little. Four new nutplates have gone in too. Two of these were installed by drilling holes with a hand tap rather than pull everything out.

It is still tight back there. Our next fitting section will start working out where we set those looms in place. The main current issue is availability of my guy. We have spent many months getting it happening on his bench which I haven’t documented or counted as build hours. I was just support staff then.