VELOCITY XL FG

N478B


FUSELAGE


 

Velocity’s Fast Build Fuselage option includes installed instrument panel tabs,

windshield and side windows, with fuselage halves permanently joined,

glassed and finished through primer.  The carbon beams are also installed.

Upgrades / Options:

Interconnected rudder pedals and dual toe brakes.

 

 

FAST LINKS TO:

CARBON FIBER BEAMS          SPEED BRAKE          CENTER KEEL          KEEL ACCESS COVER

NOSE ACCESS COVER          SEATS          SEAT BELTS          INSTRUMENT PANEL / GLARE SHIELD

NACA FRESH AIR           OVERHEAD PLENUM           OVERHEAD PANEL          MAIN SPAR

FIREWALL REINFORCEMENTS         PRIMING/SANDING

 

 

CARBON FIBER BEAMS

 

1.   Carbon Fiber Beam Installation          (1)    (2)   

The beams come installed with the Fast Build kit and were installed while I was already at the factory.

 

 

SPEED BRAKE

 

1.   Speed Brake Installation        (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)    (5)    (6)    (7)

The speed brake cutout pattern came drawn in the fuselage from the factory. The cutout on the floor was made with an air saw.  Edges were sanded and space was made for the hinges in the fuselage and the speed brake by removing the foam and the inner skin.  The surface and borders were grinded and sanded for glassing.  The inside of all the hard points, both in the fuselage and in the speed brake, were glassed with 5 plies of TRIAX, followed by a radius of microglass on the edges and a final layer of BID extending about one inch around the hard points.  Finally, the hole was glassed over with TRIAX per the manual. 

 

NOTE:  I was coached to install the speed brake during my first few days at the factory and directed to glass over the speed brake hole before glassing the edge.  I would have finished the edge before covering the hole for an easier and cleaner finish.  I found out that the factory does not necessarily follow the manual in many instances.  This taught me early on not to go by what I am told, or by the manual instructions, without giving things some thought.  I believe this has turned invaluable throughout my building experience as I have done many things differently and in a different order to better accomplish many of the tasks.   

 

2.   Speed Brake Actuator Installation       (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)    (5)

I installed the actuator per the manual and had to use a thin wood spacer between the keel top and the top bracket.  I was told by the factory that it should lower to an angle as close to 60° as possible from horizontal.  I used a 12v household transformer to test it and mine extended to 57°.  I will make a microglass bed to adjust the hinges flush to the surface when I finish the edges of the speed brake space. 

 

 

CENTER KEEL

 

1.   Center Keel Installation      (1)

Center keel controls and keel installation were completed per the manual during my stay at the factory. 

 

 

RUDDER PEDAL / TOE-BRAKE          Working

 

1.   Rudder / Toe-Brake Pedals       (1)    (2)    (3)

The pedals were assembled and installed per the manual.  I used pieces of water heater rubber hose on the supports to increase grip.  I cut them in the back such that they can clear one end of the tube, by sliding it all the way to the other side, before centering them in place.

 

2.   Toe-Brake Pedal Bellcrank      (1)  

Installed per the manual. 

 

 

KEEL ACCESS COVER        Working

 

1.   Front Access Cover       (1)    (2)   

I followed the manual instructions.  The access cover came already cut from the factory.  I protected the edges with duct tape and inserted the cover in place.  I then placed cloth over the access cover extending about 1 to 1.5 inches all around and let it cure.  Once cured I drilled the holes for the screws with the cover in place and installed the nutplates.   

 

 

NOSE ACCESS COVER

 

1.   Nose Access Cover      (1)

I place much more screws around the nose cover than I would have liked, for it to sit tight against the flange.  I will probably modify it somehow for less drag and a cleaner look before the airplane is done.

 

 

SEATS

 

1.   Seat Bottom Hinge Location Jig       (1)    (2)

The location of the aluminum hard points for the seat hinges showed differences and the manuals did not specify any measurements to determine the relationship between the bottom pans and the back of the seats.  I requested some photos from the factory and based on them, I decided on the location of the hinges.  I drew some reference lines and set up jigs with clamps and aluminum beams on the bench to ensure the same position of the holes in all seats. 

 

2.   Seat Bottom Hinge Installation        (1)    (2)

 

3.   Seat Back Hinge Location Template / Jig        (1)

 

4.   Seat Back Hinge Holes      (1)

 

5.   Hinge Installation      (1)

I prefer rather vertical seat backs so I inverted the aluminum stops on the hinges to reduce the angle between the bottom and the back seats.  They seem comfortable for me now but if they turn out too vertical, I can always grind the stops to allow further extension of the seats. 

 

6.   Seat Reinforcements         (1)    (2)   

I did not like the factory’s method for installing the seats to the rails.  I determined the location of the rails on the seat pans and installed tapped hard points in them.  This allows the use of proper length bolts to screw the rails to the seat pans from the bottom, without disturbing the upholstery work. 

 

7.      Rail Installation  

Front Seats        (1)    (2)

            Rear Seats        (1)    (2)

            Floor Hard Points        (1)    (2)

I moved the seat against the rails to determine the height I wanted for the seat pans.  I then moved the whole seat assembly (seat and rails) fore-aft on the cabin floor to match my distance to the pedals.  This gave the location for the floor hard points.   I did the same for the back seats except that I decided to increase the angle between the rear seat pans and the fuselage floor by inserting a piece of wood between the rails and the hard points.  The installation of the floor hard points was done in two steps.  First, I tapped and screwed the hard points to the rails.  I then potted them in place with the rails aligned and leveled.  Once cured, I unscrewed the rails and finished shaping the microglass transition and covering them with BID and peel ply. 

 

8.   Seats  (Full View)            (1)    (2)

Once installed, I noticed there is some misalignment of the seat hinges which cause the arms to rub against each other.  I straightened them somewhat by placing washers, as needed, between the pans and the hinges.  I noticed that slightly separating the arms helps to align them also, making their rotation smoother.  For this, I placed 1/16” thick wide “Teflon” washers between the arms.

 

 

SEAT BELTS

 

1.   Seat Belts Hard Points.       Front      (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)

                                                      Rear       (1)    (2)    (3)

All seat belts will attach with the 7/16” bolts provided with the seat belts.  In the front, I installed the steel hard point angles that came with the seat belts against the keel and floor to reinforce the area on top of the speed brake (F1).  I tapped the aluminum point for the front seat belt retractable mechanism and tightened the bolt on it.  I then glued the assembly in place with the bolt head against the fuselage side potted in flox (F2).  I installed tapped aluminum hard points on all other attachment points (F3, F4, R3), including inside the keel for the rear seat belts (R1, R2).  I plan to use steel angles to attach the back seat belts’ retractable mechanism to the firewall with the corresponding engine mount bolts. 

 

 

INSTRUMENT PANEL / GLARE SHIELD

 

1.   Instrument Panel        (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)

I trimmed the instrument panel and glare shield in place.  I opened the holes for the throttle, propeller and mixture control knobs.  I also have started to tentatively locate items in the panel.   I am sure this setp will change many times.

 

 

NACA FRESH AIR

 

1.   Scoop Installation        (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)

After installing the fresh air NACA in the nose, I have been told that there is no significant air flow coming from it and that more than enough fresh air comes from the overhead console.  I am thinking about either closing it or using it for a different purpose. 

 

 

OVERHEAD PLENUM

 

1.   Map Lights / Switches Openings      (1)

I bought reading lights and switches from Velocity for each seat and opened the holes for them on the overhead plenum. 

 

2.   Sealing and Area Reinforcement      (1)

I waited for the airplane to be upside down to conntinue work on the plenum.  I sealed the inside of it with a coat of EZ-Poxy and reinforced two areas with TRIAX where I plan to install bases for the ventsthe vents. 

 

3.   Access Covers and Bases for Vents      (1)     (2)

I made a couple of covers for the areas on the plenum where I wanted to install the air vents.  I used one layer of TRIAX between two of BID to make the covers, and finished with peel ply.  I installed the vents on the covers and then screwed the assembly to the overhead plenum.  This way I have access to the inside of the plenum and can easily change or tighten the vents in the future, if necessary.  

 

4.   Overhead Plenum Drain      (1)    (2)

The plans call for installation of an aluminum tube between the back of the overhead plenum and the bottom of the fuselage for drainage of water entering through the roof’s fresh air NACA.  I believe this to be an overkill and a cumbersome installation. I decided to install one short piece of aluminum tubing on the plenum and another one on the bottom of the fuselage with flox and connect them with a plastic hose.  This is a much simpler installation with the ability to inspect for possible obstructions and easy replacement the hose, if needed.

 

5.   Overhead Plenum Installation      (1)    (2)    (3)    (4)     

I sanded, primed and filled the plenum as needed.  I installed a 3/8” plastic hose inside to feed the wiring for the reading lamps and kept it in place with fiberglass strips.  I removed foam between the plenum and the overhead panel, glassing over it and making a channel for the plastic hose.  The hose extended into the overhead panel in the front and exited the plenum in the back.  I marked the position of the rivet holes around the plenum’s edge.  I positioned the plenum in place, traced the contour and drilled four pilot rivet holes; two in the front and two in the back.  I sanded the inner skin about one inch inside the contour marking and cleaned the area with denatured alcohol.  I placed flox on the fuselage and a very thin coat on the plenum’s flange.  I placed toothpicks in the four pilot rivet holes to guide the plenum in place.  I then replaced the toothpicks with rivets, one at a time.  I continued drilling and riveting the plenum’s flange.  I finished by making a radius in the back, against the firewall, removing the flox excess around it and cleaning everything with alcohol. 

 

 

OVERHEAD PANEL

 

1.   Overhead Panel Installation      (1)    (2)     

I couldn’t find the instructions for installation of the overhead panel in the manual.  I asked the factory and it can be installed permanently or screwed to the carbon beams.   Therefore, it is not considered a structural part of the cabin.  I decided to install it permanently without much reinforcement.  I marked and grinded the flanges with a 36 grit sanding disc on the air grinder to make it fit in place, between the front carbon fiber beams.   I then removed foam and glassed over it to make a channel for a plastic hose between the panel and the plenum for wires.  I bonded the panel in place with flox-cabosil.  The match with the carbon beams was very close.  I will reinforce with a radius of microglass around it and fill with micro as needed for finishing.

 

 

MAIN SPAR

 

1.   BID Layups       (1)    (2)   

The center main spar-firewall BID reinforcement layups were made over a micro radius, per the manual.  For easiness, the lower cap reinforcement was made while the fuselage was upside down.

 

2.   TRIAX Reinforcements        (1)    (2)    (3)

All main spar reinforcements were made per the manual and covered with peel ply. 

 

3.   Main Spar Bushings       (1)    (2)

My spar came without the bushings from the factory.  I got a set, cut them slightly shorter than the corresponding hole and installed them with structural epoxy and flox.

 

 

FIREWALL

 

1    Firewall Reinforcements       (1)    (2)

After buying a Lycoming IO540, I placed the corresponding firewall reinforcements for the dynafocal engine mount, per the manual. 

 

 

PRIMING

 

1.   Fuselage Underside Priming        (1)    (2)     

I rolled 3 coats of Poly-Fiber UV Smooth Primer and filled as necessary before the final coats and a lot of more sanding with 80, 180 and 320 grit sandpaper. 

 

 

 

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Jorge A. Bujanda / 2004