Forward Fuel Tank Filler Access Door

After a delay ( my wife went into the hospital in June to have a major operation on her spine) I am back working on the plane. I decided to replace the aluminum flap over the fuel tank filler with a door flush with the forward turtle deck, ala Paul Burns. Paul was kind enough to send me a drawing of the installation on his plane.

This is a close-up of the open door.

This shows the door closed. The pin is used to lock the door.

Here is a picture of the closed door with the pin in place, but not locked. (Sept. 2002)

Electric Trim Tab

I installed an elecrtic trim tab on the center section of the elevator. It is 3 inches by 24 inches. It is driven by a Ray Allen servo. This shows the bottom of the elevator with the tab newly installed.

Here the elevator has been reinstalled on the airplane. The tab is made from two pieces of thin plywood glued to a "spar" at the forward end where the hinge is bolted on. The elevator was modified some to incorporate a thicker (than trailing edge) piece of wood, to attach the hinge, and recess the tab slightly.

This is a close-up of the Ray Allen servo and drive rod. The wires from the servo go to a connector plug mounted in the fuselage aft end, under the hole for the elevator linkage.

The tab is operated by a rocker switch mounted near the throttle in the cockpit. It and the position indicator are also supplied by Ray Allen. The whole system works quite nicely. (November, 2002)