Troy,
I cut a 1-1/2" x 5" opening between the cowl and the windshield. It is
hinged at the cowl / fuselage "rebate" one half of the hinge is fastened
with nutplates and flat head screws in the area where the cowl will
fasten to the fuselage. The cowl will hide the screws that way. The
"door" opens downward toward the pannel. We all know tht that area in
front of the winshield is a high pressure area in all aircraft. This
little door will let in a nice blast of air anytime the prop is turning.
I've added two layers of bid around the two sides of the door and at the
edge away from the hinge. I will use something like RTV to make a good
seal when the door is closed. I haven't figured out the "opener -
closer" yet but I wanted to see how it would work. It looks real good.
To handle the moisture problem, the door is located almost in front of
the pilot in a relativly flat area. Since it is quite possible that
moisture (rain) will get in to the area, it will by the design of the
instrument panel automatically flow to the area of the flange where the
nut plates are fitted. (for attaching the panel to the firewall). The
water will drizzle down hill to run on to the floor. Not a good thing.
So I formed a flox catch point about half way down the side. There will
be a small flexible plastic hose to guide the water into the wheel well
area and out -away from the a/c itself. The hose only needs to be about
1/4" ID to handle any small amounts of water that might get in. I have
considered putting one on the co-pilots side but I think that a NACA vent
on the side will be adequate. I also am going to put in a reverse NACA
vent in the back. I think it will go in the place of the old fuel inlet.
This will be high and let air out. Since I am building a "mono", the
vent should always be "down hill". To cover the possible up hill nature
of the vent, I will also put in a catch lip and a drain to keep water
---From getting in at that piont. I have also sealed up the gear handle
area so air can not get into the cockpit at that point. I also sealed
the fuel tank filling and vent hose area where it penetrates into the
cockpit area. This should control to a very great extent the air getting
into the cockpit area. Control the air in and control the air out.
(sound good doesn't it) We'll know by the end or the year. All the mod"s
sure slow the build but it will be worth it to have a custom plane just
the way you want it it the end. I'll provide a sketch with details if you
want it. Let me know.
> Hi Pops,
>
> Just today I was working on this area. I used a thin sheet of dark
> gray
> plastic, I think it is pvc. I got it out of scrap at work. It's
> pretty light
> weight, about 1/32" thick. It's held on with 10-32's into 8 pieces
> of 3/4 "
> angle reduxed in at equal spacing. I'll cover this with the
> upholstering
> material. This makes it easy to later to completely change things
> without
> even messing up everything. I did however put the headphone jacks up
> there,
> just aft of the hinges. Imade a little aluminum box for them and
> reduxed it
> to the overhead making the front cover slightly larger than the hole
> in the
> plastic. I may put one pivoting maplite up there about mid ways and
> I'll put
> my SIRS wet compass up front. I had earlier embedded a strip of
> aluminum in
> the forward stiffener to mount the compass. I may check out some
> RV's or
> custom vans for ideas of storage compartments.
> I did read of someone putting eyeball vents up there, but I too
> would like to
> know how they are fed. While on that subject, someone on the line
> mentioned
> introducing air into the cockpit below the windscreen. I wonder if
> they meant
> below the wind screen but on the side. I can't see how there's room
> below it
> at the front. One fellow we all know in Lakeland put a NACA scoop at
> the base
> or the fin and laid up a duct from it along the inside top of the
> fuselage to
> the overhead panel and plans to feed some eyeball vents. I really
> like this
> idea and it should work but hasn't been tested yet. Anyways, enough
> rambling.
> Any more ideas out there?
>
> Troy
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