Ch: 9.1: Main Gear Reinforcements (2 of 3)

Center NACA foam between the
Firewall (left) and Aft LG Bulkhead (right)
(view is looking from right side of the a/c)

Adding strenght between the firewall and aft LG bulkhead.  

First the center foam piece is glassed w/2x BID (left).  This is the foam that forms the top side of NACA Scoop.  Easy enough.

Paper template used for second layup.
The sharpie lines mark the corners
of the layup area to help align it when installed.

Second, each side is glassed with 3xBID that wraps from the back of the aft LG Bulkhead, around the side, and on to the fwd side of the Firewall.  I followed the plans method for these pieces...make a paper template, wet out the glass on 3 mil plastic over the template, cut out the glass to match the template, install, squeegee  air out, pull plastic off. Voila!
Installing the glass this way made these layups pretty easy and were probably some of the best layups I've done...too bad they won't be visible as this area will end up being covered by the main spar.  One template will work for both sides but it is not symmetrical so remember to flip it over before you do the other side.  Peel ply from hard point to hard point as there is one more layup that covers that area.  You could do this layup and the next one all at one time, but with the tight space, I was afraid I would mess up the work I'd already done.  So I waited for this one to cure before going on to the next layup.

Pilot's side firewall (left)  to
aft LG bulkhead (right) layup

Copilot's side firewall (right)  to
aft LG bulkhead (right) Layup

The last layup in this area is another 3xBID that wraps from the firewall, across the floor, and up the aft side of the aft LG bulkhead hard point.  In total, this whole reinforcement places an additional 6 ply's of fiberglass over the aft gear hard points and the bottom engine mount hard points of the firewall.  Again, I peel ply'd the hard points and the edges of the glass which you can see in the pics.



With this area now protected, it's time to move on the "hell hole" between the forward and aft landing gear bulkheads where the main gear will actually be installed.

Onward.