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Builder Name:Jeff Seaborn   -  
Project:   Dalotel DM165   -   VIEW REPORTS
Total Hours:653
Total Flight Time:
Start/Last Date:Nov 06, 2019 - Nov 06, 2019
Engine:Originally Continental IO-346 A what? Yep, an IO-346 as used in Muskateers of the same vintage
Propeller:A Regy Wooden Fixed Pitch What the heck is that? A French prop from that era
Panel:Steam gauges circa 1969. In French and in metric. Yikes!
 
Friendly URL: https://eaabuilderslog.org?s=jseaborn

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Feb 27, 2021     Fuselage inspection and prep - (3 hours)       Category: Fuselage
Moved fuselage to shop and started removing last of the items still attached to it. This provides a good understanding of the wiring and system layout. Made some interesting discoveries.

For example, previously I'd described the canopy latch and couldn't fathom why the bolts the latches were mounted on were custom made and with LH threads. Upon further inspection, I'd discovered that the front canopy latch was secured to the custom bolt. (The rear latch was damaged in the accident and the latch was spinning loose on the bolt). The latches were designed to be secured to the custom bolts. When inside the cockpit, the latch is rotated 90 degrees clockwise to engage the latch to the canopy frame. Since the latch is secured to the bolt, the bolt rotates with the latch. Since the bolt has LH threads, that clockwise turn means the bolt is unscrewing from the boss that is welded to the frame. Since it's unscrewing, it actually cinches the canopy frame tight as it secures it. Conversely, to open the canopy, you rotate the latch 90 degrees counter clockwise. Doing that screws the bolt into the boss, taking some of the tension off the canopy, allowing it to open. Aha! So that's why the custom threaded bolt. Like many of the things on this plane, there was an easy way, and then there was Dalotel's way...

Removed the wiring, labeling it and where it crossed members of the frame. The electrical bundle was held in place with some stretchy plastic belts. Today we'd use "zip ties" but these things are like belts with a whole bunch of holes in them. They wrap around the frame and the electrical bundle and a small plastic pin passes through two holes in the belt to hold it all together. The belts are still flexible and stretchy but all the pins broke during disassembly. I plan to make some new pins on the lathe to allow me to reuse the belts.


 


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