Rear Stick Cover Part 2

08 Dec 2005 Rear Stick Cover Part 2

Continued from Rear Stick Cover Part 1
Here’s what the cover looks like with the leather on there. Notice the super-cool aluminum air vent, acquired in a pair for 30 USD at SNF’04.

Nice view from the underside.

Now we get to the problem. Because I changed the shape from what George and Becki Orndorff suggested, I should have more thoroughly tested the new cover. I didn’t before I glued the stick boot on. Mistake. There is a clearance problem when the stick is moved full forward. So, I had to get out the nibbler and take out about a square inch or so of aluminum so that the stick would clear. Luckily I didn’t have to scrap the whole part!

Here are some pictures of the cover installed, and check of the stick clearance. You can see that the cover gets a bit tight when the stick is moved full to the left. Now, I don’t have the wings nor ailerons on, so the stick will not move this much in “real life”. I’m not worried about this yet, but I will of course check it when the wings are attached. Any binding of a control is bad.

Neutral position.

Full right position. Cover gets tight, but not too tight.

Full left position. The cover gets kind of tight.