As we're finishing up the A/C condenser mounting, wiring and plumbing, my part time build helper, an A&P, and I were looking at the space left in the aft fuselage area, wondering what we have left to fit in there? I'm thinking ELT and what else? I would like to complete as much as possible before temporarily installing the top and fitting the door.
The autopilot installation came up and we are wondering if the autopilots typically used in the IVP are "trim tab" driven (I have Ray Allen servos on all of my trim tabs), or are there servo's hooked directly to flight control tubes? Specifically, we are wondering if we will need to mount some type of servo to the elevator push/pull tube?
I've also fabricated mounts and installed the evaporator and fan on the rear pressure bulkhead (all of my own design) and wondering if anyone has pictures of this area during different phases of completion?
Tom,
I placed my ELT in the aft fuselage just to the rear of the fuselage access panel in my IV-P. I also have a TruTrac pitch servo mounted to the belcrank support structure just behind the MLG wheel well, with its operating arm linked to the belcrank itself. The TruTrac, and most GA autopilots, attach servos to the control pushrods, rather than to the trim tabs.
Keep in mind that anything you add behind the wing spar that didn’t come in the kit moves the CG aft. To offset this, I added 1” aluminum spacers between the engine mount and the firewall to move the engine forward. Even so, I run out of CG before I get to my (declared and tested) max weight of 3600#--using any reasonable passenger/baggage loading plan. I’d seriously consider this mod as you build. IV-Ps tend to be tail heavy—because most of us homebuilders tend to “overbuild” the plans a bit…and almost all of it winds up aft of the CG.
You are correct to complete all possible build items before installing the top! 5 times harder to work any interior things wth the top on.
Bob