JVL’s RV-14: Fuselage, MID Lower Structure (Part 9)

This blog was created to memorialize the building process of my Van's Aircraft RV-14 and to satisfy the requirements for certification in the Experimental Amateur Built Aircraft category. It will also serve as a central location for ME to reference in the future on processes and techniques I used during the build. Additionally, it will allow my family, friends, and other interested builders the opportunity to follow along during my build…..and might be helpful to someone along the way.

Saturday, May 11, 2019

Fuselage, MID Lower Structure (Part 9)

In the last few pictures from Part 8, you can see the copper colored #30 clecos are still holding the Seat Ribs in place to the Bulkhead web. During today’s session, I used AN470AD4-4 (x30) and AN470AD4-6 (x10) rivets to permanently rivet them together. Pictured below is the left and right forward side of the Bulkhead showing the shop head side of the rivets (circled in white).

Here is the opposite side (or aft) of the Bulkhead showing the manufactured heads of the rivets. Here is the right side.....

.....and the left.

I used a 3X rivet gun, tungsten bucking bar, offset rivet set and straight rivet set. Since the aft side of the Seat Ribs are not attached to anything yet, I was able to move some of them out of the way to use the straight set. However, I had to use the offset for the Seat Rib rivets near the Crotch Strap Bracket because it is a little “stiffer” in this area.