Quickie Q2 Lite, Construction Manual

Page: 133 / 299

Q2 Plans - Chapter 8 - Page 8-05
INSTALLING THE LONGERONS
..... A longeron runs on each side of the cockpit forward from the
Seatback Bulkhead to the instrument panel. These longerons are made
of 5/8" square wood and must first be bowed to shape in order to fit
the curvature of the fuselage side.
..... Support the longerons on each end and place weights in the
middle, as shown. Permit them to stand this way for at least two
days. The wood should bow in the center after a short while. If you
wish to be very scientific, you may measure the amount of bow
required by skipping ahead and checking the curvature on the fuselage
sides where the longerons will be mounted.
..... Once the canopy frame has 'been cut out and the longerons bowed
statica11y, then they should be mounted in the fuselage to increase
the strength of the fuselage. The sketch included here shows the
location of the longerons; note that they basically go just below the
canopy frame cut out line. The longerons must be installed as shown
here in order for the canopy hinges to be positioned correctly.
..... Also note the 4 UNI glass and 2 BID glass used to mount the
longerons, in addition to the flox. These tapes significantly
increase the stiffness of the longeron, and must be lapped onto the
fuselage a minimum of 1.5 inches. The UNI orientation is along the
longeron; the BID is laminated at 45 degrees to the longeron line. Do
not use micro between the lamination and wood.