SECTION 8
THE FUSELAGE
RV-8/8A
8-19
8s8PP-1 r1 06/23/11
Measure and draw a line 5/8 from the edge of the mid side skin, to use as a reference for positioning the
“forming angles” on the skin. Clamp a 3/4 aluminum angle under the skin, adjacent to the 5/8 offset line.
Match-Drill #40 one skin hole to the angle, at each end. Remove the angle. Clamp the second angle to the first
angle with the vertexes aligned. Match-Drill the two #40 holes to the second angle. The web on the end of the
upper angle used to make the small radius needs to be relieved to miss the board clamped to the table. Cleco
the two angles to the edge of the skin. Add at least two clamps to lock the angles in place. Put a large “C”
clamp or Vicegrip™ pliers on the angles near the aft end of the skin to use as a handle while rolling the skin.
Roll the skin upwards and inwards towards the table, forcing a sharp bend of approximately 1/8 radius to take
place at the forward end, but tapering in a cone shape towards the aft end. You do not have to complete the
bend all in one attempt. Work it a little at a time to get the required shape. Remove the forming angles and
hand massage to final shape. It is easier to install an under-rolled skin than a skin that has been rolled too far.
Complete the previous four steps for the other F-823-1 Mid Side Skin. Be careful to bend it from the opposite
side of the one done previously, so that you have a left and a right skin.
On a work table, cleco the Seat Rib Subassembly, to the F-804 Center Section Assembly where they join at the
Center Section Assembly bottom flanges and the F-814E-L-1 & -R-1 Seat Ramp Supports.
Final-Drill #30, the 1/8 holes common between the F-814E-L-1 & -R-1 Seat Ramp Supports and the F-814A-L-1
& -R-1 Inboard Seat Rib assemblies.
Use a fly cutter turned slowly in a drill press to cut a hole in the F-815A-R-1, and the Right F-823-1 Mid Side
Skin, for routing the rear seat air vent hose. Refer to DWG 69 for the pilot hole location and size. Deburr the
edges of both holes.
Cleco the F-815A-L-1 & -R-1 Forward Outboard Seat Ribs, F-815B-L-1 & -R-1 Aft Outboard Seat Ribs, and F-
815C-L-1 & -R-1 Outboard Seat Rib Angles to the Seat Rib Assembly. Cleco from the inside out to make it
easy to add the skins in the following steps.
Cleco the Left and the Right F-823-1 Mid Side Skins to the Mid Fuselage Assembly.
NOTE: The conical wrap
portion of the Mid Side Skins, slips between the Center Bottom Skin and the F-813-1 Aft Outboard Seat
Rib on each side.
Cleco the F-807 Bulkhead Assembly to the F-814B-L-1 & -R-1 Aft Inboard Seat Ribs, F-813-L-1 & -R-1 Aft Out-
board Seat Ribs, and the Left and Right F-823-1 Mid Side Skins.
Cleco all the parts shown in the “Left and Right Arm Rest Rivets” view on DWG 69, to the Left F-823-1 Mid Side
Skin, the F-807 Fuselage Bulkhead Assembly, and the F-804 Fuselage Bulkhead Assembly.
Repeat the previous step with all of the parts for the right side.
Cleco the F-805G-L-1 & -R-1 Gussets to the Left and Right F-805 Fuselage Bulkheads.
Cleco the F-805B-L-1 & -R-1 Floor Support Angles to the Left and Right F-805G Gussets and the F-814C-L-1 &
-R-1 Inboard Seat Rib Angles.
Final-Drill #30, the 1/8 holes for attaching the F-807 Fuselage Bulkhead to F-813 -L-1 & -R-1 Aft Outboard Seat
Ribs, and F-814B-L-1 & -R-1 Aft Inboard Seat Ribs.
Final-Drill #30, all the 1/8 holes for joining all the parts shown in the “Left and Right Arm Rest Rivets” view on
DWG 69. Final-Drill #30, the 1/8 rivet holes that attach the F-860C-L-1 & –R-1 Aft Arm Rests to the F-807 Bulk-
head Assembly.
Final-Drill #30, the 1/8 rivet holes that attach the Left and Right F-805G Gussets to the Left and Right F-805
Bulkheads.
Final-Drill #30, the 1/8 rivet holes that attach the F-805B-L-1 & -R-1 Floor Support Angles to the Left and Right
F-805G Gussets and the F-814C-L-1 & -R-1 Inboard Seat Rib Angles.
JOINING THE RV-8 FWD & MID FUSELAGE SUBASSEMBLIES
(This section RV-8 Only
)
Cleco the Fwd Fuselage Substructure to the Center Section Assembly and the Mid Fuselage Assembly (DWG
67). Cleco from the inside, at the fwd and aft bottom flanges of the center section assembly and the top flange
where it interfaces with the F-878-1 Mid Cabin Braces.
NOTE: The F-822-1 Fwd Floor Panel is sandwiched
between the fwd and aft bottom flanges of the F-804 Center Section Assembly and the F-826-1 & F-827-1
Center Bottom Skins (See “Detail B”, DWG 67).
RV-8/8A
SECTION 8
THE FUSELAGE
8-20
8s8PP-1 r1 06/23/11
Cleco the F-814A-L-1 & -R-1 Fwd Inboard Seat Rib Assemblies to the F-814E-L-1 & -R-1 Seat Ramp Sub As-
semblies (See “Detail C”, DWG 69).
Deburr the punched openings, and edges of the F-820-L-1 & -R-1 Fwd Side Skins.
Cleco the F-820-L-1 Fwd Side Skin to the left side of the Fwd Fuselage Substructure (DWG 67).
NOTE: The
fwd side skin lays on top (overlaps on the outside) of the F-823-1 Mid Fuselage Side Skin
. Be liberal with
the use of clecos, to hold the skin tight to the sub structure and assure correct alignment of the fwd portion of
the fuselage.
Cleco the F-820-R-1 Fwd Side Skin to the right side of the Fwd Fuselage Substructure.
Cleco the F-870E-1 Skin Stiffener, and the F-870B-1 Outboard Stiffener to the interior surface of the F-820-L-1
& -R-1 Fwd Side Skins (See “Fwd Fuselage Side Skins And Structure”, DWG 67).
Cleco the F-864C-1 Angle in place on the interior surface of the F-820-L-1 Fwd Side Skin (See “Throttle Quad-
rant Assembly”, DWG 68).
Cleco the F-865B-1 Angle to the interior side of the F-820-R-1 Fwd Side Skin (See “Right Console Assembly”,
DWG 68).
JOINING THE RV-8A FWD & MID FUSELAGE SUBASSEMBLIES
(This section RV-8A Only)
Cleco the Fwd Fuselage Substructure to the Center Section Assembly and the Mid Fuselage Assembly (See
“Fwd Fuse Side Skins and Structure”, DWG 67A). Cleco from the inside, at the fwd and aft bottom flanges of
the center section assembly.
NOTE: The F-890-1 Fwd Floor Panel is sandwiched between the fwd and aft
bottom flanges of the F-804 Center Section Assembly and the F-826-1 & F-827-1 Center Bottom Skins
(See “Detail B”, DWG 67A).
Cleco the F-814A-L-1 & -R-1 Fwd Inboard Seat Rib Assemblies to the F-814E-L-1 & -R-1 Seat Ramp Sub As-
semblies (See “Detail C”, DWG 69).
Space the Center Section / Fwd Floor Panel Assembly up off of the worktable with a couple of wood boards
approximately one & 1/2 thick.
Final-Drill #40, the nutplate attachment rivet holes in the top surface of the WD-821-L & -R Landing Gear Weld-
ments (DWG 67A). Machine Countersink the holes for flush rivet heads on the top surface. Rivet on nutplates
at both locations.
Install the WD-821-L & -R Landing Gear Weldments in position on the front of the Center Section Assembly.
Use three bolts, two at the top and one at the outboard bottom to assure that the landing gear weldment is posi-
tioned flush to the Center Section Assembly (See “Landing Gear Weldment Detail”, DWG 67A). Enlarge the
openings in the F-890-1 Fwd Floor Panel if necessary, to allow the WD-821 Landing Gear Weldments to align
with the bolt holes in the Center Section Assembly.
Clamp the F-843-L-1 Lower Longeron and a .063 thick spacer (two pieces of .032 stacked together) to simulate
the F-895-L-1 Doubler Plate, tightly to the side of the WD-821-L Landing Gear Weldment (DWG 67A).
Clamp the F-843-L-1 Lower Longeron tight to both flanges of the WD-803-L-1 Engine Mount Bracket in two
places.
Clamp the F-843-L-1 Lower Longeron near the bend at its center. Align the vertex of the lower longeron with the
outboard edge of the F-890-1 Fwd Floor Panel.
Check that the gap between the fwd pad on the WD-821-L-1 Landing Gear Weldment and the F-843-L-1 Lower
Longeron is no greater than 1/16. If you have a gap of 1/16 or less, it will be acceptable to pull it tight to the
longeron with the attach bolts. If more than 1/16, use a spacer made from aluminum scrap or re-bend the brace
tube
slightly
as required. It is acceptable to slightly bend the forward pointing brace tube of the landing gear
weldment so that the flange of the lower longeron aligns with the doubler plate.
Position the fwd fuselage assembly so that the left side is overhanging the worktable slightly.
Match-Drill #30, the 1/8 holes common between the F-890-1 Fwd Floor Panel and the to the F-843-L-1 Lower
Longeron with the exception of the three aft most holes. These three holes will be drilled after the WD-821-L-1
& -R-1 Landing Gear Weldments have been removed. Cleco as you drill. Be sure to drill square to the
longeron.
Particularly
the two holes that will also attach the F-802W-L-1 & -R-1 Longeron Clips (See “Aft Iso
View”, DWG 67A).
Repeat the previous six steps for the F-843-R-1 Lower Longeron.
