SECTION 8
THE FUSELAGE
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8s8PP-1 r1 06/23/11
1 & -R-1 Upper Longerons, and the WD-802-L-1 & -R-1 Upper Engine Mount Brackets
. NOTE: Be sure to drill
square to the top web of the F-887-L-1 & -R-1 Upper Longerons.
RV-8A Only:
Match-Drill #40, the 3/32 holes in the F-891-L-1 & -R-1 Fwd Side Skins, which are common with
the F-887-L-1 & -R-1 Upper Longerons.
RV-8A Only:
Final-Drill #40, the 3/32 holes in the F-891-L-1 & -R-1 Fwd Side Skins not drilled in the previous
steps.
RV-8A Only:
Final-Drill 3/16, the five bolt holes common between the F-891-L-1 & -R-1 Fwd Side Skins, F-843-
L-1 & -R-1 Lower Longerons, F-895-L-1 & -R-1 Doubler Plates and aft flange on the WD-821-L-1 & -R-1 Land-
ing Gear Weldments (See “Fwd Fuse Side Skins and Structure”, DWG 67A).
RV-8A Only:
Match-Drill #30, the two bolt holes common between the F-891-L-1 & -R-1 Fwd Side Skins, F-
843-L-1 & -R-1 Lower Longerons, F-895-L-1 & -R-1 Doubler Plates and the fwd flange (foot) on the WD-821-L-1
& -R-1 Landing Gear Weldments using the two holes in the fwd flange as a guide. Cleco the first hole after you
drill. Final-Drill 3/16, the holes match-drilled in this step. Drill from the outside. Install a temporary bolt after
drilling the first hole, remove the cleco and final-drill the second hole.
Match-Drill #40, the 3/32 holes in the left and right F-823-1 Mid Side Skins, that are common with the F-887-L-1
& -R-1 Upper Longerons (DWG 69).
Final-Drill #30, the 1/8 holes, and #40 the 3/32 holes, in the left and right F-823-1 Mid Side Skins, that were not
drilled previously.
Final-Drill #40, the 3/32 holes not yet drilled at the aft end of the F-826-1 Right Center Bottom Skin, and F-827-
1 Left Center Bottom Skin.
Final-Drill #40, the 3/32 holes in the F-842-1 Aft Bottom Skin Fwd (See “Side View and Bottom View”, DWG 74)
Final-Drill #40, the 3/32 holes in the F-828-1 Aft Bottom Skin.
Match-Drill #40, the 3/32 holes in the F-824-L-1 & -R-1 Aft Side Skins, which are common with the F-887-L-1 &
-R-1 Upper Longerons.
Final-Drill #40, the 3/32 holes in the F-824-L-1 & -R-1 Aft Side Skins that are common with the left and right F-
888-1 Aft Mid Longerons, and F-889-1 Aft Lower Longerons.
Final-Drill #40, all 3/32 holes in the F-824-L-1 & -R-1 Aft Side Skins that were not drilled in the two previous
steps.
Reposition the fuselage to some short sawhorses sized to allow you to comfortably reach to the bottom floor
area of the cockpit. The fuselage can be safely supported below the F-843-L-1 & -R-1 Lower Longerons and
the F-828-1 Aft Bottom Skin.
Final-Drill #30, the 1/8 holes in the F-826-1 Right Center Bottom Skin, the F-827-1 Left Center Bottom Skin, and
the F-822-1 (RV-8) or F-890-1 (RV-8A) Fwd Floor Panel that are common with the holes in the fwd and aft bot-
tom flanges of the F-804 Center Section Assembly. Match-Drill #40, the four 3/32 holes centered on the bottom
of the F-804 Center Section Bulkhead Assembly. Two of the holes are in the F-826-1 Right Center Bottom
Skin, and two of the holes are in the F-827-1 Left Center Bottom Skin.
Temporarily cleco the F-807B-1, F-808B-1, F-809B-1 and F-810A-1 Bulkhead Tops to their corresponding bulk-
head sections as shown on DWG 70. Cleco the F-825-1 Aft Top Skin to the F-807B-1, F-808B-1, F-809B-1 and
F-810A-1 Bulkhead Tops and the F-887-L-1 & -R-1 Upper Longerons (See “Side View and Top View”, DWG
74).
NOTE: Clecoing on the aft top skin will correctly align the fuselage for drilling the remaining parts.
Fit the F-819-1 Aft Deck to the top of the F-887-L-1 & -R-1 Upper Longerons at the aft fuselage, and cleco it to
the F-810 Bulkhead Assembly with the F-810D-1 Spacer in place (See “Detail E”, DWG 71). Position the aft
end of the aft deck so that it is
centered
on the fuselage and then clamp it in place. Use a pen to transfer the
position of the notches in the aft deck for the F-811B-1 Stab Attach Bars, to the F-887-L-1 & -R-1 Upper
Longerons.
Match-Drill #30, the 1/8 holes in the F-819-1 Aft Deck that are common with the F-887-L-1 & -R-1 Upper
Longerons.
Mark the location of the aft face of the F-812 Bulkhead assembly, on the F-887-L-1 & -R-1 Longerons for later
trimming as shown in “Detail G”, DWG 71.
Cleco the F-812B-1 Angle / Control Stop in position on the F-819-1 Aft Deck. Cleco the F-811C-1 Angle, and F-
811D-1 Spacer / Control Stop in place on the bottom of the aft deck (See “Detail E”, DWG 71).
RV-8/8A
SECTION 8
THE FUSELAGE
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8s8PP-1 r1 06/23/11
Final-Drill #12, the two holes in the F-812B-1 Angle / Control Stop that receive AN3 bolts. Slip a temporary bolt
in each hole as you drill.
Final-Drill #30, the 1/8 holes in the F-812B-1 Angle / Control Stop. Final-Drill #30, the 1/8 holes in the F-819-1
Aft Deck that are common with the F-811 and F-810 Bulkhead Assemblies.
Verify there is a cleco in every hole in the upper portion of the F-804N-1 Bulkhead Caps.
Verify that the F-823-1 Mid Side Skins are flush against the sides of the F-887-L-1 & -R-1 Upper Longerons.
Cleco every hole if needed.
Align the outboard edge of the F-816-L-1 & -R-1 Cockpit Rails so they are flush with the outer surface of the F-
823-1 Mid Side Skins and clamp in position.
NOTE: Pay particular attention to the fwd end of the cockpit
rail.
Match-Drill #40, the F-887-L-1 & -R-1 Upper Longerons using the 3/32 holes in the F-816-L-1 & -R-1 Cockpit
Rails as a guide. Be sure to drill square to the top surface of the longeron.
Final-Drill #40, the 3/32 holes common between the F-816-L-1 & -R-1 Cockpit Rails, and the top flanges of the
F-804C-FL & FR Center Section Fwd Bulkheads and F-804C-AL & AR Center Section Aft Bulkheads.
RV-8 Only: NOTE: Align the outboard edge of each landing gear box web flush with the vertex of its as-
sociated upper longeron. Wrap a ratchet type cargo strap around the fuselage where the F-802-1 Land-
ing Gear Box Assemblies are located and then ratchet it just tight enough to align the longeron vertexes
with the edges of the landing gear box webs.
Match Drill #30, the five holes at the top of the F-802C-L-1 & -
R-1 Landing Gear Box Web to the F-887-L-1 & -R-1 Upper Longerons (See “Fwd Fuse Side Skins and Struc-
ture”, DWG 67)
.
Cleco an F-817-L-1 Seat Back Support Plate in place on the F-806A-L-1 Left Fuselage Bulkhead and F-805-L-1
Left Fuselage Bulkhead (See “Left Cockpit Rail”, DWG 72). Repeat this step with the seat back support plate
for the right side of the fuselage.
Final-Drill #30, the 1/8 holes common between the F-817-L-1 & -R-1 Seat Back Support Plates and the F-806A-
L-1 &-R-1 Left and Right Fuselage Side Bulkheads and F-805-L-1 &-R-1 Left and Right Fuselage Side Bulk-
heads.
Separate the two F-856-1 Spacers from each other, then smooth and deburr the edges (See “F-856-1 Spac-
ers” , DWG 72).
Cleco an F-856-1 Spacer in position on the bottom of the F-816-L-1 & -R-1 Cockpit Rails (See “Detail A”, DWG
72).
Cleco the WD-808 Front Seatback Support in place between the F-817-L-1 & -R-1 Seat Back Support Plates.
NOTE: If you do not have any 3/16 clecos, final-drill #12 a couple matching holes in the front seatback
support and the seat back side plates, then insert temporary bolts to hold the assembly in position.
Match-Drill #30 the two 1/8 holes in each foot of the WD-808 Front Seatback Support, up through the F-856-1
Spacer and F-816-L-1 & -R-1 Cockpit Rail. Cleco each hole as you drill. Match-Drill #30, all holes in the cockpit
rail that are common with the front seatback support. Cleco as you drill. Final-Drill #30, all remaining 1/8 holes
common between each cockpit rail and its associated spacer.
Final-Drill #19, the previously drilled #30 holes common between the WD-808 Front Seatback Support and the
F-816-L-1 & -R-1, that are called out to receive AN509 screws. (See “Detail A”, DWG 72)
Final-Drill #12, the four 3/16 holes in each foot of the WD-808 Front Seatback Support that are common with
holes in the F-817-L-1 & -R-1 Seat Back Support Plates.
Final-Drill #30, the 1/8 holes in the two F-804N-1 Bulkhead Caps.
Remove the F-804N-1 Bulkhead Caps from the fuselage.
Final-Drill #40, the nutplate attachment rivet holes in the F-824A-1 Aft Side Skins, that are used for attaching
the F-824B Cover Plates.
Cleco the F-886-L-1 & -R-1 Rudder Stops in place on the aft fuselage and final-drill #30 the 1/8 attach holes
(See “Detail H”, DWG 71).
RV-8 Only:
Uncleco the F-812 Bulkhead Assembly, and F-828-1 Aft Bottom Skin, and remove them from the
fuselage (DWG 71 & 74).
NOTE: Push the bottom portion of the F-810 Bulkhead Assembly fwd slightly to
