Covering the butt ribs on a Type III

[cgruby]

Gents,

I hate to admit it, but for the life of me, I can't make a lot of sense out of the covering instructions for the butt ribs. I've researched all the pictures of the plane before the damage and it doesn't appear that they were even covered at all.

I have covered the area between the uppermost cabin top member down to the tube that the door hinges are mounted but this in retrospect doesn't seem to agree with the instructions.

If someone would take a couple of pictures of this area, maybe that would help.

I'm not particularly pickey about the cosmetic appearance of the ribs from the inside, but would like to seal the cabin as well as could be.

Thanks,

[Dick B in KY]

Just make a metal plate to cover to forward and aft openings of the butt ribs. Leave the middle open for the sight gauge. I get very little air flow thru there.

Dick B

[cgruby]

Just make a metal plate to cover to forward and aft openings of the butt ribs. Leave the middle open for the sight gauge. I get very little air flow thru there.

Dick B

Thanks Dick, that sounds like a reasonable solution.

[cgruby]

Thanks Dick, that sounds like a reasonable solution.

Edit 1: I just had another question. In addition to covering the front and rear holes in the rib, did you by any chance cover the upper and lower cabin top tubes with fabric? A picture sure would be nice.

Thanks again,

[HansLab]

Hi, I didn't close the butt rib, but closed the wing#1 rib with removable thin wooden plates (anything will do - it's just to prevent bugs and birds to get in).
Close the top-tubes, though (see picture - I can't seem to get it upright..)

[Paul Z]

Here is how the SLSAs are done at least for N703KA

[cgruby]

Hi, I didn't close the butt rib, but closed the wing#1 rib with removable thin wooden plates (anything will do - it's just to prevent bugs and birds to get in).
Close the top-tubes, though (see picture - I can't seem to get it upright..)

Wow!, That's pretty sharp. I think I understand what you did.

Thanks,

[cgruby]

Here is how the SLSAs are done at least for N703KA

That looks very neat. Thanks a lot for the pictures.

[War Eagle]

When I built my plane I opted to cover the butt rib with fabric.

Here are a couple of photos to show you what I did.

[cgruby]

When I built my plane I opted to cover the butt rib with fabric.

Here are a couple of photos to show you what I did.

Well, light finally shines on a marble head. It seem so obvious when you get the right perspective. I really like the gas tank gauge window treatment, much better than just hacking out a hole to see the gauge.

Thanks again for taking the time to post the pictures, a great help.

[Av8r3400]

My model IV was done the same way as WarEagle's plane. I'm going to do my Mangy project a little different in order to get a spot up there to put my cellphone, map or whatever.

I'll have to post a photo when I do it… :o

[cgruby]

My model IV was done the same way as WarEagle's plane. I'm going to do my Mangy project a little different in order to get a spot up there to put my cellphone, map or whatever.

I'll have to post a photo when I do it… :oYou know it's strange you should say that. I've only flown mine a very short time, and the first thing I noticed, there's no place to stash anything. You either lay it on the seat or stick it into a jacket pocket. This is an opportunity to look at changing that.

Cheers,

[SkySteve]

I sewed pockets to the front of each seat, behind my legs. Makes a handy place to put stuff I need during a flight.

[cgruby]

I sewed pockets to the front of each seat, behind my legs. Makes a handy place to put stuff I need during a flight.

Thanks Steve, I was talking to my son this morning and told him I was going to do the same thing.

Cheers,

[jiott]

How did you do this? My control stick comes right up against the front of the seat.

[SkySteve]

Jim,
When I made/installed mine, I made one pocked (a one sided patch sort of looking thing) for each side out of rip stop nylon and sewed the sides and bottom to the front flap of the seat cover just below each seat cushion. Then sewed a stitch line from the bottom of the pocket to the top of the pocked right in the center of the depression where the stick comes when full back position. That center stitch line forms two pockets on the front of each seat and keeps stuff from getting in the way of the stick.

[jiott]

OK I got it.