Any tips or suggestions when building the Tail Cone?

[Carlos Trigo]

Guys

Question for those who already built the Tail Cone of your Sonex - Waiex - Xenos (especially this last one...):
I am initiating my Xenos B tail cone, so do you have any suggestions or tips about this specific part of the fuselage building?

Any skin to be left unriveted till a later stage?
Any rigging necessary?
Anything extra to be put inside (apart from the usual plastic tube for the electric wires)?

Any other tips?

Thanks in advance
Carlos
XENOS B #020

[racaldwell]

Carlos,

I would run the TE, pitot & static lines into the cockpit area lower than spec'ed on the plans. I drilled the holes per plans & those tubes come in where you can see them. I would rather have them low so the seat cushion hides them. Mine go low from the cockpit rear to pass under the spar at the sidewall. These tubes are very visible on the right side in the cockpit. A cockpit panel would cover them up but I didn't plan to install one.

Rick Caldwell

Xenos 0057

[GordonTurner]

Don’t rivet the bottom skin on...pretty much until the day of your inspection.

[Carlos Trigo]

Carlos,

I would run the TE, pitot & static lines into the cockpit area lower than spec'ed on the plans. I drilled the holes per plans & those tubes come in where you can see them. I would rather have them low so the seat cushion hides them. Mine go low from the cockpit rear to pass under the spar at the sidewall. These tubes are very visible on the right side in the cockpit. A cockpit panel would cover them up but I didn't plan to install one.

Rick Caldwell

Xenos 0057

Thanks Rick

If you happen to have a picture of those lines in the cockpit side, please send it

Thanks
Carlos

[Carlos Trigo]

Don’t rivet the bottom skin on...pretty much until the day of your inspection.

Thanks Gordon

I would imagine that, but now you confirmed it.

Carlos

[racaldwell]

TE, Pitot & Static Tubing

Carlos,

Here is a picture of the cockpit right side. You can see the three 3/16" al. tubing coming in the cockpit up high then having to go down under the spar. I'm saying ignore the plans and install these lower when coming from the tail so they are not such an eyesore.

Rick Caldwell
Xenos 0057

[Carlos Trigo]

Thanks Rick

In the other hand, if I decide to use the cosmetic panels they send with the kit (at least they sent me, I don’t know if they used to send them back then), I will have no problem with the tubes being high in the cockpit side.
Unless you tell me that they cannot go through above the main spar, just below the bottom of the instruments panel.
Is this possible?

Regards
Carlos

[racaldwell]

Carlos,

Yes, you could do that. I just want to maximize the width on the cockpit and I like the look of the structure. I want to minimize the runs over the spar. There is a rudder cable and an antenna cable on each side currently.

Rick Caldwell
Xenos 0057