REFLECTOR: Leveling the plane

[Jim Sower]

Terry,
I've heard of the firewall stunt.  My firewall doesn't have a smooth 
surface what with all the fireproofing goop spread all over it, but I'll 
check if there's anything like a reasonable average.  How about the 
"flange" that the cowl fastens to?  I'm pretty sure that it's BID tape 
stuck on after the cowl is cut off and therefore unreliable.  Perhaps I 
can figure out a way to put precise shims on the inside of the cowl so 
the level can straddle the spar (provided there's no goop there).
I'll check that out ... Jim S.

Terry Miles wrote:

>Jim,
>In the belief that the firewall is 90 degrees to level, then use your
>firewall and a digital level...shim the nose until you get 90 degrees to
>read on the level held up& down against the firewall. That incidence
>(sp?) wing jig does look goofy, but it works as a eye ball if that's all
>you have to go on.  Big thing, I believe, is to invest in a digital
>level for considerably more precise readings.
>Terry
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On
>Behalf Of Jim Sower
>Sent: Tuesday, June 14, 2005 3:24 PM
>To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list
>Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Leveling the plane
>
>
>That sounds like what I need to do.  Problem is I have a "bought" plane 
>with no references.that I can find.  Is there a place on the belly that 
>is parallel to the reference plane, or anything like that?  The guy I 
>bought it from told me to use the wing leveling jig to level the plane, 
>but it's a piece of plywood that doesn't fit all that well and has a 
>dime store level glued to it.  I'd like some way to level it for real 
>and then drill the holes like Joe did.
>Been at a loss how to level this beast for the longest time ... Jim S.
>
>  
>
>><>
>>Joe Ewen wrote:
>>Scott,
>>Once I had my fuselage level in pitch, I put in permanent references
>>for future use. Once the lower cowl is cut away its hard to 
>>reestablish pitch level. I made my reference points by drilling 1/4 
>>holes in the fuselage side approximately 6" under the strake and 3' 
>>apart. I then filled the holes with micro, after cure the center of 
>>the filled holes was drilled with a 1/8 bit (level to each other.) Now
>>    
>>
>
>  
>
>>when I want to put the fuselage in pitch level, I insert 1/8" bits 
>>into the holes (shank into hole) and rest a
>>4 foot level across the bits.
>>
>>For roll level I use a theodolite (a transit would work) and measure 
>>down to the top of wing bolts inserted into the upper outboard 
>>bushings in the spare. Can read down to 0.005" from the horizontal 
>>plane. Water tubes work pretty well but do not have as good an 
>>accuracy level.
>>
>>Joe
>>
>>
>> 
>>
>>    
>>
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