REFLECTOR: Adding a door

Tue Jan 2 21:27:21 CST 2007

The original Velocity's were all "top door". When the door was changed to 
extend below the strake on both sides, the keel was added/lengthened to add 
torsional/longitudinal stiffness lost with the door openings.  You would 
need to reproduce this in your airplane. I would stick with the factory 
"kit" in this regard, assuming that they kept that in mind when they created 
it.

Larry Epstein

>From: Hiroo Umeno <humeno at microsoft.com>
>Reply-To: Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list <reflector at tvbf.org>
>To: "amillin at sbcglobal.net" <amillin at sbcglobal.net>,        Velocity 
>Aircraft Ownersand Builders list <reflector at tvbf.org>
>Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Adding a door
>Date: Tue, 2 Jan 2007 15:51:48 -0800
>
>I guess there aren't enough single-door Velo's out there for them to put 
>the retrofit kit on the Velocity Store<g>.  I'll definitely consider 
>factory retrofit kit.
>
>What I am not exactly certain is your statement about the structure.  
>Looking at the door section of the fuselage, and recalling how I have built 
>that area, I do recall it was essentially the fuselage that is cut open to 
>the cut line and bonded with the carbon beam and the hinge area 
>re-enforcements.  You, then, built up the lips and other structure that 
>will go along with the door.
>
>As for the door itself, it looks to me like it is the standard fiberglass 
>sandwich with the frame all the way around.  It seems to me that you should 
>be able to replicate a fairly similar setup (of course, why would I do that 
>if I can just get all the parts I need from the factory).
>
>On the other hand, this does present an interesting opportunity for some 
>creative modifications.  I think Chuck was the one who has the handy 
>"Airstair" mod that opens up and down to help alleviate some of the 
>step-height issues.  I know he did that on the "pop-top" variety but it 
>seems to me that it can be adapted to the Elite type as well.
>
>Expanding on the dual-split "up and down" door concept, I could imagine 
>elongating the top portion of the opening a bit to the rear so that the 
>rear seat occupants can get in a bit easier (the main benefit of the 
>pop-top)...
>
>Hiroo
>
>________________________________
>From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On 
>Behalf Of Andy Millin
>Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2007 11:31 AM
>To: 'Velocity Aircraft Owners and Builders list'
>Subject: Re: REFLECTOR: Adding a door
>
>Hey Hiroo,
>
>I'm not sure the procedure would change much between a completed plane and 
>the kit.  You gotta do what you gotta do...
>
>The Texas Attorney, Mr. Chris Barber, added the second door to his SUV, and 
>is now the de facto authority.  :)
>
>I'm not sure the part of the fuselage that gets cut out could be re-used.  
>The door frames have quite a bit of structure to them that just isn't there 
>in the fuselage wall.  Your beautiful, existing window will most likely be 
>cut out for the door opening and later discarded.
>
>I'm finding out how much fun fitting and finishing the doors can be.  It 
>can be a bit tedious, but it really isn't that bad.
>
>Building the door was actually pretty painless.  You could probably order a 
>"fast build" door from Velocity.  (Window and latching mechanism already 
>installed)  The only downside could/might be a door window that isn't as 
>well aligned with the other windows.
>
>You will need to:
>     Cut the hole
>     Dress the edges
>     Add the triax re-enforcement around the opening
>     Pot the pin tubes
>     Mount the gas spring
>     Fit and finish
>
>I would imagine you could have it back in the air with a couple of weeks of 
>work.  If you have to install your own window, then it will take a bit 
>longer.
>
>Would you be using Kitplanes Northwest to help?
>
>Andy
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>________________________________
>From: reflector-bounces at tvbf.org [mailto:reflector-bounces at tvbf.org] On 
>Behalf Of Hiroo Umeno
>Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2007 1:37 PM
>To: reflector at tvbf.org
>Subject: REFLECTOR: Adding a door
>Now that N21HV is in the air (sometime) we are starting to think about what 
>comes after all the tweaks are done.  My wife has signed herself up to 
>doing the upholstery (she has done a few cars and much furniture in the 
>past).  She's also going to do the exterior paint scheme as well.
>
>But, before we get into those, there is the (sore) subject of the door.  
>When I initially ordered the kit, I ordered the SUV since I wanted the yoke 
>control.  The option to have SE with yoke wasn't offered back then and the 
>SUV was on "launch special pricing".  Of course, I wasn't married and 
>thought I might have an occasional passenger or two and figured that single 
>door wasn't a big deal.
>
>That was then, and now, the situation is a bit different.  My wife loves to 
>fly (with me, but not at the controls) and after climbing in and out of the 
>plane a few times on the ground I hear no end about how "un-ladylike" the 
>whole process of getting to the right seat is.  Particularly, since, even 
>tough we are the same height; she has legs full six inches longer than me.
>
>So, in the interest of domestic tranquility and from keeping her from 
>insisting on me trading in the Velocity for a Wichita Wonder, I need to 
>think about adding a door to the plane, and before the upholstery and paint 
>goes on.
>
>Has anyone added a door to a completed plane?  How difficult is that?  
>Since my kit was delivered with the door pretty much all done, I have no 
>idea how much work it would entails.  Particularly, since the passenger 
>side window is already installed, it would be a real pain if I had to re-do 
>the window.
>
>Can the whole passenger side fuselage panel (including the installed 
>window) somehow be re-purposed into a door?  My cursory inspection shows 
>that I could potentially build-up a frame forward of the carbon beam, then 
>cut around to create the door from the fuselage itself.  Is this too 
>simplistic?
>
>Any pit-falls and considerations?
>
>Hiroo

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