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Luggage Compartment Cover


Above is the cover bottom view. The clip on the small end goes under the corresponding tube on the back luggage compartment. Below is the cover top view and one can see the tab that rises above the front edge. A bungee cord is connected to the tank brace tube and behind the tab and to the other tank brace to prevent the cover from blowing upward.


I was not satisfied with the bungee holding down the leading center section of the luggage compartment cover. During flight the air would lift the out front edges of the cover. I used some spring clips to hold the corners shut, but they proved unsatisfactory too, because I would lose them. A 3/4 inch wide aluminum strap was cut about five inches long. One end was formed a round a 1/4 OD drill shank by squeezing the free ends in a vice so that the strap would fit snugly about the cross tube behind the gas tank. A hole was drilled through the short and long mating end surfaces so that a pop rivet could be used to hold the strap permanently in place about the tube.

The cover was put into place and a right angle bend was made in the strap to conform to the cover. Then a piece of self-adhesive velcro was placed on the bottom surface of the strap and a mating piece of velcro placed on the cover surface. It is very easy to open, no pieces will get lost, and it holds the cover securely in place.

Update May, 20, 2004
The latch material thickness was too thin and eventually the aluminum cracked at the bend. New shorter latches were made from thicker aluminum.

Also, when passing through a strong thermal, the luggage compartment cover trailing edge would pop loose. To be sure the cover did not dislodge and go through the propeller, I had to once again resort to using bungee cords on the front edge cleat.

To prevent the luggage cover from popping up, a new longer rear cleat was placed under the rear fuselage fairing center clamping block. The trailing edge of the luggage cover slides under the cleat.

The rear cleat on the cover was removed as it was no longer needed.

The lower front corner cleats were reshaped to keep the cover from moving forward or moving side to side, and to keep the back edge of the cover under the new longer rear cleat.

The forward upper cleat was retainned as a safety device.