Here is the template for the vanity panel. I have been working for weeks on dozens of little sub-assemblies and have felt that I am trying to drain a lake one bucket at a time. I need a little sense of progress. The vanity panel helped and got me thinking it might be nice to put in some of the other completed items to see how things are looking. It turns out it was a very motivating experience at the cost of only an hour or so.
Here is the view with the rear seats in. It is amazing how much more finished it looks with the vanity panel in place, even the cardboard template of the vanity panel. This was definitely worth carrying the rear seat up from the basement. Now I'm going to have to bring up the front seats and see what that looks like.
Well, there is the final number - 49 inches wide by 16 inches deep. Really, it looks MUCH bigger than I anticipated. There appears to be way more room back there than I had counted on. I've got to check this out. Wait till you see.
How's this for a roomy baggage area? You could even strap the kids back there. Kidding. But still......
I'm really curious now, so I decided to perform the ultimate test. I got out our usual bags for a one week vacation. As you can see, it is a lot of baggage, so I am skeptical.
The bags all look like they will fit in the baggage space without putting anything in the strake cutouts.
....and they all fit! Wow, that is a lot of baggage room. I am very pleased. In our Standard Elite RG, going to the beach for the day with my wife and one kid meant a cooler strapped in the front seat, stuff in her lap and packed all around the baby. Not any more. This will handle our family of four on a Bahamas week no problem.
Well, once I put the seats in, I felt compelled to put in the panel with the instrument templates. Since that was in, I might as well install the glare shield....
Man, it looks great! I can't wait for the actual instruments, upholstery, paint... Still a fair way to go. This is good stuff for motivation though.
Here is a view of the panel from the perspective of the back seat passengers. It is actually looking like an airplane from the inside. I like it.
I can't wait to walk up to the plane and see the completed panel inside. This gives me some feeling for what it will look like when it gets the glass installed in 2 months.
There is a lot of headroom in the back. How about over a foot for a 7 year old? I even fit back there.
There is a ton of foot and elbow room for the backseaters as well. Or room for plenty of books, toys and snacks in the strake pockets for long trips.
Yes, I had to get in and make airplane noises. This is the first time I've gotten in the seat with the door closed, panel in and just felt how it feels to be in the pilot's seat. I realize how much I miss my last Velocity. ( and how much bigger an XL is)
The headroom's not bad. I'm 6' 2" and the headset will clear. I'll gain another 3/8 inch clearance when I flox the hardpoints into recessed pockets in the floor.
A boy and his panel - its a beautiful thing. I feel better. I can almost see how it will look when it comes to life. Back to the sanding and sticky stuff!
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