The Quickie Q2 fuselage was so damaged in the area of the seats that I had to replace a 3 foot section of the fuselage between panel and aft wing. I will incorporate some of the must have options that are noted on the Q-List and Quickheads sites. Some of these upgrades are: modified tail wheel with individual cable controls to the rudder and to the tail wheel. A new canopy using the tip forward design, I wanted easy access for passenger entry so I could assist them. I also had to modify the permanent riveted T-tail unit and control linkage. The aircraft already has individually controlled disc brakes. I have also modified the brake line, incorporating a larger diameter nylaflow conduit at the wheel fairings thus allowing the smaller nylaflow brake line to be routed through it for easier maintenance in future. The original brake line tubing was bonded into the wheel pods and could not be removed without considerable damage.
Original configuration of tail wheel.
New tail wheel.
Missing our dog Cooper sleeping here with his new bone. (Welsh terrier @ 4 yr.)
Below the seatback removable baggage panels have been fabricated slightly larger. The openings have been fabricated with a flange on the aft of the seatback and one on the forward face of the removable baggage panels. These are a snug fit for full cross sectional compression strength.
The left side of the fuselage and the main seat tank was damaged in the off airport landing and had to be re-fabricated. On tearing it apart I found fuel had stained/leaked into the foam along the right edges of the main tank. I built a new main fuel tank and sealed up the surface under it with additional epoxy painted on. New center console and side consoles were also built.
New Q2/Dragonfly canopy being fabricated which will be in the tip forward configuration.
For better control and for redundancy separate cables are run to the rudder and to the tail wheel steering. These join to a single cable going forward near the removable joint of the tail cone.
New rudder pedal tubes were fabricated and new nylon support blocks made for the attachment to the upper side of the canard wing (floor). Foot pads and brake units were reused.
I found the edges of the split line (removable tail) had been left as raw foam around both the forward and aft section. I dug out the foam and installed a Cabosil/Epoxy mix into these edge openings.
Original cover and T-Tail wings were riveted in place. I will be rebuilding to a removable condition.
Below the T-Tail was removed from it's riveted format and rebuilt with new metal and Nutserts for the removable panel and nuts and bolts for the trim wings.
Below after completion of fuel tank leak testing of the new main seat tank and the repaired header tank. No leaks found except for a couple of weeping fittings that needed tightening. A big Yahoooo ! All the existing rubber lines for fuel (spaghetti sea of snakes) were replaced with proper aircraft aluminum lines and fittings.
