How to cover hole from ADF Antenna?

[Skates97]

The previous owner had removed the wires for the ADF antenna from the top of the plane but the post that they attached to is still there. Any recommendations for how to fill the hole once removing the post? When I removed the ADF Loop from the bottom there were the two holes from how it was mounted in addition to the hole where the cable attached. A piece of aluminum cut to fit filled the hole the cable went through with screws/nuts through the old mounting holes to hold it in place. On the top there is only the hole where the cable goes through but I would like to remove the post and have the hole plugged.

[N201MKTurbo]

The proper way would be to rivet a doubler to the underside of the skin, then cut out a piece of aluminum the size and shape of the hole and rivet it to the doubler.

Or,

 

[EricJ]

I was thinking one of those rubber grommet plugs.

 

[bob865]

This should work.  You could even splurge and get the camoflauge stuff so you can't see it or go with the classic chrome color.  Here's an amazon link. 

https://www.amazon.com/Duck-1017800-Advanced-Strength-Inches/dp/B002O16SGI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1545239572&sr=8-4&keywords=duct+tape

[Jerry 5TJ]

Put a camera mount there.  

Useful to back up a claim of “because I was inverted...”

[Skates97]

23 minutes ago, EricJ said:

I was thinking one of those rubber grommet plugs.

 

I thought about that but was not very appealing.

34 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

The proper way would be to rivet a doubler to the underside of the skin, then cut out a piece of aluminum the size and shape of the hole and rivet it to the doubler.

This was what I was thinking, just throwing it out there to see if there was an easier way that I hadn't considered.

[47U]

As a temporary fix, you might try a countersunk screw through a dimple washer on the outside with a flat washer on the inside.  Install wet with RTV and cleanup the excess.

[N201MKTurbo]

27 minutes ago, bob865 said:

This should work.  You could even splurge and get the camoflauge stuff so you can't see it or go with the classic chrome color.  Here's an amazon link. 

https://www.amazon.com/Duck-1017800-Advanced-Strength-Inches/dp/B002O16SGI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1545239572&sr=8-4&keywords=duct+tape

At least you can use aircraft quality tape!

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/cspages/3malumifoiltape.php

 

[MARZ]

Looks like your going to have to drop the headliner anyways -

When I removed one of the strobes from the belly I actually took a flat piece of aluminum and "press formed" it to give it an 1/16 inch embossment - put nut plates on it and utilized the existing screw holes for attachment.  You could probably do the same but with the use of some sealant and countersunk rivets.  

[Skates97]

4 minutes ago, Mike Ropers said:

Looks like your going to have to drop the headliner anyways -

When I removed one of the strobes from the belly I actually took a flat piece of aluminum and "press formed" it to give it an 1/16 inch embossment - put nut plates on it and utilized the existing screw holes for attachment.  You could probably do the same but with the use of some sealant and countersunk rivets.  

Yes, I'm pulling the headliner to do some other things. I thought that this would be a good time to remove that while I had the headliner out.

[Stanton R]

GPS antenna.

[Skates97]

4 minutes ago, Stanton R said:

GPS antenna.

I believe it is too close to the Com antenna.

[Sabremech]

AC 43.13-1B will give you what you need to know to cover the hole after antenna removal.

David

[MARZ]

https://www.amazon.com/Siemens-52ABHS-Hole-Stainless-Steel/dp/B008SI0UIS

[N201MKTurbo]

FYI,

This is for a structural patch. The skin on the cabin is not structural and you can do just about anything that keeps the wind and rain out. 

It would be a K type patch.

 

 

Patching of Small Holes. Small holes in skin panels
which do not involve damage to the stiffening members
may be patched by covering the hole with a patch plate
in the manner shown in figure 4-16. Flush patches also
may be installed in stressed-skin type construction. An
acceptable and easy flush patch may be made by
trimming out the damaged area and then installing a
conventional patch on the underneath side or back of
the sheet being repaired. A plug patch plate of the same
size and skin thickness as the opening may then be
inserted and riveted to the patch plate. Other types of
flush patches similar to those used for patching
plywood may be used. The rivet pattern used, however,
must follow standard practice to maintain satisfactory
strength in the sheet.

[Prior owner]

Will you be installing antenna for ADS-B? Might be able to use the same location, though different doubler

(oops. Missed the post on this idea) disregard

Edited December 19, 2018 by PilotCoyote

[ArtVandelay]

Will you be installing antenna for ADS-B? Might be able to use the same location, though different doubler
(oops. Missed the post on this idea) disregard

ADSB goes on the bottom to receive ground stations, you can dual antennas.

[bradp]

The proper and classy way to do it would be to flush patch it.  It’s not hard and may be very satisfying if you have an AP buddy who can help you with the sheet metal work.  Get out the bucking bar. If you are ever gonna going to sell it, a potential buyer will look at that and say they did it the right way.  You may want to temp patch it until you can batch multiple jobs that need the headliner removed. 

One issue I see is that the current location of the antenna abuts a row of Rivets where a cross member is ... your flush patch would be oddly shaped. 

Option  3 is to leave the orphan alone 

[FloridaMan]

5 hours ago, bob865 said:

This should work.  You could even splurge and get the camoflauge stuff so you can't see it or go with the classic chrome color.  Here's an amazon link. 

https://www.amazon.com/Duck-1017800-Advanced-Strength-Inches/dp/B002O16SGI/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1545239572&sr=8-4&keywords=duct+tape

 

[Skates97]

53 minutes ago, bradp said:

The proper and classy way to do it would be to flush patch it.  It’s not hard and may be very satisfying if you have an AP buddy who can help you with the sheet metal work.  Get out the bucking bar. If you are ever gonna going to sell it, a potential buyer will look at that and say they did it the right way.  You may want to temp patch it until you can batch multiple jobs that need the headliner removed. 

One issue I see is that the current location of the antenna abuts a row of Rivets where a cross member is ... your flush patch would be oddly shaped. 

Option  3 is to leave the orphan alone 

If I recall from the last time I had the headliner out to repair the fresh air duct those rivets are not to a cross member but just hold the sheet metal that makes up the duct in place, that could be worked around. I may just pull it and put a temporary patch/plug on it for now. I have a hangar neighbor that is building a plane and is really good with sheet metal who I could have help with the permanent patch, plus an A&P that would look it over and sign off on it. That will most likely be the permanent solution.

The orphan has been there for the two years I have had the plane, and every-time I see it I want to do something about it...

[Yetti]

When I asked the grump IA about this.  He said a stainless machine screw and a stainless fender washer was the answer.  There was enough hardware from all the antennas and such to make this happen.  The holes were on the bottom of the plane.  For the top might want to run a bead around the fender washer.  Quick and simple.

[Skates97]

2 hours ago, Yetti said:

When I asked the grump IA about this.  He said a stainless machine screw and a stainless fender washer was the answer.  There was enough hardware from all the antennas and such to make this happen.  The holes were on the bottom of the plane.  For the top might want to run a bead around the fender washer.  Quick and simple.

Speaking of running a bead around it, I have seen that my two Com antennas have what is left of a bead of something around them that could be redone. What is the best to use for that? 

[Yetti]

Probably don't want to use regular RTV on an antenna.  They make specialty sealant.   The plane skin is the ground plane for the antenna.  http://www.vansairforce.com/community/archive/index.php?t-23211.html

 

[carusoam]

Richard do you have a matching one centered in front of you?

65 and older Cs had some antenna there that was abandoned over time... I just had the matching orphan up front...

I still used the ADF for inflight entertainment...

See if you have some form of patch up front... dead center...

Best regards,

-a-

[Skates97]

Just now, carusoam said:

Richard do you have a matching one centered in front of you?

65 and older Cs had some antenna there that was abandoned over time... I just had the matching orphan up front...

I still used the ADF for inflight entertainment...

See if you have some form of patch up front... dead center...

Best regards,

-a-

No, fortunately a previous owner put in the 201 style windshield which would have done away with that one if it was once there.