I always do one last walk around before getting into the airplane, but there’s still that nagging thought: “Did I latch the baggage door?”
My baggage door will have a strut that holds it open when unlocked so it should be obvious when it isn’t latched. That said, it would also be nice to have a warning on the EFIS if it somehow got left open.
I inserted a small limit switch via the latch slot and drilled holes for #4 stainless screws. The limit switch had a roller that I removed. The screws were screwed directly into the holes in the switch.
I was able to grind some stainless button-head hex screws into flat-head screws with a minimal head. This allowed me to add a small countersink to the holes to flush the heads.
The strike plate then installs over the screws. The arm on the door lock closes the switch such that the door will only be detected as closed when the door is locked with the key.
The installation was simple and works well. I’ll route the wire up the channel and along the longeron.
