October 18, 2018.   Issue #4,679. 

DC and East Tennessee Trip ...crabandy trip write-up

So I bid my vacation a year in advance to try and catch the Petit Jean weekend, I missed it by one weekend this year. Oh well, I'm still loading the airplane and taking my oldest daughter Hope flying. I"m kinda a sucker for trips in the RV with my family.

I was planning on a trip out west, but with TS Sergio moisture working it's way through the southwest I shifted my focus east. After a look at the long range weather and a couple last minute calls, emails and texts I made a "flexible" plan for a trip to DC and East Tennessee. ...

Finished, But The Polishing Continues ...Scott Ahrens

Act of Charity ...Whit Nanna RV-4

"The little RV-4 that could!  Running hurricane relief supplies between Destin and Panama City.  Operation Airdrop.  They are primarily out of Gainesville, FL this week."  Four pics starting here.

Jon Thocker Memorial

(Scott Hersha text fwd'd to me by Gary Sobek)
"The memorial service for Jon will be held next Tuesday, Oct 23 at Lunken airport at the Waypoint hangar - on taxiway H, at the south end near 3R. There will be a gathering starting about noon and a flyover at 1:00. The service will be at 2:00 pm.   Ken will be organizing the formation and will be in Jon’s original Redline RV8. The last pass will be a 4 ship MM with Jon’s plane as MM."

A Neat Oil Cooler Install ...seen at my home field.

RV-8.  The top/bottom pieces custom made.

Gas Run, 360s, Chandelles

Wednesday I drove out to the airport after a little computer time to work out.  Rain forecast all day.  But, the clouds calmed down when I got there, and since it's rained for the last four days straight, that plan went out the window and I climbed in the RV ;^).  Over to KXBP for gas (and the RNAV 18 practice approach) - circle to land 36.  On the way back, with a 41kt wind at 2,500' from the NE I decided to work in some commercial rating practice.  You can tell from the track below that my right and left 360s were pushed just a tad to the side <g>.  Standard rate and ball centered on both of them.

Gas $3.89.  Logged .9 (a lot for me).  Lovin me this airplane.  I'll work out tomorrow.

October 17, 2018.   Issue #4,678. 

Seen at Richmond Aviation (Monkey's place)

...brace for the back of the baffle made out of alum. tubing threaded and affixed.  Two pics starting here.  dr pic.

Jon Thocker Memorial

(Scott Hersha text fwd'd to me by Gary Sobek)
"The memorial service for Jon will be held next Tuesday, Oct 23 at Lunken airport at the Waypoint hangar - on taxiway H, at the south end near 3R. There will be a gathering starting about noon and a flyover at 1:00. The service will be at 2:00 pm.   Ken will be organizing the formation and will be in Jon’s original Redline RV8. The last pass will be a 4 ship MM with Jon’s plane as MM."

Status Report ...mjanduda RV-14

Weather Decisions ...a robust discussion

I need advice on how to make the go/no-go decision. I cancel a lot of cross country flights because some element of a forecast is less than ideal. I'm still VFR only (currently working on an IFR rating) and a low-timer. I like ceilings greater than 3000', no precipitation, and visibility with the ground (i.e., I fear getting stuck on top).

Three times very recently I cancelled flights because the forecast was less than perfect for me and all 3 times the actual conditions ended up far, far better than the forecast. Most recently I cancelled a flight and drove for 15 hours because one area of my route had a forecast of 2500' overcast with possible heavy precipitation. Actual conditions turned out to be perfect, sunny, flying weather.

Obviously we can't ignore a forecast but seeing how inaccurate they really are makes me even further apprehensive about flying cross-country because a good forecast can just as easily end up very bad (the pessimist in me, I guess).

If there are any other fearful-little-weather-snowflakes like me who can relate to all this, how do you cope and make your go/no-go decisions?
__________________
-Joe Wilbur

Elevator Trailing Edge Gap ...mulde35d

While finishing up my right elevator I noticed this gap between the inboard rib and the trailing edge. I am not talking about the fact that it is open (since it is supposed to be) but rather the bend in the metal skin between the aft end of the rib and the trailing edge. When relaxed it bends outward, when pressed with my finger in bends inward. When I release the metal it make the distinctive pop as it bends back outward.

I am thinking I will place some pro-seal on the last quarter inch of rib (between the rib and skin) to hold the metal skin inward. Any other thoughts on the topic would be greatly appreciated.

Not completely sure how this manifested itself (I am thinking it is how the proseal on the foam rib dried to the skin), but figure it is more of an annoyance than a structural issue as long as it doesn't fatigue over time from movement back and forth.  ...

Have I Forgotten Anything? ...asw20c RV-14

I'm about 1 shop-session away from the step where I will begin riveting the bottom skins onto both wings. I've spent months ensuring I had the pitot system designed and built such that I could install it and connect the wiring harness and plumbing by feel, installed conduit and extra pull-strings to future-proof both wings and be able to add new wiring without much trouble in the future, shielded the wiring harnesses in the left wing to protect the magnetometer from EMF, installed the RG-400 cable in the right wing for the VOR/ILS antenna in the right wingtip, and installed the Van's supplied wiring harnesses for nav lights, landing lights, stall warning switch, aileron servo, roll servo, magnetometer and ADAHRS. I think I have everything covered but I thought I'd do a shout out and see if there is something any of you guys might have included in your wings that would be a good idea and should be installed now before it is too late after the bottom skins are already on. Thoughts?
__________________
Empennage Complete Except for Tips
Wings Underway

October 16, 2018.   Issue #4,677.
  The pic here is a walk down RV memory lane.  Taken around '05 I think.  On downwind for landing at Big Creek, ID (U60) with (3) RVs in front of me (Jay Pratt, Don Christiansen and Danny King).  We had breakfast - hard to do with your jaw on the floor from the scenery.  Digital cameras took smaller pics back then....;^).  I'm also glad smartwatches that recorded my heart rate weren't around yet.  Do numbers even go that high?

(click to enlarge)

Mug Shot ...eric.the.blonde

Funny how this wing looks like every other wing.

RV-14 Status Report ...kbalch

I've been moving along nicely on my wing kit. At this point, the left wing is done (less the wingtip), as are the right tank, leading edge, flap, and aileron (finished yesterday; photo below). The left aileron will be completed today, leaving only the main structure of the right wing to do before my fuselage kit shows up in 2-3 weeks. Plenty of time!  ...

Status Update ...Jereme Carne 7A

Well I have been putzing around a little, but now that my primer is finally here get ready for the train to start rolling again before winter!

Started fabricating the mount for the ADAHRS unit.  ...

RV-3B Status Update ...David Paule

I’ve been sort of roaming around the fuselage, doing things that looked interesting.

I put together the pitch servo mount, following the Dynon RV-4 mount arrangement. It also holds the elevator bell crank. Here it is from the front, looking aft. I need to touch up the primer slightly and then the baggage floor skin fits under the forward end. I used nutplates under the mounting bolts.  more pics

October 15, 2018.   Issue #4,676.

Today we start off with horrible news. Our online friend Jon Thocker of Redline Airshows perished in his RV-8 at the Culpepper airshow over the weekend in Virginia.  Jon was a regular in the forums (jthocker) and served as one of its moderators. With over a thousand posts his last few were, in typical Jon fashion, posts helping out other builders figure out issues with their RVs.  We mourn our friend and pray for his family and all those who knew him.

It hurts.

Jon's home airport Sunday...

If you would like to chime in on this thread with stories of how Jon impacted your life, please do.  If and when I get information regarding a service I’ll pass it along. I think the fact that over 10,000 views have been racked up on this thread in the last 48 hours is a testament to the impact Jon had on so many lives.

Rest in Peace, Jon, and thank you for all you did.  You set the bar high.

Short engine stumbles ...Claude Pitre 9A

Went up for flight this morning and ran into something new. I was in level flight at 60% power, mixture running at peak EGT or slightly below and I had a series of 3 short low fuel pressure events. Pressure dropped below 10 for 2 seconds, I could hear it in the engine sound, I got an aural alert from my Skyview EMS and I saw the fuel pressure gauge drop. Each event lasted about 5 seconds where pressure was below the normal 25 and they all resolved themselves. I responded to the first one by turning on the boost pump and pushing in the mixture all the way. The second event followed 30 seconds later and the last event a little more than a minute later. Fuel flow stayed steady through each event (corresponding with the state of the boost pump and mixture at the time) and I didn't see much change in the RPM although I'm on a C/S prop. After the third event I switched back to my left tank - I'd been on the right tank since about 5 minutes earlier. I didn't have any issues on the left tank and immediately returned to land. I did switch back to my right tank after landing and did an uneventful runup prior to shutting down.

I feel good about how I responded to the hiccups, I reacted quickly with the boost pump and mixture and was running through my immediate options including a precautionary landing at the small airport I had overflown a few minutes earlier. I had plenty of altitude, about 3500' AGL and I would have had about 4 minutes to get it down should the engine have quit.

My question for the brain trust here is this. Is this a highly unusual and concerning issue? I don't know what caused the stumbles, fuel contamination? air pocket? My data logs are pretty thorough, is there any other counter that would give a clue about the cause? I'm a little reluctant to go back out without some idea about what happened.

At least I found out that my autopilot works well as was the purpose of my flight today.

Status Report ...Bullseye RV-7

GOOD DAY IN THE SHOP, high fives all around.

So....0.5 hours toward the tank. 2.5 hours toward the wings.

6 rivets for the spar nutplates, and 65 rivets each on the top and bottom of the leading edge. That makes 136.

Ready for winter flying ...Dvalckik RV-12

Getting ready for cold weather flying - oil shutter installed to keep engine temps up at -10

New Guy Chimes In ...Diego in Oegstgeest, Netherlands

Another do I fit thread...

Hello everybody,
my first post here... but have been reading for a while...
First let me say that you are an incredible community. I see huge competence, great passion, enriching diversity... really I am impressed and would love to join.
Where am I...
Would really like to build and fly a 9, I think I have most things sorted out but still a big question mark: Do I fit comfortably in a 9?
I know the question has been asked many times, I am 2.00m/85kg (6'7"/188lbs) and I understand I might fit but, before embarking myself in this big project, I need to be sure I would fit with sufficient confort. For this a proper "fit check" is necessary, in a 9 or 7 set up for a tall pilot (possibly with the almost RV14 mod...) and here comes my next issue... I live in the Netherlands and couldn't find anything suitable close by up to now.
So the big question is: do you know of a suitable RV (even still under construction) in the Netherlands or somewhere in Europe (ideally close to the NL but also close to Italy would work)??
Thanks and happy building/flying to all of you,
Cheers
Diego

Status Report ...didja RV-14A

Busting right along with the wing kit. I got the kit sometime in June and am now just about complete with the right wing (I decided to start on the right wing for some reason!). I have the leading edge, flap, aileron, and wing with top skins all assembled and wiring completed. I just have to close out the fuel tank after replacing for leaking rivets from the water test and then on to the bottom skins and linkages!

October 12, 2018.   Issue #4,675.
  Practicing right chandelles Thursday morning for the commercial checkride in the RV-6.  Used 123kts as an entry speed and 73kts as my end-of-maneuver speed.  .3 hrs on the button.  Kinda came across as 'footy'. ;^)
  Still fiddling with the weather page (up to 35 maps now).  Stale data in the old version - a work in progress....
  Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and RV-filled weekend.

Sid Checking His Smoke System ...7A at Aero Valley

Sid recently installed a smoke system.  He's been dialing it in lately, asking us to occasionally see if it's feeding too thick/thin.  I think it looks just fine - cutoff is sharp.

Hurricane Michael check in

Here in the Upstate of South Carolina it is raining hard with winds at ~20 MPH, gusting to 30.

Enough water to saturate the ground and then have trees blown over by the winds.

The storm keeps changing tracks so our forecast is improving up here.

Pine Bluff Formation Clinic PIREP

It was an awesome clinic at Pine Bluff!

Links to photos and videos below Bulldog's report!

Here's a report from Bulldog:

We just had one of the best clinics I have been to. There were 29 pilots and a few guests. The weather was very good and the food was excellent. Bad weather across the mid west caused a few cancellations and we missed you guys. Safely flying formation is our goal and we did a lot of it.

I want to congratulate Dean Marvin (Gumby), Dave Romuald (Torque), Frank Brewer (Bogie), and Scott Sundstrom for passing their Wingman check rides. Also David Grover deserves recognition for passing his Flight Lead check ride. FFI Cards are not easy to earn. Good job guys.

We had 3 Red Scary new formation pilots (Brian Freeman, Rajiv Chalasani, & Jim Ivey) solo in 2 ship flights. I hope you continue to progress up the FFI ladder to eventually earn a formation card. You will enjoy the journey.

We need to thank all of the people that made this possible. Doug Hale (airport manager) and his staff did a great job taking care of our every need and allowed us to have full use of their facilities.

The EAA Chapter volunteers are just wonderful. Sara Works our chapter president worked continuously all weekend to be sure we were taken care of and she got some good photos & videos that she will share. Bruce Rogers, Richard Swartz and his lovely wife were the main cooks. They did a fantastic job. A week ago we had a hangar clean up day and there were even more volunteers there . Thanks for the support .

I want to thank Cassandra Shaw, head of the Pine Bluff Transit department for furnishing our bus transportation. The drivers were courteous and on time. We appreciate your help.

Greg Reese (Greese) our check pilot and all up flight lead came a long way to help & provide guidance when needed. Thank you to the Flight Leads & Safety Pilots too. You came at your own expense and didn't complain about what ever flight assignment you were given. The FFI family is better off for your effort.

Also thanks to Bob & Linda Connor, our Air Boss & Bossett. They own an RV-7 and Bob has been through a clinic at PBF before. They came down from North Little Rock Friday to helped with registration and then came down again on Saturday to provide Air Boss services for us.

Thanks a lot Bob.

I know I left out someone, so forgive me.

Thanks again,
Bulldog

Randal "Digger" Warren's video he put together.
https://youtu.be/EYQO4WTGmYw

Photos from Sara
https://photos.app.goo.gl/6exAxvvE1qrirELq7

Photos from Dana
HERE

Video from Curt Rausch "Delta 4" with Brian Freeman filming.
https://gopro.com/v/89PrNq565Gmr

Before Gluing Canopy To Frame ...WingRock RV-8

I have trimmed my canopy to fit my frame and separated the windscreen and the rear of the canopy. I have also read all the threads on how to best make the canopy fit the frame, and still, It is approximately 1.25" out from the frame just ahead of the weldment. I will be gluing it on using 1/8" spacers as many of you have done. I am really hoping for a "crack free" canopy and just want opinions from those of you that have glued your canopy on and have had to pull the sides in and clamp it until the adhesive sets up.

Is 1.25" on each side (near the back.... where they all seem to crack) an excessive gap, or normal?

Close-up take off ...Simon RV-7

Dropped in on a friend a few days ago for lunch. On departure he took this video

Love the sound of these aircraft. IO-360 with a Vetterman trombone exhaust system.

https://youtu.be/muk8lFOzVGE

Elevator counterweight installed wrong side RV-8

So I managed to install the right elevator counterweight (trimmed) in the left side (and vise versa right side) during final riveting.
note: fiberglass tips are not installed

Problem is, when the counterbalance skin is riveted around the counterweight it is not easily removed. (did I mention that I also used Proseal on the counterweights).

Looking for advice on options

1. Do nothing and the elevators will still balance as a complete assembly but not individually.

2. Carefully trim the right counterweight in place and save the piece removed to bond/fasten to the left side.

3. Carefully trim the right counterweight in place and drill remove counterbalance skin install new full size weight on left side(possibly skin ribs spar if damaged during removal).

Is it important to be able to individually balance the elevators?

Runway FOD Check ...Aero Valley (52F)

...my home field.  Today's take.  Hand model Rob Reece. 

October 11, 2018.   Issue #4,674.
  Fiddling with a new weather page - (27) maps pulled from various sources.  Just the maps.  No clicking, they all load full size.  Work in progress slash developing...
 

RV-14 Pics ...Jared Solomon

Completed for a while now (September 2017). Plane was vinyl wrapped for about a year. I removed the vinyl back in August 2018 and painted it. Here she is!

What videos would you like to see Van's publish? ...mothership

We've been working on a few short(ish) help/instructional videos here at Van's, with plans to publish them on the web for folks to watch. For example, we'll have a quick video or two about assembling and sealing fuel tanks at some point, which will cover the techniques and things our tank builders have found one should be aware of and pay attention to.

So, we figured what better way to decide what sorts of topics would be useful than to combine out own thoughts with the community of Van's kit builders. No guarantees we'll publish on any given topic, but please post your ideas about what you might like to see.

Over the next months and into next year we'll be developing and publishing some of these videos, as well as some inside stories that we hope you'll enjoy. When we launch our new web site in the coming months, we hope to provide more of this sort of helpful content.

Okay - What do you think might belong on the possible topic list? Ready? Post!

RV 4 Canopy NACA vent enhancement ...GWBaker

As most of us know, the canopy mounted NACA vents on the RV 4 are in a bad location. Most new builders are not putting them there. Those of us who have purchased an RV 4 with these already installed will not be building a new canopy just to relocate or eliminate these vents. If you are like me, you do not like having a somewhat non-functional thing attached to your plane, so my thought was "let's do something with it". I have read the posts about installing the vortex generators that Vans recommends, but it seems like most people agree that it is not that effective as it creates a low pressure in an area that already suffers from low pressure.

Please forgive me if this has been done before and mentioned, but I have not seen it on the forum yet. This is not the most elegant solution, and some will say that it will create drag. My plane did not lose 1 mph with this mod. It's basically a clear plastic scoop that is designed to interface with the NACA design. It works perfectly and makes the vents completely usable. I actually find myself modulating the vents now to adjust airflow as I cool down as apposed to just flying with them wide open all the time and getting no flow or reverse flow.

Status Report  ...j-red

Finally got to put the driver to the screws this morning and officially install my panel. Had been waiting for the engine monitoring wire harness to be completed and now all the back-panel wiring is done and secured! (cable on the left side is a LAN cable that connects the VPX to a laptop for programming. It stays attached and stows underneath when not in use). ...

Garmin VNAV User Tips

We really appreciate the feedback we have gotten since the GTN 6.50 and G3X 6.20 software release. See below for links to each software release post.
G3X Touch Software 6.20  ...

IFR experience

I've been flying my RV10 for a year now. But I started IFR training two years ago in a 172 and decided to stop after about 30 hours so I could finish the RV10 and complete training in my own airplane. I got my first experience under the hood this morning.

We climbed up over a broken layer and I had the strangest experience. As I got started with the foggles on, for a good 10 minutes I was having an almost uncontrollable desire to turn left. I would notice (often with a reminder from the CFII) that I was in a turn, I would correct it, and then sure enough I'd be in a 20 degree left bank within a minute.

Eventually I realized I was seeing clouds go by out of the lower corner of the foggles which was giving me the sensation I was in a right turn - just by the way they went by. I didn't even realize I was seeing them. This never happened during training in the 172. It was just the strangest thing to be concentrating on the instruments and still end up in a turn based on subtle, almost subliminal visual queues of motion around me.

Once I realized what was happening I was able to do it right. But what a realization of just how easily and disorienting it can be when senses lie. It was, in the end, a good experience in forcing myself to ignore everything but the instruments. You know you're supposed to do that but actually doing it, it would appear, is another story.

... It was a fun time and I just thought I'd share.

__________________
-Joe Wilbur (N520LW)

RV-10 Status Report ...Brantel

In progress on the HS. This thing is taking a while! Tonight I match reamed over 940ea #40 holes!  Had a few distractions over the past couple weeks that is also slowing me down.

PJ Status

Garmin® begins seamless integration between FltPlan.com and Garmin Pilot

OLATHE, Kan. /October 10, 2018/Business Wire — Garmin International, Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), today announced the initial phase of integration between the Garmin PilotTM app and the popular FltPlan.com web portal. As a result of Garmin’s acquisition of FltPlan.com in August, both companies have made rapid progress in merging portfolios. Beginning next week, pilots will be able to use FltPlan.com for pre-flight planning and filing, and automatically view the same flight plan within the Garmin Pilot app on Apple mobile devices. This announcement represents the first of a series of cohesive enhancements between the FltPlan.com website and the Garmin product line.  ...

New Guy Checks In ...Bartman14

First post and first time builder. Awesome community here !
After researching the 10 and 14 on this and other sites and blogs for about 6 weeks I settled on building the 14A. Since I work week on week off I have the time, but the work location is in a different city about 100 miles away. Should have a good 10-14 days relatively uninterrupted at home every month, and a couple of hours most days while away. Looking at maximizing my time and thinking of buying two kit segments and working on the empennage while away and haul it back when completed, but do the big stuff at the main home. Completed segments will be stored and assembled in my hangar a few miles from the main home. I know I'll have some duplication of tools and workspace but many tools can be hauled back and forth. Excuse my ignorance, but is it reasonable to build the empennage and maybe other portions in a townhouse community away from the main home, or would I just be setting myself and the neighbors up for a bad experience with complaints like noise and such ?

RV-7 Status Report ...Bullseye

October 10, 2018.   Issue #4,673.
  "On Ten Ten Ten Tate Turns Ten."  We came up with that phrase when our son was born back in 2000.  Today he turns 18, and his mother and I could not be more proud of the young man he has grown into.  There really are no words that adequately describe it.
  Today's edition is all Tate, and I'm pretty sure he'll find these pictures embarrassing.  I'm doing it anyway ;^).
  And to the VAF readers, thank you for letting a proud Dad hog the whole day's edition with these.  Happy 18th Birthday to Mr. Tate Reeves!  Your parents love you very much.

Seven years ago...

Thank you Lord for bringing this wonderful, kind hearted miracle into my life.

dr

October 9, 2018.  0001Z.  Issue #4,672.

Paint Model Build Revision #15 ...mbauer

I plan to experiment more with the model. Gives better look for fit of graphics. Thinking I will be able to add skins to attempt different looks.  Will be doing a model or skins of your modifications to see how it will look.  Built a second model last night, modified some of the parts for better fit and ease of build, still took two hours to complete. 

Compound curves are a real pain in paper, will have to form a canopy later, it will take several hours of work to accomplish. Due to the curves in the real canopy, the paper one will have several cuts and gluing to form a semi-curve look using flat panels.  Here are some photos of a RV-6 Convertible:  ...

[ed. I just really dig this little paper model Mike made.  I mean come on...how awesome is that?!?! ;^)  v/r,dr]

RV-14A Status Report #2 ...Roman and Dima in Isreal

The plane is yet in the ocean and will hit the shore of Israel in about 1-2 weeks from now. But we are not wasting our time. Since our last report we managed to prepare the environment for the project, and first and most important is the workspace:

Spousal Approval ...Paddy

Buy-in from the better half is indeed critical. Here's one angle from a prospective builder who was recently married...

Him - I've always wanted to build my own plane, I think an RV-8 would be fantastic!
Her - If you're going to spend all that time and money, the plane better have room for kids. You want kids don't you?
Him - Of course I want kids. I'll build an RV-10 with 4 seats, the whole family will have wonderful adventures...
Her - That sounds like a better idea.
Him - I'LL TAKE IT! er I mean, OK, I'll give up on my dream of my own personal fighter and build a family station wagon instead, just for you dear.
Her - Good, I'm glad you're such a great husband

8 yrs and 2 kids later - mission accomplished, marriage intact, wonderful adventures in progress.
__________________
RV-10
Flying as of 10/30/16 after 8 yrs building

RV-8 and the Forks Lunch ...Steve Rush video

Saturday 10/6/18 was a truly nice day in the Pacific Northwet. It stopped raining (briefly), the fog lifted (eventually) and the air was clear and calm. We decided to go out to Forks for lunch. This is a nice trip as Forks is truly out in the middle of nowhere on the northwest tip of the Olympic Peninsula and it is a lot of fun getting there.

Carl (from whom I bought the airplane) was nice enough to get some video of me landing and taxiing in (and I managed to make it look, at least to the uninitiated, as if I knew what I was doing).

RV-10 makes forced landing on dirt road SE of Bend

Two aboard OK; pilot reported loss of power.
A single-engine plane with two people aboard reported engine trouble and landed safely Sunday evening on a dirt road in the desert about 30 miles southeast of Bend, authorities said.  ...

October 8, 2018.  0014Z.  Issue #4,671.

RvPilotLife: Angus Steak Dinner ...Josh 9A

It was a long last week and the forecast wasn't looking good, so we took an evening to try out a new steak house. What a time warp The Angus was. Looking for a good steak and the 70-80's traditional supper club experience in Western WI? Then this trip report is right for you!

“PECAN PLANTATION FLY-IN”

0TX1 NOVEMBER 3 0930-1600 NOVEMBER 4 0700-1100.  Silent Auction, Fly Mart, Young Eagle & Eagle Flights. Pot Luck Dinner Nov 3 PM, Pancake Breakfast Nov 4 AM.  OVERNIGHT CAMPING AVAILABLE

Cylinder Scoring ...jump4way

I'm looking for a little help on something. I have an ECI IO-360 parallel valve engine with 44 hours on it now. I've been breaking the engine in using the oil and oil change schedule recommended by ECI (Phillips 20/50 XC). I've been following their break in procedure running the engine between 65% and 75% power respecting CHTs. I've tried my best to keep them at or below 400. I haven't always been successful, the highest CHT I have seen is 445 for less than 30 seconds.

I'm 44 hours in now and the CHTs seem to have dropped a bit but oil usage is still 1 qt every 2-3 hours. I decided to pull the spark plugs and take a look inside to see if I could find any cause for the oil usage. What I found was vertical scoring on all of the cylinders but cylinder 2 was the worst. Below is what I found but I'm not sure of the cause.  ...

Mothership News: ...FB

“Great news about the further reduction in accident rates year-over-year as reported for 2017, plus the numbers are looking like they will be better again in 2018! The Van's Aircraft flying community - which is significant in both its size and influence - is in part responsible for improvements in safety metrics in the EAB category. Things like transition training, promotion of positive behavior amongst ourselves, and the use of safety tools and technology have really paid off. As a community, let's keep up the good work!”

 

JCarne 7A Status Report

Well after getting the left landing mount installed in significantly less time than the right it was time to move on. My primer shipment didn't make it by the weekend so I had to change plans. I decided to install the engine mount and start working on all the brake/rudder stuff. Things seemed to turn out good and it was pretty fun too!   ...

Pulsar NSPs on older W-415 wingtips ...N804RV

I decided to install nav/strobe/position lights on the outboard in the traditional position; no light coves, no rudder position light.

Q: Is there an established method for locating those lights to meet FAR visibility requirements? (Hoping someone can tell me "x inches aft of leading edge" or something similar.)  ...

A:  (Smokey Ray)
With no tail strobe or light, you need to mount your tip lights to have the rear quarters covered as depicted. This is definitely a grey area as I have seen just about every iteration you can imagine over the years.
Suffice to say, if the DAR inspector has an issue when he inspects your -7, he will tell you. The lights should be mounted mid-span just below the edge tip on the W-415's. I can't give dimensions, but there are many examples flying and on the web, here are a few ...

Just &$%!!$%

Today, the wings, flaps, ailerons, and tips are headed from the basement to the airport and co-located paint shop. Everything is cleaned up and finished to the level of "Paint shop shoots its preferred primer, then paints."

Except the wingtip I dropped on the way out of the shop door. It landed right on the corner of the trailing edge, and took a chunk out. That's in addition to the road rash it suffered landing on the brushed concrete drive.

Just dumb.

(Update)
The good news is that the wing, flaps, one aileron, and one wingtip are safely at the airport.

Obviously, I have the damaged wingtip to repair, and I noticed a minor blemish on one aileron, so held it back to take care of the blemish.

The other good news is that my basement/shop now has a lot less stuff in it. I have comfortable working room again... Woohoo. Plenty of room to finish the tip and aileron, pretty-up the cowling, and do the final sanding on all of the wheel pants and gear fairings.

Sept 2018 Status Report Cont.... ...j-red

Front baggage door has been finished, as evidenced by the last photo. The top skin had been riveted in place, but the locking mechanism was absent, and the interior skin had not been riveted yet. Not easy to locate those blocks and keep things tight, but managed to do it without having to crawl into the abyss and drill them from the inside.

The lock is nice and tight and, the fit around the firewall side is excellent. The canopy side is just slightly off, but hardly noticeable and there was no tweak that seemed to make any difference. Overall, I'm content with it. ...

October 5, 2018.  Issue #4,670.
  I need to brag on my son Tate for a bit.  He came home from school yesterday (he's 17 and a senior) and handed me the VAF logo-themed pen holder below.  Made in his welding class.  Cut out of plate steel, stylized lines cut with a plasma cutter, MIG welded, ground and clear coated.  Look at that beading technique, baby!  He's 17.  How cool is that?!?!
  So yeah, it's on the work desk front and center for the next thirty years or so.  I'm gonna ask for RV-6 wheel chocks for Christmas <grin>.
  Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and RV-filled weekend. 

The Class E Link Generates some Discussion ...various

Seeing the article about Class E airspace got me thinking about something a former student of mine asked the other day that I couldn't find a good answer for. Wondering if there is anyone in the VAF braintrust from around the Las Vegas area that can shed some light.
About 40NM west of Las Vegas, starting just east of Calvada Meadows airport (74P) and running north to near Desert Rock airport there is a rectangular section of Class E airspace where on the outside Class E begins at 1200 AGL and on the inside it would be 14,500 MSL. That is simple enough. The question is why? What is the reason for this very specific shape and sized area?

If there are any instructors/pilots from the Vegas area who know why I would love to hear the reasoning for the shape, size and placement of this area.

Another interesting thing is, if you look at a sectional the rectangle is there. If you look at the Foreflight Aero chart, it isn't.

DXF File Import For Front Panel Express ...ssokol

I'm working on a new panel design for my 6A and was planning on using Front Panel Express to do the cutting. I have the RV-6 panel DXF from Van's website, and the FPE design tool has a DXF import function. However, the import of the DXF from Van's results in errors.

I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with CAD - at least with traditional 2D CAD. So... Is there anyone out there with enough CAD savvy to figure out the issues with the import? If so, I would be more than happy to provide them a reasonable quantity of their favorite beverage at OSH, or to give them a discount on a FlightBox or other Open Flight product.

Thanks in advance!

UPDATE:
Here's the fixed DXF File.

 

GA prop weight difference help

Q: Changing my 45lb prop to a 26lb GA prop, and wondering if anybody has done this while already flying.

I will move my ELT forward, and replace my tailwheel with a light tailwheel (maybe save 1lb) then redo the W&B but am pretty positive I'll have to add some weight to the nose and am wondering what options there are.

I've read about landoll rings, and being hard to get, but what about adding static weight to the engine as in lead weights bolted on? Any suggestions about that?

A: The most efficient means of adding weight fwd would be to switch to using a steel prop extension (assuming the one you have now is aluminum.

Doing so puts the added mass as far fwd as possible and it is doing other work that already needs to be done.

Petit Jean Room Update ...Bill Schlatterer

UPDATE .... 10/3/18 3 weeks out and we have over 80 RV's registered. As of 10/3/18 5:00 PM CST There are 4 rooms open and a 3 bedroom house at Cedar Falls for the weekend. The 3 br is nice, several of us will be staying there Thursday. All rooms at the RCC are full, Mather is full, but some left at Cedar Falls. We're got a great venue this year and some new flying events that should be very entertaining. Bring a friend and come to the Mountain. Plenty of camping still available! See you at Petit Jean!

Seat PIREP (9A) ...KRviator

I built a -9A, being 6'5.5" and 180lbs, with most of my height in the legs. Using the standard panel I have no problems whatsoever. I even hung a KLN-90 underneath the RHS of the panel and while I do need to be mindful getting in that my jeans don't snag the knobs, I do fit well.

I did put the rudder pedal bearing block hard up against the firewall gusset to compensate - but this means you can't have a rear-mounted prop governor as the firewall recess won't fit. Depending where the builder installed his, you might be able to move the pedals forward an inch or two.

I use a pair of seat cushions from a Suzuki Swift over the standard Vans aluminium seat back on the rear-most hinge setting and am quite comfortable. They are relatively thick and rigid and while this does move you forward slightly enough to be noticeable vs the original "sewed by myself" cushions, but isn't a problem.

Testing before I had an upholsterer cut out and sew in a cutout for the stick movement.

October 4, 2018.  Issue #4,669.
  More than a little embarrassed to admit that yesterday I made my first flight to get fuel in the RV-6 since Aug 29.  In my defense I did get (7) flights out of that avgas.  You know me....... .2s and .3s.
  Penny pinching runs deep in this one. ;^) 

Fuel run to KXBP ($3.89).  Enlarge

(8) waypoints on a (11) min. flight <grin>.  Enlarge
Because America, that's why.

Whats the deal with connecting rod and bottom numbers- Can I mix them-

Hello,

I was measuring my connecting rods and I got:
#1 top part: 686,5 grams, bottom: 165 grams, total: 851,5 grams
#2 top part: 691 grams, bottom: 163 grams, total: 854 grams
#3 top part: 692 grams, bottom: 168,5 grams, total: 860,5 grams
#4 top part: 684,5 grams, bottom: 167 grams, total: 851,5 grams

As it is possible to see there is 9 grams difference between connecting rods and also 9 between opposite connecting rods. My idea would be:
#1 top 2 plus bottom 1 total 856 grams
#2 top 3 plus bottom 2 total 855 grams
#3 top 1 plus bottom 4 total 853.5 grams
#4 top 4 plus bottom 3 total 853 grams

Like this, I would have maximum 3 grams between connecting rods and 1 gram between opposite rods. However, the overhaul manual says to assembly the rods with the corresponding numbers with the corresponding bottoms.

Can someone clear me on this? what is the best thing to make? Leave it as before or should I mix them as I was thinking?

Thanks a lot,
Filipe

The Logic Behind Class E Airspace ...website

Guy at Aero Valley sent me this link - something he stumbled across recently.  He told me that in over 50 years of flying airplanes, this article explained it in a way better than he had ever seen.  He said it was so good he almost understood class E airspace for the first time in his life.

Almost.  Rimshot.

The secret with a punchline is the timing.  Kidding aside, pretty dang good read.  There might be hope for me yet. 

RV-14 Panel Status Pic ...jeffw 'at' sc47

Here's the panel almost completed, the rest to be done is more of the wiring connections behind the panel.

All of the currently acquired panel instrumentation is mounted and the harness that connects everything is installed and wired to a VP-X Pro (equipment harness built by Approach Fast Stack). 'Most' everything is wired up to the common fuselage harness, still have a few days to a week to get everything connected, that is to the 97.5% done point.

In the panel equip is Garmin; a G5, a GDU465; the stack top to bottom - TO/GA button switch, GMU507, GTN650, GTR200, GMA245, an ECK ELT remote control panel above the G5; and on the right side a partially water-jetted cut out (the corners) for a GDU470 7" portrait, and I have left enough space in the right panel and behind it to put in another GDU46X if that suits me or some future owner instead of the 470. Starter, mag, and alternator (B&C 60A and a B&C 20A) switches below the G5.

Lighted rockers along the bottom for electrical items, four dimmer switches, a Hobbs, next right one of a 5 rocker switch place-holders (black snap-in cover plates), and the special 'WINGS ON / WINGS OFF' rocker switch for good measure to keep passengers thinking and to hammer in the passenger warning placard. A panel mounted dual USB port and two alternator field breakers; a few more breakers to follow as I ran out of circuit assignments in the VP-X.

Milestone: Electrons in Panel ...control RV-14 video

Kids and Condition Inspections (and other things)

...some folks adding to crabandy's wonderful post with their own pics....

Remove the rear inner cap from the crankshaft

Q: I am changing my crankshaft from a CS prop to a fixed pitch prop. I should make a hole or remove the inner centre cap. I do not have a so long drill to make a hole on it.

Can someone advise me on the easiest and best way to make it? I try to push it forward from the front but it did not move. I did not apply much force afraid to damage something.

A: (Mel) You don't have to remove it. You just need a hole to relieve pressure.

October 3, 2018.  Issue #4,668.

Baffle Sealant ...DanH thoughts

The sealant you want is Loctite 598.  Available in a 300ml caulk tubes or small squeeze tubes. In the US, Permatex Ultra Black is the same product. In additional to not being monkey butt orange, it is remarkably tough, oil resistant, and has a good temperature rating.

It's not hard to understand what you want to accomplish, which is to make sure every molecule of cooling air (1) remains in close contact to hot parts, and (2) actually gets to the hot places.

A light bulb held under the engine will highlight gaps.   ...

Magnetometer Interference ...asw20c 14 emp

Q: I, like many on this forum plan to install a full suite of sensors to feed the future G3X system that I plan for my build. I know now that the magnetometer is to go in the first bay outboard of the wing-walk ribs in the left wing. Yup, the same wing as the heated pitot, which I had been thinking would be a real problem for the magnetometer because there is no way to locate the wiring harness 18" or more away as recommended by Garmin, assuming you use the magnetometer install kit from Vans. I dutifully twisted the wiring harness in an effort to mitigate any leaking magnetic field, and had an electrical engineer come have a look at my work. The surprising feedback from him was that despite the heavy current that could potentially be drawn by the heated pitot (if it is cold enough) it probably would not be a problem since once on the field is stable it would not affect the magnetometer. It was the wiring harnesses for the strobe and landing lights that are the real problem because they aren't shielded, and since both will be pulsed, that means an electromagnetic field that will be repeatedly growing and collapsing which will have a far greater effect on the nearby magnetometer. He recommended using mu metal (yeah, I hadn't heard of it either) to wrap all of the wiring harnesses in the vicinity to help mitigate the field near the magnetometer.
So, my first question to those who are now flying and have both heated pitot and wig wag landing lights with their wiring harnesses running near the magnetometer, does it indeed impact the functioning of the magnetometer? And secondly, has anyone used mu metal to shield any of their wiring harnesses? Was it effective?
Thanks,

A: However, your EE friend is a bit misinformed: When charges (electrons) move, they create an associated magnetic field. A DC current (a humorously redundant term...direct current current) will create a constant magnetic field that could cause the magnetometer to have a constant induced error (hold a compass near a wire carrying DC to see this). An AC current (e.g., sinusoidal, square, etc.) or other changing current (e.g., impulsive like that in a strobe light), given its non-constant nature, can create a varying induced error

A: I note on the standard Van’s wiring kit they are very light on shielded wire.  Instead of trying to mitigate the problem, I recommend you strive to eliminate it. For your LED strobes run three #20 conductor shielded wire. I’d also replace the wire for your magnetometer to shielded cable. If you do wigwag landing lights it would not hurt running shielded wire for them as well.  I mounted both SkyView ADHARS modules in the same wing location. No issues.  The pitot heat will not be an issue either way.

A: My magnetometer is in the left wing with my heated pitot.  I'm fairly sure that I used sheilded wire for the pitot and have no problems. I initially had interference from the wingtip strobes using the standard wiring when the instructions had the nav/strobes lights grounded at the wingtip. Vans advised me to ground these lights right back to the fuse and that fixed the problem. I think the plans have been revised.  170 hrs and no further problems.

A: I installed standard Van’s harnesses in the wing and fuselage, with fuselage ground per the revised plans. Magnetometer installed in the left wing per plans. No interference from any sources per the Garmin test protocol except pitot heat, with rerouted power and ground wire (twisted).

Fun With Photoshop

(Rock helping Mike)
Nice Mike. I did a quick copy and paste. I think you are going to love your new bird!

RV-12 Builders Conducting Own First Flight...

Q: How many have done it?  Did you have transition training?  How'd it go?

A:  I did mine. I had kit number 18. At the time I was ready, there was no RV-12 transition training available.  My previous 400+ hours had been in a C-150. I spent a few hours in an Evektor Sportstar and a few in a Tecnam Sierra to at least have some LSA time. I also spent some extra dual time going over emergency procedures and locating local places suitable for emergency landings. The first flight went very well and all was great.  That said, if I had the opportunity I would have loved to get a few hours with Mike Seager, or at least in an actual RV-12.

A: I did mine too. I describe exactly how it went in a YouTube video. Not trying to promote the video, just want to give you the info, so go to the 57:13 mark in the video, which is where I cover the first flight.

Current Stats

Crankshaft Seal Leaking ...Ralph Ketter PIREP

I had this issue once after changing where the breather tube exited in the cowling. Initially I did not have an issue until I changed the breather tube routing and exit location. After that I suddenly had a lot of excess oil in the forward cowling. I came to the conclusion that I must moved the exit to a location where there must be a higher positive pressure.

- I then moved the exit so it is low between the exhaust stacks (RV6). For the lower part near the exhaust stacks, I used a flexible but rigid stainless water line connection normally used for a water heater connection (I cut the integral fittings off). I still had some oil weeping but much less.

- Some time after adding the lower breather exhaust tube, I removed the prop and replaced the one piece seal. I've put about 300 hours on it since and have not had any visible leakage since.

October 2, 2018.  Issue #4,667.

5th condition inspection ...crabandy

It's "Maid Oliver's" 5th condition inspection, I never imagined how it would morph into our family's lifestyle. Summertime is too busy, and winter time too cold so when exactly is the best time to ground the airplane for a condition inspection?

Never a good time but September/October is as good as any month, you really get used to having this magic carpet at your request. It seems to always take about a month, but I come away with re-learning the airplane and a physical wrench on every bolt/system helps re-assure my amateur skills.

Just cleaning, lubing and torque checking every bolt/nut on the inside.  ...

Rest in Peace Mr. Allen Fulmer

(Dan Horton post)
Allen passed last night, at home with family.

I'd like to thank all those who expressed an interest in his RV-7, and of course Daren, who purchased it. Same for various hangar clean out items. Putting his airplane affairs in order was a huge comfort to him, and Joan.

A stand up guy. We'll miss him.

RVs and Rockets at Reno 2018 ...rvmills

Reno 2018 was a fun year for the RV and Rocket gang! I saw Ross's thread on Reno 2018, with its great discussion on performance ignition and fuel systems and prop RPM, so thought I'd start a separate thread to talk about the great performances turned in by RV pilots. I also saw a question about 49's bird strike, so I'll start a separate thread about that...and the repairs...after this.

We had 7 RVs and 1 Rocket race in Sport Class this year, which is 22% of the Sport Class field (8 of 36 entries). At least 3 other fast RVs took a year off this year, so we have a lot of fast RV Reno Racers! Pretty cool, eh!

The builders and pilots are getting more competitive every year, and supercharging, turbocharging, and especially nitrous are being used quite a bit, after extensive testing by the pilots. Here are the 2018 RV race pilots, and their qualifying speeds:

Dan West, Sport 270, Supercharged RV-8: 248.4 mph
James Stringer, Sport 49, RV-Super 6: 245.8
Jason Rovey, Sport 76, RV-8: 244.1
Lee Ulrich, Sport 101, Turbocharged RV-7: 242.2
Neil Wischer, Sport 888, RV-8: 242.1
Scott Prewitt, Sport 314, Harmon Rocket: 240.2
Skylor Piper, Sport 80, RV-8: 235.9
Matt Beaubien, Sport 81, RV-4: 222.2

The first 4 raced in the Sport Bronze, and the last 4 raced in the Sport Medallion.Great racing in both heats, and the RVs duked it out with Lancair 360s and other glass airplanes, with good success. Dan was trying to get his 250 mph patch, and came oh, so close! Jason was giving James a run for his money all week, but that dang hawk spoiled the Bronze final for 49. Everyone had a great week of racing, and a great week of camaraderie.

 

Status Report ...David Paule -3B

Glue Technique Tip -
As the total thickness builds up, you may need longer rivets. Buy them early and you will have them when you need them.

When that riveting work was done, I really truly had a canoe.

Back when I ordered the finish kit, I ordered a clear Todd’s canopy. More recently, I decided that a light tint would be better. Lance Logan now has canopies available. He took over Todd’s equipment. Lance Logan is the supplier to Spruce, so I had the option of ordering direct or through Spruce. I discussed it with Lance and decided to get it directly from him. The quality of the pre-purchase assistance was terrific.

I chose the 2515 Light Smoke, which blocks 88% of UVa and 99% of UVb. The other easy option was 2094 Gray. Lance sent a sample of both and the decision was pretty easy. The 2094 is pretty dark.  ...

Head on a Swivel ...Herold

A couple weeks ago at a non-towered airport a fellow aircraft did everything wrong and this was while on frequency.
Long story short the aircraft flew directly through the departing runway airspace. Wrong side to enter pattern. Wrong altitude. Wrong location. Unannounced.

WE WERE in communication. That is to say he announced his intent to land on the active runway 5 and 10 miles out. I radioed my departure before taking the active runway for a straight out departure. At the time the other aircraft was still quite aways out. Everything good. Smooth take-off. Another call announcing my departure and heading then the other aircraft flew directly in front of me BELOW pattern altitude.

Luckily I was able to see and avoid but wow!!!

The only thing I can figure is he was announcing but not listening and that given the airport has little traffic that perhaps he just assumed there was nobody else there?

Great learning experiences eh. Also nice that Van's are so nimble.

RV-Super 6 Hawk Strike during Reno Races...and the repairs! ...rvmills

During the Sport Bronze Final on Sunday of the 2018 Reno Air Races, Sport 49, the RV-Super Six I own with James Stringer, and piloted by James that day, had a close encounter with a large hawk while rounding Sport Pylon 4. James saw the hawk above and to the right, and tried to climb as the hawk tucked and dove, but the hawk went through the right windscreen, and pretty much exploded on the baggage bulkhead. James called the mayday, and expertly maneuvered the plane to a safe landing on the off-duty runway (RWY 14, for those that follow Reno or know Stead). I was above and behind in the pace aircraft (Mark Frederick's F1 Rocket), watching the battle between James and Jason Rovey, when the birdstrike happened. James may post about his experience here, but he reported tremendous noise and wind blast, and although his mayday calls were loud and clear, he could hear nothing on the radio. He flew very professionally, and was awarded the 2018 Sport Class Tommy Rose award for airmanship for his performance. Well done, partner!

I'll post a few pics of the damage, then post some photos of the repair, which I began this weekend. If anyone has replaced a front windscreen, any lessons learned, advice and gotchas are absolutely welcome. I'm searching the VAF archives for info as well. If this can become a chronicle that can help a future windscreen replacer, then all the better!

Here's what a hawk strike looks like up close...not pretty!  ...

Colorado fall flight ...mchargmg

It finally cooled down some, so we took the 6A up into the high country to see if we could find any color. Launched out of KFLY, and headed south, past Spanish Peaks, and up over Mosca Pass. You can see the sand dunes in the distance.  ...

October 1, 2018.  Issue #4,665.
  Taking the practice test daily for the commercial rating using one of the free King online sites and scoring 80% and higher.  Neat site.  I'd like to do a little better, so studying continues...
  Hope you had a nice weekend and your Monday goes swell.
 

October Wallpaper Calendar ...Ed Hicks photo

Bowstring Fall Colors Fly-In ...petehowell

Winter is coming........ but the the weather was nice, if not on the cool side today in Minnesota. Earlier this year, the RAF helped save the airport way up north in Bowstring and this weekend they were sponsoring a fly-in/camp-out weekend. I decided to fly up to enjoy breakfast and the fall color and was not disappointed! They even had Home-made caramel rolls!  ...

RV PIREP: US National Aerobatic Championships ...ronschreck

It's over! The 2018 US National Aerobatic Championships wrapped up with the awards banquet on Friday evening. Our two RV competitors didn't walk away with awards but did do us proud. Jerry Esquenazi finished with a very respectable 6th place in the field of 19 Sportsman competitors and Galen Killam finished 16th. Both pilots improved their placement in the standings after their first flight but weather and ATC delays precluded a third flight so further improvement was not possible. Here are the final results for the category.  ...

Mothership Ping

"In the eastern part of the USA and thinking about attending one of the popular fall fly-in shows? Want a chance to see our latest RV aircraft models up close and personal?

Van’s east coast rep Vic Syracuse is looking forward to being at the AOPA fly-in at Carbondale, IL next weekend, and hopes to see you there! He will be taking the RV-10, and will co-present a talk on amateur-built aircraft with Dave Hirschman.

The next AOPA convention is at Gulf Shores, AL on Oct 25th-26th. Vic plans to take the RV-14A to that one.

Between those two shows is the Petit Jean fly-in, and he is currently planning to take the RV-10.

And, first week of November is the DeLand Light Sport show, and Vic will have the factory’s RV-12iS at that one. So, it looks like Vic will be at aviation events for four out of the next five weekends. Can't really complain too much about that! Be sure to stop by and say hi while you’re at the shows."

Status Report ...jcarne 7A

Well not a lot to show as I have mainly just been deburring stuff. Finding some more Akzo has been tough, UPS managed to completely trash a shipment from ACS and they are now out of stock. Ended up ordering some from Graco despite their ridiculous $250 minimum. Oh well, maybe having an alodine pen too will be useful.

Anyways, I have been taking care of all kinds of other tasks since I can't prime and paint. I'm waiting on a few shipments from different places to keep the ball rolling. In the meantime I installed the vent lines inside the cockpit. Turns out spending 4 years doing HVAC paid off since I used to bend tubing all the time. I may try and tighten up two of them bends but we will see, looks pretty good so far.

Here are some pics from my latest endeavors.

Tate's Friends Getting RV Time

Got in .7hrs of time off the surface in the RV Saturday giving (3) of our son's friends a ride - two of them their first ride in a small plane.  Tracks/times below from the watch and the picture courtesy the Tater.  Lowish clouds in the area called for staying around local, so it was mostly pattern work and TnGs.  All had fun.

RvPilotLife- Janesville Diner, then...

Had a two flight day in the RV. The first trip is a quick write-up on 'Bessie's Diner' located at Janesville, WI. Really great place to eat. ...

RvPilotLife- Landing at Midway Airport

My morning flight to Bessie’s was a great start to Saturday. After running home to enjoy lunch and some shopping with my best friend and co-pilot, I started to plan an evening in the burbs with a friend, a fellow pilot from the South Loop in the City.

Metra Northwest to my town? Metra West to Schaumburg where I fly down and pick him up? After all, it was a great day for flying. Wait, I have a crazy idea! He lives in South Loop, why not have him take the ‘L’ to Midway Airport (KMDW). I wonder if they’d let me land? Only one way to find out. Calling the Signature FBO, they informed me there were no landing restrictions at KMDW. Let’s fly! ...

A Little Paranoid

OK folks, I've been worried about this part of the build since I got my empennage kit - The Firewall Forward Fuel System.

First let me say that the plans call for VA-129 to be run from the gasocolator to the fuel pump. I found this hose to be too long, so I used VA-139 instead which is shorter. Using VA-129 from the fuel pump to the carb seemed to be a good length.

Please tell me if this looks right mostly because I have some fittings that I can't identify (for example KB-000), and want to be sure I'm using the right ones:

Gascolator to fuel pump.   ...

15 Years Ago ...Ross Farnham

I was cleaning up a PC today and found some old photos of my first flight and some tuft testing a few months later. Has it really been 15 years already? Time certainly flies...

September 28, 2018.  Issue #4,664.
  Spent .4 Thursday morning practicing (5) chandelles to the left (commercial checkride training).  2nd pic shows the altitude gain/loss each time and the final pic the notes after each try (altitude and airspeed start and airspeed and altitude after.  You can click on 'em to see a bigger version.  Garmin D2 watch tracks (I'm a quasi-beta tester).  Seeing improvement in technique.  Need to do again with a passenger to better mimic the testing W&B.  Saw the track and first thought was 'that's my splash image tomorrow'. ;^)
  Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and RV-filled weekend! 

Happy Not-A-Date-Anniversary ...Capt. Sandy

To my Darling Husband, Thank you for taking me flying that evening, 13 years ago, when I said I wasn't interested in dating. Thank you for changing my mind, and my world, and I will always be willing to sleep on the floor of an FBO with you.

Motivation Video

Danny King in 'Beautiful Doll' taking off at Aero Valley (complete with little wing dip to say hello)

Seen at Monk's

Luke (Classic Aero) interior going into a 7A.  Pics start here. 

Aircraft Wake Turbulence Shown Vividly

September 27, 2018.  Issue #4,663.
  I posted a question on what entry speed to use for an RV-6 chandelle if anyone is bored.  Also, does anyone here work at Cessna/Textron.  I have a question if you got a sec.  Thanky. 
 

Wright Brothers 'Master Pilot' Award

...goes to RV guy and VAF user Mr. Vern Darley.  Way to go Vern!

Where to find a good magnifying glass?

I've been trying to find a good 5x (preferably 10x) mag glass for general use around the shop.

I've searched the **** outta google and amazon and of course there is tons of hits, but they all seem to have review's saying it's not actually the power noted or some other deficiency. Most of them look like very cheap pieces from overseas.

Yes, I have looked at my local HW stores, but they are all 3X. Maybe 3x is enough and 5x or 10x is just gonna make me drive myself crazy trying to fix tiny things.

Does anyone have a link to a mag. glass that they use and have found to work well around the RV building environment? I know you all have answers to what you use, but I'm looking for specific links for ones that have worked well.

Thanks!
__________________
Building RV-14A

Tire help please ...Simon Hitchen

Hi guys, I’m just into my first annual and I’ve found this cut on the outside of the tire. It’s an inch long, does the necessitate a new tire?

Many thanks,

DID YOU KNOW lost logbook information isn't covered by insurance? ...VAF Advertiser

Have you ever wondered if your logbooks are covered under your insurance policy? Well, the answer is not really. Although the physical logbook may be covered, there is no coverage for the document reconstruction. This means once the information is lost, it’s up to you to recreate it. To make the aircraft airworthy, the aircraft and engine logbooks must show the required inspections and AD compliance. We recommend keeping a backup electronic record by taking pictures or scanning the pages of the logbook. Not only will this backup keep you flying, it will maintain the value of the aircraft by having complete logs. Lost logbooks can be difficult and time consuming to recreate. If you’ve lost or misplaced a logbook, the last shop where you received an annual inspection will be your first stop. Many shops have switched to electronic recordkeeping as evidenced by printed stickers in your logbook as opposed to handwritten or ink stamped notations. As long as the shop has a record of your completed annual (electronic or otherwise) at least you can get back in the air while you attempt to recreate the rest.

Happy flying!
__________________
Leah Ringeisen, Shanna Linton, & Katie Escalante
Gallagher Aviation

Under wing cargo pod tutorial video ...Carlos post

I was watching Utoob and came across this little gem of a tutorial on forming under wing cargo pods for the RV's. I'm not much on fiberglass (not enough patience for this big of a job) but for you dark side adventures this would be a fun project especially for those with RV8's that have thought it would be cool to have the drop tank look on your little fighter plane!

Seen at Monk's

...air powered vacuum setup.  Cool, simple, and a lot smaller than a shop vac.

(enlarge)

September 26, 2018.  Issue #4,662. 

Milestone

Rudder is done! (Less Fairings).  So the rudder is done (less the fairings) and I am now working on the horizontal stabilizer.  Lots of details in the build blog if you are bored!
__________________
Brantel (Brian Chesteen),

Landing My RV9A on a Grass Strip (Underwing camera)

I've been playing around with cameras on my plane off and on and recently decided to try out making a movie using iMovie on my iPad.

Well, it's no academy award winner and it's not polished at all but it was pretty quick to do and it's all the complexity that I need. Also, it's neat to see what the gear does on a grass strip.

Trying to synchronize the various views is not easy with the iPad since iMovie doesn't appear to have any precision timeline. You just drag things around to make the action in both views sort of close but they are not synchronized. Maybe on a Mac it's different but that is what I found playing with it on the iPad.

Anyway, check it out. Unfortunately my underwing cam spit out a corrupted file on the takeoff from Frazier Lake so I don't have that video. I'm going to have to go down there again to get some takeoff footage.

Here's the link:

Control column installation and bearing stiffness (page 29-05 step 7)

I got the bottom fuselage skins riveted together tonight and proceeded to install the control column. There is almost no play when one side's hardware is installed so I do not think I need any shims. But when the hardware is torqued to spec, the bearings seem rather stiff. It moves smoothly without binding, but it resists movement and will easily hold itself in position against gravity. How freely should the control column move?

Feedback #1
  You may need to try different combinations of washers/shims to eliminate bearing load. I believe there ought not be a change in friction as you torque the nuts. Shim with care.
  If it's any consolation, as I look at my time lapse from when I completed that task on 4-Jul-15, it took me 3 hours to find the right combination. I obtained very smooth movement in both axes with no noticeable friction. It was frustrating but worth the time invested. It's best to do this now when access is so easy.
  Not everyone's will be the same as mine, however my ultimate washer stack ended up being two NAS1149F0363 on the left inboard and single 363 and 332 washers on the left outboard (top image). The right side had two 363 washers with a single F-14146A shim (sandwiched between the washers so it won't contact anything) on the outboard side and a single 363 with the same size shim on the inboard side (bottom image).

From Scott (re: above)
I have been working on RV's for almost 30 years now (and work on the oldest side by side RV flying ) and have never had to replace one of these bearings.
If the control column is shimmed properly so that there is no side load on the bearing, and they are lubricated occasionally, they will last. That is the main reason that even though design effort is typically made to make things reasonably maintainable,maintainability was compromised in this instance because it is unheard of to have one of these bearings fail.

Inspection Mirror

I found this articulating and lighted inspection mirror with a clip no less in the women's makeup isle at Wal-Mart for less than $10. It comes with a USB to micro usb charging cord.

Lights off for this face

IO-390 hard second start

Good Morning all,

Almost finished with an RV-14A. The IO-390 fire up good on the first start. 1 sec fuel boost pump, 1/4 inch throttle and mixture back about 1 inch. Its the second start that is the problem. I've read the different post about hard starting and none of those techniques are working for me. I've tried the hot start procedure and the flooded start procedure. Engine never kicks over.

1. How far back does the mixture control have to be to be considered lean? Can this be described in inches or do I have to run the engine to find that position?

2. Not currently get a fuel flow reading on the Dynon EFIS, I have to trace the wires from the cube to the VPX and the EFIS. The engine is not using the fuel flow reading for anything, is it?

Any suggestions would great greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Tim W.

Oil cooler line fittings

Is thread sealant only applied to the pipe tread side of this fitting?

Adding Paint To All Ready Painted RV-6

I'm thinking of changing/adding to my already painted RV-6.

Spent this weekend drawing up a planned addition. Want to paint this on top of the Ivory white color. Colors added will be red, white (pure white) and blue.

This is a first rendition, have some changes needing done, will work on them as I get time, kind of tired working at the desk, well over 14-hours working in AutoCAD on this so far.

Anyway here is a 1st rendition of what my plan is:

September 25, 2018.  Issue #4,661. 

Above the OVC enjoying the morning sun after a few days of rain.  dr
 

From Cynthia at the Mothership

“Happy Tuesday, RV owners and builders!  Today, while ferreting out a serial number, I discovered in the faa.gov database that there are 101, yes, 101, RV’s of various flavors registered as “001.” This poses a challenge when transferring ownership of accounts as well as distributing service bulletins and letters.

If anyone has a serial number “001” or any other serial number besides the original number issued by Van’s, and is aware of that assigned serial number, please contact Van’s to ensure that Van’s database is correct.

Thank you in advance!"

You're Gonna Want to Watch This

Don't be this guy...or the person that jumped out...

Heavy Wing Update ...togaflyer

I finally have time to address my heavy wing issue again so I’m reaching out once more to get your input on my current status. I have the issues and things I did in bullet format:

My right wing continues to be heavy

I have required significant left aileron trim correction to offset the heavy right wing.

I rechecked and rerigged according to specs. Everything is right on, in a static condition.

In flight, the left aileron will lower approximately 1/4 inch based on the trailing edges of the wing tip and flap vs the left aileron. The right aileron looks about in trail.

I used a square 6 inches long, it will strike into the top of the outboard left aileron forward spar. Inboard side of left aileron and in and out areas of the right aileron spar clears.

I attached a plastic trim wedge under the outboard side of the left aileron. In flight it corrected the amount of aileron trim required to almost zero. The left aileron trailing edge is still slightly lower then the trailing edge of the wing tip, the right aileron looks like it holds just slightly above, but very minimal.

So with a slotted bracket, do I attempt to lower the outboard left aileron or ? On the aileron, Does the airflow load come from over the top of the wing or from the bottom pushing upward.

You continued input is appreciated.

Rich

Mr. 'X' Photo Dump

Many new pics.  Enjoy....

Videos of my three OSH talks now online ...Bernardo (RV-6A / Boeing Structures D&DT Researcher)

Hello, fellow RV-ators.

At Oshkosh this past summer, I gave three talks at the forums. I finally got around to posting the videos online, and I think you would enjoy them.

Note: Each talk has a link to a page where you can download a PDF of the slides.

• The Uses of 3D Printing in Aviation
• The Physics of Aerobatics
• Questions About Why Airplanes Are Designed the Way They Are

Mothership Calendar Ping

September 24, 2018.  Issue #4,660. 

Tailgate Express! ...Pete Howell

The 11am college football game times seriously limit tailgating fun - especially if you are 200 miles away. The RV makes it possible to see the college buddies and our youngest at our Alma Mater, Iowa State, in Ames!   ...

Studying via Cloud

Work continues studying for the commercial written.  The other day all nine brain cells aligned and I thought I would take a picture of each page of the test prep book and supplement, then upload those images to private folders using my SmugMug account.  Screen grabs below.  Can't provide the link due to copyright laws, but it's a perfect solution for me - fewer things to lug around. 

I have a tablet and smart phone, so it's pretty easy to have 'Figure 51' pulled up on one device and the question on the other.  Scratch out the wrong answers and highlight the right answers before taking the pictures and Bob's your uncle.

Saturday morning during the downpour in the drive thru at Whataburger to get breakfast for me and the Tater, I sat for 15 minutes with all the other trophy dads.  With the phone in the holder I comfortably studied (those questions not referencing figures).  Made the line time go fast.

(221) pictures for the test prep book.  (56) supplement pictures.  All in my pocket.

Lazy nerds of the world unite!

RV-Lancair Botherhood Day ...9/22 edition

The Brotherhood flew out to Rutherfordton for lunch today. We had four RVs, a C-170, and my Lancair 235. Owen's RV-12 was way down the line and so was Mike's beautiful green C-170...so they're not in the group photo. Lunch was excellent at 57A. It was fun.

Panel Porn ...Mark Dickens

I "think" my panel is now done...LOL. There always seems to be another little thing to add, but for now it's done...

Photos of RV-8 Access ...f14av8r

Here are a couple of more photos to illustrate.

This is the panel after I opened everything up to do the GTX-345 install. I took care of some other items too so it was easiest just to open it all up. You can see the back side of the baggage compartment panel in the photo. Clearly I'll have to be careful cutting the access panel hole. I'll probably have to pull the panel again to get access / move things.

Engine is Hung!!

Thanks to Justin Griffin the engine is hung plus several items installed onto the engine. A very productive day. It's nice to see it sitting in the garage with the engine on the frame. I step closer.

__________________
John Johnson
Murphy, NC
RV7

Elevator horn drill  ...RV-10

Well, I decided to go back to the empanage attach while I wait for my finish kit. I mounted the elevators and did the horn drilling. I followed the instructions exactly but ended up with an off set hole downward. It’s still in perfect fore-aft alignment because my elevators are only about a 1/32” off between them. I’m going to check with Vans, but thought I would get some weekend input

Storing the RV-10 EmpCone ...update

Thanks for all the help , managed to store the other day and inventory the wings i have room again!!!

New Guy Checks In ...RV-7 Houston, TX (Justin Wallace)

Did not see a good area on the forums to post this so feel free to move if needed.

Long time RV lover, first time builder. 90's kid currently working as a Cessna Citation pilot in Houston. Own a Grumman yankee (looks alot like an RV6a) as my personal airplane. Flew it to Oshkosh 2018, life long dream in the bag there.

I finally convinced myself that even though I can not afford the RV7, I will find a way! Currently prepping the shop and looking into the tool options. Here is where I am on tools.

Clevland or Brown?

I like that Brown has free shipping, but does not even stock a DRDT2 dimpler !?!? Wants : DRDT2 and Pneumatic Squeezer in the kit.

Is one kit more complete than the other? ANY input is greatly appreciated. I would like to scout some used tools. Atleast on the expensive items. Alot of these tools are foreign to me.

Planing on connecting with my local EAA chapter to find a new RV friend. There are plenty of RV's in Houston.

Pic of Dynon Roll Servo ...N804RV

Hope this helps. This is on my RV-8, right wing:

New RV-10 Builder Says Hey

Hi Everyone,

Started our RV10 build 8/24/18. Just finished the vertical stabilizer on Friday 9/21/18. Here's our website if you would like to stop by and say hello.

https://rv10airplaneadventures.com/
__________________
Michael Smith
EAA Chapter 35 San Antonio Member
Bristell NG5 (Flying to build time for preparation for RV10)

September 21, 2018.  Issue #4,659.
  Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and RV-filled weekend!
 

First solo flight

It's as official as it's going to get. This evening I took my newly finished plane out solo. I put in 7 flights with my engine builder to get me completely comfortable handling the plane. I decided to leave him behind today and went out for some circuits resulting in 9 decent landings (out of 9). Greased the mains every time, bounced the nose wheel a little a couple of times.

This really is an easy plane to fly, I'm probably a little fast, final at 75kts, touching down at about 65. No problem getting down to those speeds with my c/s prop. I'm finding it to settle down very well, sinking exactly like I'd expect it to. I haven't used full flaps yet, 1/2 (18 deg) is good enough.

Flying solo showed a bit of a heavy left side - not there at all dual. I had a full left tank as well, so I would have been surprised if the wasn't some heaviness to the left. Didn't need to adjust anything to fly it like that other than a touch of right stick that I hardly noticed.

This also marked the first flight where my EGTs stayed below 400F all the way. I hit 399 on #1 on the first circuit, it peaked in the low 380s after that. Fuel flow was 8-9 gph on downwind while indicating 103-110 kts.

The most surreal part of the flight tonight is that I didn't need to schedule anything and I didn't need anyone's permission. I can get used to that! I'm looking forward to starting on some of the actual testing over the next few flights. The grin may be permanent.
__________________
Claude Pitre
RV-9A #91081, C-GCPT

 

Panel Status/Ideas/Thoughts ...Carl Froehlich

The base element on panel design is to separate what stuff and wires stay in the plane, and what comes out when you pull the panel.

Below is a photo of my panel test fit on the new RV-8 project (third project with this approach). This will be a full dual SkyView EFIS install (a 10” and a 7”), Dynon radio, XPDR and ARINC module mounted on the bulkhead forward of the panel.

On the removable part of the panel there are breakers only for the removable panel stuff; two for the GTN-650, one for the audio panel and one spare. These breaker get power via a 0.093” pin Molex connector from the Left Vital bus. All the interconnection wiring between the GTN and the audio panel comes out with the panel (as do both trays). The connections to all the other stuff are either coax or D connectors. All of the other panel is connected via D connectors on the back of the component (both SKyView displays and the three SkyView remote modules). All this wiring says in the plane when you pull the panel. All remaining Left Vital load breakers are on the left panel wing, Right Vital load breakers on on the right panel wing - they stay in the airplane when you pull the panel. Non-vital loads and associated switch breakers (landing lights, nav/strobe, Pitot heat, Start solenoid, Voltage Regulator, etc.) are on the side breaker panel.

Note - both the GTN-650 and the PDA360EX audio panel trays get rear supports. For the GTN this is a piece of aluminum connected to the bottom of the tray, the forward end having a nutplate. Support is via a single screw coming in from the baggage compartment. The audio panel is similar, but is supported via the cross tie below the panel.

Goal - never be on your back with your head under the panel.

Empennage Mistake

So I made my first mistake when I misread the plans while countersinking the flanges on the VS-1003 spar. The holes at the top of the spar where the skin mates to it but the stiffeners don't on the back side, I countersunk all the flange holes instead of dimpling the top 5 or 6 holes. I actually found it quite miraculous that the holes didn't elongate and cause the countersink to chatter in the holes. Anywho, probably going to order a new spar tomorrow, yalls thoughts?
__________________
Brandon Flores
N710LL Reserved

 

RV-6 for IFR (Status).  ...rolivi

Sadly, my plane is allowed to fly IFR but I am not, yet.

I heeded the autopilot advice (2-Axis) and probably overspent a bit on the panel. I learned during recent IFR certification check that when a backup altimeter is installed it too must be to standards. [That meant rebuilding it] Also had some static leaks. All and all, the inspection cost a bit more than expected, but even VFR I know my P/S based instrumentation is completely up to snuff so there is some comfort where my $$$ used to be.

And since you asked for photos...

RENO PIREP ...Chkaharyer99

Dynon Dave and Associates,

It was my great honor and privilege to act as crew chief for my friend Lee Ulrich, #101, a turbo charged angle valve IO-360, Vans RV-7, called the "General Lee".

My job as crew chief was made significantly more effective and efficient because of Dynon's generous provision of an appropriately sized hospitality tent. The tent was in close proximity to the 101, and served as a base of operations for discussing tactics, race strategy, and/or cooling off or getting out of the wind.

Many enjoyed the numerous amenities, treats, cold drinks and other refreshments supplied by the folks from Dynon. The couch and comfy chair were especially popular. There always seemed to be enough chairs to accommodate everyone who visited.

The Dynon hats, stickers and other swag were very popular.

Countless folks gawked at the Dynon panels in both Dan "Nordo" West beautiful blue and white Super Charged RV-8 as well as Lee's 101.

As for what Dynon can do better next year? That's difficult to say because your support was, in my opinion, over the top. Maybe more exposure to your staff, a few more hats, some T-shirts. If appropriate, consider a raffle.

It was really cool meeting you Dave. I was impressed to see you hanging out pumping gas in race planes. Your hard work and support serves as a great example to everyone who participated. Thank you!

__________________
Charlie
RV-8

14” spinner ...Carl Froehlich thoughts

For those who want to step beyond the as provided plans.

In my opinion, the RV-10 cowl set up for a 13” spinner is just not to scale for this airplane. While I clearly understand the benifits of common parts across the Van’s models, the standard 13” spinner just looks like an afterthought.

This photo is an RV-10 with a James cowl design for a 14” spinner. The extra inch, I offer, makes all the difference.

Will James no longer sells this cowl, but if enough people pinged him perhaps he will offer it again.

Carl

September 20, 2018.  Issue #4,658.

Bungee Starting (Comedy) ...azrv6

The battery in the RV6 was dead this morning so I decided to give bungee starting a try:

...read the rest

Mothership Job Openings

• Assembly Job Description NEW
• Assembly Lead Job Description NEW
• Facility/Industrial Equipment Maintenance

RV-8 and the Day Off Work ...Steve Rush RV-8 video

The past couple of weeks have been a little dreary with rain and clouds on the weekend only clearing up during the week. Since it had been 2 weeks since I had flown I decided to take Monday off to go fly, since it was a better day than either of the week ends. This was the result.

RENO RV PIREP...Johnnie Painter

Fastest official RV-4 at Reno (non-rocket)

So, the best I could find is 2016 Matt Beaubien #81 "Low Motion" ran 230.239 in qualifying. That is the fastest official lap at Reno for an RV-4 that I could find.

Anyone know if there has been a faster official lap? Not a Rocket....just a regular RV-4.

I'm planning on racing next year hopefully. I need a target

Luke D Spotlight ...VAF advertiser

"It's an RV-7A built by Krea Ellis in Georgia (build assist from Synergy Air). It features a very unique and beautiful paint scheme, and our full interior. The overall combination is impressive. Thanks Krea!"

Question about prop governor ...AX-O

I did some searching around but did not find info on thesequestions. I am purchasing a PCU5000-X prop governor and there are some options that I need help figuring out. Specifically, the following for my RV-4 installation:

-Control Lever Angle. Default is 290 deg. Can I easily change the lever angle around after I figure out what works best?

-Control Lever Rotation. Do I need Clockwise or Counter-Clockwise?

-Pressure to Increase P-520, Yes for Non-Counterweighted prop. What does this mean?

-Pressure to Increase P-540, Yes for Counterweighted prop. What does this mean?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Help needed troubleshooting rough running O-320 ...TShort

I'm hoping for some wisdom / assistance in helping a friend troubleshoot a rough running engine in his purchased RV-9.

Background: RV-9, carb'd lycoming o-320, dual mags, pretty much basic setup as per vans.

Jim bought the airplane earlier this year, it was pretty new with phase I flown off. Has about ~75 hours now. Aside from some warmer CHTs, the engine had been running fine.

Early Aug, he and a friend flew to a nearby airport for fuel. On return, (in the dark!) the engine began running rough. Runs rough at higher power, seems to smooth out if the throttle is pulled back.

I am going to link to engine data from 2 flights:

Wing Bolt PIREP ...RV-14A

Wing attach bolts were super easy. They all slid in real nice with gentle tapping. Per plans, just Boelube on the bolts (clean threads before introducing nuts). No freezing of bolts or anything special was done. Start-to-finish, both wings were on and torqued down in 40 minutes.

RV-8 Avionics Access Panel ...Randy King

My RV-8 does not have an avionics access panel in the forward baggage compartment like I've seen in other RV-8s. Not having access to the back of the panel is frustrating. Even the most minor maintenance usually means pulling the entire panel.

I'd like to modify the airplane to include some sort of access panel. I've attached a photo. I realize a lot of builders do this during construction. I'm looking for advice on the feasibility of doing it on a finished airplane. Your thoughts and assistance will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Randy

September 19, 2018.  0022Z.  Issue #4,657.

Sunset flight...Veetail88

My bride Nancy and I had dinner with Ron and Kathy Moring at an old school Wisconsin Supper Club in Prairie Du Chein, WI last Saturday evening. Nice place right across from the airport.

Upon departing we enjoyed a little formation practice during which Kathy grabbed this pic. I thought it was pretty nice and thought I'd share.

Ironflight's 60th Birthday Fly-In Breakfast/Brunch this Saturday! ...Louise Hose

When? Saturday September 22, 2018, 8:00 am-noon

Where? 311 Yeager Ct., Dayton, NV; A34 – Dayton Valley Airpark (8 miles east of Carson City -- KCPX). We are on the northwest side of the runway on the Rwy5 approach end. The hangar and adjacent shop doors will be open and we'll monitor the radio.

RSVP? Not needed….it’s (for some) a fly-in!

Presents? Are you kidding? He’s already got a new work shop AND a SubSonex jet kit for his birthday. He doesn’t need anything more!

PM me if you have questions.

Nickel Plated Finishing Washer on Tank Screws...Ron Schreck

(Do the make the screw head sit proud?)
Very slightly. See for yourself:

Gen 2 (ON SPEED AOA) Audio ...Vac

The new system includes code that allows the user to manipulate the tone waveform and volume for different parts of the tone logic, which is simply a fancy way of saying the tone can be made to be much more pleasant to listen to: https://youtu.be/WTHszmvjI24

Cheers,

Vac

Performing at local AirShow ...lucaperazzolli

It's always fun having an AirShow in our home base. My family was with me and seems that we did a good job.

Despite the FB/Instagram delirious with tons of photos I like to share with you the shots from our friend Giuliano Basso who is the father of our livery.

I hope you'll enjoy them.

Corrosion and well painted aluminum

Exactly how durable is well painted aluminum from corrosion?

Well, here is an example of aluminum that was buried underground for over 44 years!

In 1974, we had a retaining wall built at my mom's house. The workers took a break, and left these cans to be buried. This year, a tree root finally pushed the wall over, and we have to rebuild it.

Here is what we found! 44 years in a damp area under mom's front lawn. Just goes to show how important a good paint job can be!

Pretty Cool

Jerry Esquenazi to compete at the US National Aerobatic Championships

I have been closely following Jerry's progression in competitive aerobatics for two years now. We became good friends following our first contest together in the Fall of 2016 at Sebring, Florida. I blew a tire while taxiing for takeoff for my final flight in the competition. I was on my way to a spot on the podium but with no time to repair the blown tire I was resigned to pack it up. Then Jerry stepped up an offered to lend me his RV-8 to fly that final flight. If you have seen Jerry's plane you know that it is one of the finest RV's on the planet and up to this point no other pilot but Jerry had ever flown it. Now he was begging me, practically a stranger to borrow it! And turn it upside down!  ...

Hat Sighting ...WWE match in Dallas 9/17. 

Jonathan (RV-7 builder in Lewisville, TX...my neck of the woods) works for a lighting/audio company currently contracted with WWE.  That's him wearing a VAF cap under the monster screens he's responsible for.  He invited me to the show at the American Airlines Center on Monday (and Rob Reece RV-8 and Susie).

There are no words to describe a modern wrestling match - there really are no words.  Harlem Globetrotters meets the rehabilitation scene from Idiocracy maybe?  Part soap opera, part circus, part Jerry Springer.  We laughed until our voices were strained <grin>.  Actually had a really, REALLY fun time.

HERE's a short video which doesn't come close to conveying the noise.  Those insane screens?  Thank Jonathan.  I can now say I've been to a wrestling match.  Check that box <g>.  My head still hurts ;^).

Jonathan, you rock.  Or as they say in the WWE.....JONATHAN!!!!!  YOU ROOOOOOCCCCCCKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!

Get that RV finished - you're just weird enough to fit in nicely at Aero Valley <g>.

September 18, 2018.  0001Z.  Issue #4,656.

Milestone: Moving to the Airport ...Colin P. RV-6A

This past Friday I started my move to the airport. I am taking parts as I finish the paint (need to get them out of the way to make room). I started with the fuselage since it was residing in the paint booth (no other place for it to go).

Since it came off the assembly fixture, the fuselage has been living on a rolling cart I built. It carries the weight at the firewall and the main-spar. I put a padded support under the tail when working just in case I shift the CG aft...don't want it to fall on the tail.

For the move I kept it on the cart. I used a wood blank bolted in place of the main spar as a tie-down point, along with the engine mount.

I made a very slow drive from east Plano to Aerocountry. I'm sure the other traffic appreciated me going 25-30 in a 45. That is why went during light traffic.

My wife was able to help me load it, but had to stay to get the kids from school. Offloading by myself was exciting to say the least, but the plane and I both survived.

Flat tire...Ivan Kristensen

Yes I had an issue with a flat tire while I was there. It just went flat overnight, the reason was that the inner tube developed a leak where the valve stem intersects with the tube. I am sure glad that it happen there and not at the Monument Valley airport the next day.

RV-3B Status Report ...David Paule

The Fry jig is sold and gone. It will be used by a repeat RV-4 builder in the area.

The concept of installing the main landing gear legs is still on the table, since I could do it with the canoe upside down on the sawhorses. I asked some of the local builders and Eric Lanning volunteered to spray them with Azko Nobel primer for me. I included the tail spring too. Azko Nobel is one of the better primers and frankly, I’d have been better off to have used it myself throughout. It’s very tough, resistant to aircraft chemicals, and epoxy sticks to it. It was ideal for the landing gear legs.

Here’s Eric spraying the legs in his priming booth.

RV-8 #82497 Status Report ...j-red

N Number Reserved 9/17/18

Lots of work has been happening resulting in the baffles, vertical air intake housing (snorkel), and windscreen attachment/fairing all being very near completion. Will post pictures when they are finished which should be toward the end of this week.

Update today is that I've officially reserved the number N801DR, and begun getting paperwork together to be sent off to the FAA for registration. EAA says to do this 3-6 months out in case of any delays. I'm really hoping to have the airworthiness inspection sometime in January/February, which means that this is just about the time to start all that.

Goal by the end of October is to have the fuselage ready to take to the Hangar. This will mean:

• Prop hung and spinner fitted
• Cowl joints and "gaps" filled and sanded including oil door recess
• Horizontal cowl pin securement (is that a word?) figured out and completed
• Fuel and oil hose fabrication/installation
• CPI ignition system installation
• Slick harness modification for auto plugs (ala G3i instructions)
• Engine monitoring sensors/wiring completed including starter, alternator, and engine grounding cables.

Pretty aggressive schedule, but I've been getting 2-3 hours work done 6 mornings a week, so I believe it is do-able.

Wire Size Chart

I need to run a wire 15' carrying 3 amps. If I am using the Continuous Circuit Chart from AC 43 1B correctly then 20 gauge would suffice. However, when I check it using the Wire Barn Calculator I get a different answer. I figure I am doing something wrong. Your help is appreciated.

Roll Servo Install ...RV-14

I have been trying to wrap my head around what capabilities come with the generic wiring harness that Vans supplies as part of the wing kit, what harnesses I need to make myself, and what comes with a panel built by Stein. The otherwise excellent build-plans that Vans supplies are silent when it comes to this type of information. It would be so helpful if the plans simply included a note saying something like: "The left wing harness includes wiring and connectors for a landing light, magnetometer, ADAHRS, stall switch, and heated pitot for manufactures Dynon, Garmin, etc.. The right wing wiring harness includes blah blah blah". That would make it perfectly clear for what systems a builder wants to include that he will have to do himself.
Anyway, I know the roll servo for the autopilot goes in the right wing. I bought a VOR/localizer/glideslope antenna that goes in the right wingtip, and I know that I have to run the coax for that myself. I see there is a small molex plug that is in the bay just outboard of the wing walk ribs and I'm pretty sure that is for the aileron trim servo. What I'm not sure about is where the roll servo goes because according to Stein, when they build you a panel they include a wiring harness long enough to reach the servo. In this case, all I need to do is make sure I have a way to pull the harness to that location. The problem is that I don't know where it goes. Because the aileron bellcrank bracket has a large molex plug mounted in it, I'm assuming the roll servo goes there? Or somewhere close to that bay? Can anyone confirm this? Or better yet, send a photo?

Paint Update ...WingsOnWheels

Oh ---- moment need advice

So I got a lot of work in today on my tank. I should have stopped 20 min before I did. I think I was tired and made an error in reading the plans and orienting my inboard tank rib. The image below is of my T-703. As you can see I did not have the part oriented correctly when I drilled the first hole for the fuel vent line. I realized my problem and drill the correct hole. So now I have to decide what to do with the bad hole.

The way I see it I have three options.

1: order new parts and build the a new rib. (my least favorite and I don't think necessary)

2: Use the bad hole for a fuel return line. I was going to install one anyway but I was planning on putting it up higher on the rib and having it return fuel to the third bay. Anyone see an issue with putting it lower on the rib and working the fuel return line to the top of the tank in the first bay then straight over into the third bay?

3: creating a patch. Cutting a piece of AL to fit over the hole and using tank sealant to close the hole. If I did this would it be necessary to sandwich the rib between two pieces of AL or could I just put a patch on the outside?

Any advice is appreciated

Also while I am at it. I have read about people using HEX head screws to secure the fuel tank access panel. Are those ordered from vans? Anyone have a part number or link if they are from an outside source.

Thanks

September 17, 2018.  0001Z.  Issue #4,655.
  Milestones to report.  Sixteen years ago today our RV-6 'Flash' first slipped the surlies, and 1,287 hours later it’s still kickin @ss and takin' names.  I will forever be grateful for how my life has been enriched entering this wonderful RV hobby.
  A happy, unplanned consequence of RV ownership presented itself the other week.  When I totaled my logbook three weeks back I discovered I now have 1,500+ hours PIC.  Sixteen years of those .3hr flights added up via the tortoise method.  That with my new(ish) instrument rating makes me barely attractive now to people who pay other people to fly, so I'm studying for my commercial rating.  Cuz why not?
  I have a friend who flies a Grand Caravan EX (and is a CFI) and I've been offered the occasional flight in the front in exchange for slinging bags, etc.  Did a day trip already - great fun and learned a LOT!  That counts as honest to goodness turbine time at a rate I can afford.  And as you might already know, those ten hours of turbine time count as complex time (notice / aeronautical experience requirements (§61.129)(a)(3)(ii)).  As of April '18, as I did with the IFR ticket, I can now take the commercial checkride in my RV-6 when the time comes (article).  So I'm really only out the price of the written test, DPE and gas.  Practicing the maneuvers now in .3hr hops.  Instead of looking for deer, turkeys and hogs for .3, I look for .2 then practice one of the commercial maneuvers.
  We'll see where it leads; in a perfect world an additional income source a couple times a month.  Being self-employed I've found extra money to be pretty useful, and having another set of marketable job skills wouldn't be the dumbest move I could make.
  I started a folder for my tablet's annotated pics/grabs of the commercial test questions that require charts and stuff.  You're welcome to give 'em a look.
  Hope you had a nice weekend with your RV plane or project, and hope you enjoy today's edition.  Quite a bit of RV news over the weekend!

v/r,

1,546 hrs PIC.  594 hrs XC.  4.7 hrs turbine. ;^)
 

VS done (less fairings) ...Brantel RV-10

The VS is done (less fairings) and I am on to the rudder!

Belfast Fly-in recap ...Dvalcik RV-12

Loring AFB visit and lobster dinner;

Due to weather only many of the planned out of state arrivals for Thursday did not happen. We did fly 6 RVs to the former Loring Air Force Base. The gaggle of 6 arrived at ME16 with permission from the authority. It was an incredible day to fly, blue skies with low winds. Looking down that 12800 ft runway was great. Even though I just used the 1st 500 to land on and then back taxi'd, it still was a sight.  I could just image a large B-36 lumbering down the runway.

We were greeted by Carl from the development authority and Ray from the Historical Museum. They provided a 2.5 hour tour. There was also a TV crew there upon arrival.

2050 Hour Borescope ...petehowell

Daughter Megan was home from San Fran for the week and said she needed a pancake run this morning....so we went! On the way home, we tipped over 2050 hours and we did an oil change.

Compressions were 76/78/77/77 all cold. Lower plugs looked great!

The filter had some carbon in it and the screen was clear.

Here's your valve porn via the $11 camera on a wire - they look pretty good - sorry about the #4 Pic...  ...

Too rich? ...DaleB

Well, today was my first longer trip post-inspection. A little under an hour each way. EGTs look low to me. Ignore the fuel flow... for whatever reason, after having the fuel pump out our fuel flow indication has changed dramatically, and I'll need to re-calibrate.

Unfortunately I can't tell you the actual fuel burn for the trip. I don't know exactly how full the tank was when I left, nor exactly how much it took to fill it -- not that that would matter, without knowing the exact amount when I left. Plus we fill from 5 gallon cans, and I don't have one marked in fractions of gallons yet. The good news is, it wasn't full when I left, I flew 2.0 hours, and it took around 12-13 gallons to fill it when I got back.

This is after I did the 200 hour carb inspection/parts replacement. The balance is the best it's ever been, and the engine runs smoother than it has since I've owned it. We use a Carb_mate, and with the sensitivity all the way up the carbs are within one light of dead center from idle all the way to 4000 RPM. I've NEVER seen it that close. We also found and fixed a problem with the choke cable that may have been keeping one choke (starting carb) from completely closing.

No wheel pants (fiberglass repairs) so it's slooooow. Both shots taken about halfway, so everything was stable in cruise.  ...

RV7 return oil hose routing with SW8432R ...pazmanyflyer

Hi all.
I have a new -8 engine to cooler return hose that is 21.5" flare to flare from Tom at TS Flightline. My first attempt was a touch short. You can see here that I am stretching the hose straight and it's not bending at the fitting to my liking. It was way to tight with to much stress at the fitting.

RV IAC Aerobatic Competition Standings - 2018

Congratulations to Dennis Parks who flew away with a solid third place finish at the Apple Turnover contest last weekend. This is the second contest for Dennis this season and the scores show that Dennis has been burning a lot of avgas in practice. It pays off! Well done Dennis. Scott Emery flew in the same contest but chose to strap on his Yak 50 instead of his RV-8. (Deciding which airplane to fly is a decision few of us are bothered with. )

Triple Tree 360* Video ...Md11av8r

Here is my Triple Tree work in progress with my new Garmin VIRB 360 camera. Still trying to figure out the Garmin Edit software. Not much documentation available explaining its use and features.
David
N900EC
RV 7

Punctured Skin

Punctured my rudder skin while it was on the DRDT-2. I didn't have the holes lined up and slipped, and now there's a dimpled hole where there should be no hole at all.  See Picture Here  My initial thought was I would need to get a new skin...however, can I just drop a short rivet in there to cover it up?

Almost done ...jjbardell

The panel planning has been a great learning experience around avionics, what is needed and how fast one can run out of panel space. We are 90% finalized in the layout and almost ready to cut.

Check out my latest blog update if you are interested in the official CAD layout. One neat thing we did was identify how to place, cut and incorporate the vents into one sheet of aluminum to create a refined finish.

I chose to buy the D10a because it was used and saved me quite a bit over a G5 or mini-extreme.

Jabiru 3300 Fitst Engine Start

N7944A Jabiru first Engine Start.  All went well.  Video Link .  Thanks Phil, Merle, Dennis, Lynn and Marcia for your help

Long -14A non-stop... bmarvel

For those of you still building and needing motivation or for those wondering about -14A performance, here's something more to look at.

I've got 330 hours on ours now in two years. Two days ago we flew it nonstop from home base in Grand Junction, CO to Torrance, CA (KGJT-KTOA), by far our longest non-stop trip.

IFR routing was via airways at 12,000 to 14,000 with a 30 knot headwind. We had three minor route revisions from ATC along the way so the trip ended up being 596 NM. Total flight time was 5.1 hours.

My red cube totalizer has never held accuracy very long and showed us landing with 10 gallons fuel remaining. The much more accurate float sensors in the tanks showed 15 remaining, or almost two hours reserve after 5 hours in the air.

When I refueled in Torrance the pump agreed with the float sensors and indicated the airplane took 36 gallons to top off both tanks so the actual reserve was 14 gallons.

Average ground speed was 120 knots given about a 150 knot TAS at those altitudes (approx. 50% power) so fuel burn was just a little more than 7 GPH at full throttle and 2300 RPM.

This is just a normal RV-14A kit airplane with IO-390 and Sensenich CS prop, built per the plans. There is no added fuel capacity. So far it has been trouble free and continues to impress me with its performance.

Status Report ...jcarne

Got the seats mostly installed. All I have left on them is to upsize the holes to #30 and they are ready for deburring.

New Guy Says Hey

Hi VAF friends!

I'm Steven Scherer - a younger (25) Aero Engineer in the Seattle area working for a large aerospace company. My wife Kelsey and I just started building the RV-12iS; received the empennage kit last week. Finished the inventory and are just now starting on the plans. We'll have a website that I can post later for progress pics and such.

Just checking in and saying thanks for being a great community. The active members here are one of the many things that convinced me to build an RV instead of buying a cheap (old!) certified plane. I'll admit that I still feel like I don't know enough to post anything intelligent, but most of what I have read has been very welcoming, so I'm sure I'll get enough confidence soon .

Shout-out to anyone in Washington to wants to build an RV - we had a great "Intro to Building" experience with Axsys Air. If you're on the fence, I highly recommend getting in touch with Axsys Air and spending the weekend with them to learn that you can really follow the plans and build an airplane. Friendly folks. Bring your significant other along as well if they are on the fence too (or just want to know why your insane)!

#67 Amaknak Island ...Vlad

An island once owned by Russia, one of the most populous in the Aleutian chain. I arrived there early June 2018 and spent couple days flying around. Surreal place.

Avionics failure in IMC

Ok so here I go exposing myself to the flame thrower to hopefully help someone else avoid my SNAFU.

I departed In my -10 at night on a stormy, night IFR flight plan for a 50 minute hop home after a long duty day as a corpotate jet jock. I climbed into the clouds around 2000’ climbing to 10’000’ and upon entering the soup, the landing light was glaring off the clouds. I reached up to turn it off and grabbed the avionics master instead. The G3 and all three displays went black as did the com radio just as ATC was issuing a change to my clearance.

Luckily I had added a G5 with it’s battery backup shortly after buying the plane. I immediately went into mental reversionary mode and began hand flying while the G3x system ran through the reboot process. It was a long 2-3 minutes for the ADAHRS to realign and even longer for the Garmin 650 to join the fun.  ...

Mackinac Island Trip Write-up: jjbardell 9A

ON SPEED Angle of Attack ...update and new vid (VAC)

I posted a new, long unedited video of a recent software validation flight here: https://youtu.be/-iudL-gAL5E . We’ve added an additional oblique camera to our test RV-4, which provides the view over the left wing. This view can be helpful for pattern operations. The relative sound levels, including engine noise and radio give some idea of the general volume adjustment for the AOA tone.

We are currently working on reducing the perceived “harshness” of the simple digital tone by using more advanced digital to analog capability. We hadn’t done this yet, since our original intent was to simply demonstrate the utility of this type of aural logic to assist with energy management. The basic digital tone was sufficient for that purpose. Unfortunately, this simple digital tone has not translated well to video, especially if other ambient sounds are edited out and tone volume is increased to ensure proper recording; so, we think that’s an important fix to overcome what we’ve dubbed “green eggs and ham syndrome.”   ...

September 14, 2018.  Issue #4,654.
  Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and RV-filled weekend!  
 

Ontario to California and return ...Ivan Kristensen

Three of my "Bucket List" RV-10 flying items got checked off on this recent trip. They were #1. Fly by the Mount Rushmore monument, #2. was the fly by the famous "Mittens" buttes near the Monument Valley airport (UT25) and land at that airport and #3 was the visit Yosemite Natl. Park in California.  ...

Houston area monthly lunch (September)

OK friends, we've reached that important time of the month again. Let's plan on getting together at Hooks for some B-52 burgers this Saturday at 11:30.

Unfortunately I'm not going to be able to make it, so I'll catch you all next month.

 

Hat Sighting ...catmandu

Not in a Pilatus (although I’ve seen a few flying around), 7k MSL on Pilatus, near Lucerne, Switzerland.

Last part  (part 3 of 3)

Sorry for the delay of part 3, but here I am.

And then I hit water. I cannot remember exactly the moment, despite the strong braking effect of water, I do not recall it (while when I see the video makes my palms sweating).

The "flip" was there, again, no particular issue, but then something happened: tha canopy was closed.

I was inverted, I could see the "roof" of the canopy completely covered with sand, realizing in that moment that I was lying on the "bed" of the sea, actually some mixed sand and water with bubble was coming in from the perimeter of the hole of the canopy handle.

What really scared me, it was what I could see on the lateral side of the canopy. In Italy we have marvellous carribbean style blue water in Sardinia and Sicily, but not in that area, more "ocean" style with brown. So what I could see was brown water. I was, let's say in half a meter water deep, but that's enough for an inverted RV to see only water. It seemed like seeing an acquarium from the RV.

First question was: did I make a mistake? Am I lying in 3 meters? Somebody will pick me up?

I could hear the pump of the smoke running (remember? I told you that master was left on) and there I was, I unbuckle and I could not open the canopy or brake the canopy.

From the camera, you can clearly see the last portion of the canopy "pushed" while I was trying to escape.

No, it was impossible to die (water will have arrived at a certain maximum), but that was an awful moment, maybe worse than the collision itself.

Then, suddenly the light came, because bystanders lifted the wing, allowing me to see that I was actually just where I planned to.

During the lift, I heard a "crack" and then I pushed hard with my left hand, the canopy finally cracked and I could escape from a big "hole" on the left side of the canopy.

And that's the end of the story, now some considerations. ...
__________________
Luigi Wilmo Franceschetti
Brescia, Italy
Former RV7 Owner & Pilot

How about adding Triple Tree videos from this year?

Carl Raichle gets the ball rolling.

Intermittent Transponder problem

I replaced my KT76A with a GTX327 and it seems to work most of the time. In the past 20hrs of flying, 4 times I've had ATC tell me they can't see me. Once, recycling the transponder fixed the problem. One of the four times, they said they can't see my altitude. The other times, they can't see me at all (position or altitude). The interesting thing is that my ADSB can always see me, even when ATC can't. This leads me to think it's an antenna problem.

 

Starting rebuild of a landing accident RV-8 ...new guy checks in.

Hey guy's,

I've just put a deposit on an RV-8 that had an "issue" on a landing. Looks like I'm going to have to rebuild from the spar carry thru fwd. I'm going to try and find a set of unfinished wings. Just looking for any ideas about making sure all the rest of the airplane is square, and going to need fwf kits. Gear is ok. I'm just an old Pitts builder so I need all the help, advice , and moral support I can get!!!

 

Canopy Frame Help (RV-14) ...Avoca1us

My canopy frame doesn't line up with the roll bar. It sticks out on both sides about 1/8", and is about 1/8" low at the very top. I'm waiting on Van's tech support to get back to me. Puzzling.

RV14 emp ordered. Now what? ...new guy checks in

My RV14 emp will be shipped in a couple of weeks. I have acquired 99% of the tools. Its the primer I'm still pondering. I do want to prime. Its between rattle cans or Stewarts system as I want to paint during our somewhat cold winters here in Canada in my heated garage. What is the consensus on Stewarts (which one) whether its as good as the more toxic epoxy stuff. Is there a difference in the color?

Customer Interior Spotlight ...VAF Advertiser

Here are some new pictures from Ian in the UK of his very nice RV-7. This is just a great looking plane. I really like the colors, and the layout of the paint scheme. The interior looks pretty nice too Thanks Ian!

Click on the link to see more about Ian's plane.

Garmin G3X Touch Software V6.20 (September 12, 2018)

Version 6.20 contains the following changes with respect to version 6.10:1.Added support for GTN vertical navigation guidance
2.Added display of VNAV target altitude to PFD (GDU 46x only)
3.Added annunciation of secondary armed vertical flight director mode
4.Added VFR annunciation to HSI
5.Added Navigation configuration page
6.Added configuration for VNAV deviation scale
7.Added EFIS/Airdata 2 ARINC 429 output format
8.Added GPS AGL height sentence to Text Out RS-232 format
9.Added configuration option to invert display of elevator trim gauge when using Vertical Power position data
10.Changed autopilot airspeed annunciation display
11.Changed default name for coolant temperature gauge
12.Improved interface with GNC 300XL and similar navigators
13.Improved flight director command display across multiple displays that use different attitude sources
14.Improved display of Mogas availability
15.Improved airspeed comparison between multiple GSU 25Bs
16.Improved Rotax FADEC caution/warning annunciation
17.Improved Connext data interface
18.General improvements to system operation
19.Includes update to G5 software version 5.60
20.Includes update to GDL39 software version 4.81
21.Includes update to GEA24 software version 3.40
22.Includes update to GMC507 software version 2.50
23.Includes update to GTR20/200 software version 3.20
24.Includes GAD27 software version 2.20
25.Includes GAD29 software version 3.00
26.Includes GDL5X software version 2.11
27.Includes GI260 software version 2.70
28.Includes GMA245 software version 2.40
29.Includes GMA245 audio software version 2.20
30.Includes GMA245 Bluetooth software version 2.00
31.Includes GMU11 software version 2.00
32.Includes GPS20A software version 2.20
33.Includes GSA28 software version 4.10
34.Includes GSU25 software version 3.70
35.Includes GSU73 software version 3.70
36.Includes GSU73 IGRF database version 1.03 (Base Year 2015)

September 13, 2018.  Issue #4,653.
  Reminder that today NW Regional's (52F) name changes back to its original Aero Valley (more).  Pushing out the Thu edition early to get the newest hurricane relocation info out front and center a few hours sooner.  
 

Hurricane Relocation Additions (start here)

More Hurricane Florence Info

Recent Additions
- Room for one plane at Lumkin County, Ga. 9A0.

- I have a hangar open at IPJ for anyone that needs to get out of Florence's flow for a few days - weeks. Give me a call or PM me. Eight 2 Eight two 3 4 forty seventy six. We also have two rooms open for the RV hotel as long as you don’t mind dogs!

- I can squeeze a couple in at X35 with a car or 2-room RV Hotel.

- We have space available in our EAA Chapter T-Hanger at KPUJ. We can take one RV.

- free to storm refugee. If you want to fly that far... Possibly until midweek next week 9/18/18 depending on repairs to club plane in repair shop

- I have a large t hangar at S37 smoketown, PA if anyone needs it. I won't need it for about 2 weeks, at least. Have spare room available if needed as well, but must like dogs.

- I have an empty T-hanger at KFIT (west of Boston) available for anyone seeking shelter from the storm. Send me a PM if interested.

- I just spoke with the airport manager where I have my hangar, 1A3, in Copperhill, TN. He has hangar space for six or seven RV's. His name is Shane Keldahl. He is also an A&P, IA and a super nice helpful guy. His cell number is 706/490-4143. I told him to expect some calls.

More: Hurricane Inland Bases

Lower Intersection Fairing Fitting ...Lynnb

So I have the 10 off the ground, and I've aligned and fitted the gear leg and intersections fairings. I have split the lower fairings so I can epoxy them to the wheel pants. Now to my question. Do I fill the leading edge of the intersection fairing with an epoxy/filler mixture to get a nice snug fit to the gear leg fairing, or does there need to be some gap in there to account for flex when the weight of the plane is on the gear?

New Guy Checks In ...Steven Scherer

Hi VAF friends!

I'm Steven Scherer - a younger (25) Aero Engineer in the Seattle area working for a large aerospace company. My wife Kelsey and I just started building the RV-12iS; received the empennage kit last week. Finished the inventory and are just now starting on the plans. We'll have a website that I can post later for progress pics and such.

Just checking in and saying thanks for being a great community. The active members here are one of the many things that convinced me to build an RV instead of buying a cheap (old!) certified plane. I'll admit that I still feel like I don't know enough to post anything intelligent, but most of what I have read has been very welcoming, so I'm sure I'll get enough confidence soon .

Shout-out to anyone in Washington to wants to build an RV - we had a great "Intro to Building" experience with Axsys Air. If you're on the fence, I highly recommend getting in touch with Axsys Air and spending the weekend with them to learn that you can really follow the plans and build an airplane. Friendly folks. Bring your significant other along as well if they are on the fence too (or just want to know why your insane)!

And of course, dues paid now. Thanks, Doug, for keeping such a great community up and running.

Hat Sighting: Sentosa Island Singapore ...Ken W.

About the charity cap.

September 12, 2018.  Issue #4,652.   

Carp ON to Stanstead QC ...Lycosaurus trip write-up

Last Sunday we flew to the Weller Farm (CTQ2) in Stanstead following a lunch invitation for Beefalo burgers. Hmmm. Took about an hour and 20 minutes and though Montreal air traffic controllers said they were too busy to have us transit through their zone at 7,500 ft. They changed their mind when I told them I would fly under it. I must have some sort of reputation there :-)

Beautiful day for flying. Approximately 60 airplanes made it for the gathering. Even Vlad from NYC did a fly by in his RV9A, but could not land due to not having customs clearance available to him.  ...

NW Regional Returns to Founder's Original Aero Valley on 9/13

...my home field

Last December during the annual 52F property owners meeting a vote was taken to return the name of the airport back to its original ‘Aero Valley’, the name picked out by the airport's founder Edna Gardner Whyte (right).  The name used for the first 20+ years of its existence.

That change goes into effect on 9/13/2018. You should see it popping up in sectionals and online databases in the very near future. It might take a few weeks for it to propagate to most online data sets.  We have assembled a team of property owners to aid in getting the word out efficiently and expeditiously. 

Welcome back Aero Valley!  We missed you!  (more info).

From the newest sectional (bought 9/11/18)

Partial list of races won by Aero Valley founder Edna Gardner Whyte:
1930 Closed Course Pylon Race (Racine, Wisc.)
1933 Kate Smith Trophy, National Air Pageant (Long Island, N.Y.)
1934 Annette Gipson Trophy Race (Roosevelt Field, N.Y.
1934 Men and Women Pylon Race (Baltimore, Md.)
1937 Women's Alcazar Trophy Race (Miami, Fla.)
1939 K.K. Culver Trophy Race (Miami, Fla.)
1953 Women's International Air Race (Canada to Florida)
1954 Skylady Derby Efficiency Race (Raton, N.M., to Kansas City, Mo.)
1957 Dallas Doll Derby Efficiency Race (Dallas, Tx.)
1958 Women's International Air Race (Canada to Grand Bahamas)
1960 Women's International Air Race (Florida to El Salvador)
1961 Women's International Air Race (Florida to Bahamas)
1964 U.S.A. Rally, Men and Women (Winter Haven, Fla.)

THANK YOU  ...TJ

Wow the people on this forum never cease to amaze me. As of last week I had never flown in an RV much less a -10 and now I can say with an RV grin on my face a big thanks to you TJ for taking me up and even letting me fly a bit and making my horrible attempt at a landing. I couldn't believe how quickly the -10 accelerated and how quickly we were up at altitude, what an impressive piece of machinery! My empennage will be here mid next week, and I cannot wait to get started!

Thanks Again TJ, I am eternally grateful! Look forward to keeping you and the Vans community updated on the build. New builders website to come soon in my signature.
__________________
Brandon Flores
N710LL Reserved

Ever Seen One of These?

...seen at my home field Tuesday.  Four pictures beginning HERE.

Heads up on operating limitations ...Bill Greenley RV-10

Going over my operating limitations and found an error. The flight area limitations from phase one was duplicated in the phase two section. Called my DAR and he found the template he used from the FAA was putting it there. Mine is getting corrected but you may want to check yours.

Crankshaft Flange Paint/Protection ...az_gila PIREP

The shops do cadmium plating because that is what the overhaul manual calls for...   There is potential for a lot of load in that area.

Aircraft Registration question

I have been working with my DAR to get my aircraft registered. He mailed me a completed form 8050-1. The aircraft serial number that is typed in the field is incorrect.
•Can I simply one line the incorrect serial number and neatly print the correct serial number?

•Do I need to get a new form?

•Has anyone used the online form on the FAA website? Is it just a matter of filling it out online, print it, and mail with the other required documents?
My DAR was not familiar with the online forms.

Thanks in advance.
__________________
Paul Bonorden
RV-6A under construction

September 11, 2018.  Issue #4,651.   

Never forget.

RV Grin  ...Ross F.

A friend of mine was visiting from Japan this week and I got to take him flying yesterday evening. The photos say it all. He kept saying "sugoi" which roughly translates into amazing or terrific.

He's worked at an FBO in Japan and for Toyota and now Denso near Nagoya so he appreciates airplanes and things mechanical.

They don't have anything like Experimentals in Japan. He was so impressed that we are allowed to build and fly our own aircraft over here. Yes, we are very lucky indeed to have this freedom.

New Hot Start Problems

I fly an RV-7 with the IO-360 w/ slick mags it has about 400 hrs on it. Recently, I've had trouble with hot starts. I use the full throttle mixture cut-off dance; which up until this summer has worked without fail relatively quickly. Lately it's been much more difficult to start hot, or even warm after it sits for an hour or so. Every time except once I was able to get it started eventually but took a fair amount of cranking which is not normal (and to be honest slightly embarrassing when you're at a fly-in with people watching ). Cold starts are no issue and it usually fires after 3-5 blades. No other anomalies once started.

I guess my question is where to start looking, it feels like ignition but I'm not sure. Spark plugs looked fine in May, mags haven't been touched. second option is I'm just out of practice with the dance and its pilot error, but it doesn't feel like I've changed anything.
__________________
Chris Odens
Alexandria, MN
RV-7 N914N

RV-10 Status Report ...Brantel

Back at it after the family vacation!  A few updates to my build blog have been posted. Ready to prime the vertical stabilizer parts tonight!

Moving your aircraft out of the way of a hurricane ...VAF advertiser

If you are in the path of one of the incoming hurricanes, we hope you are staying safe. We also wanted to remind you that many aviation insurance policies will reimburse you to move your aircraft out of the path of a named hurricane or wind storm if possible. Each company is different, but several offer a reimbursement program. These companies would rather pay the reimbursement expenses (usually up to a set limit) rather than pay for a totaled aircraft. If you’re wondering if your insurance company partakes in a program like this, it will be listed in your policy. You can also contact your insurance broker for more information.

If you are unable to move your aircraft and need to turn in a claim, here are numbers for the companies we insure Vans Aircraft through:

• Global Aerospace - 913-451-9660 or 888-228-2281
• AIG - 866-463-0408 / AerospaceClaimsPhoenix@aig.com
• AIM/Aerospace – aimclaims@hallmarkgrp.com
• Starr – 404-946-1400 / aviationclaimreports@starrcompanies.com/if an emergency Jeffrey Greenawalt 214-223-0202
• U.S. Specialty Insurance Company - 801-467-8731 / claims@ussic.com
• QBE – Western USA 208-891-3275 / Eastern USA 513-833-7076 / Southern USA 470-277-0048
• Old Republic – 770-590-4950 / http://www.oldrepublicaerospace.com/...t-a-claim.aspx
• USAIG - 866-789-1986 / Michael.wilhelms@usaig.com AND Carol.Turner@usaig.com
• Elevon - 833-837-7268/ claims@versantrisk.com

__________________
Leah Ringeisen, Shanna Linton, & Katie Escalante
Gallagher Aviation
877-475-5860

Related: The VAF Hurricane Inland Relocation List

Gasket Work ...crabandy

I've decided to keep the gascolator for now.

I've also decided to add a 1/16" inch Phenolic spacer between the carb and sump, the 1/16" inch should work with the existing studs and airbox to cowl angle.

Prior to making the spacer I wanted to get a fresh look at the carb/cable bracket/oil sump assembly. I found the center hole of the cable bracket was too small, it stuck out into the sump hole creating a sharp lip.

DAR Inspection Results ...Mark Dickens

I had a great inspection with Vic today as I mentioned in an earlier post, but there were three issues noted that I thought, in the interest of helping future inspectees, I'd cover. One was more serious than the rest. Vic is free to chime in with more if he wants:

1. The bolt securing the B lead to my PlanePower alternator had come loose from vibration during the several engine starts that had occurred since I'd installed it. The nipple cover had covered it up and I didn't notice it. I installed a lock washer and retightened the bolt. My only comment about this is that the nut provided by PlanePower should be tossed in the trash and replaced with a better alternative, but being a metric size, AN hardware isn't going to work. I will replace this with a better more robust solution. Really, aside from all the Plane Power complaints and now this, I fully expect to replace it with a B&C alternator in the future. It's just a matter of time.

2. Even though my mixture control goes full forward to full rich, the mixture lever on the injector did not reach full rich (off by a millimeter maybe) because of slop in the mixture cable. A two minute adjustment, but reinforces the need to check both ends of the cable.

3. Lastly, and the most serious, I had substituted a AN castellated nut and cotter pin for the plate nut on the fuse to fuel tank attachment bracket...ironic since this came up for discussion just yesterday in another thread...turns out that you REALLY need to use the platenut per Scott's comments in that thread, so this weekend's tasks will include removing those brackets, installing those platenuts and doing it over. I wonder how many others have made this assumption and mistake over the years. I certainly saw no harm in using the AN4 castellated nut, but you know what happens when you assume...

That's pretty much it. Vic had some very helpful advice and thoughts. I count this day as one of the best I've had during this project.

__________________
RV-8 #81077 Super Slow Build

Mothership:  RV-14 Stats

Aeroleds ...Joe Parish

Wanted to give a shout out to Aeroleds for standing behind their products even tho it was out of warranty. I bought a set of landing lights and Wing tip Nav lights along with there suntail light that mounts in the rudder fiberglass. I purchased them in August of 2011 thru Vans. Fast forward 7 years and the airplane is flying and had 42 hours on it when I noticed only half the suntail light was working. I called Aeroleds and was told to send a video of the light on a bench test with only half working. I did that and they informed me they would be shipping a new light that day. The warranty for their products clearly states five years. The light was about 2 years out of that warranty, it only had 42 hours on it. I really appreciate them standing behind their product even tho the warranty was up. I know they did not have to that, but they did.

Thanks Joel Parish
__________________
Joe
RV-9A N525XC

September 10, 2018.   0001Z.  Issue #4,650.   

First Flight RV-8 ...Jeff

Chalk up another one for the Van's RV-8 fleet ... I successfully completed my first flight today in N605TT. I had a beautiful morning with winds about 6-8kts right down the runway out at KFYE. The flight was about 35 minutes from start up to shut down. The airplane is very well balanced and flew hands off. The power developed by the Titan IOX-360 and Whirlwind 200RV prop was impressive even at a reduced power setting. The GRT HXr looked great on the panel and the radios were 5x5. Still can't believe I wired this all up myself and the boxes even speak to each other nicely!

I found a few items to tend to, most notably oil temperature a little higher than I would like, but I had a baffle seal blow backwards so that fix may help. Cylinder head temps shot up quickly on departure to 385 deg but after adding about 30 kts with a shallower climb, they cooled just a bit and remained stable.

I have to give much thanks to my wife for her patience and understanding of my long days and nights at the hangar. I need to also say thanks to Mark Dickens (RV-8 KFYE) for his invaluable assistance and helping hands, to Dwight Smith (RV-4 KFYE) for his expertly experienced second set of eyes on the plane, and to Bruce Bohannon for getting me trained up for RV-8 ops.

And, thanks to Van's Aircraft for a great airplane and to Van's Air Force for the wealth of knowledge, advice and Q&A.

Here's a screenshot pulled from the GoPro video. Some quality was lost with the web hosting process.

RV-14 First Flight ...kaber56

First flight today after 5 years and 8 months build time!   Fly's great

New Guy Chimes In ...Barry Klussman (Washington, MO)

Let the fun begin

Tomorrow I pick up my empennage kit for the RV-10. Never built anything like this so it will be a journey. The kids are gone and I need a hobby. I am looking for suggestions on setting up the workshop, and any suggested links to get started. We just moved into our home so our garage is empty and will need to set it up.

Thanks in advance for suggestions

SCBC Vid of Trip to Triple Tree ...Gene Mohr RV-6A

Here is a nice video from this years South Carolina Breakfast Club's fly-in
to Triple Tree. A great time for all.

6-Seater Crash at 52F Last Friday P.M. ...pics.

....(6) onboard - all survived.  Lost power taking off to the north.  I took the drone out the next evening and got some pics after the rain stopped, with permission of the airport manager who we did call ;^).   Maybe useful to the NTSB.  Look for the little icon for full size photos.  Very grateful to hear all survived.

Facet fuel pump failure mode?

We’re just finishing up our CI, or trying to. 2011 RV-12 with 400 hours. We sealed up a slow leak in the fuel tank, so before trying to run the engine I put 5 gallons of fresh alcohol free mogas in the tank. Removed the drain from the gascolator and started running the pump to flush out the lines. It pumped about 2 gallons and suddenly stopped dead. Fuse is OK and there is power to the pump. The fans run with the master on. Only a minor drip of gas with the valve open and gascolator drain removed. I removed the baggage floor cover and gave it a couple of sharp taps with a screwdriver handle, no effect. The pump is not making any noise at all that I can hear...

Before I tear into this, what’s the most likely problem? Would a chunk of debris like Proseal that we missed with the vacuum do this? OF COURSE it has to happen on Friday afternoon...

Canopy Frustration ...dwranda

   For the first time in my build I am regretting building the 9 instead of the 14. I had to get away from the plane before I ripped the canopy frame off and ran over it with the car. I thought I had it fitting pretty well then I cracked the tube on the frame. I had that welded then it still didn't fit right any more. I was carefully bending it to try to get it to fit and the other side started cracking.
   I read on Bruce Swayzes excellent build site that he riveted the sub panel structure to the plane so there would be no possible movement of anything that could screw up the canopy. So I just did that. I had a great riveting day when all the rivets came out perfect even the hard to reach ones. That doesn't happen too often. Didn't have to drill any out. I was HAPPY.
   With much trepidation I just tried to fit the canopy frame. It fits worse than it ever has. I don't know at what point it stopped fitting well or what caused it. I was hoping it was the crack, but that was repaired and that still didn't help. It's as if the holes I drilled for the pivot points are wrong now.
   The only thing I can think to do is see if the welder can fill the pivot holes and push the canopy into a relatively decent fitting place and redrill the holes. Does that sound feasible? In the pics attached you can see the gap on the right side and the huge amount the frame sits above the front skin on the left side. It was never that high at the front like that. Anybody have any ideas???

Grass Strip Collected ...Vladster

After visiting with Bob and Terry at Lake Placid I went to North Creek, NY. An idyllic place in the Adirondacks very interesting upslope curvy runway. There are sandy spots and some roughness. Watch where you glue your training wheel in. <g>

F-711 bulkhead prep

VAF searches show several builders encountering skin fit issues with this F-711 bulkhead. During prep I see mine are quite warped along the vertical axis:

Could this be related to later skin fit issues? Is there a way to straighten these so they lay flat? I know fluting tends to straighten about the horizontal axis (perpendicular to the flute) so I doubt that would help. I noticed other bulkhead ribs don't lay flat either.

Also, look at the flanges on F-711B as they come from Van's. Are these supposed to be squared like that? The instructions don't suggest it. I have an irresistible urge to round off those corners.

September 7, 2018.   Issue #4,649.   
  Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and RV-filled weekend. 

Oshkosh 2018 Father-Son Adventure ...Guy Prevost

Every year, I block off Oshkosh week in my calendar. My wife has to plan vacation time a year in advance, so whether we go to Oshkosh or not, it's a great placeholder for some time off. This year, her work schedule changed, but I still had an open calendar for the first few days of the event. What to do? Go to Oshkosh!

Last time we went, the kids were 1 and 3 and both still in diapers. We camped in HBC. That was a bit too much of an adventure. This year I decided to take my now 5 year old son. I just didn't think I could handle both kids by myself, especially camping. About a week beforehand I pitched the idea to Ayrton, pointing out that since he was a good listener and a good stick he would get to fly left seat. (I fly from the right anyway.) He was beyond stoked--flying, camping, and his sister didn't get to go. I'll warn readers ahead of time. I really didn't take any airplane pictures. I took a few of some wonderful friends, but this trip was really about the first father-son adventure. Our plane was a huge part of that, but this trip to Osh, more than any previous for me was truly about people.  ...

 

Finished RV-8 Pic ...Richard Raymond

Announcing a first flight on August 30, 2018 at Caboolture, Queensland, Australia.

VH-RKX took just shy of 10 years and features a Sam James' Cowl, with a Showplanes Fastback. The instrumentation is dual 10" Skyviews, and a GTN 635. The engine is by Aerosport Power and the prop by Whirlwind Aviation.

The exterior is a combination of polish, wrap and paint on the fibreglass surfaces.

Like many builders before, and those who will follow, we are deeply indebted to the good folks at Van's, and the sound advice from members of this wonderful forum, and you Doug who host us so well.

Build Status Report ...jcarne

Well believe it or not I haven't been just sitting around. The top skins are almost ready to be riveted on and I have been steadily working towards finish the interior area.

Van Vid ...34 min

Door bonding error fixes

How should I fix an error?

Apparently during the bonding of my first door some of the cabosil goop was probably smeared off the area shown in the sketch -

Elevator trailing edge bending ...vid

Hey everyone. I have a video out of me bending my left elevator skin. I would love some advice from all to see if I’m going too far or not. I’m also a little worried that the skin on top of the stiffeners is concave by a mm or so. Could this have happened during back riveting? Should I be worried.

Not meant to be click bait
https://youtu.be/qc2BrjaE4O8

Thanks in advance for your time.

September 6, 2018.  0003Z.  Issue #4,648.   

RV-7 Andrew Z #73658 Status Report 

...start here....lots of pics posted.  Andrew was a machine today!!!

With the girlfriend gone for the night, I managed to clean up all of the electrical stuff I had out messing around with my wig-wag experiment, and pulled the left spar out of the box. Here it is, in all of it's golden glory.

Flyboy Access. pneumatic tailwheel pilot report ...Andy Elliott

I recently installed the new Condor2 8" pneumatic tailwheel and fork produced by Flyboy Accessories, described here.
I have flown it a few times now and find it to be "most excellent"!

The fork looks very much like the Doug Bell fork. It is the same width (same axle bolts will work), but is a bit longer to account for the 1" of additional tire radius. No change to the steering link were required. The shiny aluminum split rim is very pretty and uses replaceable sealed bearings. The tire is the 200x50 (8.00-2) AeroClassic 6-ply with a 45°-stem tube, inflated to 50 psi.

Note: This size of tire and tube are used on many scooters, so non-aero, less robust versions are available very cheap. Maybe as a travel spare or if you operate exclusively on grass? You can even get foam-filled versions, but such might take a set with the kind of parked weight that is on the -8 tailwheel.

On the plane, the visual difference between the 8" pneumatic tailwheel and the 6" solid tailwheel is minimal. Over the 14' distance between the main gear and the tailwheel, the pitch change due the <1.5" net change in vertical at the tailwheel computes to about 1/2°. This is not really noticeable while taxiing or TO or landing. This will raise the step about 0.4", which is also not noticeable.

What is noticeable is the complete loss of the "banging aluminum drum" noise during all ground ops! Small surface cracks are completely absorbed by the tire, and larger cracks produce a "thump" instead "bang". I have had passengers ask "Is that OK?!" during normal ground ops just because of the tailwheel-induced noise. It's pretty loud in the back seat, I think. That won't happen any more for sure. And when I smoothly and carefully (sic) lower the tailwheel after a wheel landing, now it smoothly and quietly kisses the ground.

Net result: I think this is a great improvement to the ground operations of the plane, especially on less-than-smooth surfaces and with a back-seater, at a cost of ~$400. FWIW,

Mothership Scoreboard

Build Status Report ...David Paule RV-3B

Sunday before Labor Day was kind of a big deal. With the help of Charlie Stein and with Rod Woodard observing, we glued the LH side cockpit skin to the frame.

This marks the final skin while on the jig.

This skin, like the entire RH side, tailcone and cockpit sides, are as yet unriveted.

Rod Woodard took the first four photos.

The day was interesting and fortunately, uneventful. It went pretty much according to plan. It took 77 grams of mixed epoxy and there was a little left over. In the photo, the lids were ajar because I wasn’t sure if I’d need to mix another batch or not. As you can see from the cans, I’ve been using them.

Traveling Woes

So late last year i had an ongoing conversation with my wife regarding which plane I was going to build and she kept saying it doesn't matter because she wasn't going to be hopping in one with me anyway. We have 2 sons that are 20 months old and it was likely that if mom wasn't flying with me the boys weren't either until they got somewhere near double digits in age. We would just have to see about that, so i figured the RV12iS fit the bill for the next 8-10 years or so. Well low and behold we spent a total of 21 hours in the car over the past 4 days visiting my family in New Orleans and on the way back, the wife looks over at me and asks, "so how many seats does the plane your building have?" to which i responded "2" and then the BIGGGGGG Question..... "Well can you build a bigger one, I cant do this drive again?" Y'all, I about lost my jaw when it fell off doing 70mph on I-20! "WELL HEHAW H**L YEAH I CAN!" I had just ordered the RV12 Fuselage a couple weeks ago, a call to Vans this morning to cancel the order and sent in the RV10 order! See y'all soon, building a 10 this time.
__________________
Brandon Flores
N710LL Reserved

Sept/Oct Issue Online

September 5, 2018.  0001Z.  Issue #4,647.   

Left Wing Pics ...crabandy

Auto-Pilot doing the flying with a shallow turn at the IAF when I pop into a big hole in the BKN layer and catch the wing reflecting the sky above.

It only lasted a handful of seconds but I managed to snap a couple pics.

I'm doing it

Now that the -12 is flying and doing well, my wife commented, "where are the grandkids going to sit?". It was one of those moments where I wanted to say "I thought we talked about this about 4 years ago", but after over 3 decades of marriage, I'm learning. Later in the afternoon, with her encouragement and support, I placed an order for an RV10 empennage. I'm doing it again, or rather "we're going to build an RV-10 together".

Ooh Rah.
__________________
Ron Gawer

RV-4 Video ...mbert

For those that love flying Van's Aircraft here is a fun video. Special Thanks to all my Oklahoma and Texas friends!

RV-14 HS Rear Spar MisAlignment ......Alex C. input from his blog

I also had this issue with a kit received in July 2018 (exact same hole positions that "E" mentioned on his blog here: http://rv-14a.blogspot.com/search/la...l%20Stabilizer). However, after first clecoing the spars and then reclecoing the skins, the problem wasn't as severe, and I just #40 reamed the skin-to-rear spar holes a bit so the rivets would sit straight in the dimples.

Did anyone else with a recent kit (mine is #509) experience this issue?

Shameless Post ...Mel (10,002 posts)

Just one shameless post to round off post count!  I figure one out of 10,000 shouldn't hurt.

Hangar Rash - Left Aileron ...BH1166

I struggle to say the least to push my 6A backwards while steering, in grass that always seems a bit soft due to the rain we seem to have daily this year in Georgia.

After getting it up on the concrete slab in the T hangar, I reached for chock, and the plane rolled back and hit a post. Lucky for me, the plane was not square on the slab or both ailerons would have hit posts! I DO NOT like the way it looks and it needs addressing, but I'm even more concerned about safety. I have attached a few photos of the left outboard aileron and ask for input as to what should be done from a safety perspective. Based on my limited knowledge of sheet metal and how the 6 aileron is constructed ( thumb drive from Vans with documents/drawing) a new skin is likely needed at a minimum, an entire aileron a possibility. You will notice in one of the pics there are a series of holes drilled near trailing edge underside...WHAT !!!! I called the previous owner of 9 years and he was not aware of the holes. I was not aware myself until on my back looking up. Nothing in a complete set of logs for the plane nor a comment by AP during conditional over the years about these holes. Moving aileron full travels shows no issues or sounds of things rolling around in aileron. N72TX has 760TTAFE.

I'm hoping the brain trust here can share some ideas on how they think this should be addressed. I'm open to just about anything. I just want to STOP waking at night, thinking about it and not able to get back to sleep :-)

Thanks

September 4, 2018.  0001Z.  Issue #4,646.   
  Rain in DFW Monday, an inch as of this writing in the last 24 hours.  We needed it.  A quick .2 flight in Flash this morning early before the rain hit to warm the oil for a change.  Mostly through with it, done between laptop checks, should have everything zipped up Tuesday.  Need to flush the brake fluid and stop drill a tiny crack I found in the baffling.  Five pics starting here.  Normal wear and tear and no surprises or drips.  Great airplane.
  Hope you had a nice Labor Day and that you got the day off.   If you didn't check the site Monday, there was an edition (previous news).

Baffle crack found checking oil. 

New Builder

Hello!!

I am now RV-7 builder 74755!!
I've ordered the tail kit, a couple of tool box and practice kits, a set of Cleveland tools and I've reset my garage from a woodshop to an aircraft factory.
The catch? I'm US military serving in the UK right now so everything takes a while and everything is just a little "off" when it comes to tools, shipping, and many other things.
I've signed up for the Vans forums here in the UK, but I'm US so my shipping is a little different, and there's a number of things that are a little different from my British counterparts.
I'll also have the fun of shipping this thing back to the US in a few years when I move back...we'll see how far I get before that day comes.

As my tail kit is supposed to arrive in a few days, is there any advice you guys would like to give a new guy?
I haven't decided for sure tail or nose-dragger, pretty sure it will be a tip-up, and I guess I'll prime due to the weather here in the UK and the fact it's going on a boat across the Atlantic someday.

Looking forward to the adventure. I'm sure I'll be back with lots of questions.

Greg LeCrone
RV Builder 74755

Multiple Upgrade Update...AX-O

The cutout is done. I only ended up getting one cut on my hand. I consider that a win. I ended up with an extra row of holes on both of the new flanges because the way they were originally riveted prior to bending 90 deg down. However there are aluminum angles behind the flanges so it shouls work out great.  ...

Canopy Loss In Flight Additional Info ...RogerH

Unfortunately the canopy did hit the right horizontal stabilizer causing a dent on the leading edge. It's not creased so I'm hoping I can pull it out rather than have to replace the sheet metal.

As to the failure mechanism, hopefully the assembly is located and there will clear sign of what happened; however, even then I may never know exactly. It was about 45 minutes into a local flight to another airport, 3-4 touch & go's and cruising about 1,000ft AGL fortunately close to my home airport when it released. I had just a few moments earlier hit some pretty rough turbulence so I'm speculating that may have been a contributing factor. The release happened incredibly fast. It peeled the rivets on the right side and the hinged arm that locks when the canopy is upright clean off.

It's hard to overstate the impact of going from a steady-state flying to the unprotected blast of air that resulted. It's quite a shock and now several days later I'm still dealing with the effects on my hearing.

I'll be following up with Van's and canopy sources tomorrow to see what my options are. I have zero experience in airplane building so needless to say I'm worried how long & what it's going to take to return to an airworthy state.

Additionally there is the lingering concern that without a clear understanding of how this happened all the repair effort could be for naught if it is a recurring event. A more secure method of locking that doesn't compromise safety in case of an emergency would be good. I understand how others have experienced similar situations on take-off but it seems odd it would have taken 45 minutes to release like it did ???????

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the performance of the RV-4 during my brief time flying it but this has been a hard introduction to the world of Experimental aircraft.

The hardest part of building an RV-8?...goatflieg starts the convo

Current status: two forward nuts/washers started; working on the left aft now. Since this photo was taken, the aft bulkhead bolt adjacent to the bracket bolt has been loosened to get clearance. I can get the nut and washer onto the bolt, but despite fabrication of custom tooling, I'm unable to get the threads to catch. Spent many hours trying. Tomorrow I'll have a helper turn the bolt while I hold the nut against the bottom of the bolt; hopefully that will work. Did I mention the fuselage is upside down? It's upside down, all right. (photos courtesy of borescope cam)

Tire Problem

I am posting this situation to keep someone else from making the same mistake I did. I am a new owner, I bought my RV-12 in February 2018. I have been a pilot for many years, but am new to maintenance.

Saturday I flew from KEET to KBGF to attend a fly-in breakfast. I took a friend with me so we could enjoy the fly-in together.

When I landed at KBGF I could not steer the aircraft. It started going left and nothing I could do would stop it. I was able to miss a taxi light by using the left brake. The aircraft ran off the runway into the grass and did a 180 before it stopped. So we were sitting in the aircraft, facing the way we flew in, and not knowing for sure what happened. I thought the left tire had blown.

We got out of the aircraft and the left tire was flat. The aircraft has slid on the wheel pants on the runway before it exited to the left. The airport manager and a couple other people came out to see if we were OK and we were. They help me jack the aircraft up, get the wheel pant off, and then we were able to pull it onto the runway, put a dolly under the left wheel, and tow it to the ramp. We then had breakfast and after eating I went to work taking the left wheel off. When I got it off, I was surprised that there was not a bad spot on the tire and it appeared normal. I put air into it to see what would happen. It was holding air except it was leaking through the valve stem. After tightening the valve stem, it held air. I reinstalled the wheel, and flew back to KEET. I went to the airport today and the tire was still holding air.

I was thinking about what happened to cause this. Several months ago I purchased a tool that came with new valve caps so I could check the tire pressure and add air with the wheel pants on. There is a hole in each wheel pant, and by inserting the tool into the hole (after aligning the value stem with the hole) you can take the valve cap off. I also bought an air chuck with a straight stem so I can add air through the hole. The tool is then used to put the cap back on.

Shortly after getting those new caps and installing them, I went to the hangar one day and the left tire was flat. I went through the procedure and added air. For several months the air pressure has remained good.

Last Thursday I decided to check the pressure in the tires and I added a couple of pounds of air to both main tires. Saturday morning I looked at all the tires and they all appeared to be normal.

After winding up in the grass and taking the wheel pant off, I realized the cap on the left valve stem was on crooked and therefore it was not tight. I realized that it had cross threaded when using the tool blind through the hole. The cap has a rubber seal in it so that when it is tight, it will seal the valve stem.

So after thinking about this entire situation, I realized that for the last several months the cap has been sealing the tire and keeping the air from escaping. When I didn't get it on tight, and flew up to 5,500 feet for the trip, the outside air pressure was lower and allowed all the air to escape and therefore I landed on a flat tire. I was fortunate that the only damage was to the wheel pant.

The moral to this story, and the reason I am sharing it, is that if you think there is a problem (tire losing pressure), there probably is. I had wondered for a few months why that tire was flat that day, and why it held air pressure for several months after I filled it. I now know, the valve stem was leaking and I did not check it. I should have investigated further and found the problem initially and before flying the aircraft.

I now have all the wheel pants off, and will have them off until I repair the left wheel pant. I like them off so I can see the whole tire and add air easily. I am wondering how much speed you really gain by having the wheel pants on.

I am going to Triple Tree this week so I will see what my cruise speed is without the wheel pants.

The people at KBGF were wonderful. The airport manager, a couple of mechanics, etc. helped get the aircraft to the ramp and then loaned me tools so I could get the aircraft flying. A friend who is an RV-12 owner and lives fairly close flew over and brought me a tire and tube, which I ended up not needing. But the friendless and helpfulness of aircraft owners, mechanics, etc, was wonderful.

I look forward to going back to the breakfast there again, and arriving in a less eventful way and getting to enjoy the breakfast and the company.

Thanks again to those people who helped me. I hope by sharing this story, my mistake, that someone will be able to avoid a similar situation.

September 3, 2018.   Issue #4,645.   
  The mothership is closed for Labor Day.  I went ahead and published a Monday edition.  Lots of comments added to the Case for the RV-Super Cub doc over the weekend - nice to find out there are others thinking like me.  Fun to think about!
  Hope you got the day off and have a nice Labor Day.
 

It's a plane -) ...Greenley RV-10

As of 8/31/18 at 1:09pm my project is now a plane. N188TB. Thank you for being a great support group. It has been an year journey with a very patient wife and a very helpful son.

RTW trip completed

After two hurricanes and waiting three weeks for a weather window to open, Thursday looked like the best day to fly from Hawaii to California. On Saturday another hurricane would sweep in from the east, disrupting the favorable winds at altitude. The weather forecast predicted tail winds for 70% of the flight. In reality, I encountered 1000 nm of head winds followed by 1000 nm of tail winds towards the California coast.

The 17 hour journey from Hilo to Oakland/Concord was very exhausting, especially since I had difficulty sleeping the night before. Prior to flight, "May" was loaded with 127 gallons of fuel and I was packed in the plane surrounded by fuel tanks up to the canopy top.

Now that I am back home, I will update the blog with entries for all legs from Pakistan back to the USA.

Thank you all for for your kind words and support on my journey around the world.

John

Van’s Aircraft to Build SLSA RV-12iS and RV-12iST at Oregon Headquarters

August 31, 2018 (Aurora, OR) – Over the years, Van’s Aircraft has endeavored to expand and refine our manufacturing processes and capabilities. We do this to enhance our product line, thereby providing our customers increased value.

In keeping with our desire to deliver the best quality at a reasonable price, Van’s Aircraft is excited to announce that it is establishing its own aircraft assembly facility and team at its company headquarters in Aurora, Oregon. Future RV-12iS and RV-12-iST SLSA aircraft models will be assembled and delivered at this new facility.

Synergy Air has been Van’s assembly partner since the launch of the RV-12 SLSA program and has done a tremendous job for Van’s and our customers. As Synergy Air continues its expansion into and emphasis on the builder-assist arena, we are excited to continue to work together to create opportunities that will expand the RV fleet and the Van’s Aircraft family.  ...

Build Update ...PilotjohnS RV-9A

Much progress has been made on the fuselage. I realize this is a long build; much like the wings, I look at the instructions and see what I have accomplished and what I have left to go, and just gain a little more respect for all those who have gone before. I keep telling myself there are over a thousand flying, and at least one that has flown around the world. Thanks to all those trailblazers.

The fuse continues with the center section assembly. Much of it to plans, but the crotch belt hold downs were an update that is not explicitly called out in the instructions. I decided to do this while installing the ribs. This allowed me to use solid rivets. I also had to use the 90 degree drill adapter and a 12" #30 bit. I was able to use solid rivets due to my doing this as the center section was assembled. (The separate instructions assume a retrofit and used pulled rivets.)  ...

Thoughts on ditching after a big accident with my RV7 in 2015

...Part II

I cannot remember my airspeed, but it was sure high (I cannot remember exactly how much), because we were performing at IAS 150 knots @ 500’ and considering the sudden descend (let’s call it in that way), I am sure that I picked a lot. Starting an emergency with plenty of airspeed is surely a good thing, especially if you are few feet from sea surface. More time available to pick the best suitable place for the emergency, it was immediately clear to me that my engine was out.
It was not the “silence” of the engine, it was the sight of my prop. The Hartzell was simply completely bent, very similar to turboprops when the pilot “flags” the props. It was just moving very slowly and I will tell you one thing that is unbelievable, but it’s 100% true: I thought “OK, now the props are giving very low resistance, expect a better glide ratio”. I am still surprised on what I thought in those few seconds, especially considering the other things that were performed afterwards.
Again, no particular steel nerves, aircraft untangled and controllable, that was the miracle and I had only to do what my instructor always said, “just fly the airplane”.  ...

Match wits with Van's Engineering!

Woe is me, but might as well give the VAF brain trust's mechanical engineering neurons a tickle over the long weekend.

Due to a tear in the spacetime continuum, the trailing edge of my -9A's right flap was bent during pushback into the hangar when an unauthorized tool chest suddenly materialized in its path. (That's my story and I'm sticking with it! )

The T.E. distortion was limited to the most-outboard bay. (See the poor picture--in all senses of the adjective.) AEX wedge bent downwards, double-flush TE rivets in the vicinity distorted, and up visible gaps between the skins the wedge, and the outboard rib opened up. The bottom skin creased to a greater extent than the top skin in the picture. Every other part (especially the ribs) is undamaged. Nevertheless, I don't think trying to unbend the TE is likely to succeed, aesthetically or structurally.  ...

RV-4 Canopy Conundrum

Long story short, I need some advice, input, help on replacing a canopy & frame.

I recently purchased Oly Olson's RV-4, successfully ferried it from St. Louis to SLC, UT with no issues, thoroughly enjoying the aircraft and it's capabilities along the way.

Yesterday 45 minutes into my first local flight, I hit a pretty substantial bit of turbulence and within about 30 seconds the canopy decided to detach and departed the plane, along with the canopy my glasses and headset also departed. Fortunately I was just 4-5 miles from my home airport at the time, NORDO, but squawked 7700, the training kicked in, and I got the plane on the runway without further damage.

I've advised the County Sheriff, airport personnel, fellow pilots, etc hoping the canopy, frame, and a Go-Pro camera are recovered...should make for some interesting video.

In the event, the original is lost for good, any chance someone might have a spare canopy frame & canopy for sale? I'm a pilot, not a builder so if that question is on the dumb-side, please be gentle...my hearing isn't quite what it was prior to the canopy departure.

 

Day 1 - Already an issue ...Girraf RV-7

First day of many and already need an opinion. I was test fitting the horizontal stab rear spar reinforcements and noticed that the 2 pieces that butt up together to form the spar don't exactly line up. They are about .035" askew. When I lay them end to end without the reinforcement, they are exactly the same size, but as soon as I cleco the supports in there, the parts shift. Is this normal variability in production? It looks to me as though the holes that are punched in the spar halves are in fact just slightly off from eachother.

Runway Incursion

A few days ago, I was flying around the pattern at my home airport. After about a dozen touch and go's, I was about to do a full stop landing and put the airplane away. There wasn't much in the way of other traffic; one other airplane had departed the airport about 10 minutes earlier.

I was calling out each leg of my pattern on the CTAF. During my final go around, I heard a 172 pilot call out that he was back taxiing on the main runway. He back taxied and then pulled into the run up area while I was on down wind. I called out my down wind, base, and final turns. Just as I approached short final, I'd say less than 1/4 mile from the runway, the 172 pilot calls out that he is departing runway 26. However, he is not lined up on the runway; he is still in the run up area.

At this point, I make the erroneous assumption that he sees me, and that he is intending to pull onto the runway just after I land. WRONG!! At the last minute, he pulls out onto the runway right in front of me. I was able to abort my landing, pull up and turn safely to the right, and return to the base leg area, but it really rubbed me the wrong way that he never looked to see if anyone was on final. There is no way he looked because I was so close with landing light on, he could not have missed me.

After a pointed radio transmission from me, he said that he was departing IFR and was on the clearance frequency, not on the CTAF, during my transmissions.

My lesson leaned here is to never assume anything. I believe very strongly that the other pilot was more at fault here, but I did have the opportunity to simply broadcast that I was on short final before he entered the runway, and for whatever reason, I did not do that.

 

Van's will be closed on Monday for Labor Day

Van's Aircraft will be closed on Monday, September 3rd in observance of Labor Day. Orders placed Friday afternoon through Monday will be processed when the factory re-opens on Tuesday, and technical support hours will resume as usual on Tuesday morning. Enjoy the holiday weekend and be sure to get some serious RV time (building, flying or both) in!

August 31, 2018.  1930Z   SPECIAL   

Van’s Aircraft to Build SLSA RV-12iS and RV-12iST at Oregon Headquarters

August 31, 2018.  0001Z   Issue #4,644.   
  Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and RV-filled weekend!

Updated Groundtrack of RV-9A Around the World ...1045Z.  Landed!!!

RV-12iS KAI update

lots of updates out for the 12iS

Section 1, 2, 3, 5 and 28 (rudder pedals mislabeled & F-1289C-L tubing length change)

Interesting things in Section 1:
•There is a "Section 35GiS/U Premium Brake System" optional kit.
•The "Section 41B: Canopy Glare Shield" is in grey (not available yet), but I'm sure I have the glare shield in my finishing kit (?)
•New "Section 42PiS: GTN650" - so that's an option for E-LSA too i guess. gosh i wish IFR navigators didn't cost an arm and a leg.

RV-12 First Flight. ...LUKLA

Finally its flying !! N316AM

A Case for the RV-Super Cub ...a doc in progress.

Mistake drilling Flap Tube Horns

Installing flap tube in section 40 of fuse build. After drilling horns, rechecked the angle using the Flap Horn Jig. Well, evidently, something shifted while drilling. #&*@#%*

I'm 3/32" off in my angle on one side only. (see gap in pic)

Sad RV Story ...Mel Asberry

January 10, 1989, after a long conversation with Richard Vangrunsven, Ann, Myself, and Red Marron ordered 2 RV-6 kits. In May of 1993 both airplanes flew within 2 days of each other. Late into Phase I, I watched Bob Newton take off in N168TX for it's aerobatic wring-out. That's the last time I saw that airplane fly without me in it....until yesterday.

Yesterday the airplane took off for its new home in Louisiana. After a thorough interview, a very nice couple adopted N168TX. I am convinced that they will care for her just as they do their Cessna L-19, but we're sure gonna miss that bird.

Chip Freitag photo

August 30, 2018.  0001Z   Issue #4,643.   

The Carvair....pictures, and a new thread.

104*F heat index Wednesday in N. Texas, so any flying needs to be done early early.  I woke up 0500 Wednesday and couldn’t go back to sleep, so I drove through the drive thru at Whataburger for a breakfast burrito and Jeeped out to the airport for an RV gas run up to KGLE.

Randy told me awhile back that he parked under the Carvair (wikipedia) on the ramp there in the shade once, so I threw my compact chair and the laptop in the baggage area and launched. 13 minute flight up, breakfast in a bag, a VERY nice workspace view while digging through the morning admin tasks and email.  Some gas and RTB for some treadmill time before heading home to work more.  Yes, I did call the airport manager the day before and made sure it was OK.  Nice guy.  It's parked way out away from everything - nice and quiet.

I might be on to something using the RV to find ‘unique office space’ once a week or so.  The deal breaker is shade this time of year.  No shade no dice.   Developing….

In the mean time, I’ve started a thread where you can post pics of non-standard places you've viewed VAF. If you have an interesting VAF viewing pic feel free to join in.   Rob Reece and I laughed at the title we thought up for the thread (Where U Been VAF’n?).   ‘Keep Calm and VAF On’ was a finalist.  ;^)

View all the pics.

The Bluegrass State  ...petehowell

It was summer RV vacation time and our best laid plans for Glacier went up in smoke for for the 2nd year in a row, so we did a last minute audible, heading south to Kentucky, for history, booze, caves, camping, and hiking.......

I took my last 2 calls of the day at the hangar while Andi packed the plane - we then launched and headed to 3TR - Niles, MI to have dinner and overnight with Mom.   ...

Updated panel mockup ...jjbardell

Updated my blog based on all the great feedback thus far. Looking forward to continuing to refine and have now engaged UpNorthAviation to help finalize the layout. Love to hear feedback on the panel. I also am installing my gear switch just to the left of the throttle. I think it’ll be best there.

Here’s a recent photo arriving into Oshkosh.

Thoughts on ditching after a big accident with my RV7 in 2015 ...luigi_from_italy

You may recall a big accident happened in Italy on 31st May 2015 during an Airshow along the Adriatic sea. My close friend and formation flying pal, Marco Ricci, died in the accident, I could ditch my RV7, I-AMEL, in the sea and come out with a minor brush on my left hand.
There’s a great analysis that AOPA USA have made on it, just to help to recall and there are some interesting thoughts that I would like to share with you on the ditching itself. Here's AOPA Live:

AOPA Live 4 June 2015

Few words on the accident itself which was deeply analyzed by our national NTSB (ANSV): we flew this routine so many times during our formation training with the help of formers Frecce Tricolori pilots (Frecce Tricolori are the Italian Blue Angels), including the day before for the saturday “test” of the Airshow. Therefore it was absolutely a surprise (for me) the abrupt “recovery” from the inverted flight of my pal (while I was flying under it), Marco Ricci. That was not the plan, no radio call for distress and no usual recovery from inverted flight without loss of altitude.
Everything has been X-rayed from the italian NTSB: “luckily” (in order to understand the probable cause of the incident), that day we had many GoPro mounted, including one in the cockpit of Marco, directly facing the pilot. The GoPro was initially lost in the sea, but found by someone and sent anonimously to the Italian Coast Guard 2 days after the accident. From this video and the post mortem, the probable cause has been found on the incapacitation of the pilot for a “stroke” (not exactly a stroke, I am not a cardiologist).
You can download (unfortunately in Italian) the full PDF report on www.ansv.it., maybe using Google Translate.

Why am I writing only now?

Well, first of all, I restarted flying with my own plane (actually an Extra 330 LT). I continued flying almost immediately; a friend of mine, just 1 month after the accident, lent me his RV10 for a tour in Italy and I continued flying as a flight instructor on Tecnams, but it’s not like having your plane.

Another reason is how valuable is this forum and, as you will read later, there are lessons that I have red on this forum which came handy (and actually remembered!) during my ditching (believe it or not). I am sure that I can give some suggestions in the unlikely (as the PA on airliners say) of ditching with an RV.

Quick note, I have a full video (which is not pubblic) of my ditching (one GoPro was mounted facing forward on the back of my RV7), so what I am writing here, is clearly visible, so no “allucinations” after an accident.
Anyway you can see a lot of videos on YouTube (there were TV and more than 50K people on the beach), just search for “Incidente Alba Adriatica” (Incident in Alba Adriatica, which is the city along the coast where the Airshow took place).

My experience on RV7 is consistent, I made my FAA License in 1994 then European one in 1995 and I logged more than 1.000 hrs as a PIC on my RV7 (sliding canopy, O-360-A1A and Sensenich then Hartzel Scimitar Prop), flying X-countries (also from Italy to Morocco, which is not a short hop), pylon races with the 3R British Association and a lot of short grass fields in Italy, usually 1.500 ft, no IFR. One things that should be mentioned is that just 2 years before my ditching, I have made a water egress training test with a professional guy in a pool (although I am a good swimmer, I am 1.90 mt tall and thinking of ditching in the relatively small cockpit of the RV has been always something that I thought possible due to long X-country in open waters).

The whole thing from the mid air collision lasted a little bit more than 2 minutes (2 minutes and 20 seconds), but lot of things happened and many things were thought, analyzed and made.

In the whole process of ditching, things were really calm (until a certain point that I will explain) and that’s not because I have steel nerves, but just for one simple and understandable reason.

A catastrophic mid air collision is something that you can hardly tell and that’s what I thought during the big collision: I clearly remember (you can see from the video) a lot of noise, litterally falling from the sky with a lot of negaive g's, a big shade in the cockpit, my canopy obscured by the wing of the other aircraft and the nose down 30 degree (starting at just 500 feet AGL) with the sea approaching. I thought: OK, now it’s going to finish. This is so vivid.

For pure luck, although left wing was really damaged, prop bent, engine out, left flap bent and after a difficult recovery at just 40 feet from the sea, I found the aircraft controllable (almost) with light again “ON” in my cockpit.

It was so surprised (after being 100% that I was going to die) that I thought: “OK, I have to ditch, but the worst has passed, prepare yourself”.

Part 1

Status Update ...David Paule RV-3B

Here’s a photo of the rivet holes in the side skin that are hidden by the wing. The row at the top of the photo doesn’t need to be flush. The plans are a bit vague about this area - I’m sure that other people have built their planes a little differently here. But for me the ease of riveting is more important than the extra work dimpling them. I could have gotten the AN442 flat protruding head rivets for this but I didn’t. Those are as easy to set as flush ones and are otherwise like universal-head rivets, but with a flat top. While we’re thinking of easy-to-set rivets, if you go back to reread that riveting spec MIL-R-47196 that’s on Van’s site, I’m pretty sure it says that flush rivet sets can be used on universal-head rivets. That’s also easy. But there’s a small dimensional window between a proper shop head and going too far squishing the factory head, so I haven’t been doing that.

The area outlined by the red dashed line will not be glued.  ...

Plug PIREP on Long XC ...pstraub RV-12

If you are wondering about the spark plugs, here is a before and after pic of cylinder 1, lower plug. This is pretty much indicative of all 8 plugs. The before is after 70 hours of premium unleaded auto fuel (Chevron Supreme) and the 'after' is after the last 40 hours burning 100LL. Yikes!!

Where U Been VAF'n?

A thread starts spotlighting 'site sightings'.

Milestone: Tate's First Weld

...in welding class.  Mig.

August 29, 2018.  0001Z   Issue #4,642.   

Blueberry Run  ...Vlad RV-9A

John Fleurent told me about the place a year ago. Deblois, Maine 43B has a great paved airstrip right in the middle of blueberry fields. The picking season is over but there are still a lot of ripe berries left. Day off, I go.  ...

Milestone: Kit Arrives ...Brantel RV-10

So my emp/tailcone arrived yesterday. So I am 0 and 4 for no crate damage from ABF. I said I would never use them again back in the RV-7 build days but Barb at Van's told me that they are actually fairly low on the damage rates. My experience has been different but oh well...

Seaside Municipal (56S) Fly-in BBQ, Sept. 15  ...Randall Henderson RV-6

The Seaside Oregon Municipal Airport Fly-in BBQ is set for September 15, 2018.

We fire up the grill around 11, but fly in any time. This is in conjunction with the EAA Chapter 105 Fly-out to Seaside. I'm hoping for a good turnout from RV-ers and others!

We have some bikes we can loan to people who want to go into town, and the taxi ride is super cheap, so if you want to make a day of it, all the better.

A few things to keep in mind: FLY FRIENDLY -- no buzz jobs, use the standard pattern, no early turnouts, and don't linger unnecessarily over neigborhoods, especially Gearhart (NW of the airport). And use caution for tethered paraglider activity over the beach 3 miles NW of the airport, up to 3000'.

It'll be helpful to have an idea who / how many might be coming so PM me if you think we might see you.

Oshkosh 2018 - BullockAir-A-Palooze ...bullojm1 RV-7

I've been planning this Oshkosh/Airventures trip (coined BullockAir-A-Palooza) for some time now - I've been wanting to shuffle things up from years past as I've had friends move to new locations in the US -- As you have followed along in the past, I use this week off work to do the Oshkosh thing, and then visit a bunch of college friends around the US. This year I had a friend move out to Fort Collins, CO, so I decided to take the RV further west than she's ever been before.

My original itinerary was Cleveland - Oshkosh - Ft Collins - Des Moines - Detroit - Buffalo - Home. Weather was a MAJOR challenge along the route. Low ceilings, rain, headwinds, turbulence, etc.. It was the most challenging trip I've ever taken in the RV.  ...

RV-4 engine mount question  ...AX-O

All,
Looking for real data from someone that has converted an RV-4 long gear from conical mount to a Dynafocal mount.

Specifically, did the prop flange end up in the same place? meaning no cowl mods were done. The vertical and lateral offsets were the same.

In the process of this prop swap I am evaluating the possibility to swap out engine mounts. Thanks for any help you can provide.

August 28, 2018.  0001Z   Issue #4,641.   

Biggest RV Smile Ever ...Rob Traynham

I had the great honor today of taking Sean Rupert on his first ever lightplane ride. Sean is a recent graduate of the Greenville Tech Aviation Maintenance program where I am also a student (at 67 years old!).  He is a really great guy and I had been promising him a ride for some time. I knew this morning, when the day broke cool and clear, that this was THE morning. Sean flew it almost the entire time and I couldn’t help but notice that famous RV grin!

Life Update ...trishrussell (SchoolMom)

We definitely live on the best airpark in the south, possibly in the country. For those of you who know me (probably as SchoolMom), you know I have some major challenges. We are coming up on the third anniversary of my almost leaving this Earth, not by RV. My brain blew a gasket just after ordering salmon for dinner at a local restaurant. Medically, I had an AVM (arteriovenous malformation) rupture. No one knew I was born with a tangle of veins and arteries in my brain.When it ruptured it caused a massive stroke. I spent two months in the hospital and am still working on recovering. I'm back to flying, with the help of neighbors. Ron Schreck wrote about my recovery early on. He was the first to get me back in the air and follow me through when I couldn't resist the need to roll my RV. Currently, Mike Stewart flies with me at least weekly. I have almost no feeling on my left side. My left arm and hand are basically useless. But, with a safety pilot, I fly. Imagine pushing on the rudder without being able to feel it. Getting in and out of the plane is probably the biggest challenge, but it is getting easier.

Which brings me back to the topic, as RVers we are familiar with the friends being involved with RVs brings. Now, imagine a community of aviators who are truly friends. Gold Hill Airpark is such a place. We had only lived here a few months when my rupture happened. The house we were building had just finished being framed. I knew more neighbors than Mark because I was the pilot in the family. This community came together to make sure we had what we needed. For the two months Mark came home from the hospital to a hot meal. When I needed large shirts to dress easily they were at our door. And of course, when it was time to get me in the air, that happened. This community gathers as friends daily. Neighbors fly together, help each other with projects, or just gather on a porch for an evening beverage. We have parties on a regular basis, whether it's an impromptu birthday party, a Memorial or Labor Day potluck, a neighborhood BBQ & bluegrass party, or our December progressive dinner, there is always something.

The summer before my rupture I obtained my NC real estate broker's license. The plan was to supplement a teaching salary and retire in style with a part-time job when I reached 65. I am active in real estate. It is something I can do again with my limitations. My favorite listings are at our airpark helping others realize how wonderful airpark living can be. If you have ever thought of living on an airpark you must come visit NC25. Currently, there are two houses and three vacant lots for sale. The houses are a 5850 sft three story home asking $550,000 and a single story 1841 sft home asking $312,000. The lots range in price from $59,000 to $75,000. Our airpark is almost full. And, as I said, we are the best airpark! Check us out on airnav or fly in for a visit. Our house has a windsock in the front yard. You can't miss us. We have plenty of room in the hangar for a visiting bird. I'm the girl who insisted on a hangar with a 50' door.

Here is a picture of the really nice house being offered for $312,000. I would love to sell it to a RV owner or builder.

New Article ...Richard VanGrunsven

New RV9 Owner Chimes In ...ALagonia

I am now the new owner of the airplane that is affectionately known as The Clown Plane. It is an RV9 built by Stein for his brother and dad. The inspiration for the paint scheme was a Fisher Price childs plastic hammer. And if you can visualize that hammer you will understand why it is called The Clown Plane.

It was finally delivered to me late this past Wednesday. Since Thursday I have put 6.3 hours on her. I have over 4,500 hours TT flying some very cool airplanes but have been humbled by that little rubber wheel in the back. I look forward to becoming good friends with that little rubber wheel.

All kidding aside I just want to say a big thank you to Stein for what he did for me and for putting up with me and my one million questions while we went through the purchase. Thank you for everything Stein. You did what you said you would do and more. And I appreciate that.

Also a big thanks to his brother Zweit who made sure I knew what I was buying. Never over promising and always speaking clearly and honestly. How refreshing in this world.

And yes, I have that Vans grin. Finally.

VAF Site Sighting.

Taken Monday 0715 at the Denton Creek Regional Spaceport and Tire Care Center (3 n.m. from my home field - my little hideaway like in the movie Oblivion).  Nobody but me and my laptop for a couple miles - a place to pick out stories for the VAF front page and do site maintenance in the shade and in the quiet.  A place to start the daily assault on Mt. Email.

RV related?  Yep, that's the forums there on my laptop <g>.  I've written in the RV-15 thread I'll drop this thing like third period French to fund an RV Super Cub if it comes to market.  Give me s/n 1 and brace for thousands of pictures. ;^).  I'll even organize the first RV Super Cub backcountry fly-in and star party.  I'll pick a dark spot and bring the telescope.

v/r, dr
2002 RV-6 built/fly
1946 JC3-65 share

enlarge

RV-7 Milestone ...Byorn (Katy, TX)

Fuselage riveting done.  For me, finishing the fuselage skins was more satisfying than flipping the canoe. After removing the vinyl and cleaning with MEK, I just sat there for a minute ogling the shiny aluminum.

Couldn't have done it without my trusted rivet shooter Carol.

Paint before FAA inspection? ...Tom Herrmann's first post

Does the FAA allow complete painting of a homebuilt before the airworthiness inspection? Obviously, painting the wings, control surfaces, fairings, etc. would be much easier before final assembly. Any advantages of waiting until after the inspection before painting that I might be missing?

"Both Planes..." ...avionicsr

are in this photo....here we go again....

Old Belts and Harnesses ...David Paule

I've got a Cessna in addition to the RV-3B that I'm building. I contacted the company that made my aftermarket belts and shoulder harnesses and got a prompt reply. Not bad for something I'd bought 30 years before. Here's part of what he said:

"The next thing is that these assemblies life expectancy are somewhere between 10 and fifteen years depending on a lot of factors(environmental exposure, hours of use, etc...) Replacement now is based on what is known in Part 21 as Continued Airworthiness. If the product meets the requirements of the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness they are operational. Yours are 30 years old. They are way past replacement time and actually were built before harnesses were TSO'd, meaning the part number you have cannot even be built by AmSafe. When your harnesses were purchased, if they are our harnesses, the mandatory replacement was every 10 years. This was before the TSO regulation and ability to inspect to Continued Airworthiness was in place."

Now for our experimentals, we probably don't need to worry about the TSO or replacement interval. That said, they do age anyway.

Please consider the age of the harnesses and belts and maintain their condition appropriately. Be safe!

OSH'18 Video ...Jstov

Here is a video logging our trip to Osh from X59. Hope you enjoy it!

August 27, 2018.  0015Z   Issue #4,640.   

A few nice shots of my RV-7 ...France

Here are a few nice air-to-air shots of my RV-7 taken a few days ago in Eastern France, over and next to Annecy (LFLP):

RV-10 Status Report ...jamcgee1978 (Glasgow, UK)

Nessies tail is complete!

Well after 17months and raising 2 kids under 2 i finished the empennage 2 days before my 40th birthday in time to show friends and family what the tail feathers actually were! As i write this the wings have just arrived at the Port of Liverpool (my familys hometown) and so im frantically installing insulation into the shop next week and re-organising in time for the delivery. The process and initial learning curve so far at times challenging has been so rewarding when any builder looks at the final product. Through this website and other builders who have become firm friends you learn, develop and ultimately go on to advise/help others and for me this was the lightbulb moment; I’m becoming a builder! So few pics before I disassemble, re-organise and build on.  ...

HELP Request ... Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On!

Aircraft: RV6
Engine: ECI 340 Stroker
Fuel Delivery: Airflow Performance Fuel Injection
Propeller: Whirlwind Constant Speed

Problem: Upon significant reduction in power (quickly pulling the black knob back), as in for landing, if done quickly, I get significant shaking of the engine/prop.

Anyone with any ideas as to what MIGHT be the cause?

Previously, on this plane with a carbureted O-320 and Hartzell Constant Speed prop, I did not have this issue. Don't recall this being an issue with the 340 when it was carbureted and the prop was fixed pitch.
__________________
James E. Clark
Columbia, SC
RV6 Flying, RV6A Cowling

 

Question for Aeronautical Engineer…

I have a Van’s RV-12 that I purchased that has a heavy wing. The RV-12 has the fuel tank mounted in the fuselage offset to the copilot’s side. In addition to the fuel tank being right of centerline I also fly with and without a passenger.

The original builder added a crude sheet metal trim tab mounted under the left flaperon at the wing tip. See top of drawing below... The current sheet metal tab is 1.5” x 12”L and is bent at 45 degrees. In my opinion it is not very efficient because it severely interrupts flow at trailing edge of the control surface. It does however work fairly well.

I want to install a proper servo-driven trim tab with piano hinge so I can compensate for various loading scenarios. See bottom of drawing below… The new inset trim tab will be same dimensions – 1.5” x 12”L.

My question is… will the new trim tab provide same counterforce as current sheet metal tab but with less trim tab deflection?

Aircraft cruising speed is 115 knots.

I’m looking for an educated opinion before I start cutting metal.

Thanks in advance…

Ready for her closeup...slairson

New Folks Say Hey

Greetings VAF,
My wife and I are excited to announce that we have begun building our very own RV-10. We know our journey will be full of ups and downs but with your help we will succeed. We are looking forward to drawing from the vast knowledge of the VAF.
__________________
Ulay & Kelly Littleton
Oro Valley, AZ
RV-10
Tail feathers done
Tail cone in work

 

New [old] RV-3 Owner

I’m proud to announce that as of earlier this week I am the proud owner of a beautiful RV-3. Chuck Brietigam graciously agreed to let me purchase his baby. I’m convinced this plane has got to be in the top 10 list of best RV-3’s in existence.

For those of you who don’t know Chuck, he is one of the finest people I’ve ever met and is an exceptionally talented builder. While I’m thrilled to own his RV-3, making his acquaintance and now considering him among my friends is the highlight of my purchase.

I’m an Airbus guy by day, so my plan is to turn the plane into my personal Airbus. It’ll be a winter project and I’ll hope to assemble as much as I can on the bench so as to minimize downtime.

I still have my Midget Mustang as of this writing, but I have a person who is interested in buying it as soon as I can repair the paint after some cowling modifications and paint the new RV-8 wheel fairings and brackets. That darned fiberglass sanding, filling, etc. goes on forever and makes a HUGE mess. My hangar is an absolute wreck.

So for right now, my Midget Mustang has a new step-brother.

Happy to be an RV owner again.

Thanks, Chuck, for building a fantastic airplane and for being such a nice guy.

Rod

New Trumpf TruPunch 5000 (mothership) ...FB

Fuselage Woes

Just felt like venting. I've probably made more mistakes and sent more E-mails to Van's Support while building the first three fuselage subassemblies than I did for the entire empennage and wing kits. So many gotchas! Latest fun: Did the same thing that a few other builders did in this thread: missed the note on the plans that suggests I should not drill through the F-605C bar doubler where it angles down to meet the center bar. I wouldn't have even noticed the mistake if one of my favorite build logs I'm following didn't point it out. Too bad I reviewed the log after drilling the piece. Also, despite trimming the F-605C bar to the exact dimensions called out in the plans, it's end is 1/16" misaligned with the end of the center bar. This piece is a lost cause at this point, fortunately it's cheap.

I used to think I'm being efficient by pre-cutting all the parts I need for an assembly in one go, and I am learning the hard way about delaying cutting or drilling pieces until the latest possible opportunity.

As more and more of the build moves from "follow the instructions" to "read the plans carefully and do everything pictured", what methods do you guys use to ensure you're not missing anything, or doing a step too early? For the empennage and wings, you could treat the instructions as a checklist:

1. Read the instruction
2. Do what it says
3. Inspect the result
4. Check the box and move on to the next line

With the fuselage, a single line in the instructions can be 20 steps, not all of which are obvious before scrutinizing multiple drawings. I like to "follow along" each step with 6-7 other builder's logs while building to try to learn from their mistakes before I do a part, but even that's not foolproof.

Ryan Drake
Livermore, CA
https://stiletto.smugmug.com/RV7

 

RV-10 Status ...Bill Boyd

Neat epoxy applied over the squeegied/sanded micro coat. Time for a TON of wet-sanding using the DanH stippled roller coat method.

Cee Bailey put the plexiglass on the truck today. SilPruf on hand. Should be a fun few weeks

Observations after first loooong cross-country (Oshkosh)

Please excuse the long post....After an approx 4K mile roundtrip from NorCal to Oshkosh, I just wanted to share some of my observations on the RV-12. I flew through 14 states, landed at 15 airports, put 40 hours on the hobbs (worked out to about 33 in-flight, 7 on the ground). Cruise altitudes were between 2500' and 12,500', and maybe a little 600'agl scud-running to get out of Custer, SD which put me at a 'cruise' altitude of 6200' My favorite power setting turned out to be 5200rpm, it just felt easy on the Rotax and consistently gave me 110-115kts TAS at just barely over 4gph. I brought a friend with me, so after each fuel stop, we were back at max gross wt.

I am happy to report that the RV-12 is an amazing little plane (as if most of you didn't already know that!). Even as I was building it, I considered it somewhat of a 'toy' airplane that would be fun and inexpensive to fly with a passenger, low and slow, mostly local sightseeing flights. Well the RV-12 far exceeded its mission profile....it was comfortable and capable, even on a trip like this, where I had to cross the Sierras and the Rockies. I am not saying it's a cross-country, high density altitude monster by any stretch, but it really did a great job!

One example....I had to depart Rock Springs, WY at about 3 in the afternoon. Density Altitude was approx 10,400' and I was at max gross. I ran the numbers and figured I should get about 250fpm climb, which was fine. I had a 10,000' runway and no high terrain or obstacles to out-climb. I was able to turn on course towards Devil's Tower, WY and slowly climb up to 12,500msl, which was pretty impressive considering the DA was well over 15K'. I am also super happy that I decided to install the autopilot servos when I was building, it's much better than I am when tracking to a waypoint while holding a steady altitude. It paid for itself on this trip alone.

I had 70 hours on the plane before I left home, so it was already pretty well tested, but the RV-12 (at least the E-LSA version) turned out to be very reliable. Nothing at all against E-AB, I am just saying that if you build it as designed, it's pretty darn good. It's certainly arguable that some of the changes E-AB builders make could make it even better, so please don't get me wrong!

In that first 70 hours, I burned premium unleaded mogas 95% of the time. I pulled and inspected my plugs at 25 and 50 hours, and they were like new. I also did a couple oil and filter changes, exclusively using Aeroshell Sport Plus 4, and the oil looked great at both changes. So, on my Oshkosh trip, I ran 40 straight hours of 100LL avgas. WOW!! what a difference! It ran great the whole trip but I decided that I would change the plugs and oil/filter as soon as I got home. The plugs all had heavy deposits on them, and the oil was much darker (dirtier) and had a 'filmy' look and feel to it. Now I really understand why Rotax recommends 25-hour maint intervals if you run 100% avgas!! I even used the Decalin Runup lead scavenging additive on the entire trip, but it didn't seem to make much difference. In the future, I will use more additive. The bottle recommends 1/2 oz per 10gal of fuel, so that's all I used. They support up to 2 oz per 10 gal, so that's what I will try next time I burn a ton of 100LL.
All in all, what a great airplane!! I still want to build an RV-14A, but I'm no longer in a big hurry to start! The RV-12 can hold its head up high! I would just love to dabble in some aerobatics, and have a solid IFR platform, so the 14A seems perfect for that. If anyone is interested, I put together a 20 minute video about the Oshkosh trip. https://youtu.be/SR69XQj4jZg

__________________
Paul Straub, First Flight May 5, 2017
N917PB, SN 120971
110 hours and counting.....

August 24, 2018.   Issue #4,639.
  Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and RV-filled weekend! 
 

Eagle's Nest Projects - Rachel Senft (WI) receives her PPL  ...R.E. Ernie Butcher post

Rachel is the daughter of Jim Senft, Eagle's Nest Program Director at Central High School in Wisconsin, and she is the 6th student-builder in their program to receive a Private Pilot License. Rachel graduated Central High School this year and spent the summer finishing her flight training before leaving for college. She will be attending the University of Wisconsin and will major in Biochemistry. ...

Maybe Building a 9A? ...Mark Dickens

Now that I have the -8 done and am looking at the potential of having nothing to keep me busy this winter, I am looking a building a 9A as a cross country machine for my wife and me. The -8 is a great plane and I have no plans to sell it but it doesn't really work for the wife and me as a "go to the beach for a weekend" plane.

So, I looked at the -14...great kit that costs an arm and a leg, not to mention the 390 angle valve engine. I want something I won't feel guilty building. The 9A looks like it might be the best compromise, so I am seriously considering it. Plus I really like the idea of the O-320 and the lower fuel burn!

The Vans website claims that it's matched hole. But I've seen posts indicating that maybe it isn't completely matched hole. Which is it? Would I need to build wing and fuse jigs like I did for the -8? Not interested in doing that again. I just want to build the plane, not build the jigs.

Thoughts?

 

Kids Get It ...vid

New to VAF

Hi to all VAF members,

After working 6 years on an RV-9A slow build and using this forum to answer my numerous questions during the build I am finally going to jump in and start asking for advice/opinions on completing my 9A.

I have purchased a DL-01SS heater box from Vans thinking it was the stainless version I needed, but have now found out that I maybe should have purchased a stainless TG-10 from another vendor.

Can I use the DL-01SS on my 9A and if so does anybody have pictures of the installation showing how the control cable is routed?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

Fred Fallis

Sad Day ...bkervaski

Just dropped my 14 off for paint ... no plane for 6 weeks

Panel Pics Before and After ...Lufthans RV-4

A friend and I have bought our -4 together, and luckily we both felt the same about our panel. It was full of old vacuum instruments, a VOR and other stuff we felt we'd never use. And so we set about doing a new panel.

Victor uses the plane for local aerobatics mostly, whereas I am mostly doing formation flying with the occasional cross country trip. All strictly VFR. And so we figured we didn't need glass panels. One simple EFIS to have a horizon, plus some reshuffling of the basic round dials that came with the plane. Add Mode S transponder and 8.33 kHz radio (both mandatory here), plus an iPad mini to tell you where you are. Who needs more?

So we put a new panel in CAD, had it CNCd and powder coated, moved the switches to the side panel, rewired 80% of the aircraft and came up with this.

Operating Limitations for IFR

Hello,

I bought a really nice 9A that was supposed to be IFR Certified. It says in the logs the systems were checked by a certified mechanic and it's "certified". However after digging into the regs it appears this must be noted in the Operating Limitations. After looking at the Limitations noticed it says Day VFR Only.

It looks like I need to get a waiver from the "Administrator". Has anyone been through this process? Is this the correct path?

Thanks,
Ross

RV-4 Shots ...Lufthans

August 23, 2018.   Issue #4,638.
  Our son Tate is a senior at Marcus HS here in N.TX, and finally got a slot into the welding class he wanted since being a sophomore.  We drove to Northern Tool Tuesday evening and picked up the auto-darkening hood ($40) and gloves the teacher recommend, and he's off to the races.  Used an Oxy/Acetylene torch for the first time Monday.  The science of the auto-darkening technology is fascinating to me.  1/25,000-second switch time with internal battery charged by the welding light.  Unbelievable.
  His first class project is making me some custom chocks for the RV-6 out of angle iron.  Maybe I can get him to take the occasional pic - getting him dimensions tomorrow.
  The smoke from the fires in the NW has made its way to the North Texas area - hazy skies the past couple of days.  Can't imagine what the haze is like up there. 

Luke, I am your faaaaaathhhhaaaa!
The Tater....student of welding.

From his course outline:
"In Welding, students will be introduced to the basic welding processes and will learn how to cut with Oxy/Acetylene and Plasma rigs. In Advanced Welding, students will learn welding theory, metallurgy and blueprint reading. Students will complete and receive a 10-hour OSHA safety certification issued by U.S. Deptartment of Labor."

New RV-4 Owner

Q: I'm about to be the new owner of an RV-4 picking it up this weekend. Previously I was flying a Sonerai 2L (Poor mans RV-4) that I built myself.

When purchasing an RV-4 is it necessary to notify Van's? or is that just if you purchase a non finished kit and plans?

A: Not necessary but not a bad idea.  Congratulations for getting the best flying two place RV model.

A: Yes you should make sure it’s registered with Van’s if you ever want to buy any RV specific parts that only Van’s sells. I don’t think you can buy RV parts until Van’s has your plane in their database or they won’t support it.

New Guy Checks In

8/22 Update ...j-red

The cowling is nearly finished! With the engine hung, a whole world of new jobs opens up and this is a big one that needs to be done before all the engine systems installation jobs that will come next.

First up was the front fuselage top skin. There's a lot of staring into the fuselage before starting this to make sure that any little jobs related to the wiring, brakes, etc. are finished. Access is going to be much more difficult after this is done. Assured that all was as finished as it could be, the skin was riveted on.

Diagnosing Air in the Brake Line ...lr172

If a soft pedal can be pumped up and becomes hard, that points to seals in the master cylinder or some anamoly with the calipar (warped rotors have similar symptoms). Air in the lines will have the pedal soft until enough pedal travel has occurred to compress all of the air and then it goes hard, often progressively. This should be repeatable any number of times with the same amount of soft travel before going hard. If it is air in the lines, you could pump a hundred times and you'll still have the same amount of travel before the pedal goes hard.

August 22, 2018.   Issue #4,637.
  Tuesday morning I headed out to the airport at 0630 to get in a quick RV-6 flight before breakfast/work.  We had a slow front pass through the day before and had a rare northerly wind.  The OAT was around 73*F when I took off, and as I rose on upwind I saw the image below off to the east.  Over to the lake to get a reflection, then RTB for a breakfast meeting with an old boss.  Catching up.  There was some airplane talk ;^).
  I didn't expect that sunrise, but sure was glad I got to see it. 

enlarge

Status Report ...RV-3B David Paule

Dallice Tylee came over to help me drill and cleco the LH cockpit side skin. At the aft end there’s a mild compound curvature that presses into position nicely but which I can’t quite manage by myself. This isn’t a kit flaw but a natural part of the design. She pressed a block of wood to the skin while I drilled from the inside, after which she put clecos in. Fortunately she’s both self-employed and a neighbor as well as a pilot, and was able to come over without a scheduling hassle.

The photo shows me yanking out some clecos to fit the LH tunnel side under the skin.

Mothership Stats

Odd Squeak...does it matter?

My -10 has an odd 'squeak', more like a low frequency vibration, when moving the stick rapidly left or right.

If you move it slowly left/right, its quiet...but if you move it rapidly, it has this odd vibration....like a shaft moving through a slightly worn/sloppy grommet ?

I noticed it the other day while on the ground, engine off...maybe been there forever...but I'm not sure.

Any idea what this is ?

I didn't build the plane...it has about 500 hours TT.

Scott
__________________
Scott Martin
N430WP RV-10 - Purchased

Rudder Pedal Technique – Where/how do I place my feet on the pedals ...Dean RV-9

I fly an RV-9 so I’m not sure this would apply to every model but for sure the RV-6 and RV-7.

I flew about 100 hours in my plane prior to adding insulation and carpet to the floor. If I recall correctly I could angle my feet at about a 45 degree angle and hit the bar at the bottom of the pedal (without hitting the brakes).

Now with the added height of the insulation and carpet the past technique doesn’t seem to work.

You guys with insulation and carpet, how do you get to the rudder without hitting the brakes? I’ve been trying to place my feet on the outer bar. That works pretty good on the inside (right) pedal, but the outside pedal has the rudder cable attached there. And by the way I don’t have large feet.

This may seem kind of trivial, but my baby is a taildragger, so it is extra important that I get this right.

Thanks for the thoughts…

PS I realize the picture is of the right side, but you get the point.

Assistance Request - Interesting Engine Troubleshooting Problem

I've been scratching my head, trying to figure out how to help a fellow on our airport resolve his rough running engine. I'm down to only a very few remaining ideas so I thought I'd come to the brain trust for some additional guidance.

Background:
- engine is an O-360-A2A with Marvel-Schebler carb, one impulse-coupled Slick mag and one LSE Plasma II ignition
- engine ran fine late last year and currently has approximately 300hrs TTSN, as do most of the components on the engine (save for the carb - see below for additional details on that) and a starter that was upgraded a couple of years ago
- a wing tank fuel leak necessitated a lengthy repair process, with repair timelines exacerbated by a long, cold winter that prevented the use of sealant until suitable curing temperatures could be achieved this spring
- fuel system has been vacuumed clean, flushed with fuel running out at every fitting in the system - literally every fitting has been disconnected to ensure it was not harboring contaminants from the fuel tank work - something on the order of 50 gallons of fuel have been flowed through the system to flush it out
- the fuel tank finger screens have been inspected visually in situ via borescope and found contaminant free
- all fuel line fittings have been visually inspected for leaks and found to be leak-free
- multiple fuel flow tests (fuel line disconnected at carb) have verified well in excess of 150% of max engine fuel burn is being delivered to the carb
- carb has been overhauled by an approved overhaul shop as part of investigation process... then the overhaul shop provided a second, freshly-overhauled "loaner" carb to help with troubleshooting - symptoms do not change with either carb installed
- new spark plugs have been installed this past weekend (sorry, can't remember the plug PN for the Plasma II ignition but they are the exact part specified by Klaus Savier) and the plugs fired by the Slick impulse-coupled mag are brand new Tempest UREM37BY - replaced after I discovered their predecessors were found to have center electrodes badly worn to an oval shape
- Slick mag has had its timing checked this evening - it was at about 24*BTDC and now is as close as humanly possible to 25*BTDC

SYMPTOMS:
- engine cranks and starts easily and idles well including an expected slight increase in roughness of idle down at about 650-700 RPM
- engine responds well to smooth throttle inputs
- engine runs well on EITHER the LSE Plasma II OR the Slick mag right up to and including sustained runs at full throttle
- when the ACS key switch is set to "BOTH" the engine seems to misfire and surge at high power settings
- prop is a Sensenich fixed pitch so max static RPM is about 2200 - engine misfiring occurs above about 2000 RPM
- engine runs normally on BOTH ignitions at typical 1700 or 1800 RPM mag check power settings
- no difference in operation is noted with engine cowl on or off
- movement of mixture control makes no difference in the rough running characteristics until obvious RPM drop-off from excessively lean mixture
- engine has been run for a good amount of time with ACS ignition key switch in "L", "R" and "BOTH" positions - engine power is fine for L and R, but the bucking and popping starts as soon as "BOTH" is selected at above about 2000 RPM. This symptomology appears very repeatable.

OTHER DATA:
- engine instrumentation is via a GRT EIS4000 with secondary display of engine data on a GRT Sport EFIS
- no unexpected engine indications are present other than the one known failed CHT sensor
- as expected when the EIS uses a magneto P-lead as its RPM source, TACH RPM is zero when the Slick magneto P-lead is grounded via the key switch
- operation on each single ignition system shows EGTs rising, and declining again when BOTH ignitions are selected ON
- when the engine is misfiring on "BOTH" ignitions, EGT drops slightly
- TACH signal input is from the left mag P-lead via a series dropping resistor - I haven't cut open the heat shrink on that resistor yet but since it has worked for about 300 hours I'm suspecting the resistor itself is not the source of the trouble
- other recent work done on the aircraft includes replacement of alternator field wire and its associated firewall feedthrough when engine run-up in the spring time resulted in a popped circuit breaker caused by the field wire having chafed through to ground at the firewall penetration

At this point I'm nearly out of troubleshooting ideas. Since the engine runs very well on each individual ignition but runs poorly when both ignitions are firing, I've been looking for a common tie point between the two ignition systems as a potential cause. The only thing that comes to mind is the GRT EIS tach signal pickoff - its wire is an unshielded 22ga Tefzel wire which is bundled alongside the other wires going to the ignition switch. The resistor connection is made literally right at the ignition switch terminal. I'm wondering if that unshielded tach sensor wire could be coupling p-lead voltage spikes into the LSE Plasma ignition, causing the Plasma ignition to misbehave. Has anybody seen this before? The magnitude of P-lead voltage spikes would be expected to increase with engine speed so this might explain why trouble doesn't occur until higher engine power settings.

Any well-considered suggestions from this esteemed group would be very much appreciated. Thank you!

August 21, 2018.   Issue #4,636.

First Flight N975G ...Ron Gawer RV-12

I am happy to say that my RV-12’s first flight was a successful one.

Having my wife on the ramp watching (and quite nervous about the whole thing), I simply made one trip around the patch to prove the controls work and the airframe worked well. I’m happy to say it performed very well, light on the controls and flew straight and level just touching the stick - and a pleasure all in.

My oil temp did get above 210 in flight settling at 214. This is frustrating as the oil cooler is stuck to the front cowl with a full opening. I can only imagine that it’s somehow undersized. I’ve contacted Bill at Airflow and gave him my data and he is going work out a different cooler for me (side note: talk about customer service! I emailed him on a Sunday and he emailed me right back with advice and request for data.).

Note that I never got my revs above 2400 - the airplane accelerated and lifted off a lot faster than I thought it would and I didn't even get the throttle all the way in yet. That, and knowing that oil temps could run high, I just left it at partial throttle. I chuckled to myself in that going from my Baron to this is like going from a deep draft vessel to a jet ski - super responsive. I pulled it back to 2100 at right crosswind and left it there until pulling back for landing. I landed a little fast, but I had 12G18 30º off from the right and wanted to carry a little extra. I’m pretty happy with my first landing in an RV-12. I did not experience any roll or pitch issues with flap extension that I’ve read other folks experience, so that’s good too.

I already have a short list of tweaks going, but it was a good first run. Enjoy.  Videos

RV-7 and Life PIREP ...rmartingt

Wow, so I've been a bit of a slacker at updating the thread... but in my defense, we've had a heck of a year or two. A few of the guys at FFC have probably heard some of this...

Starting in 2017, my wife started going to Emory in Atlanta for her epilepsy. After lots of testing, and far from just getting the second opinion we were looking for, the doctors up there decided that she was a candidate for surgery! Apparently they evaluate a couple thousand people a year and only one or two hundred are viable candidates. That was unexpected news, to say the least--we hadn't even considered that as an option, much less any hope that she could be "cured".

In January of this year, she had probes inserted to nail down where the seizures were originating, and then on April 19th she went in for surgery to have that part of her brain removed (sounds scary, doesn't it?).

You know how they always tell you before surgery that "there's a small risk of (serious thing)"? Well, she caught that risk. During the surgery she suffered a stroke in the part of her brain that primarily controls motor function, and when she first came out of surgery she couldn't move anything on her left side. Those first couple days were probably the scariest of my life.

Fast forward four months.

Two weeks of intense inpatient therapy had her walking out of the hospital, unsupported. A couple more months of outpatient therapy back home has her running around kicking a soccer ball with our son. We're hitting the gym four days a week and she's back up to (or exceeding!) where she was before her surgery. I think her progress has exceeded even the best expectations of any of her doctors or therapists--so much so that as of yesterday she's done with all of her therapy.

And over the past couple of weeks, she's been coming out to the shop to rivet with me!  Her therapists consider it a good therapy exercise and she's enjoying it, and with her help I'm ready to flip the canoe as soon as I get the cowl exit heat shield riveted on. I'll have some pictures up after the flip.

Oh, and just before her surgery, I also picked up an engine core, so to speak--an O-360-A1A, disassembled and tagged minus cylinders. An experienced local A&P will be helping me assemble it when the time comes.

But the best part of all this? Still no seizures She has at least a couple more months to go before we can start working on getting her driving again, but the longer she goes the less likely it is she'll ever have one again.

Canopy Frame Groin Punch! ...dwrand [ed. I love that thread title. v/r,dr]

Well I was ready to rivet the skin to my canopy frame today to get ready to glue the canopy to it next week. I had noticed the fit on the right side had changed a little, but I thought it had to do with the 3 strengthening pieces between the frame and skin. I put the blank panel in for the first time with the canopy frame installed and there was a huge gap near the middle on the right. I discovered the tube on the frame had cracked. Talk about a punch in the groin!! I have an email in to Vans to see if it's something that could be welded or if I have to replace it and start over. UGH!! This was also the first time I realized that that tube and the huge gap between it and the skin on the outer edges are visible from inside the plane. Now I know why guys use fillers to fill in that gap to make it look nicer. For some reason I thought that tube was behind the panel when the canopy closed.

RV-10 Status PIREP ...Brantel

Emp/tail cone kit is scheduled to arrive on Thursday.

Garage has been cleaned out and set back up as an airplane building shop!

Airplane building tools have been recovered from the hangar.

A million bucks have been spent on replenishing consumables and a few extra tools.

The build blog has been established and I am getting the hang of keeping it updated. (Link in signature)

Looking forward to getting started!

Here are a few things I want to address while building the tail while it is all wide open:
•Pitch servo mount
•Yaw damper servo mount
•Rear air vent mods
•Rudder trim? Maybe

Anything else I should consider?

Newbie Says Hey ...Blizzard

Just registered today and looking forward to interacting with the Van's community. Planning on starting a 10 this fall. I have a 1700 X 70 ft excellent turf strip on my farm and a 48 X 80 ft hangar to build in. Would like some input from 10 drivers if this is enough strip to operate from. Assume no obstacles on either end. Thanks

RV-6 Aerobatics ...Richard Welch (UK)

Never let it be said that a '6 is anything less than a capable aerobat

Status Report ...Mark Ciaglia RV-10

I just passed the two year build mark. It has gone faster than I could have ever imagined.

Completed to date:
Empanage
QB wings (75% done with remaining tasks)
SB Fuselage (getting ready to fit cabin top)

Some points I like to make:
1.) Thank you to DR for this site. I log on daily and learn from the immense amount of information here. The builders that have come before me have paved the way to address issues that are easily taken care during the build.

2.) I am glad I have primed. I used Azko and it was a little bit of work setting up the paint tent and all the associated prep work. But here in Houston, the humidity can be brutal.

3.) I am nearing the end of formal metal work and getting readu to dive into the composite world. Please send me prayers.

4.) I have realized Stein "Will not be happy till I'm broke" I have done the order from Stein on Monday...do work Monday night...realize you need something...order from Stein on Tuesday. I think I will single handedly fix the USPS deficit.

5.) I want to find the team that built my wings in the Philippines. I will gladly send you a case of beer, bottle of scotch or what ever you want. The QB wings are such a luxury. My hat off to you guys who do them the SB way.

6.) I have decided the plane will most likely be done Tuesday... I just dont know what month or year. Thats what I tell everyone

7.) Thanks to my wonderful family so far. I have managed to keep my anticipated pace of an hour every day (average) 2 years down and have worked a total of 731.65 hours on it. I haven't missed a single family function due to building and my kids love being part of this.

Time to get back to work.

August 20, 2018.   Issue #4,635.
  Some yard work, some car work and the weekend was over too fast.  Storms, heat and sticky conditions around DFW, so the urge was to stay near an a/c vent.  Hope cooler/smoother around your neck of the woods, and that you had a nice weekend.
 

OSH'18 Trip Write-up ...Mark Carey RV-10

...20 page PDF.

Pneumatic squeezer problem ...Ed Wischmeyer

So I’m using my pneumatic rivet squeezer for the first time in maybe 15 years (!). The ram, fully retracted, extends 0.3”, and fully extended, the gap (with no set installed) is 0.4”. I took the yoke off and the ram out, and it’s a fixed ram (non-adjustable). So I’m wondering if the squeezer has something wrong inside causing the ram to be too far extended, all the time… Hopefully I’m doing something dumb that I just don’t remember.

There is no manufacturer or model number on the squeezer body. And I do have a full bunch of flat sets of various thickness.

I’ve looked briefly at the Cleaveland too youtube video, and although that reminded me of some things I’d forgotten, it didn’t help solve my problem.

So is there something internal that needs to be looked at? I'm not looking forward to taking it apart but can surely do that. And there are no indications of rust or sticking.

Thanks!

 

Panel Planning - Part Uno ...jjbardell RV-9A

I’m getting ready to plan for a complete panel and interior swap and started a new blog post on my project. Hope you enjoy!

7A Builder Status Report ...jcarne

After match drilling the top skins I decided to work on installing the steps before moving to the baggage area. The steps aren't as difficult as I thought they were going to be but still time consuming since you have to do the on off shuffle quite a bit.

I can't get the rivet layout that the drawing specifies due to the massive weld Van's uses now. I backdrilled two holes in the plate that coincide with two existing rivets in the F-724 baggage ribs. One of them is close to the weld, I may have to grind it ever so slightly so that the rivet head sits flush.  ...

Way to go JERRY

Two RVs flew in the Kathy Jaffe aerobatic contest this weekend in NJ. Jerry Esquenazi and Oliver Spatscheck made a fine showing, with Jerry coming in 1st place in Sportsman. When the regional standings are updated and posted in the IAC website, Jerry will also be in first place in the southeast with three contests, and Randy King in 2nd place. Our prediction that RVs will start to dominate the Sportsman category is beginning to show.
Congratulations fellows,
Bill McLean
RV-4 slider
lower AL

Oil Cooler Fittings PIREP ...RV-14E input

I learned about "galling" during the install of the oil cooler with the AN822-8D aluminum fittings. As I was gently torquing them in, I could feel grinding. In fact, when I pulled the fittings out, it was clear the threads on the cooler were damaged.

Where to Mount a RV-4 Canopy Breaking Tool ...ArlingtonRV input

I mounted mine, one of those automotive hammer dealies, to the side wall below the roll bar. It is accessible from both seats.

Some minor VS skin damage

I'm in the process of setting up my workshop and I've been keeping my skins in the box in which they came. Well, I noticed a bend in the lower right corner of my VS skin and discovered that it had punched right into the side of the cardboard, resulting in an about 8 degree bend through the first prepunched hole. An amazing discovery when I just got the kit a week and a half ago and haven't even received my tool kit yet

I took a wood block and a mallet to it and gently tapped it back into shape, but there's still a tiny amount of deformation to that corner. I don't think it will affect anything structurally – it's bent slightly inward toward where the VS spar will be and the damage is really only visible from a distance if the light catches it. If anything I think it's just a cosmetic issue at this point.

I know the usual advice is to "flatten it out and build on", but does anyone recommend replacing the skin? For $85 plus shipping I don't know if it's worth scrapping an otherwise perfect skin for one tiny corner, but I'm open to suggestions.

August 17, 2018.   Issue #4,634.
  I have the RV White Pages, the RV Hotel and the Donations page all updated and current as of 8/16 22Z.  THANK YOU!!! to those who help our family keep this small little niche business online and afloat.
  Hope some pictures surface Monday from Homecoming this weekend.  Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and RV-filled weekend! 
 

Milestone ...Av8torTom 9A

Got my engine hung today. LOTS of bad words were expressed trying to attach the engine to the dynafocal mount, but finally managed it... whew!

Video: OSH'18 ...David Rohrlick's pretty kick@ass 12 min. video

"A little bit of my Oshkosh Airventure 2018 With emphasis on RV-12 Aircraft."

Status Report ...jcarne 7A

Well school is back in session so looks like my progress will slow down a bit. Oh well, still trying to work on the plane every night. After riveting some things like the top deck and gussets it is time to work on the top skins.  ...

Status Report ...SpeedyMedina

Here is mine in Puerto Rico in process of painting! here some pictures of the construction I will update the ones painting later!

Brake Master Cylinders Bolts and Nuts Torque  ...Tilford RV14A

Good morning folks,

I know this note on page 33-04, "Tighten the nuts and bolts until they are finger-tight DO NOT use standard torque values," applies to the nuts and bolts attaching the rudder pedals. Does it also apply to the nuts and bolts attaching the brake master cylinders, or should those be torqued to standard values?

RV-10 Air Horn ...Justin

Had a chance to wire up the airhorn I bought for the plane. Sorry for the shotty production quality, just thought it would be fun to have the kids help with the test. My daughter almost dropped her phone....

Status Report in Pics ...#56 RV7ForMe

First day of aileron construction!

It has been a while since I have posted or worked on the plane. They say you should work on it a little bit every day. Well I must admit I didn't do much of anything for about 1 month.

Coming back to the shop and getting all the parts out needed for the ailerons was quite exciting.

VAF Charity Hat Sighting ...Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

Full size (about the cap)

2018 Independence Fly-In and Vans Homecoming

"The "Wings Over the Willamette" fly-in, Van's Homecoming and a STOL expo are all on slate this weekend, August 17-19, at 7S5 - Independence, Oregon. Come on out and Join Van's staff in the fun. We will be flying some of our factory airplanes down and look forward to seeing you there!

Speakers at the event this year from Van's will include Chief Engineer Rian Johnson and President Mitch Lock. In addition, other speakers will presenting on topics related to RVs, including Nigel Speedy on the topic of spin testing RVs and John Stahr on his amazing artwork that can be seen painted on some very special RVs. Other presentation topics include FAA updates, aeromedical information, electric airplanes, and use of experimental avionics in certified airplanes. A STOL contest on Sunday promises to be a lot of fun, too."

August 16, 2018.   Issue #4,633.
  First day of school for the Tater Wednesday - pics below 7th grade in '13 and as a senior this year.  I'm both happy and sad - and proud.  Very proud of the man he is becoming.  What an honor to be this young man's father.
  Lawn's lookin' pretty good, too...

Alvord Desert ...rph142

I checked a longstanding item off of my bucket list this past Sunday when I landed on the Alvord Desert Lake Bed. The flight up was quite smoky from the huge norcal fires. I touched down on the northwest corner of the lake because it looked the hardest, but I'm sure nearly anywhere would be fine. Next time I plan on practicing real engine outs.

Another reason to own an RV. ...a25afm

Flew the RV to fly the RC jet. Fits nice in the back without the rear seat.

Plenum Cowl Input ...DanH

There is no "perfect" size; any size covers an operating range. All the data says low Vi/Vo is superior, so when in doubt, go larger. Experimentally, six inches diameter seems to work well with the 390 and 540. The external diffusion (pressure rise in front of the inlet) is frictionless. The practical limit seems to be set by external drag, i.e. flow separation as the excess air flows from in front of the inlet, to outward and around the inlet....something like this

Right Brake Won't Bleed, RV-6A  ...petehowell

Here's the situation. Buddy has an RV-6A. We found a leaking, cracked flare at the right caliper and fixed it. Having a whale of time getting the air out of the right side brake system when we bleed. Pilot side brakes only. Has a soft pedal that can be pumped up to solid, then goes soft in a short amount of time. Left side has solid pedal, no problems.

Here's what we have done. Garden sprayer pressure bleeder from the bottom up. We've run several qts thru the system and out thru the reservoir. No bubbles coming out at the reservoir. Still a soft pedal.

We took the pressure side line off the master that goes over the top of the pedals and tried to get any air out of that - then rebled from the bottom up - soft pedal.

Replace master cylinder on the right side, re-bled, still soft pedal.

There is section of pressure side line that goes from the flex hose to to solid tube then up and over where the battery box used to be then on to the gear leg bulkhead fitting. That area looks ripe to store a bubble, any ideas how to flush it out better?

There are no fluid leaks we can see anywhere. Any tricks we are missing or areas to inspect further?

Thanks for any Ideas.......

About to Make First Cowl Cut - Seems Extreme? ...IowaRV9Dreamer

I'm finally going to start work on this cowl from 2010. The first step is apparently to get the front and back to mate and form a 13" circle. The manual provides some high level guidance - basically trim it till it works.

How to "Keep Up" with a Piper Tomahawk ...AlexPeterson

A friend visited us this past weekend, flying up in his club's Tomahawk. When he left, I decided to escort him on his way in the RV6A. I gave him a couple minute's head start, and took off, keeping him in sight. OAT was around 90F, so I knew I wouldn't be able to stay behind him at only 70 knots long before engine temps climbed. After a minute or two, while he was climbing at 70KIAS, I sped up to 120 or so and zig-zagged behind him, all the while climbing above him. I reported to him that he was looking at a headwind of 30 knots at 3.5'k. I climbed to 5.5'k and reported to him that the headwind diminished to about 10 knots there. I then descended back to his altitude, flew on his wing at 70 knots again for a minute, then buggered out back to base.

Here's the ground track:

A Little More Playing Around w/the DIY Lifting Creeper Idear

...updated pic

F=M*A.   What kind of pulling power is going to be needed to raise it when the chair is (almost) flat.  I would think it might be pretty hard, if not impossible, to lift from flat with a person lying on it.  Stuff to work out...

Some more picture detail with fixtures from an old garage door.  Fun to play with...

From Ed at Pecan...

FMI: http://eaa983.org/wp1/community/annual-fly-in/

RV IAC Aerobatic Competition Standings - 2018

Galen Killam and Charlie Teeuwsen both put up some decent scores recently. Charlie placed third in Sportsman at the Can-Am Championship, securing a third place overall standing in the RV Competition Standings. Galen is holding onto 4th place in the Standings now.

There are still plenty of contests this season. I count 15 regional contests left, plus the US National Aerobatic Contest in Oshkosh (Sept 22-28).

Motherhip Ping...

August 15, 2018.   Issue #4,632.
  Has anyone in the RV world built a DIY lifting floor creeper?  Something like the guy here, but with a twist.  There are a few threads about people buying lifting creepers, but I was specifically looking for a DIY, made with 2 X 4's and bolts type thing.  Workbench like...
   My little mod idea:  I would like to have a boat winch type setup on the right side just about where my hand would rest.  This so I can crank it while laying down to lift the creeper bed slightly. I don't see why the crank assembly couldn't stick up a little bit to accommodate a standard winch/handle. Something like the Photoshopped Frankenstein here that I hobbled together.  Obviously the creeper wouldn't be this polished - more like a wooden workbench.
  You know how you need different heights when you're wiping the leading vs trailing edges of your taildragger RV?  And the bottom of the cowl vs the underside of the HS?  Trying to address those things using the RV Community Brain Trust.....and wood.
  Something like Sam did with his DIY tail lift project, but laid down over on its side.  Absolutely if I can work up some plans and a prototype with the help of others, I'll host the parts list and plans here somewhere if nobody else wants to.
   I started a thread on it to hopefully get the ball rolling.

VAF is World of Friends : Alabama / Italy ...lucaperazzolli hat sighting

Chris, his wife and father in law visited us at hangar. We had a good lunch then we spent the afternoon in historic center of Trento town. It was a great day and yes, we had our VAF hat on.

I've got a Builder Number! ...Kenny Cahill

After a few weeks of tooling up, bench building, and and working through the practice aileron kit, I've placed my order for my empennage. I'm extremely excited about what lies ahead.

I'm also registered for the sport air workshop on RV assembly in September (Frederick, MD). Hoping to continue sharpening my skills there but also get the bigger picture of the end game (finishing, paperwork, inspections etc.)

Jason Ellis got the referral for his awesome youtube series filming his RV-10 build. I watched most of his content as I deliberated if this was the direction I wanted to go.

Look forward to participating in this community!
__________________
Preparing to build an RV-7

RV-12 Build and Maiden flight.

Enjoy the video.  https://youtu.be/pULILLv7F90
__________________
Lukla
Glendale AZ

Houston Gang

Panel Update ...mwardle7

Greetings! I thought I would post a few pictures from a recent panel upgrade for those of you who may be looking for ideas on how to expand the features available on your RV-12 panel.

I have the G3X Touch with autopilot, but I do not have a separate control box for the autopilot. I like the utility of the Blue "LVL" button that is available on the separate control box for engaging the autopilot in straight and level mode, so I added a switch that is wired to a discrete input on the G3X for AFCS Level mode. The switch is the blue version of the red autopilot disconnect switch that Vans uses; here is a link to the part number on Mouser: OTTO LP9-11112J26. I had custom labels made a local trophy shop.  more

Oshkosh 2018 write up ...Bruce Hill

I finally found some time to create another blog entry about our trek to Oshkosh.  You can also skip ahead to the photo album here.  Another great time at Airventure, except for the arrivals.

August 14, 2018.   Issue #4,631.
  'Dirty Belly' entry, sent anonymously.  Being cleaned now I'm told. 

Step 0.1: Book the trip to Aurora ...joe gremlin

I've had a hankering to build some kind of RV ever since I started working on my private cert back in the late 90's. Never had the means or the time or the space to really consider it.

Going to be turning 50 next month and I'm finally to the point where I've got the time and the space. The money? Well we'll figure that out as we go. Wife has about a year of school to go on 2nd masters so not planning to start anything until next summer.

I've already booked us a room in Appleton for OSH next year so we can see all the Vans stuff as well as the competitors. But today we just booked a trip to Portland for my birthday next month. The plan is the to do a factory tour. At the very least we want to see how we fit in the 9 vs the 14 vs the 10 while we're there and take a demo ride if able.

Planning to go see the Spruce Goose while we're there and then spend a couple days seeing the Mt St Helens area.

Is there anything I should make sure I see/do while at Vans and is there anything else we should try to see or do in the area while we're there?

 

RV-3B Status Report ...David Paule

Serious Control System Issue ...jwilber RV-10

Doing my first annual. When checking the elevator control in the tunnel I found the jamb nut was loose about 6 turns. Upon further investigation I found that the F-1065 cross bar was scraping the safety wire which in turn had worked the jamb nut loose. This happens only when the stick is pulled all the way back and while all the back it moves left/right -- exactly what you do when landing.

I know for a fact this was not scraping when I finished the build. I believe the push tube just twisted enough to bring the safety wire straight up top. So this had to be fixed. My plan was to first remove the bearing from the assembly, loosen the other end and roll it to put the safety wire on the bottom so it could never interfere again. Then I was going to adjust the segments as necessary to prevent any lingering interference. .... Well, as soon as I started removing the nut/bolt holding the rod-end bearing, the safety wire fell out. The safety wire loop on the bearing side had broken and the safety wire was being held only by being compressed in the assembly. In other words, it was not doing anything at all.

This part in the RV10 is on-purpose designed to have the rod-end stick out far more than half the threads in order to prevent interference with the tube itself. The safety wire is meant to prevent the tube from ever turning and working loose. I know I built this to plans and had it checked by another builder at the time.

Based on this experience I'm not happy with this design. In my case the tube twisted enough to put the safety wire on the top where it was then the cause of the interference. Further, I believe the constant working of that safety wire back and forth during landing (especially when forward CG - like flying solo for the first 40 hours) caused the safety wire to work harden and break where it went around the rod-end. I'm not 100% sure what I'm going to do to prevent this from happening again, but I'm considering safety wire on both sides in such a way to prevent the push-rod from rotating in either direction.

I'm not special so I'm assuming I'm not the only one where this has (or is) happening. I suggest everyone have a careful look at this next time you have the tunnel exposed.

In my case I caught it while doing a control system check with everything opened up for my first annual. When I had the stick full aft and moved side to side I could hear something scraping. And that lead to this find. ...

RV-7A Status Report ...jcarne

On to installing a bunch of little things on the fuse. First take: it's fun. Second: it's a lot harder to reach things now but I refuse to build a rotisserie. haha.  Time for some leveling.

Oil leak help

It looks like there is an oil leak coming from under the lower hold-down clamp of my right mag (slick). Looks like the oil is seeping through the stud and out from under the hold-down nut. I recently changed oil and adjusted the timing of the right mag. I have not flown since then. After finding the leak on the floor - many drips worth over the course of several days, I cleaned it up, hoping it was just some drips from the recent oil change. Days later the tiny puddle is back. I torqued to 17 ft-lbs after adjusting the timing according to the lycoming manual. Yesterday, I loosened the nut, cleaned up the oil seeps again and re-torqued it. Haven't checked it yet today.

Does it make sense that oil would seep from this spot? I read on the Google that there has been some issues in the past with torque on these hold-down nuts and cracking somewhere. Any suggestions or thoughts?

The Gouge on Ironflight's 60's BD Next Month.

Lycoming 1000 Hour Borescope - Vans RV9A

The video below shows the inside of our IO-320 at 1000 hours, just shy of 8 years in service. We used the VIVIDIA ABLESCOPE VA-400 INSPECTION BOROSCOPE that is available from ACS. Worked pretty good, just wished the resolution was a little higher. See for yourself and feel free to comment:
https://youtu.be/BliuUqHs0Yg

August 10, 2018.   Issue #4,629.
  Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and RV-filled weekend!  
 

Nerds of the World Unite! ...dr

A ten minute fuel run over the KXBP with as many landing waypoints on the nose as minutes in the flight plan.  Harder than I thought to pick out some of the really small strips from 2,500'.  I didn't know some of these were here.  Described in more detail at the link...

New RV Owner

I have finalized the purchase of an already flying RV6A, and will be going out to pick up the plane this weekend. Thanks to all who have helped me get connected with a ferry pilot/transition trainer. He will be flying most of the way back home (from California to Louisiana) with me and doing the training along the way. The plane is a 2013 completed model with skyview touch PFD/MFD dynon AP with a GTN650 navigator. I can't really describe how excited I am about owning my first plane and the trip back to get her home.

I wanted to start this post so I could post pics of the pickup and the trip back.

Build Status Report ...jcarne 7A

On to installing a bunch of little things on the fuse. First take: it's fun. Second: it's a lot harder to reach things now but I refuse to build a rotisserie. haha

Time for some leveling.

Multiple fuel flow transducer failures

I have the EI FT60 'Red Cube' flow transducer mounted in the center tunnel up near the firewall, just forward of the electric boost pump. It's the most inaccessible component on that entire airplane, and I neglected to install an access panel when I had the chance.

It failed after only 20 hours. I spent nearly 3 weeks taking everything apart to get at it and replace it, and the new one functioned just fine after several tests. That is, until I got the entire airplane put back together and had it out on the tarmac for engine startup. That's when the new transducer failed, with essentially zero hours on it. I had to walk away before I took a crowbar to that **** airplane.

This transducer is not in a high heat area (125 degrees F has been the max tunnel temp so far) and vibrations aren't excessive. Does anyone know what would cause these things to fail so quickly? I consider the flow sensor as a mission critical piece of equipment - the plane won't fly if it's not working.

P.S. - Do yourself a huge favor and install an access panel in the tunnel everywhere you have a critical piece of equipment. You will thank yourself later.

__________________
Jack and Dave Groat, father and son
RV-10 N1861G

Goofed Nose Rib - Next steps? ...RV-14

Section 8 (Horizontal Stabilizer) Page 08-11, Step 3.

Hi All,
I reached out to the mothership a few days ago, and while awaiting a response, I'm very interested in what you all think.

I’ve riveted the middle four HS-905 nose-ribs to the right and left skin.
On the last of the four ribs, the last rivet, I didn’t like the flushness of the manufactured head so I drilled out the rivet.
The head snapped clean off and when I used the punch on the rivet body, it bent out the flange on the nose rib a bit.

I tried using gorilla tape to hold the flange to the skin when re-riveting, but not with much luck; it sticks out. When I re-rivited, it bulged between the two parts.

What should I do about that last rivet? The only thought I had is to drill out the entire rib and replace with a new rib, but I’m quite concerned about ruining the entire skin by having to perform so many drill outs. And then making a small problem a really big, painful, expensive problem.

 

Those pesky leading edge rib to spar rivet-conquered!

Those "solid" rivet call outs for riveting the leading edge assembly ribs to main spar...most folks acquiesce and pull LP4 pop rivets or such. I challenged this task and I engineered a way to stick with the vans design! ...by driving the impossible to reach SOLID rivets in the leading edge ribs.
QA results: No smiley faces. No bent over shop heads. No gaps between ribs n spar.

What? How?: I drew up and tolerance'd a big steel block that holds five AN470 rivet sets. Imaging a rectangle block approx. 7" x 2.5" x 2.5" weighing about 13lbs or so. Placed this engineered tooling inside the leading edge assembly. Imagine if you have the wing in a jig/stand at this time, like you are supposed to at this phase, then this block lays inside and on top of the main spar. Then I back riveted vertically from the wing's aft side with a 12" offset back riveting set. Pretty awesome.
I was able to coax the Vans team into sharing with me actual dimensions for hole locations! Then I tolerance'd the tooling for the machinist.

Essentially this process is a heavy steel block (heavy mass desired) to back rivet against. And use a medium sized automotive ball-joint spreader as a pry bar. This remedied the long reach and clamping need. Basically my mission was to harness the easiest rivet method...back riveting, for purpose of best possible Quality.

I'll try to add photos here. But I am willing to align with anyone and lend you this tooling...even give a helping hand.
Sticking to the drawing and managing quality results equals finesse. An awesome feeling.

Formation stuff Oct 5-7

RAF camping trip at Creighton Island - Sept. 28th & 29th ...Bill

On the weekend of September 28th & 29th the RAF (www.theraf.org) will host the final Creighton Island fly-in camping trip of the season.

You are all welcome to come but I do ask that you RSVP to brepucci (at) theraf (dot) org. (Yes, No, and Maybe is acceptable.)

The island has good, clean drinking water and showers with hot and cold running water; however, you will be responsible for tents, sleeping bags, chairs, food, etc.

We hope to have a Pig Pick’n with a locally harvested swine on Saturday night. If we don’t have any luck, we will run into town and pick up supplies for a low country boil.

In addition, if you are a musician and can bring your instrument(s), please do so. We are trying to arrange some entertainment but the more the merrier!

As I said before, all are welcome but we ask that you RSVP, review the safety briefing, and watch this video of the approach, landing, and takeoff. (The camera ship was a certain blue and white RV-9.)

The runway is bumpy but I have seen an RV-9, two RV-10's, and an RV-4 in there.

We hope and pray for good weather and good times.

VPX and Contura rocker switches

After several threads on this subject showing some confusion, I made this schematic to help the non-expert in wiring builders connect Carling Contura switches to a VPX unit.

The big secret is to use double pole switches - labeled DPST - to remove any use of diodes with the VPX, and two independent lamps/LEDs if you want illumination.

I hope this schematic will help others -

August 9, 2018.   Issue #4,628.

RV-9A Around The World Update ...John

Due to concerns of potential damage to the plane from Hurricane Hector at Hilo, I relocated "May" to the island of Maui. Thanks to the VAF community (Ed, Scott, Eric, and Brad) I was able to secure a hanger at Kahului Airport (PHOG).

The winds aloft forecast for the Hawaii/California flight does not look favorable for the next two weeks. I decided to fly home commercially, rest and prepare for the final leg of the trip. When I return to Hawaii on August 21, I will complete work on the aircraft, fly back to Hilo, and wait for right moment to fly the 2000+nm to California.

John

Sky King Featured on the Garmin Blog

I'm proud to say I'm one of I think 3-4 people to solo this particular RV-8.  Yes, it's a pretty awesome flying plane.  Don't compliment him too much if you read this piece - it'll go to his head and we'll never hear the end of it at lunch ;^). 

McCauley Hub Question ...AX-O

I have been doing research on the McCauley hubs. Lots of info here but seems to be potentially obsolete based on the dates of the threads, people gave up on trying the combo on RVs or folks figured it out. I also found info on the McCauley website.

I am working with Catto propellers to develop/test a constant speed prop for RVs.

I cannot find any engineering drawings showing dimensions between the prop mounting flange, spinner back-plate mounting flange and/or the differences in dimensions between hubs. All I can find in their 500-plus-page doc is 4.5 or 6.5 inches from prop flange to center of the blade. I did call McCauley but long story short, no help.

Does anyone know where I can find that info? I was thinking of using the maybe the C211 or C214 hub, or the C220 hub since I have a 4-inch extension on my plane.

Thanks for any info that you can provide and for minimizing the thread drift.

Craig has been running the first constant speed prop on the test engine/stand for several weeks now. Hope to be flying the RV version in Jan if I can figure this stuff out (fingers crossed).

Looking at the -12, couple questions ...Eric B

I *was an RV-10 builder, but life came along and now those little feet need something to do. Why not build a plane?

First, I sold all the tools along with the kits and components a while back but the longeron yoke was my favorite for the pneumatic squeezer. Would a pneumatic squeezer be a benefit on he RV-12? I'm thinking of all the nutplates. Would a longeron yoke be useful for those?

Secondly, how much room is there behind the panel before you get to the subpa el? Looking to add an IFR navy to the mix, maybe Avidyne and the dimensions say it is 11" deep.

Thanks in advance! Looking forward to getting back. Hopefully.

OSH'18 Pics ...Steve's co-pilot

Time for the 2019 Van's Calendar Photo Submissions! ...mothership

It's that time of year again! Please submit your greatest photos of RVs for consideration to be included in the 2019 Van's Aircraft calendar.

Please be sure to tell us where the photo was taken, who shot the photo, and about the plane(s)/pilot(s) in each photo. While we are mostly looking for photos of flying aircraft, send us what you've got and all will be considered. Also, we plan to get the calendars produced a bit earlier this year, so don't wait too long!

Submit your images is hi-res format to media@vansaircraft.com.

A panel will choose which photos are published in the calendar, and we will also look at including some of the photo submissions on our web site when we complete the revamp of vansaircraft.com later this year. By submitting your photos, you assure you are the photographer and that it's okay For Van's Aircraft to use your photo for calendar and web purposes.

Thanks!

 

Gas Tank Update ...DrillBit

Since a mod moved this to an archived forum* (originally posted to the temp section), I best finish the story in case you, Dear Readers, are wondering what happened...

To get gas to the boost pump, I slid some tygon tubing over the right tank vent and gently pressurized it, blowing into the other end of the tubing. After a short time, gas came siphoning out. Switched the fuel lever to off and let things sit awhile. Fired up the pump (wired as it was originally--the right way round ) and shazam, the pump was pumping.

However, despite the healthier sound coming from the dry pump, fuel flow read 0.0 gallons per hour (could have been firkins per fortnight, for that matter). Tried switching the Dynon EMS configuration to the second flow meter input pin in the Skyview EMS and once again, I had not hooked it up wrong. Easy to try since a software setting is easier than cut wires to reverse. (Besides, the second pin is for a tank return line and reads the opposite of fuel used!) This time, I was smart and decided to read up on troubleshooting Red Cubes before cutting wires or taking apart any plumbing.

In the meantime, I went ahead with baseline fuel flow tests with the a/c nearly level, about +1 degrees. Weighed the receiving jerry can with a fish scale before and after a timed pumping interval. Right tank: 1.9 lb in 30 sec = 228 lb/hr; left tank: 3.6 lb in 60 sec = 216 lb/hr. For an FI 160 HP engine, FAA recommends 1.25 x 0.55 gal/HP/hr x 160 HP = 110 lb/hr. Plenty of margin when level--we'll see what happens when tested at the "anticipated maximum angle of climb."

OK, what about the dang flow sensor? Dynon fora recommended grounding the yellow wire sensing line that goes to the Red Cube. If all is well in the EMS unit and wiring, tapping ground sends pulses and causes the fuel flow counter to advance--which it did. OK, if 12V and Gnd are good (red and black wires, respectively), then the Red Cube has a stuck impeller, dead electronics, or whatever. In the course of cutting the heat shrink away from PIDG knife splices, the red wire pulled out of its knife. Turns out the terminal had cracked too. Odd, first time I've had a bad crimp, or mishandled the terminal, or it had a latent defect to begin with?

Anyhow, the upstream black wire was solid to FoT ground and the red wire had +12.2 V with the bus turned on. I decided if one knife splice was bad, they all may be, so I changed to Dsub barrels and pins to make new splices. Once it was all together again, the fuel flow sensor was alive, and showed nearly the same flows (+/-1 gph) as the measured values above. My supposition is the sensor wasn't getting power before; works like a champ now.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and advice. I didn't try pouring fuel back through the fire wall, since I had rigged up an overflow line and lashed it down with tywraps.

----
*I suspect it may have been the Lord Mayor of VAFdom himself, DR, since the flow issues made the VAF News front page. Note to self: for maximum VAF exposure, compare RV systems with health issues of men of a certain age...  [ed. It be I.  v/r,dr]

Fuel Pump Update ...Steve Riffe RV-8

After a flight last week, I noticed a drip from the fuel pump overflow. It appeared to have leaked enough to leave a small streak on the lower fuselage, although I never had any indication of a fuel pressure fluctuation. After reading this thread, I could hardly wait to replace the pump (NOT). I picked up a new pump at Air Power in Arlington. I removed the cowling and set about removing the old pump. Access is rather limited, so I removed the scat tubing for the cabin heat and removed the lower line from the oil cooler. I removed the pump overflow tube and the fuel lines from the pump. I zip tied all of these lines to various places on the engine mount--this helped free up some space. I cut the safety wire and removed the bolts. I found that a ball end hex tool was the only way I could get on the bolts. So, old pump off, then cleaned off the old gasket material from the engine with a scraper and some disc brake cleaner. At this point, I called it a day. The next day, I ran some string around the rod that operates the arm on the pump and clamped the free ends to the plate where my GPS antenna is mounted. I held my finger on the rod and slowly rotated the prop until the rod was fully retracted. Looks like the string will hold it in place. I used the old pump as a test to determine how best to position it for the installation. After I was satisfied I had found an acceptable method, I proceeded with the new pump. I coated a new gasket with permatex #2 and stuck it on the pump. I also coated the bolt threads with permatex thread sealer. I inserted the pump and rotated it about 30 degrees counter clockwise. This allowed the arm to fit under the plunger and the inboard bolt to engage. I gave it about 3 turns. For the outboard bolt, the pump has to be rotated clockwise to line up the bolt hole. This was the difficult part because the plunger rod must slightly depress the arm on the pump--and that arm has one stout spring! After several tries, I got the bolt started. I pushed the pump flush against the engine to ensure the arm was under the push rod, then tightened up the bolts until there was less than a 1/4" gap between the pump and engine. I pulled the string out and finished tightening the bolts. The safety wire wasn't much fun either, but I got it done. Re-attached all lines. Ready to test run and check for leaks, but now it's raining--will do it tomorrow. I spent about 4 hours on this project--I stand in awe of the gents that did fun task in 15 minutes and 35 minutes. Thanks to all for the tips found on this thread!

August 8, 2018.   Issue #4,627.

First attempt to follow airplane with DJI camera drone...

360° Video: First Flight of EAA One Week Wonder RV-12iS N2018

On July 30th 2018, following a one-week marathon airplane building project by volunteers and experts at EAA's AirVenture 2018, Vic Syracuse took the controls of the "One Week Wonder" Van's Aircraft RV-12iS light-sport aircraft for its successful first flight. Ride along with Vic as he takes the aircraft up and executes the first-flight testing. This video was show using the amazing Garmin VIRB360 camera!

RV-3B Status Report ...David Paule

Well, with a bit of help from Sam Ritchie, local RV-10 builder, we glued the RH forward side skin on today. This is the cockpit side. This was the culmination of considerably more effort than had been apparent. Among the things that delayed this were:

The skin had been primed. The paint job turned out to be extremely rough, so I removed it completely, as I've mentioned.

With all the various overlaps of the construction, I had to add a lot of shims in a number of places. You may have noticed that.

I had to decide what I was going to do about the forward turtledeck later one. This is the one that goes between the firewall and the panel on top. According to the plans this overlaps the side skins and is attached with #8 screws and I believe the RV-4 is similar. If I were going to accept the overlap there, I’d have to fit those #8 holes in between the -4 rivets at the forward end and those rivets are spaced about 3/4” apart while the screws are roughly 2.5” apart. Worse, I’d have to drill, countersink the longeron and dimple the skin. That would only add a day’s delay. Still, the panel attachment meant that the position of the screws at the aft end would need to be a SWAG and the integration of the cowl cheek flanges would not happen for a considerable time down the road.  ...

 

Time for the 2019 Van's Calendar Photo Submissions! ...mothership

It's that time of year again! Please submit your greatest photos of RVs for consideration to be included in the 2019 Van's Aircraft calendar.

Please be sure to tell us where the photo was taken, who shot the photo, and about the plane(s)/pilot(s) in each photo. While we are mostly looking for photos of flying aircraft, send us what you've got and all will be considered. Also, we plan to get the calendars produced a bit earlier this year, so don't wait too long!

Submit your images is hi-res format to media@vansaircraft.com.

A panel will choose which photos are published in the calendar, and we will also look at including some of the photo submissions on our web site when we complete the revamp of vansaircraft.com later this year. By submitting your photos, you assure you are the photographer and that it's okay For Van's Aircraft to use your photo for calendar and web purposes.

Thanks!

 

Aileron - Repair or Replace?

Hi All,

This weekend, my left aileron experienced what I want to call “hangar rash”. I had the aileron off of the airplane, laying on a table, gust of wind came thru the hangar sending it to the floor. Damaged the outboard trailing edge and a small dent with a crack in the skin on the inboard end. For the dent damage, i figured I would stop drill and fill with some sort of filler (not Bondo). What is more challenging is how to repair the trailing edge that appears to have taken the brunt of the fall. I attempted to "pull out" the crumpled aluminum edge ever so gently but in doing so, a crack/tear appeared along the trailing edge. So, I stopped. Here’s what I am facing. First the trailing edge of the aileron;

Stick Bending

Hi Guys,
I'm looking at getting my stick bent with the 1.5" offset but I'm
a little concerned with making it work with the otto grip.

3 questions

How far aft does the stick go in relation to the seat pan?

Does the stick travel underneath the bulkhead brace forward of the panel?

Judging by the photos and the bottom side of the grip am I going to create problems with the seat cushions later or can they be recessed out to suit?

With the stick mocked up with conduit I can get my thumb on the top hat and clear the bottom side of the panel but not the forward brace.

Mothership...

8/5 Status Report ...j-red

Finally had a chance to get my engine built and hung. This is the second lycoming i've assembled and it was definitely much less intimidating this time. Just follow the overhaul manual carefully and check off each step as it is accomplished.

The engine assembly isn't completely finished, but done enough to get it out of the church gym so that VBS can commence next week!

List of things to do include:

• Purchase 5 shorter pushrods for valve clearance
• Install intra-cylinder baffles then oil drain tubes
• I'm going to hold off installing the superior cold sump until a new fuel pump gets here... should make it a little easier to keep the plunger in the right spot while putting the pump in.

need 5 shorter pushrods for valve clearance, and am waiting until my fuel pump gets here before installing the sump

Next major job: the cowl!

AeroLED Shielded wire and routing

There's a crop of my light section of wiring. The Yellow, red and blue lines off to the right go to VPX pins. The jist is the VPX controls the wig-wag, recog stuff so each Landing light is wired separately to the VPX, however the Taxi wires will be joined and put to a single pin.

For the Nav lights and Strobes all three get wired together to include the green sync wire and put to a pin for Strobes and a pin for Nav.  ...

7A Rebirthing Status Report ...kentlik

August 7, 2018.   Issue #4,626.

Pretty Awesome Ground Pic ...Chattin35

Another flying RV ...Claude Pitre

Shortly after 9:00 this morning, on a beautiful day, RV-9A C-GCPT did what it was designed and built to do - fly! I rode along in the left seat as my engine builder - who has 14,000+ hours in about 170 different aircraft - handled all of the flying. We backtracked runway 17 here at CYQF (Red Deer, AB) to have all 7500' available. We only needed the first 1000' and then we were off and flying. The aircraft flew true hands off on the climbout and handled very well through the hour long flight. As expected, the new engine ran hot (CHT ~425F) for much of the flight but settled down near and below 400F after 40 minutes or so. Flight was done at or above 75% power.

We ran into an engine issue as we started our descent that resulted in losing power in cylinder #1. This was quickly diagnosed as a leaking injector line and we mitigated the fire risk by keeping the airflow high in the descent. Power came back as we landed without incident. A quick check after the cowling was pulled revealed that the nut at the flow divider had completely backed off and slid down the line. The flared end was still firmly against the fitting, so the worst it got was leaky. Certainly a serious issue that should have been caught by either of us.

Not much else for snags, we'll get it fixed up and back out for flight number 2 later this week.

Not much luck with video, but here are a few pictures from just before the flight.

Airflow Performance pump failure ...Greg 9A

Well, actually not so much a pump failure, as a pump failing due to something else, but I still ended up with a dead pump.

I run 91E10 mogas in my system, and thought I had cleaned out all the natural rubber seals and components on everything to avoid problems with the fuel attacking the natural rubber seals. I missed ONE O-ring on one of my fuel filters, coming in from the right tank prior to the pump, and after 285 hours it finally degraded to the point where it was leaking. At first I noticed a very faint whiff of fuel smell, weak enough I could have dismissed it as a figment of my imagination. A couple flight hours later I noticed my fuel pressure dropping rapidly on the right pump (dedicated to my right tank). It normally runs 45 psig constant - now it was dropping into low thirties and high twenties. Friday of last week I took it for a post-maintenance test flight and the pump would only provide 11 psi on runup.

I called BS and went back to the hangar and sure enough, the pump is cavitating - and temps were cool enough that the fuel is not going to be vaporizing from heat. I checked my fuel filters for blockage that could be causing the cavitation, and that's when I found one of them with the natural-rubber O-ring that was badly deteriorated. I remembered some discussion prior from Ross that said these pumps were quite allergic to cavitation and it would destroy the pump quickly, so I rigged up a test set and fed it clean fuel with no restriction on the inlet, and sure enough it would only give about 15 psig output - so the pump is nerfed.

Anyway - just a datapoint - cavitation (or air ingestion) is bad juju for these EFI pumps and natural rubber O-rings are only good for a couple hundred hours of exposure to 91E10. I'm in the process now of raping out the entire fuel system and installing an Andair full-duplex valve plus the SDS pump module and fuel regulator.

 

Weekend flight photos ...erich weaver

Had a nice local flight yesterday with smooth as glass air. Temperature inversion kept it hot down low so climbed to 8500 feet to escape the heat.

Looking west toward Point Conception, where the east-west coastline of So Cal changes to north-south:  ...

Empennage Ordered ...bkmerrill

Well, I made the jump and placed an order for an RV-10 Empennage Kit! No turning back now! Have spent the past several months going back and forth between building or buying a Bonanza. Finally decided I should quit wasting precious time and start the build. If I get the flying bug too bad a year or so from now, I may buy something to fly while I finish up the build. That said, I’m also very excited about building. Was at Oshkosh this year and love the community that we all get to enjoy through aviation. Look forward to several years of advice from you all. Will document our build at the (newly created) site in my sig below.
__________________
RV-10 — Empennage In Progress
Texas
https://merrillfamrv10.wordpress.com/

Status Report ...jcarne 7A

Well here it is.  The month of July: 158 hours building.   When the aft fuse first went on it's back: July 17th.  Total build time so far: 932.1 hours.   Rolling the canoe: August 5th.  A big thanks to my dad for spending many hours on the bucking bar.

Puppies in a RV8-It Can Be Done ...Mark Dickens

Several years ago, I was active in Pilots N Paws when I owned a Bonanza. It was a great plane to haul almost any size dog. In fact, I hauled so many aged and injured Pit Bulls, I took to calling my plane "the Pit Special"...ha. I sold the Bonanza and aside from a brief interlude with a Cirrus, I didn't have a plane to continue hauling animals and gave up on it temporarily.

Behind the Panel Avionics: How I Did It ...Jesse

This is how I mounted everything in a recent -10. The transponder if to he right of the right rib in a hole in the sub-Panel so it slides out aft.

RV-14 Panel: Am I Missing Anything? ...azflyer21

Before committing I wanted to get feedback or suggestions on the layout These are HDX panels, thanks.

Mothership Stats as of 8/6

August 6, 2018.   Issue #4,625.
  Quick gas run over to Bridgeport Saturday morning, then house stuff and work.  Hot.  Chimed in the 'RV-15' thread Sunday with some of my thoughts - fun to think about and discuss the possible future!  Hope you all had a great weekend.
 

Central Australia Trip ...rgmwa

I recently flew my RV-12 from my home airfield near Perth in Western Australia, east along the coast into South Australia, and then up into the Northern Territory, finally coming back home through the`top end' of WA.

While it's hard to complete with Vlad when it comes to informative and entertaining trip write-ups, I thought the unique country down here might justify the attempt.

One Week Wonder Time Lapse Video ...you're gonna want to watch this

Finished RV-14 Post ...Bootscooter

Still buzzing from finishing RV14, can't speak highly enough for the quality of the kit and plans, this aeroplane is good for GA, it gets a quality build on the ramp to a larger audience. I can see a big future for this model.

RV-8 Status Report ...j-red

I’m way behind on posting. July was pretty much a wash between work taking kids to camp and family vacation. This week I’m building the engine and will take a few photos for the records and share them, but here’s what happened in July...

More fiberglass! I’ve contjnued to spend inordinate amounts of time with the wheel pants. The gear leg fairings were assembled with their hinges and the transition fairings, which I bought from rvbits, we’re bonded to the wheel fairings, split, and a little overlap formed to cover the split. Lots of filling and sanding with no end in sight!

More sanding and shaping of the rear skirt joint and I’m finally pleased with that area too.


Carbon fiber wrapped the panel and got it installed. Everything works as expected. Radio checks on the ground seem to confirm good transmission and reception although we all know the real test is with the engine running....

Error Proofing and Organization...djborko11

I'm in the early stages of the build, absorbing as much as I can at this stage. So last week at Airventure I picked up this handy tip.

Put all the bagged parts with the same part number in a single container!
Dasani 12 oz water bottles make great containers for rivets!

I used my handy Dymo labeler to label the rivets for the water bottles and a fine point sharpie identifies the components compartment boxes ($2.99 HF)

My expectation is that I'm less likely to grab the wrong rivet or bolt this way.

Falcon flight 7/26/2018 ...vid

Video of the RV team flying OSH 2018 ...AX-O

All,
I found this video of our performance at OSH 2018. This flight was done in memory of Stu "Falcon", our founder.  We introduced a new formation shape during this show. We call it "The Riddler" as it is in the shape of a question mark.

In addition.....360* video!
"This was recorded by George Ford, Golf 2 in the formation."

OSH'18 Pics Online ...Pittsartist

August 3, 2018.   Issue #4,624.
  Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and RV-filled weekend!
 

My dream come true: Oshkosh 2018 ...Norcalrv7

As long as I've been in aviation, I've wanted to go to Oshkosh. In my eyes, the only way to go would require 2 things

1) Flying myself there from home in California
2) Camping at Oshkosh for the weekend

Time slipped by, and every year It seemed like the wrong time. When I met my girlfriend Tiffany 2 years ago, My hangar was home of an airplane with a completely bare firewall, and a gutted panel. She patiently watched me work, and I promised her that *someday* this airplane would fly me to my dreams to Oshkosh.

Sometime Around April, I decided that 2018 would be my year. I requested time off work, and plotted the route to fly. With only 170 Hours of time Lycoming FWF, The thought of a mid continent breakdown made me feel a little sick to my stomach. I guess the unknown is part of the adventure. I did know that my SDS EFI engine had run like a clock since day 1, So it should be the same a few times zones away right?  continue

#2 running hot and high oil temp ...RicoB

its's an 9A with a O-320 E3D / MT C/S electric prop, Just trying to get any tips on solution for hotter number 2, it's usually 15-20 degrees hotter than 1,3,4. others are around 385 and #2 is above 405, on a climb i see up to 425. I have already removed the front dam completely. also my oil temp is running about 210-215, my oil pressure is at 60psi at running temps, if i raise the oil pressure the oil temp goes up, if i lower the oil pressure down to 45 it runs around 185-190. Looking for ideas on how to attack this problem.. thanks

Congratulations Tom Savrda - RV-7 Lindy Trophy ...Pat Hatch post

All of us here in Vero Beach are really proud of Tom Savrda's win at Oshkosh - Lindy Trophy for his RV-7, Kit Built Champion Award. He's on his way home as I write this. Here they are in HBC

Behind the Panel Avionics Update ...AviatorJ RV-10

Wanted to show what I ended up with. There were a lot of decisions on the fly, some solutions worked through and then redone because I wasn't happy with the result.

The IBBS is above and behind the VPX. I can't mount the GSU on the G3X panel like I originally planned to so it's going to go on that brace to the left. I did put the ground on the right and the GEA 24 is on the subpanel where you can see those bolts.

Garmin announces new aviation webinars

August 1, 2018 - Garmin is pleased to announce it is expanding its robust line-up of popular aviation webinars. Ranging from Garmin Pilot tips and tricks, cost-effective autopilot upgrades to low-cost ADS-B solutions, these free webinars offer pilots and customers with a broad overview of the latest Garmin has to offer, while also providing a general operational overview of its vast product line.  New webinars that have been recently added to the 2018 Garmin aviation webinar schedule discuss a variety of topics and products, including:

RE: Weight in the RV-4 Back ...Brent Travis

I have 1100 hours in my -4 now, it weighs 975 (or so) with an O-360 and Catto prop. I did a couple of things to be able to haul a heavy passenger / (bags). First, I moved the battery into the engine compartment, in the right cheek. This allows a forward baggage compartment between the rudder pedals, so you can add weight forward of the CG. I usually put a bag of tools and heavy stuff like my O2 tank, oil, tie downs, etc up there.

Secondly, if I know I am aft CG, I always run the trim forward (down) so that I have more stick force and feel when I get slow with flaps down.

I like to land with half tanks or more if rear loaded.

I hope this helps.

August 2, 2018.   Issue #4,623.
  I flew over to Jay Pratt's airport at 0700 Wed (track) to eat at the restaurant and drool over his North Star tires (pic).  Logged .3 (just barely).  Took the pic below over the train yard in that red-shifted morning light that isn't even remotely duplicated here in its you-had-to-be-there kick@ssness.  Jay talked into my digital pocket recorder about the avionics wiring position he is hoping to fill.  Six minute talk in .mp3 format HERE. 
  Scooted back over to 52F before it got too hot to function w/o conditioned air.  On the computer by 0830 playing catch up.  Hope your Wed went nice also.  RV Life... 

enlarge

A new RV Grin in Belfast Maine ...Dvalcik post

I am Posting this for Mike with his RV Grin.  Mike Giles and his RV12 took her maiden flight today. Today was perfect for a first flight, sunny, low temperatures and calm winds this morning. Mike made a few high speed taxi runs and then she took to the air just like all of the other Vans.  Mike’s PREP; everything was within normal range, no heavy wing, and flew level hands off.

He has 2 hours on the Hobbs as he as he continues the 5 hour phase one check list for the 12. Great to have another flying RV at KBST!  video

Home From OSH'18 Post ...Tony Kirk

I finally hit the pillow in my OWN bed at 2 AM this morning.  I left home on 7/11 for my daughter's wedding on 7/13 in Ohio.  Then flew Delta to the Atlanta area 7/18 to pick up N912VA from Vic and flew it to Oshkosh on 7/19.  Then I helped Roger and Big John prep the OWW booth Fri, Sat & Sun.  The real show started for us when the RV-12iS crates were opened at 8 AM Monday!  Many thanks to all the people who help push the OWW project to completion!   We wouldn't have been able to make the ambitious schedule without the help from the Van's community, both inside the ropes and all those who helped with the more than 2,500 volunteer riveters outside the ropes.  I also had the pleasure of helping "Rosie the Riveter" pull a rivet on Friday.

Watching Scott and Van taxi N2018 during the airshow on Sunday made me feel very proud to be part of the Van's Aircraft team.  I am privileged to work with some of the finest people I've ever known (including some whom you never see at Oshkosh), thank you Van and everyone at Van's Aircraft!

2nd Flight of O.W.W. ...jnorris

I flew the second flight on the One Week Wonder this morning. Great flight on a lovely morning. Everything A-OK!

 

Ready For Her Closeup ...Rbb469

Slides from my OSH18 session on building ...gfb

A few people at my session asked for the slides and I said I'd post them here.

Thank you to the RV Owners at Oshkosh with open cowlings ...Trent

Just wanted to say, "Thank you" to all the RV owners that took their top cowling off and left it open.

Other than online I do not get many opportunities to see under the cowling of a RV. Since I am building it really helps to visualize some elements in person.

Obviously I understand why many do not take the cowling off. Heck they don't even remove the cowling on the RV's at Vans booth. So once again to those that are willing I really appreciate it. Thank you.

August 1, 2018.   Issue #4,622.
  A quick flight with some tasty waves Tue morn - quick .5 around the local with northerly winds for a change (75*F at flight time!).  Wave patterns over a sandbar caught my attention, so I circled that for a bit.  Labeled some of the pics with the pencil/iPad.  Six pictures starting HERE. (opens new window).  The images will scale as big as your monitor is.
  Finally, Jay Pratt is looking for an avionics wiring helper at RV Central.  Wear shorts to work, cuss and scratch your armpits during meetings - it's allowed ;^).  If there were meetings that is.....    More info HERE.

Vic's 'Home Safe' Post

Just landed a bit ago at home. Lots of storms to circumvent today. Have to love the Southeast in the summer!

What an honor it was for me last night to make the first flight of the Airventure One Week Wonder! It was an amazing culmination of a lot of hard work by the Van's team, along with some fantastic volunteers. I know some of the Van's team worked 20 hours days to make it happen, but it really did happen! A completely finished & flyable RV-12iS in ONE WEEK! I don't understand why takes us so long at home. The Van's team must have some special magic when they are all working together.

I don't know what was the actual final count of other people who came by to install a rivet and sign their name on the RV-12iS, but the last number I heard mentioned was over 2500. Isn't that amazing?!

What a superb accomplishment for the Home Built Community of EAA. I know many of you from this forum came by during the week to see it, and I really enjoyed meeting you or reconnecting with you!!!

Overall it sure was an amazing trip of which I never dreamed. I licensed an RV-7A in Madison, WI on the way up, and then test flew the RV-12 iS last night. That was fun.

Vic

August Calendar Wallpaper

...photo Mr. Ed Hicks.

Yes, I’m stupid but lucky ...Jim 7A

This year’s trip to AirVenture taught me a valuable lesson about C.G. and weight.

Like (I suspect) several RV owners I became complacent about cg and weight because these planes perform so well. Background: my RV7A is a little heavy to begin with due to a nice panel, oxygen system, lovely interior, pretty paint job and a few extra luxuries I consider important to always carry. In other words the basic empty weight is 1,188 lbs. My empty C.G. is 79.97 which is a good forward cg.

Last year I overloaded the aircraft by about 100 lbs. and had absolutely no problems. This year was different! I’ve personally gained 5 lbs., my passenger was a little lighter than last year’s passenger; so I put about 125 lbs in the cargo area and estimated my total gross weight around 1,950 lbs. Takeoff cg was within limits.

I was part of a two ship arriving Saturday night and when three minutes out of Ripon they closed Oshkosh ten minutes early. We diverted to Appleton. Landing at Appleton was stick sensitive but very controlled.

My lead flew to Oshkosh the next day (3.5 hour flight plus one fuel stop) while I elected to stay at Appleton since it was convenient and my parking fee for that Saturday night was the same as the whole week. I was also told OSH HBP was muddy so staying at Appleton just made sense. I had room reservations at Oshkosh dorms and took the bus to AirVenture.

Like a lot of folks I purchased a few things, picked up a few more “free goodies” and so did my passenger. Return trip on Friday added another 10 to 20 lbs aft. Our return trip had me stopping at North Central Regional (MO8) for fuel. Unfortunately they ran out of 100LL two planes before my turn (price $3.90 gallon). We still had 18.5 gallons so I flew on to Marshall Memorial (KMHL) an additional 20 minutes air born for fuel. This burned about four gallons more. Airplane felt unusually sensitive with a slightly nose high pitch on this flight.

My first landing at Marshall surprised me with severe PIO (never have I experienced this before) so I went around. My second attempt was even worse. Now I’m shook up! (I’m a 3,800 hour - long retired military instructor pilot - and PIO is something only rookies experience - right?). My passenger (a former Tora Tora pilot and Reno Air Racer calmly suggested I apply full nose down trim - which I did. Thankfully it worked and the third attempt resulted in no PIO and a safe landing.

Lessons learned:
1. Don’t become complacent. Play attention to cg limits and gross weight. While you can be within cg limits on take off, inflight fuel burn will move your cg aft. If already over weight this can get you into serious trouble if your cg at takeoff is near the aft limit.

2. Use FedEx or UPS if you suspect your overweight. Even better - don’t start overweight and expect to not have consequences. It’s cheaper to mail stuff than to damage the aircraft and possibly hurt someone.

3. If you find yourself trying to land your RV outside of aft cg limits - apply full nose down trim! It will keep your nose down and help prevent over controlling the aircraft as you try to make a landing. Remember an aft cg makes these aircraft extremely sensitive to control inputs. Full nose down trim dampens this out a little.

4. Make sure your lighter passenger deplanes first and have him/her hold the nose down while you’re getting out. Fat boys on the rear step will cause the tail to drop. We at least thought of this before deplaning.

I share this with you in the hope that you’ll pay more attention to cg and weight limits when you make a long trip. These airplanes are great little performers but they can make you complacent if you’re not careful. Remember “full nose down trim” can help reduce PIO when control forces feel too light.

Aggie78 OSH'18 Pics

Fuel Pump Trouble ...Jan RV-10

Standard RV10 and today I have connected the fuel pump for the first time. I can hear a faint clunk sound from it but nothing else on Pump On. Yes I know that it should not be run without fuel, but thought one or two seconds will do no harm. It trips the VPX even at 15A. Monitored it with the laptop and I am getting a Short Circuit message from VPX.

I have even tried an independent supply at 12V with the same result.

Wondering if it will help to push a bit of Avgas through it and then try again? Your advise is welcome - before I dive n there to get it out and halfway around the world

July 31, 2018.   Issue #4,621.
  Hey, any RV folks around me (Flower Mound, Coppell, Highland Village, Lewisville, TX) have a good garage door guy before I start scattergoogling?  The garage door torsion spring on the wifey's side went BOINGKRACK!!! the other day, and through some sort of steel mitosis divided itself into two smaller springs.  I'll probably need (2) as my side is the same age.
  Actually, it sounded more like a shotgun. ;^) 

Cedar Mills RV 2-ship Fly-by

Saturday morning 0800 fly-by by a coupla RVators about to walk over to the Cedar Mills marina for breakfast.  I got there early by chance and had my phone out.  Turn up those speakers - sounds RV pleasing!

play video

Seen at Richmond Aviation (business card)...my A&P

Randy is re-skinning a rudder and is using a modified large soldering iron to 'de-film' only the rivet area.  The circle peels off with a fingernail.  Interesting take on the age-old question of 'do I de-film'? 

click to enlarge 

click to enlarge

Vic Syracuse (DAR) Inspects the One Week Wonder RV-12 ...vid

Congratulations Jeff Point ...RV guy who built an award winning Breezy

After building his RV and helping us all oark at OSH every year Jeff built a Breezy and this year at OSH he had to mail home an "Plans Outstanding Workmanship" award because there is no place to bring it home on (there is no "in") his plane.

Also, congratulations to the RV winners!

More info

Superior Air Part press release ...from Dale Smith

Garmin Pilot v9.4.0 is Out

Update on RV-9A Around the World  

Dave Caland OSH'18 Pics

"Good night OSH 18! Great week. I've been coming here for 35 yrs. and this was my 10th in my RV-7A already. Pulled out the tripod and flashlight for some night pics my last night. Also saw a great night airshow on Thursday."

July 30, 2018.   Issue #4,620.

One Week Wonder. They did it !!! ...Arie

Well done to every one working on the RV12 one week wonder this week. You accomplished something amazing ,and it is a privilege just to be part of it. We have been watching the progress every day from the other side of the earth, and we are so proud to be a part of the global RV family.

Well done guys and girls!!!

(photo credit)
 

First Flight ...Wesflies

On July 6th, 2018, N1277G RV-7A changed from a 2800.3 hour (fourteen year, two month, and thirteen day) project into an airplane. It was a .8 hour flight without any issues. Flight handling was just as advertised and the landing was a greaser! I cannot wait to fly it again and get past Phase 1.

My RV is powered by a 180hp Lycoming Thunderbolt, and a Hartzell constant speed prop (Van’s show special at OSH 2017). The instrument panel was designed and built by Jared Solomon and me and includes two Dynon Skyview 10" HD Touch Screens, Dynon ADS-B in and out, Dynon Auto Pilot, Dynon Intercom and Com, and Vertical Power VP-X. The interior was done by Oregon Aero.

As you may imagine, after taking over fourteen years to build, there are simply too many people to thank. There were many people who helped in so many small ways. I’m sorry if I do not mention your name. However the folks that spent the most time helping and get special mention are; Art Sanders, Jere Rosser, Skip Elsworth, David Anderson, Scott Kilgore, and Jared Solomon. Jared gets honorable mention as he really helped me “get over the hump” the last eight months or so, and helped see this to completion. I can’t close this without thanking my wife, Joy. She was the most help of all! She NEVER questioned this dream and ALWAYS was encouraging when there was a bad building day. She never complained about how long it took to build, how much space I took in the basement; how much money I spent; I could go on. I am so excited to take her flying and to exciting places very soon.
Obligatory pictures attached. The RV Grin with Jared (my co-pilot) and me, taxi to first flight, touchdown first flight, and instrument panel
Wesley Greer
RV-7A

 

Finished! ...Chad Boot RV-14

Dear VAF,

I unfortunately missed #OSH18 this year, but on the plus side I had time to finish my RV14.

It's done!!! I've finished I present to you RV14 VH-VNX built in Sydney Australia.

The kit finish and quality of the RV14 from Van's can be summed up by my AP's sign off "It looks like a factory built aeroplane" The aeroplane is fantastic to fly and an absolute credit to all at Van's.

A huge thank you to the VAF community, everyones support and experience sharing makes all the difference.

This aeroplane took me a solid 18 months to build, its a as per the plans slow build with the IO-390, dual P-Mags, VPX, Classic Aero Interior, fuel & brake lines by Tom Swearengen & TS Flightlines, and a Dynon fit out.

I can't wait to do it all again!!!!

Garmin G5 Upgrade ...chrispratt

Finally got my Garmin G5 units installed and calibrated today – yeah! Took longer than I thought but not because of the Garmin design, just the usual retrofit/upgrade surprises you get when you need to mount new equipment and move or reroute wiring in a finished airframe. ...

The OSH RV Winners...Christer post

The RV’s were well represented at this year’s EAA Airventure Awards. Congratulations to all. Very well deserved.

Reserve Grand Champion Kitbuilt - Silver Lindy

Richard Hansen
Winchester, California
2017 Van’s RV-10, N52RK

Kit Champion - Bronze Lindy

John Janovetz
Colleyville, Texas
2017 Team Rocket F1 EVO, N265AJ

Tom Savrda
Vero Beach, Florida
2012 Van’s RV-7, N732TS

Jason Seavolt
Powell, Ohio
2017 Van’s RV-8, N143MS

Melinda Harrill
Columbia, South Carolina
2016 Van’s RV-7, N324MH

Andrew Manilla
Park City, Utah
2017 Van’s RV-8, N869AM

Plans Champion - Bronze Lindy

Steve Johansen
Salem, Oregon
2007 Van’s RV-3, N159SJ

Kit Outstanding Workmanship - Plaque

Keith Ellis
Locust Grove, Georgia
2018 Van’s RV-7A, N859DF

Larry Eversmeyer
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
2018 Van’s RV-14, N71LE

Bob Greenall
Lansford, Pennsylvania
2017 Van’s RV-7, N516RG

 

Ladies Love an RV Ride ...petehowell

RV Formation Pic From Thu ...Mickey Coggins

The RV airshow today was super - congrats to the guys that flew it in memory of Stu. I took some pictures but none even come close to showing the great work that you guys did. Here's the only one I kept:

The RV Social Play Area ...crabandy

Thanks again to Dan and all the sponsors, we had a Great Time! My lil' dude especially liked the playground and other kiddos!

From Iron ...some guy walks up and starts helping. ;^)

Mystery Shipwreck ...Vlad the Traveller

VAF Hat Drama ...Mike

So, despite reaching out (I know you were busy JJ), I am in San Fran by myself on a layover.

I go into town, we stay in Burlingame, and I get to the end of the Hyde Powell cable car line. Half way back to Powell, my hat flies off.

Nooooo!

Good and faithful hat of 10 years, recently repaired and well cherished.

Oh well - never mind. Cable car stops 2 blocks later and this guy runs up and gives me my hat back !

Way to go - Idaho

I gave him a good drink as thanks and have been re united with my hat.

 

OSH'18 Pics ...Capt Sandy

OSH'18 Pics ...Randy King

OSH'18 Fireworks Video ...Randy King

OSH'18 Pics ...crabandy

Reviving an Old Thread (Alaska) ...Vlad

July 27, 2018.   Issue #4,619.
  For those returning from OSH, travel safe and I'm really looking forward to photo albums once they get posted online (created a thread for it).  Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and RV-filled weekend!  

Watch the 'One Week Wonder' Streaming

RV Formation Photos ...Gary Sobek Thursday pics

Descriptions in order:
Falcon Flight RV Formation inbound.
Raven Flight splitting off.
Raven Flight Solos splitting off.
Raven Flight Double Vee
Raven Flight Arrow
Falcon Overcast Cluster
Raven Airplane
Raven Solo from behind and crossing
Falcon Overcast turning to head back in
Raven Flight Ez
Raven Flight Delta (8-Ship)
Raven Flight Delta (8-Ship) smoke coming on
Raven Flight Delta (8-Ship) Smoke On

Sent to me by AX-O

Full size

2018 Home Safe From OSH Thread

- Back in Alabama (have work to do). Great trip home with a nice tailwind at 16.5K.  It was a good visit. I'm very lucky to have so many friends.

 

- Back in Arizona. Great trip. Refueled in Shenandoah Iowa and Las Vegas New Mexico. Both were quick, easy, and reasonably priced.
Lots of weather enroute but mostly smooth ride until the last miserable hour. Home was 115 degrees when we landed.

 

- In the air yesterday by 7:00 am, on the ground by 9:45...if only the flight up had been as easy!

 

- Great flight home Tuesday morning. Only 6.5 hrs. flight time vs 8.9 hrs on the way there Saturday and I didn't even do any laps around Rush Lake. Had a small tail wind vs the 20-40 kts headwind Saturday.
Typical TS in Florida but managed to stay East of them on the way down the peninsula.

HBC Ghosts...Sid Mayeux pic

Full size

VAC's Flying ONSPEED in an RV Forum

"Friday, 1430 Friday, Forum 1 on flying ONSPEED AOA for folks that have AOA systems in their RV’s and are interested in learning more about the topic."

RV IAC Aerobatic Competition Standings - 2018

Sorry for the delay in getting this out. I've been on a 3800 mile trip in the 4-wheel RV and just got back to my computer. We have three new entrants in the standings. Scott Emery and Dennis Parks both tried their luck at the Corvallis, Oregon contest and Galen Killam took a third place at the Michigan Open in Bay City. Lots of contests left to be flown this season, so get out there and post some scores!

So I took off the tape ...kentlik 7A rebirthing update

So I took off the tape and revealed a decent job but not even close to great. I didn't put "great" time into it and learning on the fly is kind of cool...most of the time.

July 26, 2018.   Issue #4,618.
  I had the 'One Week Wonder' project streaming on one of my monitors full screen all day Wednesday, and I couldn't stop smiling.  How dang cool is that thing?!?!  I'm pretty sure I saw Paul and Louise working on that sucker.  I wish there was a PTT button like on the Nest camera at the hangar.  Wanted to shout out, "Iron!!!!!" ;^)
  Hope my friends at OSH are having a great time.  The Wx looks nice.  

I can fly now!

Just received my Special Certificate of Airworthiness in the mail, so C-GCPT, RV-9A #91081 is officially an airplane. Weather permitting, my first flight will be happening when I get back from a short vacation, in 10 days or so. The plane is ready and itching to get into the air where it belongs.

I kind of wish we could get that instant gratification of the pink slip like you do in the US. I waited for nearly 6 weeks for my last piece of paper. I am delighted that I'll be able to start my 25 hour test phase while the days are still long though.

__________________
Claude Pitre
RV-9A #91081, C-GCPT

RV Guy (Vac) Co-Winner 2018 EAA Chairman's Innovation Award ...$25K prize

Vac, Cecil, and Chris won this year’s $25K check with this AOA aural tone generator...well done!

Rudder Ouch ...John RV-14A

It was bound to happen. I'm working on the empennage/Aft Fuselage kit and have completed the HS, Rudder, VS, trim tab and nearly done with the elevator. I keep the completed components on top of a cabinet in my workshop (garage). It has been over 100 degrees nearly everyday for the past couple of weeks so I leave the roll up garage door open at night about 6" to take advantage of cooler nighttime temps. Apparently, 6" is enough for a family of raccoons to come visiting.

The little blankity blanks, climbed up the cabinet and knocked the rudder off. It made quite the racket as it fell 6 feet onto the concrete floor. I rushed into the garage to see them staring back at me as if to say, "...wasn't us. The cat did it." Well, I don't have a cat so I know it was them.

My rudder didn't survive the short CFIT and there is no way to realistically repair it. Better to build another one. I called Van's and asked if they had a "Rudder Kit" and was told they don't. I would have to order each individual piece. I started going through the plans and writing them down but thought there must be a faster way. Maybe someone has decided to build a second rudder and they have a parts list composed??

Freedom of Flight Award Highlights Affordable Avionics

Andrew Barker, Robert Hamilton receive EAA’s highest honor

[ed. You all know Andrew as the CEO of TruTrak.  Flies an RV-4 and RV-10.
Way to go Andrew!!!!  v/r,dr]

7A Rebirthing Status Report ...kentlik

So I took the plunge today and feel pretty good the job is done. Kind of messy and not as clean as I would have liked but it is solid   You do need more clamps when you actually glue it up. I, fortunately, have dozens so just grabbed a bunch out of the bin.   Not sure when I pull the tape off. I need to let it cure then backfill and then I pull it off I believe is the procedure.  ...

RV-14 or RV-10? What were your arguments?

(Welcome Malte from Munich)
"Hey builders,

I am a bit afraid there are already twenty threads about this, but I couldn't really find them.
I'm thinking about building an RV myself. I'd like to build an IFR capable plane. I do not like to build lots of carbon stuff (have had enough of carbon building at university). And I like XC and some acro. The idea to visit different continents with my own plane is appealing.
Now I'm not sure whether to go with a ten or a fourteen.

What where your thoughts when deciding pro RV-14?

Best,
Malte"

Pre-Flight Catch ...Tom

Before flying my "new to me" RV-8 back to Colorado last October, I discovered both locknuts on the throttle control cable housing at the carburetor bracket completely backed off..I'd actually flown it like this. I also discovered fuel spraying onto the ground during priming from an improperly made up copper tube fitting. During preflight runup before my first solo in my RV-8, the engine backfired badly when on the left mag. A local A&P, without actually testing it himself, simply told me to go fly it, saying it was probably a fouled plug (he probably thought I was having a case of "pre-solo nerves"). The 2nd A&P on the field I took it to tested it and declared the plane non-airworthy until the left mag was replaced. The 2nd A&P was top notch.

Recently, after having some mods done on my RV-8 down in AZ, I found an abnormally high amount of friction when moving the ailerons during preflight. The aileron had been removed to perform an inspection and reassembled improperly. After takeoff I noticed a heaviness in the left wing that wasn't there before....later traced to the trailing edge of the right flap being about 0.1250"-0.1875" lower than the left flap when fully retracted. My transponder was also not working. Would be nice if the workshop performed their own preflight inspection before I got there.

There's nothing like having work done by paid professionals only to have it come back with squawks that were not broken before, costing extra money to fix. I'm learning that part of the ownership learning curve is finding a reliable shop/A&P to work on the plane. I've been throwing money at it for the past several months and believe the "deferred maintenance items" have now been addressed.

As a result of the above...and spending a lot of time scouring VAF, I now take more care than ever during my preflight inspections and now have a better idea what to look for.

July 25, 2018.   Issue #4,617.
  My hometown of Waco, TX was 114°F a couple days ago (link), and two hours north by car where I live now it has been a true cooker (screengrab), so I've been gravitating to the worn out shared Cub with its open doors and shade when the heat gets too much.  Tuesday a.m. did TnGs on a dried up lake bed (pic/pic).
  Don't take it personally, my darling RV!  I'm trying to avoid heat stroke here!  The gang at OSH sending me 'how cold it is' updates isn't helping much <g>.
  And yes, I've been researching air conditioning units for the RV-6.  We'll figure out something.
 

RV Formation OSH'18 Pics...Gary Sobek photos from Tuesday.

Behind the panel avionics placement ...AviatorJ RV-10

I need some mounting or arrangement suggestion, ie mounting locations and/or brackets I can make. So far I have only had to cut a single hole into my subpanel for my GTN 650. Decided to jump on in and go ahead and get those trays and the wiring harness into the plane.

So here's what I have shown in the picture with a bit of painters tape holding everything in an approximate place I think would accommodate space and with my Stein harness.  ...

Round the World in a RV-9A ...John's update

VAF,

Tomorrow I depart for Pago Pago and will prepare for the upcoming long legs. The plane holds up to 124 gallons of fuel, but even with this capacity I will need to fly fairly slowly to ensure the range.

I had hoped to be in Oshkosh by this time. Weather delays in the far north and illness in India slowed down my progress.

John

(2) Mr. X Pics...start HERE for four new pics.  Descriptions at the link.

Cayo Largo (Souther coast of Cuba)

click to enlarge

RE: The Crowded OSH Arrival ...Jim Clark RV-6 (EAA Board Member) post

"We (EAA Board) hear you (and many other flyers)

Being the Board member referenced, I can say the following:

We just spent the opening of the board meeting discussing this and will have a lot of people working to understand the root causes, propose solutions and establish action plans.

This is a BIG DEAL for us!

When there is something I can share, I will do so."

[ed. Jim thank you for that update.  Kindest and best,dr]

Sighting at the Show...G.Sobek

July 24, 2018.   Issue #4,616.

The OSH'18 RV-Specific Activity Planner

...I'll keep this up here all week.  Data might change so click on link for latest version.  Enjoy the show!

Watch the 'One Week Wonder' Streaming

The Monday RV Social Begins.....5:19pm Monday photos courtesy Sid Mayeux

2018 OSH RV-10 Dinner Photos ...Greenley (Sunday)

Following are some pictures, lets get creative with some caption ideas.

HBC Beer Tasting Pic ...Anthony (Sunday)

OSH Arrival PIREP ...Scott Thompson

I was this poor RV-8 guy. Very frustrating arrival experience that began Saturday afternoon when they closed the airport for arrivals at 6:30 instead of 8:00 to allow 140 Bonanzas to arrive. I was 10 miles from Ripon when that happened and had to divert to Appleton. Today started off well enough. When the weather went to marginal VFR at about 11:30 I launched with others from Appleton and I almost got right in. Shut off arrivals just as I was in line at Ripon again and went to holding. It then became a real zoo on the Fisk arrival with guys not following the NOTAM and cutting people out of the flow. It became a game of chicken in some cases; who was going to turn out and give up first. I know the ATC guys were working hard but I was not impressed. Five guys converging ar Ripon and no one turning until someone had to. ATC would tell everyone to break off and hold, and 80% did so. The ones that pressed on were then getting in. I tried for over five hours to get in and had to refuel again at Appleton. The guys who declared minimum fuel to ATC were given priority instead of being told to divert. Finally made it in just before the field closed again for the day. Weather was great this afternoon but what a circus. Not sure I’ll do it again. I‘ve flown in a couple of times before and never seen it like today.

OSH Arrival PIREP ...Gary Sobek RV-6

After holding for more than an hour 5-miles south of RIPON, I diverted to KUNU Dodge County and took an UBER to OSH.

I did not like what I was seeing on Stratus Foreflight ADS-B traffic in.  ...

OSH Arrival PIREP (Ground) ...Turner Billingsley RV-14A

Due to a number of other destinations on our trip we drove to OSH this year. On the drive up today we spent time at Ripon, Fisk, and watching arrivals to RWY 9. We arrived at Ripon about 1-2 hours after weather went from IFR to "marginal VFR" and was pretty much VFR with rapidly improving conditions.

From the ground, Ripon looked like an absolute madhouse. Airplanes coming from every direction, breaking into the "conga line" from both sides, speeds varying, etc etc. Lots of "last second" break-offs. At one point EVERY aircraft turned left - clearly instructed to do so by controllers at Fisk.

At Fisk, listening and watching, the madness was even more impressive - controllers were asking for "1 mile" spacing and it looked to me like "1/4 mile" spacing at best. Probably 70% of aircraft arriving at/approach Fisk were turned back to rejoin the line - this didn't seem to be helping as more aircraft were clearly arriving at Ripon by the minute. Even at Fisk, the adherence to flying "over the tracks" was amazingly inconsistent. I was also surprised how many singles, including RV's, were flying the "high route" given the performance capabilities, but they weren't getting any special treatment.

Watching arrivals at RWY 9 things were much better, although I saw several very closely spaced arrivals with "go around" instructions - in one case a Malibu was flying higher and faster than another aircraft on final and I don't think the pilot had any clue there was another aircraft below/ahead.

Quite a spectacle and a good learning experience in how to prepare when I fly to OSH.

RV-12iST Panel Pic Added ...to the 'Panel Porn' folder

Full size

Baptized the gas tanks but...prostate problems ...Kurt Haller 9A

OK, so another big day...first gas.

Got 20 gal of 100LL in four 5-gal jerry cans. Took a bit to figure out how to transfer gas 2 gal at a time (into a couple 2 gal cans) to calibrate the left tank. Newfangled spring-loaded safety spouts have to pushed back by a tab bearing on the lip of the container or filler neck of the fillee. I put 2 gal cans against the outside of the hangar door, fill neck face out, keeping them from moving when the 5 gal jerry can bore down on the lip. Thirty pounds of gas is heavy!   ...

What should I always have in my RV?

As I continue to get to know my RV7 and start to venture outside my loca area I would like some input of what I should carry in my RV at all times.

I am putting a small bag together to always have in the aircraft.
Obviously I need a quart of oil, screwdriver to open oil door..

My tie down rings? My anti splat control lock? Etc.

What tie downs do you recommend?

What collectively are some best practices?

Provisions Bought...Roy 7A

July 23, 2018.   Issue #4,615.

1 Week Wonder Webcam Link

(Greg Hughes)  We will be having the one week wonder web cam live at EAA starting on Sunday eveing. The work and ceremony (open the crates etc) starts Monday morning at 8am central time.  .....It will be up all week until the work is finished."
Link

Ready, Set, OSH! ...scard

Annual 'made it safe to Osh' thread. ...[ed. ...and where I am parked. dr]

Well Shantel, the airplane, and I made it safe to Osh at 5pm. 1 fuel stop and 1 field closed due to IFR conditions which resulted in another fuel stop and wait along with about 75 of my closest friends at C47 and once the field went VFR, we blasted this way. Let’s just say the arrival was not flown at 1800’!

I ran all the way from the back row of HBC to the GES shack to get our box we shipped up here (54lbs).... lucky for me they were still open! Lesson learned, don’t put your tent in the box!

We are in row 313 by the cell towers right next to Dan Horton.

Air Show Practice

Here is practice flight of some of the RVs that you will see in the Thursday Air Show.

I forgot stuff. Can you fly it down maybe?

Yes.

The Thursday Arrival.... Ironflight

All that practice - 90knots (+/- 1), 1800 feet, dead over the tracks, be ready for anything....and today I needed none of it! For a variety of reasons, I like to make it to the show early so that I can have a relaxing day just sitting chatting with friends in the Homebuilt world. Usually, I try to make that a Friday arrival, but the weather today was gorgeous across the country, all the way to Iowa - and the forecast for Friday is iffy - so I found a safe way around the afternoon storms and came all the way in, arriving about 1800 local.

I fly in to Oshkosh occasionally for business when Airventure isn’t going on, and it is a pretty sleepy little towered field. Today it was just plane fun - the regular controllers were running the show, and welcoming everyone showing up early. If you sounded like you knew where you were going on the field, they pretty much gave your taxi instructions as “cleared as requested”. I think they all go on leave tomorrow at sun up, so they were having as much fun as we were.

I was cleared for landing from a two mile right base to 18, and when I asked if he needed me south of 9-27, he said “there’s no traffic there right now, make it long our tight, your option!” Like I said...Fun!

See you here!

Paul

Canopy cut!!

Well another 9 gets it's big cut. Took advantage of the beautiful 85 degree day here in WNY and decided to quit thinking about it and just do it. It was also a small goal of mine to get it done before we leave for Oshkosh Sunday. Need to order the Sika flex now!

Scored Cylinders

Well, timing is not optimal. I scoped the cylinders after compression check today and found some vertical scoring in the cylinder walls on #1 and #3 with 600 hrs since new. Compression is 74/80 on both and oil consumption has been about 1qt/8-10 hours. I'm wondering about a bad ring that's moving around a bit. I have some carbon build up on pistons, any possibility it's just carbon getting caught by the wall? Thoughts?

Disagreement on numbers in brake cylinder ...Bob -12

On the RV-12iS instructions, chapter 28, page 2 figure 4, the call-out for WD1211-L&R show different orientations of the Tabs on the drawing that what the actual part shows.

It would appear that either the ID of the drawings are reversed, or the labels on the parts are.

But I need this confirmed before doing anything further (rats!)

Oshkosh Family Reunion Arrival ...Capt Sandy

Arriving at OSH this year truly felt like a family reunion. Dan Horton says it well: "When we first come to OSH , we come to see the planes and the airshows and forums. After a bit, we don't care about any of that stuff. We come to see our friends." SO TRUE, Dan. Here are a few photos:

Roy and I:

Round the World in -9A Update

Good Ground Shot

Status Report ...jcarne

After finishing the gear leg mount holes it was time to install the various angles for the forward fuselage.

After the F-713 auxilary longerons were installed it was on to the F-719 stiffeners. The F-719 angles took quite some time as the clips can have an edge distance problem if your not careful making them.

David Paule -3B Status Report

7/15/18

Before I can glue the forward side skins on, the tunnels have to go on, at least where they fit in between the side skin and the lower longeron. Since I did a poor job on the left one, it’s on order and I’m working on the right one.

Both the forward tunnel bulkheads are riveted to the belly skin.

I’d planned to install the Fiberfrax and titanium underlay (overlay?) at a later stage in the assembly, but a trial fit proved that the titanium would not go under the tunnel inboard flanges then. I need to install the titanium before the tunnels go in. This meant that today’s job was fitting the Fiberfrax and locating it.

I trimmed it to size, adjust a little to suit, and then pressed it into the spacers along the belly skin. Here the Fiberfrax is cut out for the first one. The Fiberfrax is so soft that it’s easy to do this just by feel.

Favorite Picture of N164BL So Far...

This was a frame grab from a video taken by a friend. The interesting thing about this was that just a few moments earlier, we were lined up on the end of the runway staring down a coyote who seemed sure that he had more right to be on the runway than we did. He got bored and left, which enabled our two-ship to get the day started.

July 20, 2018.   Issue #4,614.
  Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and RV-filled weekend.  For those launching for OSH'18, I hope you enjoy your flight and we're all looking forward to the PIREPs. 
  v/r,dr
 

San Juan Islands Sunset Flight ...Sandra Thoma

I captured this photo as we were turning base to final for KORS, Orcas Island Washington. The finger island is Sucia, just north of Orcas.

Another RV-14 Airborne ...Jeffrey Jones first post.

While this is my first post on VAF I have spent countless hours - as we all do - reading, learning, pondering and hoping to some day see our aircraft fly. Thanks to all of you who take the time to pass on your experience. And a huge thank you to the Reeves family to making VAF available to us all.

I have the utmost respect for those of you who have completed builds in a garage, workshop, living room or wherever works. Congrats to all of you. I live in Hawaii and having an airplane here is pretty much futile due to inhospitable airport managers, crazy winds and salty air. So my airplane will stay in what we call “The Mainland.” It didn’t make sense to build in the corrosive environment in which I live, only to have to pay big bucks to ship it East. For that reason I decided to build my aircraft at Synergy Air in Eugene Oregon. Their hangar, their tools and their expertise made my build much less gut wrenching than it may have been for many of you at-home builders. Again, kudos to you all!

Since embarking on this journey I have had nothing but pleasant experiences with all the vendors that help make completion of our project possible and I thank all of them for their professionalism and dedication towards us.

So, introducing RV-14 N588TJ:

Build Assistance by Synergy Air
Panel and Garmin Avionics/Vertical Power by Stein Air
Antennas by Delta Pop
Superior XP-400 Power Plant by Rhonda & Allan Barrett, Barrett Performance Engines
Exhaust by Vetterman
Spinner by Cummins Spinners
Stick Grips by Tosten Manufacturing
Throttle & Mixture Cables by McFarlane Aviation
Rudder Pedal Extensions by MLSkunkworks
Fuel Caps & Cabin Vents by Aerosport Products
Wheel Bearing Mod by Antisplat
Throttle & Mixture Bracket by Showplanes
Paint design assistance by Jonathan McCormick and PLANE SCHEMER
Paint by John Stahr
Interior by Luke, Jeremiah and the gang at Classic Aero Designs
Brake, fuel & oil lines by Tom Swearengen & TS Flightlines
Miscellaneous Tools & Accessories from Cleveland Tools
FlyboyAccessories
Landing & Taxi Lights by Baja Designs
Nav/Position Lights by Whelen

First engine run and first flight took place on July 10. There were no major systems issues and she flew perfectly!

As we begin plying the US skies we look forward to rubbing elbows with the VAF.

Knik ...Vlad the Travelled

If you visit Palmer AK fly Knik Glacier.  Stunning views. There is a fair amount of traffic keep your head on swivel.

There was a transport plane crashed there mid last century. Over fifty lives were lost. Only recently the glacier exposed the wreck. Military established a TFR trying to find the pieces and remove them by barge.  ...

Garmin GTN 6XX/7XX Descent Vertical Navigation,

Garmin G5 and G3X Touch systems have always had coupled VFR VNAV capability to use the autopilot to perform functions such as descend from cruise altitude to pattern altitude, but up until now, we have not had the ability to use coupled VNAV when using the GTN navigator.

With GTN V6.50, pilots can take advantage of VNAV profiles throughout the enroute and terminal phases of flight within the GTN 6XX/7XX touchscreen navigators when they’re paired with the G5 or G3X Touch system. Within the GTN, pilots can easily enter altitude constraints on the flight plan page to set-up a vertical descent profile. Pilots also experience a near-seamless transition from VNAV to an arrival and instrument approach. Once an arrival or approach is loaded and activated, the GTN automatically populates step-down altitudes or any applicable altitude restrictions. If ATC issues an unpublished altitude restriction, pilots can enter those altitudes manually into the active flight plan under the VNAV field.  ...

Invite: Ice Cream Social Event, Aurora Oregon (Home of Van's)

On the same field with the “Mother Ship” is a well-kept secret we like to change.
Columbia Aviation Association Pilots Club
Ice Cream Social
August 5th Open House from 2:00 to 5:00
Aurora Oregon State Airport KUAO
Behind the Control Tower

Tour our 6000 sq. ft. Clubhouse
Enjoy Complimentary Ice-Cream
Learn About the CAA Pilots Club
See our airplanes ranging from Taildraggers to Jets
including the Reno Air Racer L-39 Jet “Robin 1”
and at least a couple RVs 😊

Fly or Drive; 14323 Stenbock Way, Aurora OR 97002

See you all there!

More Info; http://www.caapilots.com

Status Report: RV-7A ...jcarne

After the conical bends it was on to the arm rests.

Then most of my day was spent drilling the longerons. This step is taking way longer than I thought but oh well, it's nice to be drilling things again.

From Dynon...

Official Sensenich Propeller FAQ/Service Bulletin Revision B

At the request of Sensenich, we are posting this to more quickly disseminate the information to the RV community. They will have this updated information displayed on their website in the next few days.

Here is a link to Revision B of the service bulletin

Here is a link to the FAQ section for the service bulletin

Sensenich will be uploading the affected serial number list and installation addendum (for replacement part) next week. Their website will be updated at that time.

Garmin Transponder Software Updates at Oshkosh 2018

"Hello,

We will once again provide free software upgrades for Garmin Mode S transponders (and the GTX 327) used in Experimental aircraft at Oshkosh.

Just bring your GTX 327, 23ES/33ES/330/330ES, 35R/45R/335/335R/345/345R transponder in to us at the Garmin tent at Oshkosh and we will install the latest software into your transponder while you wait. It only takes a few minutes to accomplish this update.

Here are the latest versions:
GTX 23ES/33ES/330/330ES: V8.04, Jan 2018

GTX 35R/45R/335/335R/345/345R: V2.12, June 2018

GTX 327:
GTX 327 V2.10 software was released in Feb. 2014 and is the latest software for all GTX 327 units manufactured before July 2014.

GTX 327 V2.12 software was released in July 2014 to support newer hardware in the GTX 327 units manufactured after that date.

GTX 327 V2.13 software was released in Aug. 2017 to address an altitude reporting issue only when using a Gillham based altitude encoder with GTX 327 (011-00490-00) serial numbers 83750922 to 83752847 or GTX 327 (011-00490-10) serial numbers 84000356 to 84000357.

We are located across from the EAA Welcome Center and the Ford tent. If you look at the Airventure grounds map, this is grid K13. From homebuilt camping, just follow Knapp street South to Celebration Way (the main entry street) and turn left.

Sorry, but we are not equipped to perform sign-offs for certified aircraft, so please only bring us transponders that are installed in experimental aircraft.

Hope to see you at Oshkosh!"

July 19, 2018.   Issue #4,613.
  Wednesday morning around 0800 I flew the RV for .3hrs, just long enough to scoot over to the lake and get some pics of the Saharan Dust event currently covering our neck of the woods.  A sample below...  The more interesting part for me was turning back to the field, flying away from the sun.  I heard Kay call his takeoff at 52F, then saw a white dot climb up over a tiny field of green trees.  Glancing down at the GPS showed me 5.1n.m. from the field (just shy of 6 statute miles).  That the viz should be so crummy 180* the other way was an interesting paradox.
  As I type this it's 106*F outside (5pm Wed).  Summer says hey. ;^)

1,920 x 2,560 pixel enlarged pic available here.

Mackinac Island Adventure 2018...Pete and Kate hit the island in the RV-9A

Pics and vid.

My buddy Scorch is selling his Slicks

Selling for friend at 52F who upgraded to P-mags on his RV-6.   (2) Slick Mags. 4373's. Both w/impulse coupler. One has ~550hrs on it and the other ~450hrs. $350/each - $650 for the pair. Includes harness and shipping in contiguous USA.

Mothership News ...RV-12

Change to higher pressure rating aux. fuel pump

Van’s Aircraft has published RV-12 Change Notification 18-07-12, which describes the optional remediation of potential low fuel pressure warnings which can affect some Rotax 912 ULS equipped aircraft. Note that field experience shows that not all aircraft are affected, and the information in the notification may be used to assess your specific situation. If you have experienced low fuel pressure warnings, we recommend you review the change notification and use that information to assess your aircraft.

The remediation steps described in the notification include determination of which sensor unit is installed and new EFIS settings, as well as the optional installation of a different model electric fuel pump, which is identical in size and can be installed in the same location and using the same fittings as the original model pump. The new model pump provides higher fuel pressure capability.

Note that a supply of the new pumps is on order and Van’s anticipates delivery to our factory within a few weeks. Van’s Aircraft’s part number for this pump is ES 40135, and the Facet part number is 40135. Quantity one (1) Van’s part number ES 421-0107 CONNECTOR is also required. In addition, Van’s support staff is currently working at the EAA Airventure show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin so replies to support requests related to this optional notification will be delayed.

EARTHX Lithium Batteries at OSHKOSH EAA ADVENTURE

"...Huge announcement here…..after years of R&D, testing, and the submittal process to the FAA, we are imminently close to having the very first ever 12V TSOA certified battery available for sale by fourth quarter of this year! (TSOA means the approval that authorizes a manufacturer to produce a material, part or appliances to a TSO standard. Receiving a TSO authorization is both design and production approval). "

Pic from Mr. X

..."Seven big CB”s over NC, tops over 50K."

Fuel line vs. Flaperon mixture arm ...Bob Collins

Apparently, there is a missing step in the RV-12iS instructions. You have to countersink or enlarge the holes on the three plastic "holders" for the fuel lines through the main channel. Otherwise you get this.

Pulling those lines out to be able to get the plastic doohickeys off the large "studs" is going to make my day. But that's the way it goes.

Even if I do that, however, that looks like a REAAAALLLLLLY small clearance between the filter bypass line and the flaperon mixture arm.

Is there anything else I'm missing here?

Garmin OSH News:

RV-12 Status Report ...Jeff Vaughan

Finally Finished?   Well I know better than to say my plane is finished with out adding a ? . This is my second build. My first was a 7A. There was always something to do.  Just picked up my 12 at Lancaster Aero LLC. in Smoketown Pa. They did a fantastic job. I am tickled GREEN.

Getting Ready to Start The RV Wings (Tips) ...Draker helping out

RV-7A Status Report ...jcarne

Well there isn't a lot of pics in this post but the one that is says a lot.

Mating the center section to the aft fuselage was a pain, the side skins were easy. Let me rephrase that, clecoeing the side skins was easy, I'm not trying to jinx myself for the conical bends tomorrow.

RV-14 F-1037A Stiffener Angles ...Emarit helping out

Section 36 is titled "Aileron and Elevator Systems". Below is what that area looks like from page 36-06 that Nova_RV refers to. You can see those angles serving as the pivot point for the F-00067 Bellcrank.

July 18, 2018.   Issue #4,612.
  The Sahara Dust is back in DFW (search it).  Turning crosswind Tue a.m. into a rising Sun around 0800 had me (and other locals) commenting on the radio, and wondering in the back of our minds if flying was such a good idea.  Reminded me of those sunset on Mars pictures.  Reminded Sid of his time in Saudi Arabia.  Weird stuff for Big D. 

Ready for Her Close Up ...Krea Ellis RV-7A

We are beyond thrilled with the execution of the design our son (a twenty something) and Jonathan came up with for the RV-7A. To be honest, I wasn't sure I would like the design, but it wasn't as far out in left field as I thought. The more I was around it putting it back together, the more I loved it.

The attention to detail and the little touches that Jonathan and his team added are incredible.

I know it's not for everyone and that's a good thing!

Trailing Edge Bend Update ...Trent Stewart RV-14 (Australia)

Thanks for everyone’s help. I think that worked pretty well.  After final drilling one cleco at a time to #40 the holes on the bottom look nice and round. There is maybe 1/64th of pillowing in a couple of places on the left skin but this should be held down by the tape. Phew.

Gallagher is Coming to OSH ...VAF advertiser

Before we get into the who's where segment of this post, we wanted to start by thanking everyone for their support. The three of us would not be as successful as we are if it weren’t for you. We wanted to let you all know how much we appreciate each and every one of you. Vans are our top priority. We consider ourselves specialists in this field because we insure around 2000 RVs and this is the majority of what we handle day after day. To some, an insurance company is just an insurance company, but to us, we truly care about our clients and want to make sure you are properly covered in the event of a claim. From having our own claims advisor that works for you, to creating amazing relationships with our underwriters, Gallagher takes every step possible to make sure we are doing are the very best for you. We’re always willing to go the extra mile to try to find a solution to your specific needs.

Now that we're less than a week away form the excitement of Oshkosh, we wanted to let everyone know where to find us. If you’re looking for the girls, you should be able to find Jenny and Katie at the RV Social on Monday night, Shanna and Katie at the Vans Banquet Tuesday, and all of them at Gallagher’s client appreciation event on Wednesday. Other than that they will be roaming the crowds, meeting new people, chatting with familiar faces and learning as much as they can about the one thing we all share a passion for…Vans. If you need help finding them, you can always call Jenny at 636-357-7232 and they'd be happy to find a way to meet with you.

If you need anything regarding your insurance during the week of Oshkosh, feel free to call the main line at 877-475-5860 as I will be staying in St. Louis (in an air conditioned office ) to help.

Have fun, stay cool and happy flying! It looks like you have some beautiful weather to look forward to.
__________________
Leah Ringeisen, Shanna Linton, & Katie Escalante

New Vid w/Van's Scotty M.

...on TeenFlight Portland FB page

VAF Forum Guy 'VAC' In the EAA News

...Mike Vaccaro (RV-4) (forums profile).  Go get 'um, Vac!!!

Quirky Things Seen From the Air ...Vlad entry

Somewhere in Saskatchewan CA.

Don't fix it if it ain't broken, well... (daddyman RV-4)

My lights were working just fine.

This breaks one of my big airplane rules- DO NOT FIX IF IT ISN'T BROKEN.

In this case, I couldn't help myself because;
I was hesitant to use my lights near the landing pattern, or in other conditions that could have increased visibility and safety because the previous owner said the electrical system "couldn't keep up with the load". Still not sure if that was the case. Since all things electrical are mysterious to me as Merlyn the Magician, I accepted his words.

So, I took the old lights (landing and taxi) out and replaced them with LED lights.
I had previously changed the landing light bulb for a "higher intensity" one, but couldn't tell the difference when landing at night.

Fast forward to this upgrade.
The following are pictures are from my son and student pilot (read Guy in back) -Buddy.

This is our side by side comparison:

Another Two Pics of Inspection Windows ...Brian Eisner sent these

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July 17, 2018.   Issue #4,611.

Elevator Pushrod Inspection Windows

A 9A visited the Van Cave this past weekend, and it had little inspection windows near the tail that caught my eye.  I got a pic from each side.  Clicking the link will enlarge the image to however big your monitor is.

click to enlarge

click to enlarge

I got my APRS tracker back online

...hard wired it into the plane.  The cheapskate in me got tired of buying AA batteries, so I let it sit there for months and months inop.  Hard wired it in today with scrap wire as a test.  Worked.  Will tidy up the wires more in the next few days.  It's good to be back online (I use an MT-AIO tracker and my ham call sign is KG5PRB).  Two tracking links:
- http://aprs.fi/?call=N617AR
- http://www.airprs.com/#/tab/logbook/call/N617AR

Status Report ...Bill Bence RV-7

Found in Preflight ...M. Robinson

Found a loose nut on an elevator hinge rod end.

Found the rudder counterweight fasteners loose and hanging low enough to snag the vert. stab, partly locking the rudder.

Yesterday found a flap switch failed on the "UP" side. Flaps went down, no up.

Pic from Mr. X ...Ship Rock, NM

click for full size

AEX Trailing Edge Bend Tool ...Trent Stewart RV-14 (Australia)

I had considered the skins - however if i screw up a skin then the cost to send a new one to Australia would be astronomical. The AEX wedge wouldn't be so bad... Plus the thickness of the wedge seems to work really well with the brass tube tool i made to align the drill. It fits a 1/16" drill perfectly into the centre of the tube, and the tube fits snugly in the 3/32" hole already in the wedge. Once it's centre drilled (and at the correct angle too), i then updrill to 3/32" to match the hole in the AEX wedge. Seemed to work ok on the practice piece i did - the holes in the wedge were not enlarged. I will then cleco the tube to the rudder and match drill the whole lot to #40.

i realised that the alu tube i purchased will prevent me from squeezing the rivets, so i'm going to get an angle instead today and match drill that.

I am still working up the courage to have a go at the trailing edge in the next day or so - i think if i start in the centre and clamp / cleco the wedge keeping it aligned with the straight edge of the angle i should be ok?

RE: Our Friend RV-8/RV-3 Builder Randy Lervold

RV-14 Rudder Stops

Chris Cooper

Emarit Ranu

9A Cowl Plans Revision - Did the Cowls Change? ...Dave Gribble

I have a pink cowl shipped in 2010. I recently got a updated version of the preview plans on USB.

I notice that R2 of DWG 45 (in 2008) deleted Section A-A, and the trimming notes, shown in red below on an R1 version of the drawing.

The old plans have the trim notes, which say to remove the flange completely along the sides... so the top and bottom cowl essentially touch, but don't overlap.

My question is, did the cowl design change at some point, or is trimming this flange off a bad idea and Vans just updated the drawings. I don't see any changes in the instructions, but they are pretty high level anyway.

I'd ask Vans but I have a question into email for a week already and thought you all might know. I'm planning on quarter turn fasteners on the sides but don't think that matters.

Thanks for any info!

New RV Owner Chimes In ...ALagonia

First I looked to buy a 6A, then a 7A and then a 6A again. I had Vic helping me, and I highly recommend Vic Syracuse. He not only did very thorough pre buy inspections for me but I learned an awful lot from him in the process. And that was very important for me because while I have owned numerous airplanes over the last 41 years this would be my first home built experimental. Thank you Vic. Well I am happy to say I finally found the airplane that was right for me, an RV9. Stein, of Stein Air, is completing an inspection for me and I can't say enough good things about him. Truly a quality guy. Thank you very much Stein. I go next weekend to finally get my airplane. Will fly it back to Georgia next Monday, weather permitting. Ready for my RV Grin.

Milestone: Painted ...jwilbur

July 16, 2018.   Issue #4,610.
  Our daughter flew in for the weekend, so please excuse me making her the top story <grin>.  I have a zero turn mower and our neighbor doesn't like mowing, so we trade.  I keep their yard mowed and they give Audrey the occasional round trip ticket (sometimes it's Susie going out there).   Our neighbors travel a LOT for work, so they have extra miles.  The barter system alive and well <g>.  Wonderful seeing Miss Audrey!!!  More than I could possibly put into words...
  Lotsa RV news in today's edition - should keep you occupied for a bit.  Hope you had a nice weekend.

click to enlarge

KAVL to KDYB ...26min vid

Sharing my son’s flight back to work. Nice view of a big TS. He is a C-17 instructor pilot, Air Force major. Very proud of him. We share the 6A and he is an absolute top notch pilot. Based at KCHS. Hangared at KDYB.

RV-8 N657AR Update: Goatflieg

After getting the rigging of all control surfaces squared away it was time for the final major disassembly. I removed the empennage components, flaps and ailerons and got the wings ready for removal. With assistance supplied by Joe Kirik, Bruce Breisch, Dave Buck and Joe Fredericks I was able to get the wings removed, placed in the wing stand and stowed in the garage. Then we flipped the fuselage onto work stands so that I can install the landing gear permanently. I'm very tempted to paint the fuselage bottom while it's in this position... we'll see. Thanks to my crew for making quick work of some tricky tasks.

Tom Swearengen: TS Flightlines Update

All----As some of you are now aware, I've been absent from posting alot on VAF. Not that I'm mad at anyone, or have been MIA. Yes, I've been working, but I do want to explain briefly.

In January, Suzanne was diagnosed with breast cancer. One of those out of the blue, laser GPS guided missiles that you never see coming. All of her previous mammograms have been negative, so the shock and awe of the reality was alot to take.

She had successful surgery in early February to remove the lumps, 11 lymph nodes, and biopsy the tissue. It came back malignant, stage 2. Ok, treat it, an lets move forward. Just before she was to start chemo, we asked the DRs if there was anything else we needed to be concerned with. We asked, because she was having some difficulty walking, and CERTAINLY these were 2 unrelated circumstances. But we wanted to know, so we had them do a CT scan, and a bone scan.

2nd missile---The CT scan was negative--more on that in a second, the bone scan showed excessive cancer 'spots' in several ribs, her right pelvis, lower lumbar, and upper arms on both sides. Boom.

After digesting this--and seeing the stunned, pale, drained look on several DR's faces, we asked for a bone biopsy to see if the 2 cancers were related, or if we were dealing with a HUGE issue, not that MBC breast cancer isnt huge enough. The Biopsy showed it was the same cell makeup, so at least we had identified the enemy, and now had a plan. The CT scan was very puzzling. We insisted on a PET scan to see exactly what and where we were dealing with. It showed the cancer had spread to areas not shown on the CT scans.

Radiation was started to zap the spots to at least slow them down. 8 treatments. WE got another CT scan to see if the radiation had done any good, and the results were-cautiously optimistic. So a chemo regiment was started---12 weeks worth. Grueling. Some nausea, but not bad, but the pain of moving around--even sleeping and trying to roll over, well I'll just say that no one slept.

By chance, a couple of trips to the ER because of fear of either a broken rib, or a blood clot allowed us to get some additional CT scans. Imagine that. AND by a stroke of luck, we were able to get the same Radiologist to read the scans. Things improving.

Friday, Suzanne has a CT scan and a MRI. So much for bad luck on Friday the 13th. MRI of the head shows NO cancer. CT Scan shows no NEW activity, and healing of the bone areas. So---we think that she may have turned the corner on this enemy.

So--how is all of this RV related? HUM---even though my online presence on VAF has been limited, we have continued to talk to clients and support them in their build projects. In addition, we've done some 'interesting' projects for some custom installations. A HUGE help has been from Steve Tschurwald, my partner at Aircraft Specialty, with who we've developed quite a few packages for RV's and others. Steve has be gracious enough to handle quite a few orders for us, when we had orders to do and no physical means of doing them. Same components, same quality, shipped from a different location.

Some of you that we've talked to on the phone or by email were aware of the situation. Out of respect for Suzanne, I didnt post anything, but she did give her permission to post this. So, I'm explaining whats going on, and assure all of you that we are stronger because of the challenge.
Its also given us some time to evaluate things and how to make them better to help all of you. You'll see some of those changes being implemented.

For those of you that knew what was happening, your thoughts and prayers were greatly appreciated and certainly helped. To our DR friends that listened and gave sound advise---it means alot to us to know we can call and ask questions! Yes VAF is an unbelievable resource!

Suzanne will not be at OSH this year---way to soon for her to travel and she is on the downside of her chemo treatments. But I'll be there and hope to see alot of our friends and clients enjoying the great event.

Tom
www.tsflightlines.com

Cracks in Trim Tab

Pilots n Paws Mission ...Josh 9A

Completed my first successful PnP mission this past week. Had a great time using the RV9a to transport a 20lb American Eskimo.

RV-8 and the Concrete Fly-In ...Steve Rush video

Concrete 2018 was a good time as usual. A laid back affair with no real set structure, but a lot of airplanes. A bit too warm for my taste, but otherwise quite pleasant. This was the first year without the North Cascades Vintage Aircraft Museum participating (unfortunately they have had to close down), but that didn't keep anyone from stopping by anyway.

Status Report: PilotjohnS 9A

The Hammer of God

(from Terry Kohler, who asked me to share it here as I'm hosting the photo for him)
This screen shot from Flightaware was taken on our recent trip from PTK to CMX on Michigan’s UP. You can see the outline of the Keweenaw Peninsula in front of N323TP as we make our way northwest. We were tracking the weather visually as well as on ADSB. We landed and hangared in VFR about 30 minutes before it hit. Our “out” was a 180 back to Marquette in clear skies.
As we were flying in, Peggy asked if I considered this a big storm. I told her it was “the hammer of God”. Later, sitting safely in a café in Laurium, the winds, rain, and hail confirmed my description.
Fly safe (and ALWAYS leave yourself an out).

Symptoms of a cracked head on take off

Engine miss and maybe dropped couple hundred RPM and Intermittent as well on 2 trips back to back a few hundred feet off the runway on takeoff. I had time to kick the boost pump back in, apply carb heat and play with the mags. Maybe 10 to 15 secs and then it would go away. The first time I thought maybe carb ice, maybe fuel pump getting weak or **** in my fine wire plugs. Then the trip home it happened again but not as strong but the harmonics in level flight were off slightly. No one else would notice it but with it being my only ride I could certainly feel something not quite right. I had a suspect cyl (#3) in mind as 15 hrs ago it tested 72/80, as I could hear it bypassing, it was not through the exhaust nor the intake. Sounded like the crank case so I was thinking rings and even used my stethoscope to confirm it so not overly concerned.  ...

Customer Spotlight: Luke D at Classic Aero

Rough running engine at 100’

Happened a week back and I am out of town so I don’t have all the details...

Rv7a. O-360 engine, bendex mags, 800 hours ttl time. Never an issue.

Jumped in to fly and for the first time ever the engine was very hard to start. It would crank and back fire every once in a while but never really fire. Went through flooding the engine and all those techniques. Finally got it going. On the run up the left mag was very rough. Leaned it out and it cleared up. Good to go. At about 100’ the engine started backfiring and sputtering. Pulled it to idle and landed no problem. Taxied off and did the run up again. Left mag number one cylinder was significantly cooler get than the rest. Pull the plugs and the bottom plug was completely loaded with lead. Cleaned it out and put it back together.  ...

Summit flyby video, almost

Here's a short video of our Mt Rainier flyby at 11,500ft, 3000 ft lower than the summit, but tucked in close to see the glaciers. It was another beautiful day in the PNW.

RV-8 Status Report Pics ...Don Patrick

I was hoping to be done to make it to Oshkosh this year, unfortunately I have to wait till next year...

Paint is coming along. Gettng ready for final assembly!

RV-10 Status Report ...Joe in TX

Another early Christmas. Received a complete interior package plus air conditioning from South Florida Sport Aviation. The quality of the components is top notch. Luiz and Eliana are very nice to deal with. I was sold on their products when I visited their business and saw the products firsthand. Can't wait to get them installed in the -10.

2018 OSH RV-10 Dinner & Social 7/22

RV-10 flyers, builders and wannabes Save the Date. We will again be hosting an RV-10 OSH gathering on 7/22 (Sunday before the show) starting at 5:30 and running until ??? According to our records, this will be the 11th annual OSH RV-10 dinner extravaganza... Location is in Camp Scholler, south of Lindbergh between 51st and Deischer. Several sites south of Lindbergh, about 3 sites north of Elm. Setup & cleanup help welcome but both should be “minimal”.

If you are planning to attend, please let me know so make sure there’s enough food. We will be bringing in food from a local establishment so no need to bring anything.

Mr. X Pic

Huge Kentucky T-Storm. Top well above us cruising @40K nearly 50 miles across.

click to enlarge

July 13, 2018.   Issue #4,609.
  Audrey is home for a few days visiting and we got a little rain to keep the yard alive during our sprinkler fix project.  Life is good.  We're going to try to work in a flight while she's here - she's made a 'things to do in Texas' list.  We checked off 'eat BBQ' on the way home from Love Field.  The whole family at one table for the first time in seven months.  Grateful this parent is.  Very grateful.
  Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and RV-filled weekend.
 

Pics of N869AM Added to His Build Thread...starting around here

Have you ever caught a problem during preflight? ...walter's entry

(Walter Tondu)
In the 90's I got a lead on a Cessna Hawk XP II up in Michigan that was for sale; low hours and in great condition. It would be my first airplane purchase so I was pretty excited. I coordinated with a reputable on-field A&P shop to do a pre-purchase which went fine; several squawks were noted and fixed. I received a report that the airplane flew very well! I flew up commercially, hot check in hand. The airplane had been stored outside during the Michigan winter but was now inside a nice warm executive hangar for my inspection. Prior to moving it outside for my inaugural flight I did my newly-minted-pilot walk-around with Cessna checklist in hand. Eventually I sumped the tanks but the liquid was clear and did not smell much like fuel. That's strange I thought. The mechanic had a look and we both agreed, that is strange. Sumped again, and again, and again, and again. Nothing but clear water. The quick drains were removed and over a gallon of water was removed from each tank. That's what we caught in the bucket, the rest on the floor. The wing tank bladders were both replaced at some cost to the owner and I purchased it and flew it home. During the VFR flight home the AI and VSI went TU.

1st note to self: Remember, ice has a hard time getting through a quick drain.
2nd note to self: Reputable A&P shops are not always.

(Steve Lynn RV-7A)
Pre-Flight is not merely an exercise. In the past I have found:
Baby birds chirping on top of the oil cooler.
Brake fluid leak on the floor.
Fuel leak on floor from wing port.
Unlatched cowl fastener.

Pic from Mr. X ...NYC

PNP flight Norman, OK to Minneapolis- SHELTER IS FULL

Hi All,

I was going to take a Great Pyrenees named Queenie from the KC area to her foster home in Minneapolis this Saturday, but unfortunately my plane needs more work before a long trip and I won't be able to do it. She's 70 lbs, a little underweight for a Pyrenees. Queenie has a ride out of the FULL shelter in New Orleans up to Norman on Saturday, but she's looking for a ride to Minneapolis area. Can anyone help? Here's the PNP link...

Thanks!!
__________________
Katie Bosman Krotje

Mothership News...

Garmin® continues leadership in ADS-B by bringing new Flight Information Service-Broadcast (FIS-B) weather products to market

Canopy track lube?

What, if anything, do you use to lube the canopy track on your 8?

A: Nothing.  We take the wheels off from time to time and use some molly on the shaft. Other than that we keep the track clean by wiping it out with a cloth. The roller wheels will need replacing as they wear down over time along with the rear slide block. All of this is just a visual inspection and on the PM list of things to check. Just what we have found over time. Yours, R.E.A. III # 80888

A: Like Robert I just lube the roller shafts with a light oil occasionally. Biggest thing to me is keeping the dirt out of the track. Larger particles tend to chalk the wheels.
The rear slide usually causes the greatest resistance. A little synergism from other experiences comes to play here. Some years ago a tech rep for vinyl windows on my home recommended Lemon Pledge to clean and lube the sash tracks. Worked great. Many use the same product to clean plexiglas. So after cleaning the canopy I dampen the cloth with Pledge and wipe the track on the turtle deck. Once out of the latch well the canopy will slide on its own.
Cheers.

A: FWIW, I occasionally spray some SailKote on the track. I used it in the track of our main mast to help the delrin slugs travel more smoothly through the track in an aluminum mast.

A: As I note on my ship - the spine track gets sticky or scuffed or just angry with our treatment of it on some odd timeline. I polish the upper sfc with Rolite and it's good to go for a while. Lots of buffing makes no difference in how long the job lasts.  I'm trying to think of how long a 'treatment' lasts - maybe 90 days or so? I notice the change when I turn around & taxi back - does the canopy thunk into the stop (also on the track - FYI - don't ask the trucks to absorb that shock load for any extended period of time especially on the T/D ships) or does it need some particular words to be uttered?  I clean the tracks yearly at the condition inspection.

Cutting and Buffing Paint Saga Update ...snopercod

The saga continues. In our last episode, I had re-sanded the top of the fuselage with 2500 and 3000 to remove the heavy swirls from the 3M Perfect-It #1 compound and the DA. I had started buffing with the rotary buffer and the #2 compound, and it was looking OK...at first. Yesterday I finished buffing with the #2 and went to the #3 Ultra-Fine, which is supposed to remove swirls. It didn't. All it did was make the fuselage top real shiny but, sadly, it disclosed several areas with scratches from previous hand sanding and other areas that were scuffed looking. Undaunted, I dropped back and re-sanded those areas with 2500 and 3000 grit, and re-buffed with #2 then #3. There were still some scratches and scuff marks showing so I did it all again. After the third time I just threw up my tired hands and said, "That's good enough!".

While stuck in Groudhog Day, I started re-thinking my decision to bypass the #1 compound. Maybe that would have taken out those defects before going to the #2. Maybe the DA was the problem, not the #1 compound. I guess I could run a test using the #1 compound with my rotary buffer. Someday I may do that. That's the great thing about cutting and buffing: You can always come back years later and work on it some more...at least until you run out of paint

Here's the back side of the buffing pad I was using on the #3 compound. I thought it worked well - the beveled front face made it easy to hold the buffer at a slight angle like DanH recommended. I used a yellow pad for the #2 and a black (softer) pad for the #3 - both from Harbor Freight. After use, I am storing them in gallon baggies so as not to become contaminated.

July 12, 2018.   Issue #4,608.

Menomonie Memories

Hey party people- rv9daughter (N789PH) here! we are having a beautiful midwest summer this year, and taking advantage of it by flying whenever possible. tonight i flew my old man to menomonie, wisconsin for a burger bbq--come follow along.

let's start it off with a little transformation tuesday....

Ads-b Peformance Report Fail--- Please Help Me! ...Darren Kerns

I just had an uAvionix Echo installed in my RV7.

It passed the Compliance Report on the ground at Ron Collins.

However, tonight while doing the performance report in EVV airspace I got a 100% fail in Barometric pressure and Mode 3/A.

I have talked over and over to AFS and uAvionix about configuring everything. The Echo is wired into serial port #3 on the 3400S efis. I have had to configure everything because Collins did not do any of this. Well, some stuff they did but a lot they did not.

I am calling AFS and uAvionix tomorrow and I plan on flying the 7 back down to Collins to see if they can help.

Traffic and weather is showing up great on my iPad Mini 4. I have had other planes say they are picking me up good on their screens

I am wondering if I have something set wrong in the uAvionix Echo configuration page. Kurt at uAvionix can help me with that.

Shawn at AFS & Kurt have been great. I just don't know what else to do.

Can anyone tell me what I am missing? I am about to pull my hair out!!

 

Talkeetna and Ruth Glacier ...Vlad

RV Formation Photoshoot from Friday 6th over Rutland ...Pittsartist

Emarit Ranu RV-14A POH ...added to POH page

The New Summer Inter at the Mothership ...facebag post

July 11, 2018.   Issue #4,607.
  Work continues on our 80's era broken sprinkler system.  Latest update is a video showing a comically large amount of leakage directly under a Bradford Pear tree in our backyard (pic).  It's taken three evenings to get to this point with an axe and shovels (clay soil and root balls from Hades).  Growing Popeye arms.  It's time for that expletive tree to die, so now I'm wondering who I loaned my chain saw to.  I wish I was joking <g>.  And it wouldn't bother me if it fell on the deck 'by accident' - would prefer more grass.
  I'm gonna whoop this thing if it takes the rest of my life - so far it's a little too much like an episode of the Three Stooges.  You know the one. 
 

Slingin' (Dry) Mud ...RV style

On a post-maintenance RV-8 flight a week ago, friend/A&P Monkey at my field took a face full of dried Mud dobber nest out of the vent right at rotation.  The plane had extensive panel work done and had been down for at least a month.  Randy said at V_R a half-golf ball sized clump of dried dirt came out of a vent and whanged him right in the puss.  Kinda thing that can distract a guy...

Dirt in rear passenger foot well,
after breaking up on Monk's kisser.

From a safety standpoint, I guess the takeaway from this is the idea to maybe seal off the vents during long term maintenance or maybe direct the vents downward on that first post-work flight.  Or at least wear sunglasses. 

 

Cowl Fitting w/Quarter Turn Fasteners ...Emarit Ranu RV-14

Skybolt quarter turns on upper cowl of an RV-14A.  I detail how I curved, positioned then match-drilled the scallops...

Plastic eyeball fresh air vents ...bmarvel

With nearly 2000 flying hours in Van's aircraft I have built, I admit to being a big advocate of the company. But now and then I take exception to something and the plastic eyeball vents in the -14A are one of them.

These seem to have worked OK in our RV-8A in So. Cal. with the mild climate. Yes, they leaked air but that was a relatively minor irritant. But here in Colorado those same vents in our -14A ultimately caused me to replace them. They not only leaked air readily because of poor sealing doors with a loose on/off thumb control but also failed to maintain direction. Numerous times one vent or the other ended up moving on its own and shooting air into my or my wife's face and microphone, breaking squelch. It was OK for awhile but we finally opted to remove them and go with Van's more expensive but much better aluminum eyeballs of the same size. They hold direction and seal much better and have the usual twist method for on and off rather than a thumb control.

But not so fast. Because the plastic vents are mounted between two components that are siliconed to the fuselage, you can't just replace the vents. You have to remove and then replace the whole assembly -- NACA duct, eyeball and mounting bracket. While this was not difficult to do with a sharpened putty knife slowly slicing through the silicone, it was both time consuming to get down to bare metal and awkward working under the panel. I bought all new parts for each side since I thought trying to pry the siliconed vents from the NACA duct would break something. All worked OK and I found that the aluminum vents allow significantly more air into the cockpit than did the plastic ones. If only I had known this to start with...

It's your airplane so do what you wish since the plastic vents come with the kit. But after having gone through this exercise I would tactfully suggest you consider the added cost of the aluminum vents and install them in the first place.

Cutting and Buffing Paint Update ...snopercod

Making progress. After sanding out the swirls from the DA and using the Trizact 3000 with a hand pad. I started re-buffing today. I skipped the 3M #1 and went straight to the #2. I think the #1 was just too aggressive - more suitable for removing oxide from a car hood. I think the #2 going to work and I may follow up with the #3 if I don't give out.

I masked off all the control surface gaps and static ports so as not to clog them with compound:  ...

Scrap Stainless Project ...crabandy

I had some scrap stainless, FiberFrax and foil tape so I went to work making a heat shield.

I used my roller a second time (only had it 3 years) to roll my over-sized piece of stainless and fit it over the exhaust.

How Much Air To Feed an Oil Cooler ...Zuldarin entry

"...I will give you my recent experience with the oil cooler inlet. I have a 15 row cooler mounted on the firewall fed by a 4" opening in the baffles. I have found that I can "neck" the flow down to 3" without any performance degradation in flight.

Here is the new cooler fed by a 4" opening that has been reduced to 3.5" with a 3D printed insert"  ...

July 10, 2018.   Issue #4,606.

Trip Write-up: Tangier Island, VA ...Auburntsts RV-10

So we took a $100 hamburger (crabcake) flight to Tangier Island, VA located in the Chesapeake Bay. url

I chose to fly IFR from my home base of Manassas (KHEF) to simplify navigating the convoluted airspace in the area -- the island is almost surrounded by Restricted Airspace used by Patuxent NAS. However, lots of folks do it VFR. However, if VFR it's best to be talking to Patuxent Approach. By going IFR I essentially went direct making for a short 35 min flight from KHEF.  ...

Update on gfb's EGT#4 missing

Sorry for taking so long to get back on this thread. Here is some more data:

- We have adjusted idle mixture (50 rpm rise) and idle (750 rpm) and it is rock solid with the cowl off. No stumbles, just purrs away no matter what we throw at it.

- We cleaned out the spider/flow divider per AFP instructions and now EGT/CHT are rock solid for all cylinders. There is very little divergence between the 4, with maybe 50-70 deg egt delta.

- As soon as the cowl is on i start getting misses/surging. I talked to Don @ AFP and he thinks I am not getting enough airflow over the engine while the cowl is on at idle and I'm getting fuel boiling in the stainless spider lines. I am trying .023" nozzles to see if that helps.

Any pointers on increasing airflow at idle? I will be instrumenting the top cowl area with an RTD to see what temperatures are in there. Don indicates that if it's much higher than 130 I definitely have fuel boiling in the lines.

+TSRA Near Bozeman, MT ...Mr X pic

bonus....Mt. Rainer
(tip: look for the icon bottom right at link that offers
bigger images)

JetA Mixed w/100LL Experiment ...TimO

"After leaving the 100LL and Kerosene sit undisturbed for 3 days now, it's still 100% unseparated. I don't believe it actually will ever separate. I see it highly unlikely that even after a long amount of time it would separate and collect at the bottom of the tank by the inlet. I have nothing better to do with my jar of fuel, so I will just continue to let it sit and see what it looks like in a few weeks."

Supertracks Canopy Track Extension

There is a slider in Monk's hangar getting some love that has this Flyboyaccessories.com item (link).  I'd never seen one in person, so I thought I would take a few pics for anyone interested.  Looks like it's much easier to access the baggage compartment.

My pics begin here. 

Rethinking personal minimums ...Ed Wischmeyer

On the summertime IFR thread, there was a comment about personal minimums. Rather than bury this response at the end of that thread...

If you think about the challenges one incurs on a flight, you don't want too many challenges on the entire flight, and you don't want too many challenges at one time.

So if you're tired, that's a challenge. Turbulence on the entire flight is a challenge. Dodging cumulus buildups for the entire flight is a challenge. An unfamiliar airplane, or being out of currency enough that you're a bit uncomfortable is a challenge. Pressure to get there is a challenge. So this flight might be a good candidate for being cancelled, even if it's VFR. When I had my RV-4, I counted challenges as "gray areas," and cancelled flights if there were too many gray areas.

Now consider an instrument approach but well above minimums. Unfamiliar ATC can be a challenge, as can be a strong, gusty crosswind, and a wet runway. Low visibility but still above minimums can make it a challenge. Trying to figure out alternatives when the published missed approach procedure goes right through a thunderstorm is a challenge. Lots of challenges at once can be reason to avoid that situation.

So the point of personal minimums is not appropriately discussed in the context of just approach minimums -- you should be able to fly any approach to minimums if you have to. A more appropriate set of minimums are: how many total challenges on the flight; and how many challenges might you encounter at once.

This concept was written for the original Eclipse Jet flight safety manual.

July 9, 2018.   Issue #4,605.

Mike Starkey is 70 ...rvmills

Fun times at Starkey-Rita-Ville tonight, as Mike rang in the big Seven-O!

Mike held court in his new Land-Shark adirondack chair, as the party guests dined on burgers, dogs and brats...and plentiful amounts of that frozen concoction helped everyone hang on!

Here are a few pics from the VAF welcoming committee chairman's B-day bash!

Happy Birthday, Parrot Head Mike!

Kissing the belt-driven alternator goodbye forever  ...Hartstoc

I thought some of you might take interest in the process of complete removal of the belt-driven alternator from my RV-7A, including the drive pulley cast into the Lycoming flywheel. This link will take you to a photo album with detailed captions illustrating that process and discussing some of the many advantages.

Sub Panel - Check my layout

VFR Dynon Skyview single screen system with a pro x hub from Approach.

This is what I am thinking for my sub panel layout. I should be able to reach everything on the sub panel through the screen hole in the panel and I think there is enough room for all the connectors as layed out in the photo below.

The only other two items that will have to go further on the right side is the transponder and the back up battery.

Let me know if you see anything I am overlooking.

Monty Barrett

I'm sorry to report the passing of Monty Barrett, one of aviation's best.

It's been a difficult week for the whole family. I would not expect anyone to answer the phone at Barrett Precision Engines until after the funeral (Wednesday, in Shawnee, OK), or perhaps a bit longer. Allen and Rhonda do expect to keep a normal Oshkosh schedule. A memorial service is anticipated after OSH, in Tulsa.

More later.

Panel Upgrade ...Jaudette

I just upgraded my 7a with the EMS D10. Absolutely love it after about 30 hours of flying behind it. I did a video for those of you looking to upgrade.

Can of Worms- O-360 CS Hartzell Setting Advice

Okay, so as the title suggests, I know I am opening a can of worms here. But single engine piston—and especially constant speed propeller stuff—is new to me, and if I’m being brutally honest with myself it’s a little bit mystifying.

I have flown jet aircraft for years, and between the Airbus I currently fly, and the U-2 which I flew in the Air Force, I feel pretty stoopid when I have to actually think about what my engine’s doing. Heck, in the U-2 (yes, they’re still flying), you push the throttle to “mil” on takeoff and usually leave it there until descent. Now I have not one, but TWO more levers to think about.

I bought my first plane, an RV-6 with the above eng/prop setup a few months ago. I understand the basics, and have flown my plane a lot using a formulaic approach to settings, but I need more info. I shoot for <= 380 CHT, and my usual flying is at 6500 or 7500ft in the SF Bay area. I find my MP at cruise and full throttle is 22-2300, and I set the prop at 2300. Then I lean until peak, keep going until slightly rough, then back in a couple turns. I end up with about a 1250 EGT. Seems like about 130-140 kts IAS is where she’s happy.

Am I in the right ballpark? I’m not worried about how fast I can go; I want to keep my engine happy and dependable for as long as possible. I looked for threads here, and surprisingly didn’t see much. Also googled the **** out of this, and found some great advice for fuel injected 540s. Again, not much for our setup.

Fire away.

2000 Hrs! ...Pete Howell

N789PH just flipped over 2000 hrs on a flight from Minne to Duluth with my nephew. It has been a fun almost 12 years!

Panel Porn ...Walt

RAF Pilot and RV-3 driver

Dennis Cullum passed in June 2018. He learned to fly in a Tiger Moth and graduated to an RV-3 he build 20 years ago. In between he had some Meteor time with the RAF. Dennis was a member of EAA Chapter 14 and was a true gentlemen, offering his assistance without request. He helped me with my RV-3 and I was nearly the completion of my condition inspection and hoped we would have some formation time. I guess that will have to wait. Blue Skys Dennis.

Dennis was also the channel navigator in the 1959 Arch to Arch race from London to Paris.

July 6, 2018.   Issue #4,604.
  Wishing you and yours a happy, SAFE and RV-filled weekend.

Sid Mayeux 'Kelli Girl' at Meadow Lakes, CO.
Kevin Mastin photo.

Round The World Trip: New Blog Entries

VAF,

I am stuck in Karachi, Pakistan waiting for a weather window to open to Sri Lanka. The monsoon season just started, so I have to be careful with the routing over India. 

New posts have been added to to my web site/blog:

- England and IWM Duxford
- Icing over the Alps
- Electrical Disaster and Recovery

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July back in the USA.

John

Surplus Avionics (Garmin,Dynon,etc...). G3X screens! ...SteinAir

Hi Folks,
As we near the annual pilgrimage to OSH, we thought we’d throw a few of our surplus things out there so you could pick them up at the show if you like. As usual, this is first come first serve. Please contact us directly or via PM, email, phone, if you’re interested. Here’s what we have this go around:

1) Dynon EMS-D10 (Engine Monitor): New in the box, surplus/NOS. Comes with 9 month warranty. New price is around $1700, this one for $1350.

3) Garmin GAD-29 ARINC converter module. New old stock, (in original box but 2.5 years old). Includes 90 day warranty: $390

4) Garmin GDU-370 (G3X Non Touch) EFIS Screen/display only. New Old Stock (new in the box, old stock 2 years old). 30 day warranty: $950

5) Garmin GDU-375 (G3X Non Touch) EFIS Screen with XM EFIS screen/display only. New Old Stock (new in the box, old stock 2 years old). 30 day warranty: $1250

7) Garmin GTX-330ES transponder (WITH FAA 8130). Removed in excellent condition for upgrade. Includes rack, tray, and connector kit with 90 day warranty: $1800

8) Garmin GMA-240 audio panel, new old stock (new in the box 2 years old). Includes rack, tray, connector kit. 30 day warranty: $675

9) Garmin GMA-340 Audio panel, WITH FAA 8130, fresh factory overhaul and 90 day warranty. Includes new rack, tray and connector kit: $850

11) Garmin GTX-327 Mode C Transponder. Removed for upgrade in excellent condition. Includes rack, tray, connector kit (guaranteed working): $500

13) Garmin GMC-305 (w/YD) Audopilot controller. New old stock. 30 day warranty: $500

14) TruTrak “B” servo. Removed for upgrade, in serviceable/good condition. $300

List [ed. In the forum post. dr] will be updated as items are added or removed.
Cheers,
Stein

FAA Safety Briefing: July/August 2018 ...40-page PDF.

OSH Invitation from Continental Motors ...James Ball

Continental Motors is seeking a Vans RV powered by a Titan engine for display on their space at Air Venture. Continental Motors will cover your fuel costs both ways. If interested, please call James Ball at 251 436 8122. If no answer, please eave a message and I'll call you back.

Mr. X: Neat Lighting Effect, Somewhere over Mississippi

Summertime IFR in the RV-9A ...Ed Wischmeyer

So the plan was to fly from Savannah, GA, to Cedar Rapids, IA, to visit old (and getting older) friends before change made it impossible. Summer weather in the southeast makes such trips easier to cancel than to actually fly.

Surprisingly, the weather on the first leg was forecast to be pretty good, although I waited for some very low IFR to burn off a bit -- a Gulfstream pilot friend doesn’t fly his single engine plane over ceilings less than 1,000 feet in case the engine quits. I went IFR at 6,000 on the first leg, as that let me climb through the clouds without looking for a big enough hole, and it got me into cooler air.

Although it was early, I got a really good burger at Shifters near D73 in north Georgia. When I told the lady I was flying to Iowa, she asked if I was going to drive down to Atlanta and catch a flight. Oh. As the conversation evolved, she said that she had once flown on a thirty seat plane which she described as a “crop duster.” Ahem.

For the next leg, I filed IFR direct at 8,000. My physiology, for whatever reason, wants oxygen much lower than other folks’, but I was ready, and had everything plugged in and tested before takeoff. As the picture shows, the second leg was not direct in any real sense of the word. At 8,000 feet, I was mostly skimming the tops of the cumulus clouds (bases around 3,500 feet), and could usually see the ground somewhere around me.

When I did go through a cloud, tops at nine or ten, it was a ride, but doable. I would usually turn off the autopilot to get additional experience in hand flying. Each bump was a minor upset, and being able to change frequencies while doing that was a minor, a very minor, triumph. The workload was high enough hand-flying the plane that there weren’t very many brain cycles left over for anything else.

On the second leg, there were a few serious storms directly on my route, tops in the mid-forties (really serious storms) so the question was whether to zig around them to the north or to the south. The radar showed a number of measles splotches forming on the southern zig, with great potential for forming an impenetrable line, so I zagged to the north.

On that northern zag, there I went through a few buildups, maybe to ten thou or so, that gave me a >ride<. The workload was high and although the bumps weren’t that bad, the up and downdrafts were beyond my ability to hold altitude within 100 feet.

Then came another cloud, with friskiness that I didn’t see coming, updrafts and downdrafts, bumps being the least of my concerns. It was beyond my ability to keep the plane anywhere near where I wanted it to be, so I turned on the autopilot. To my surprise, the Garmin G3X autopilot did an excellent, incredible, unbelievably good job of holding altitude and, at one point, recovering seemingly immediately from a gust-induced 30 degree bank. (Having given credit were credit is due, there are other things that the autopilot doesn’t do nearly as well as I can do hand-flying, annoyances that I think would be easy to fix. Then again, talk is cheap…)

And when time finally came to descend to the airport, IFR made it easy as I didn’t have to find a big enough hole.

So what’s the takeaway, at least for me:
• IFR in cumulus clouds of any size can be challenging;
• The autopilot is a go/no-go item for me, even though I will not attempt a flight that I think I can’t hand-fly;
• Even the seemingly large deviations added little flight time. And the least fuel reserve I had on any leg was two hours;
• Don’t fly IFR around cumulus clouds if you can’t see what you might be going through. On the third leg, I started the diversion maybe 50 miles away, based on what I could see. And a visual picture is worth so much more than uplinked NEXRAD or center advisories on what their radar sees.

Could I have made this trip VFR? Probably, bouncing along in hot, humid weather under the clouds, avoiding rain shafts and ugly looking clouds. And with GPS, it would be relatively easy to find a nearby airport in case I needed to land right away.

As they used to say on TV, be careful out there…

Spring break ...Skip RV-4 #1904

My o-320 B3B broke both the inner and outer #1 intake valve springs today. It does not run well in this condition and I do not recommend it for the serenity of you flight. Fortunately the closest airport had a great couple of guys in the maintenance shop who found the problem and had the broken springs replaced in under two hours.

July 5, 2018.   Issue #4,603.
  Hope you had a nice July 4th.  Susie and I spent the day out at the hangar replacing the fuel pump on her car (took awhile for it to get here).  All squared away and replaced, the car washed, and the spousal unit is happy to have it back on the line.  I've never replaced an in-tank pump before - a fun project actually.  Saved at least $1,000.  Should be good for another 137,000 miles <g>.
  On to the broken sprinkler system - confidence high.
 

First Freedom from Gravity ...sbalmos

It was more than a first flight. It was first freedom. Freedom from the tyranny of gravity. Today, my plane celebrated its Independence (from Gravity) Day! Kind of appropriate, right?

Initial Flight - RV8

First flight for N842FM at San Geronimo Airpark (8T8).

I had a highly experienced RV pilot do the initial flight. He said it flew smoothly and had no roll bias. 2 issues: prop RPM indication problems and both radios were weak transmitting.

I'll will have to wait until the weekend to troubleshoot. I am sure there will be more tweaking/adjusting/fixing still to come.

The journey of the build to the maiden flight has been an awesome experience (still learning). Though there have been many, many, many, many, many frustrations and challenges, I am glad I was able to see the project completed (major help from my mentor-Les Bourne).

Fred McMahon
RV8
Test Phase

First flight ...RepmikeBrown RV-4

Weekend in MIchigan - Part 1  ...petehowell

Finished work a bit early on Friday, picked up Andi at home and headed to KANE to grab the plane - Destination the Wolverine State! Andi and I finally had a free weekend and wanted to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. It was National Cherry Festival up in that neck of the woods as well. Weather looked hot and windy, but nothing the RV-9A could not handle!  ...

Part II

Campaign 2018 ends in Kenai ...Vlad

Off Cold Bay. A boost of morale on the radio from big boys - happy flying!

A gas contaminated with jet a

So today I had less than a cup of jet a mixed into one of my tanks of 16 gallons of 100ll on accident when someone grabbed the wrong fuel hose. The pump was not on but there was residual fuel in the nozzle. Surprisingly they seemed to completely mix and not separate. I always thought that jet fuel would separate out but the mechnic at the field said that jet-a and 100ll mix. Weird, does anyone have an idea what to do with this? if I have to dump 16 gallons of 100ll gas, where does it go? My guess is the engine wouldn't even notice this small amount of jet a, anyone had experience with this? I'm sure lycoming has a bulletin advising what to do?

Bryan

Tire Split

Obviously I’m grounded till new tires but has anyone seen this and what might have caused it? The plane is new to me so not sure if it’s age of tires or what. Tires have 170 hours with good tread life left. I don’t remember seeing these cracks last time I had the fairings off about 20 hours ago. Aircraft was completed in 2012.

Thanks...

July 4, 2018.   Issue #4,602.

full size image

In Congress, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.


He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

July 3, 2018.   Issue #4,601.
  Very hot in TX currently (107*F heat index), and the Saharan dust isn't helping (not kidding).  Pic and article.  Weird.  Pic from this morning shows a haze off in the distance.  Pretty close to MVFR.

  On a more fun note, I had the pleasure of giving (4) short RV rides this past Saturday - one was a gentleman's (Ray) first time in an airplane EVER!  What fun!
  Above is Savannah - one of the four.  Her first small airplane ride.  Sorry my ugly mug and chicken legs spoiled the shot.  Spinning the plane around between rides ;^).

Climbing a volcano and a harbor raid ...Vlad

Almost there at Makushin summit. It's the height of Mt Washington in Hew Hampshire. There is a Seismic observatory cam in the valley.

Intermittent elevator trim ...rvator4twa

Had a flight with elevator trim inoperable. Tried a bigger fuse and worked again. After it quit again, I examined the area and discovered the threaded bar between the trim tab and trim motor was catching sometimes on the threads. Used a dremmel to lengthen the slot and problem is solved.

RV-8 and the Grand Coulee Dam ...Steve Rush

Unlike this weekend, last Sunday was a pretty nice day here in the Northwet (spelling intentional). I was able to sally forth over the mountains to see some of the sights and it looked a lot like this:

Fair warning, there is one spelling error in the video.

Carbon fiber Sliding Canopy Skirt ...Joewebb

Just a quick video how I made my alternative sliding canopy skirt..

Build Status Report ...jcarne 7A

Well my rivet buddy decided to go to the mountains today so I started working on the "fun" part of the center section... deburring.

I got half of the 18 ribs done and also decided to take a break at one point to rivet the F-705 bulkhead. I'm REALLY glad I went with the paint before rivet idea, the contrasting rivets looks next level cool to me.

As a tip to others, don't forget there is a rivet under each of the bar doublers that MUST be set first. Luckily I only set two rivets before realizing this.

July 2, 2018.   Issue #4,600.

First Flight for N11XZ, RV-4, #3204 ...SJordan

I'm happy to report that N11ZX took its first flight on the 16th from Deer Valley airport in Phoenix Arizona. 28 minutes of ear to ear grin with little to no problems to report.

Akutan Zero Entry ...Vlad the Amazing

Avatanak island followed by Rootok. For some those chunks of rock mean nothing but for aviators of WWII every landable spot was gold.

South Haven Michigan (KLWA)  ...jjbardell

Trip report / blog from KLWA. I added a summary of sights and food at the top which I will do on all future trip reports.

July Wallpaper Calendar ...Ed Hicks photo

RV-9A, pilotjohns...Fuselage, part 2 of many

Bending longerons. Those words create fear, at least they did for me. I don't care to beat things with hammers, so I borrowed some longeron bending dies. I added scotch tape to the longerons and spread a thin coat of biolube from the aviation isle of REI. I didn't have a good vise, so I used c-clamps and the old wing crate as a table. I taped the plan's template to the side of the crate. This worked out well.

Using the c clamps, I did the first pass moving the dies about 1 1/2" at a time. The first longeron I had help and went well with very little out of plane bending, but I went thru 12 "el cheapo" c-clamps. For the second longeron, I bought three drop forged c clamps. These are still usable afterwards so worked out better. The rear bend is actually much tighter than the rest, so I had to use three pieces of 1/64" model airplane ply to increase the bend radius of the die.

The second longeron bent easier using the better c clamps, but I had much more out of plane bending. Using some scrap wood and a 2" piece of drain pipe, I was able to roll the bend back into plane. Both are well with the 1/16" tolerance.

VA Aviation Ambassador Program Complete ...Vlad RV-9A

VA Aviation Ambassador Program is completed. Feels good to be in one cohort with outstanding RVators like Rick Solana and others. Did I mention they send a you free leather jacket of great quality?  South Carolina next. Over a dozen airfields already visited and stamped.

Canopy drilling...Carl Froehlich

The issue I've found with drilling the canopy to canopy frame holes is making sure you drill at exactly the right place on the frame to avoid unnecessary stress on the glass.

For the first project (8A) I copied a trick to find the exact tangent point between the canopy glass and the steel frame. After running some standard masking tape very lightly on the frame, the canopy is carefully put in placed and clamped. The result is a perfect line in the tape where the glass touched the frame - the tangent point.

I found out the trick does not work with powder coated frames (first plane was pre-powder coating). There is not enough color contrast between the powder coat and the tape to see the line. The fix was to first run black electrical tape on the frame, and the masking tape on top of that.

The photos show the clear tangent line. Note that the tangent line is not at the horizontal midpoint - the glass curves under.


Next steps:

- With the glass off, use a sharpie to mark the line and then space out where the holes will go.
- Drill the #40 holes in the frame.
- Put the glass back on, check position a few hundred times then drill through the glass into the #40 holes. Clecko.
- Take the glass off and using a unibit drill the glass holes to 1/4" and slightly countersink the outside (more for the canopy bow than the sides as the sides have the fiberglass skirt that gets countersunk for the tinnermans). The objective is for a tinnerman to fit into the glass and then the CS4-4 rivet to fit into the tinnerman - the tinnerman spreads out the attachment force.
- Drill the frame #40 holes to #30.
- The roll bar gets tapped for #6 screws per the plans, but tinnermans again used under the screws on the glass.
- If you hate the powered coat color as much as I do, remove the frame and roll bar for final paint. Reassemble after the rest of the interior is painted.

Have fun,
Carl