Tue Apr 15. 1156z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Crystal River with Diana ...bsacks05
Front Floor Side Alignment ...RV-10
This seems a little weird. When
match drilling, all was good and right. But now that I am
installing the front floors, the outboard-most hole
alignment is off (These are the holes on top of the joggle
that attach to the channel which is in turn attached to the
skin). The miss-alignment is off the same amount on both
sides of the airplane. I can flex the skin/channel enough to
get clecos in, but it seems to take a lot of force. Has
anyone else encountered this?
RV-7A Success Story
...mothership FB page
Enjoy
Vlad's RV Travels ...using the search feature.
Should keep you entertained for
about a month! An example of using 'Advanced Search'.
Fill it out this
way....
Get these results...
Welcome Taildragger Tow
Bars
...ad in the Previous
Day's News Section
Is this OK?
Getting ready to rivet my fuselage
center section and was wondering if there was any reason I
shouldn't rivet with it upright as shown in the picture
below. Will make it a lot easier to access both sides and to
do alone. Thanks.
Mon Apr 14. 0611z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Got my RV Grin Today!!! ...nbachert
RV-7
OZRV10 Transported to Airport
RV-4 and the Skagit Tulip Fields ...Steve Rush
3 mtns in under 2 hrs - pacific NW ...kjlpdx
6A
To have RV friends ...Bob Collins
Over the years, I've often said the
best part about building an RV is you make a bunch of
friends along the way and at the end, you also have an
airplane.
continue
Stall Warner Install ...David Paule
Bruce's Steam
Upgrading from Vans std tailwheel to a lightweight TW- here's
the numbers I found
Arlie Conner RV-4 Status
"Clean" but not green Smoke Install in a RV7/6/9 ...Bill
Schlatterer
Fri Apr 11. 1135z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Wishing you and yours a happy,
safe and RV-filled weekend!
RV-4 and Cobra ...Saber25
Taylor 150---April 12 TEXAS
Eagle's News Spotlight on Orlando Campus ...Ernie
Major milestone! PPL in hand ...Al Gerard (9A fuse)
I'm almost finished building my 9a.
So I thought it time to finish up with my PPL. Man great
feeling! Can't wait to be flying my own homebuilt plane.
Vlad Goes to SnF ...Part III
Vlad Goes to SnF ...Part IV
Seen at Richmond Aircraft Service
Yesterday
(on my field) Randy
built up a nice stand to do HS
service bulletins on RV-6/7/8 models. Below is the
RV-6 HS that belongs to Rocks. Randy can be reached at
rrv8er 'at' yahoo 'dot' com if you'd like him to do
your HS SB.
Let There be Light!! (Mikey goes LED…) ...Paul
Scheduled Site Maintenance 4/12 11pm
CT - 4/13 6am CT
"...regularly scheduled maintenance
window will be used to install critical patches to servers
on the network."
Thu Apr 10. 1145z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
First Flight ...bjconst RV-8
We towed the plane to the airport at
9:15 on 4/6/2014, at 10:00, it made it's first flight. Here
is the needed first flight pics and maybe video's, if it
work. The only issue is the fuel gauges don't work, but the
fuel flow was, so I flew. No heavy wing, it flew hands off.
...
To Sun-n-Fun for one day and back...Vlad
The trip to 40th Sun-n-Fun started
on a rainy Friday afternoon without sun but with some fun.
continue part one...
Part II
New
FlyboyAccessories web store launched!
Blake and I are excited to announce
the launch of our all new web store. The URL remains the
same:
www.flyboyaccessories.com
The new store has many more built-in functions to streamline
your shopping experience. And it looks cool, thanks to
Blake's efforts.
I liked the old store, but like all things computer related,
it had grown kinda old and clunky. The new store is much
more adaptable.
Because it's a new software package, our previous customers
will need to re-enter their name, address, etc. since there
was no way for us to transfer the data. After all, we're
airplane geeks, not computer wizards.
I hope the VAF community will continue to find things of
value on our humble, little web store. And, of course,
thanks for your support in the past.
We value all feedback and welcome any comments or
suggestions. Thanks!.
Year One Update ...Michael F. 8A
One year ago today, I began my
journey of building my experimental airplane, a dream I have
had for many years. My goal when starting this project was
completing a kit per year. Year one and I almost made it,
all that is left today is drilling the two control horn and
bolting them together. The fiberglass tips will wait until
later.
The wing have been ordered and were shipped last week, just
waiting on them to arrive. Year two the goal once again is
completing the wings within the year timeframe. Sure have
learned a lot the last twelth months and sure I will
continue to learn as time progresses.*
To look at my construction Blog, select the link below.
Alway like hearing the feed back and realy enjoy the reading
forum of other that have gone before me.
Mothership First Flight Totals
Wed Apr 9. 1149z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Team Aerodynamix/Eagle's Nest at SnF
...Bob Kelly
Many times we have said,
"It don't get any better than this," but this time I mean
it!
Mutual friends, great connections, and especially great
people made SnF very special to us this year. First were the
aircraft. EN-1 was flown to Florida from Indiana by Austin
Malcomb, making good use of his three month old PPL. Ernie
Butcher brought EN-3 over from Houston, and Scott Malcomb
brought EN-6 in from Orlando, only one week after its first
flight. Earlier, Mike Stewart suggested that Team
Aerodynamix showcase these planes in the Friday morning
flying. Mike and Scott Malcomb, Chief Mentor of the EN-6
build project at at Circle Christian School, had made the
arrangements for the week's activities. By Wednesday, the
stage was set.
continue
RV12 video with 2 camera view ...Dvalcik
Flight video from this
weekend with 2 cameras capturing the taking off and landing.
A little editing magic to sync the 2 videos in a split view.
One camera in the cockpit and the other mounted on the belly
of my RV12. I just got a GoPro for the outside of the plane
and in the cockpit I'm using a Contour that is wired to the
comm.
Borescope / endoscope review ...Mike D
Just a quick review on my
new borescope. I have a 5MP dental cam, but this is
much better and no modifications needed.
...
Flight Data Systems New
ADS-B Receivers ...for experimentals
Finished N369WR ...dwrichey
After 5 1/2 years build
time, first flight was on 1-1-2014. I was so nervous on the
first flight that I didn't really enjoy the flight, but
since have come to realize what great machines these are.
Tue Apr 8. 1132z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
William Gossen bluebonnet departure RV-3B Austin-Executive
Airport.
Taken w/filter to enhance the colors.
RV-4 Status Report - and questions ...Arlie Conner of
Lufkin, TX
I just replaced the lower firewall
on my project and have run into a slight problem. It seems
that the engine mount on the left side hits the firewall
ever so slightly. After looking at the old firewall it
appears that it hit also because it had the same "ding" in
the same spot as my new installation.
First question: is this a common problem possibly due to the
airframe not being perfectly squared up in the jig during
the build?
Second question: what can I do to fix the problem before the
mount is permanently affixed and the engine is hung?
When I removed the mount I noticed the center mount bolts
had a bunch of thick spacers. After the new test fit these
spacers are no longer needed, or at least not as many. I
cant figure this one out either, because all I did was
replace the lower firewall and engine mount weldments.
GRT Tech Suport - Above & Way Beyond!
...I flew my RV6 from Pennsylvania
to Florida this year for SNF. I have a GRT Sport which has
been installed for about 5 years now. I have not kept up
with the firmware upgrades. (I would rather not get into the
actual problem I was seeing here in this forum, because it
is rather confusing and I am certain that it will cause the
EFIS nay sayers to jump in and flame away). When I explained
the problem I was seeing to Greg (at GRT), he was very
interested and suggested that we go out to the HB parking
area where I was parked, and take a look at it. Greg found
that the problem was related to a very old firmware version
that I had installed. We installed the latest firmware, and
it solved the problem. I have flown the plane for 7 hours
since loading the firmware and it has worked perfectly.
For Greg to leave the GRT booth at SNF and help me goes
above and beyond. Thank you Greg and Katie!...
My Arrival into SnF ...Alton DeWeese video
In the flare for the orange dot...
Status Report ...Larry Larson (7A)
Yea! I have two leak free tanks. I
know it's no big deal but to me it rates as a pretty big
accomplishment.
Status Update ...Dale in Omaha (RV-7)
Last night I did the wingtip lenses,
tonight I cut out mirror acrylic for my wingtip cutouts to
go behind my Ztron Labs LED nav/strobe lights. Cutting and
finishing the acrylic was not nearly as difficult as I
thought, and I didn't create any unintended scrap along the
way. Hence, I think I have enough 1/8" mirror acrylic stock
left over for 3 more sets. I'll probably use some for
another project.
This pic looks less than spectacular because I still have
the protective plastic film on the acrylic. Tomorrow night
I'll finish and polish the edges and see about securing the
plastic to the wingtips with some nut plates and #6 screws.
New ADS-B
Receivers ...from Flight Data Systems
Mon Apr 7. 1138z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Heads up for the N.TX folks that
the NASCAR race yesterday got rained out....trying again today
at 1100 (more).
Traffic, TFR, the works. And good morning.
Family first flight after phase I ...Pat Garboden 9A
Smoke ON for Safety? ...Sonex 541
Well flying a fully polished airplane can be
near invisible in the sky so I hear , while flying into my local
class D airport I was number 2 on final and there was a cirrus on
the downwind , he was goin back and forth with the tower trying to
locate me , and kept saying he couldn't see me , would it be
acceptable to turn the smoke on for a few seconds to make myself
visible , I was so tempted to turn it on but wasn't sure if this was
the right thing to do while on final , I have had this issue before
of not being seen in the traffic pattern , and has anyone else had
this issue and turn the smoke on ,
Btw I had my led nav and strobes on the entire time .
Adam S
SnF Pics ...by turbo's friend.
RV-10 Engine Out Over KOCF ...RNewman
Monday afternoon at 7000 ft. right over KOCF
on our way to Sun-n-Fun I had the opportunity to put all that
engine-out training to work. The good news first: This was the best
case possible, no one hurt, no airplane damage, flew the plane,
declared emergency, landed on the paved runway, made the first
taxiway. Guardian angle working overtime!!
Now for the important details that I believe can have a positive
effect on others building or flying RV's.
Root cause of the engine failure was that the filtered airbox came
off the throttle body, wedged under the intake portion of the
throttle body and disrupted the airflow through the metering venturi.
This caused the mixture to go way out of wack as the engine went to
an extreme rich condition, I saw fuel flow rates pegged at >30 gph
as soon as the event occurred.
continue
Sump to intake seal ruined ...Camillo
G3X "Exchange" Project ...Stein and friends
For those of you looking to either sell your
current G3X screens and upgrade to the new touchscreen, or for those
of you looking to purchase some either "new or almost new" screens
to assemble a G3X kit, we have come up with a solution.
We have worked with Garmin to come up with an "LRU kit" at an
affordable price that will allow you to procure some of these lower
priced screens and put together an attractively priced G3X system
with the GDU 370's and GDU 375's.
continue
Tanner
Evans 9A Grand Canyon Trip Write-up
Russian Sighting? ...his friends at SnF
Out with the old and in with the new (Whelan wingtip nav/strobe)
...L.Hose
Inspection: CHECK!
...bruceh 9A ready for first flight
Cockpit
Smoke!
Yesterday, while riding with a
friend I experienced smoke in the cockpit. I was stunned at
how quickly the cockpit filled with smoke and how quickly
the smoke obscured the windscreen.....[ed. RV related! dr]
Departing Sun N Fun Sunday Afternoon
Terry Teer Panel Status
Status Update ...Mike Messer 8A (multiple photos)
Thanks GRT & Team Aerodynamix! ...RobFloyd
My nephew, Daniel Stevens, enjoyed a
flight in the back seat of an RV8 with Team Aerodynamix at
Sun-n-Fun Saturday morning as a result of GRT's Facebook
contest.
Fri Apr 4. 1150z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
On April 4, 2007 I left the
corporate world and jumped into running this web site full time.
Thank you for helping make the past seven years so satisfying (and
here's to the next seven!).
Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and RV-filled weekend.
RV-14A at the gas pump. Van
Cave visit last week. dr photo.
New improved digital sectionals
"Effective 3 APR 2014, the Sectional
Aeronautical, Terminal Area, and World Aeronautical Raster
Charts are greatly improved. Instead of using scanned chart
images, the new d-VC is created directly from our digital
files, resulting in a crisper and brighter image with
improved georeferencing. Thanks to helpful customer
feedback, we have also improved the rendering of type and
features."
High fuel pressure (52 PSI) on a Lyc IO-360. Normally 27 PSI.
Any ideas to why?
Today
was the 11th flight with my new -7, tach was around 19 hrs
when it happened.
Until today, the fuel pressure has been steady at 27 PSI
during flight.
About an hour into todays flight, (2:30 mins planned) I
noticed that the fuel press was 32 PSI. I kept an eye
on it and about 10 mins later it was 35.
5 mins later it was 40.
...
One Year Anniversary! ...Bob Bogash
Today marks the One Year Anniversary
since making the First Flight in my RV-12 N737G. Yesterday,
we made the 160th flight in the airplane!
...
Skyview Version 10 PIREP ...Bob Bogash
Been running the new SV 10 and am
very pleased. Despite my being a vocal touch screen hater, I
think I will spring for the touchscreen upgrade as well.
They've done it right.
Things I really like:
...
I Finally Did it! ...Carl Peltzrer
We did it! New to the forum. We
ordered the empennage kit today at Sun n Fun! My wife and
the guys from Team AeroDynamix helped me make up my mind.
Steam ...Fastwind67
Bruce
Hill 9A Inspection w/DAR Scheduled
Feeling a bit nervous. It's almost
like having a child. I think this thing is finally ready to
fly! I'll find out on Sunday 4/6
An open invite to any of the locals who want to poke and
prod before the inspection, come on over on Saturday and see
if you can find anything amiss. I'll be trying to fill out
all of the log books and get the paperwork in order.
More transition training scheduled for tomorrow.
April
Experimenter
Thu Apr 3. 1153z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
RV-14A looks on as a relative takes flight.
dr photo.
Birds
and flight testing ...Brice Johnson
The weather has cleared, spring is
here, and my travels have subsided so I am starting to get
more flight testing in. But so are the birds. In the past
few weeks I have had three "close" encounters with birds,
all in the vicinity of the home airport, Auburn WA.
The first one was short final I found myself flying right
through a flock of 20 seagulls circling in a thermal 1/4
mile from the end of the runway.
...
Seen at SnF ...GLPalinkas post
Some of the RVers were
Turbo Eddie, SkyKing Bob and Cathy, Gman Gary and Sandi,
Hideous Steve and other assorted airplane enthusiasts.
2014 SUN-N-FUN SHOW SPECIAL PRICING ...from the factory
Save $1,000 by bundling
your engine and propeller order
'Steam
Panel' Entry ...Don Thompson
My plain jane panel. I also have a
garmin 396 that I suction mount but I'm going to try to
resist the temptation to bling up the panel.
And the outside ...Don Thompson RV-6
Hanger Rash on Rudder ... Fixable? ...Jerry -12
My -12, located in a community
hanger, was pushed back by a lineman into the rubberized
leading edge (de-icer) of a larger craft and my -12
sustained damage on the lower surface of the rudder ... Bent
and oil canning. Can it be fixed without re skinning the
rudder and having to remove stabilator in the process? Any
ideas?
Rivet mistake in aft bulkhead ...Moondog
This type of mistake I’ve made more
than once. Very frustrating since it was truly avoidable. If
I try to drill out the bad rivet with an angle drill, it
will not be pretty. A tailwheel is not under consideration,
so would it be ok to replace the rivet with an AN3-xA bolt?
Here is the deal:
...
April is Online...
Wed Apr 2. 1144z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
End of 1st Quarter Reminder (and
thank you)
Incredibly, we're already 25% done with 2014. With that in mind,
here is your quarterly reminder that this site is actually powered by
two engines, and their names are donations and advertisers.
It stays in the air only if they are both producing power.
If you're a regular and haven't donated yet in '14, please review the
business model on the donation
page and give some thought to supporting VAF on a yearly basis.
Running VAF is more expensive than you might have guessed. Our
family has spent more than $100,000 over the past decade on I.T.
services and infrastructure, with the hope that regular readers will
send in $2.08/mo on the honor system ($25/yr). The debt has to get
serviced, and that's where you come in, my friend!
To those who support this American small business with their hard earned
money, thank you very much. We are honored to call so many of you
friend, and we will continue trying our hardest to do you proud with a
good product.
I'll remind you again at the half-year mark.
Kindest and best,
The Reeves family
Vlad Visits Block Island, RI ...trip report.
A week or two ago Agent
Orange (Andy) and I were hungry with nothing to do.
After big breakfast at Nashua NH we got some octane booster
at Parlin Field and launched to Block Island for desert.
GRT SNF Show Special- 20% Off HX or HXr
20% off any Horizon HX
or HXr system package or additional display unit!
Free GRT VFR WAAS GPS with any HX or HXr system purchase.
(Or, take 50% off a GRT VFR RAIM GPS)
20% off GRT autopilot servos (mounting kits & wiring not
included)
Free mapping with any Mini-X above and beyond the
introductory special. (That also includes free mapping if
you have already placed your Mini order.)
Seen at SnF ...turbo
Engine Start and Taxi Tests ...Randy Pflanzer RV-12
FAA Makes Progress on Dual-Pilot Phase One Testing
KITPLANES magazine met with Mark Giron of FAA headquarters on the
opening day of Sun ‘n Fun to discuss progress on the concept of
giving builders the option of having two pilots on board during
Phase One testing of new Experimental aircraft. The proposal is
in response to NTSB recommendations attempting to lower the
accident rate in Experimental aircraft, and points at the
problem of inexperienced pilot builders doing their own testing
while solo because current Operating Limitations for
Experimental aircraft only allow required crew members to be
onboard during initial flight testing—and most light
Experimental aircraft can be flown by a single pilot.
...
Avionics Arrive! ...akarmy
YES, My two boxes from
Stein arrived last night. Lots of fun new toys to start
installing.
Upcoming Webinars...
Visit Titan Engines New Website
Tue Apr 1. 0941z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
"Stir in the egg whites, THEN
add the vanilla."
Complete (sort of) and First Flight ...Bill Thomasson RV-10
I finished assembling
all the access panels and fairings, Installed the interior,
and fixed my outstanding squawks this week. (DAR inspection
was last Saturday).
Was ready for flight on Thursday, but called it off as it
was getting close to Sunset and the winds were still gusty
and close to a direct crosswind.
Had rain all day Friday and Saturday. Winds were strong all
day Sunday as well, but straight down the runway, and
forecast to diminish near sunset.
...
A cheap,
easy way to label wires ...BSwayze
Maybe I'm not the first
guy to think of this, but I just found an excellent, cheap
way to label all my wires. For a very long time, as the
wiring project drew near, I wondered about how to label my
wires.
...
Notable
Bridge Entry ...Turbo
Marble canyon bridge.
Great place to land for breakfast!
Received the 1st box ...supik RV-10 in Slovakia
I am happy to announce,
that we have received our 1st box today
RV-7 and B-17 Fly Into Sedona ...Dave Binkley
Status Update ...Tom Beiser RV-14A
SnF Begins....
I
created a thread for the event so there will be a
unified spot for PIREPS, photo URLs and whatnots.
photo from the Van's
facebag page
Mon Mar 31. 1142z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Andrew Tuhohy
photo
Seven
years and DONE ...Steve Langdon RV-6
Just received my airworthiness certificate after seven years. A huge
thanks to all those friends who listened to me moan when
thing didn't go just right, who bucked, drilled held,
clamped, and offered a word of encouragement at just the
right time. An especially huge thanks to my wonderful wife
who was behind me pushing me to "get'er done".
10 Years
after ...Smokey
10 years ago this Monday EAA photographer Jim Koepnik took this photo in
my front yard. I had invited my three F16 Squadron mates
"Slim, Mob and Rascal" to visit when we came home from
Operation
Iraqi Freedom in 04". Lucky for me, Fossil, Hollywood, Jason
Wolfie and Demon would also be there. Later the 8 RV"s would
fly formation for the EAA Cessna 210 to accompany an article
I wrote about my friends and their RV"s.
My wife surprised me when she placed this photo in our wall collage
recently. I followed up by inviting them all to visit for
the "10 years after" anniversary. Unfortunately only two
members still own RV"s and are unable to visit. They are
however still very active in aviation. The article albeit
dated still makes me smile when I am reminded of eleven F16
pilots in the same Squadron owning RV's, a rare event
indeed.
Daffodils in the Skagit Valley ...Stephen photo shoot
Family gives me wings ...David Boeshaar
An entire day of work for just drilling two holes????
Ah! but which holes?
So, after 6 years, I invited a bunch of family and friends to the hanger
to help me with a BIG milestone. Wings On!!!
I would like to thank all the guys who came out for a big day. Some
understood why it takes 6 hours to drill two holes (some
friends who have done this before) and some who had no idea
why it takes 6 hours to drill two holes.
2014 Texoma 100 Results ...Bruce
Extraction ...Marco Grilli (Italy)
Vetterman Exhaust's
New Trombone Muffler Exhaust System
Really
Really Cheap Gust Lock
Flexible plastic sheet, 3/8 hardwood dowel, 1/2" clear poly tubing....
roll in into gap at top of rudder and roll into gap at
elevator and H Stab
A
problem we never used to have ...not enough USB ports
Calendar Wallpaper for
April
Planet Earth's only flying RV-14A departs the Van Cave on its way
to SnF - Sterling on the controls and Joe giving me
the finger
a thumbs up.
Dimpled
where I shouldn't
I went into the workshop this weekend with a great attitude
to "get this tail done." While cruising along dimpling my
ribs, I failed to recognize that the ends are fastened with
470s (rookie!), and I dimpled them as if though they were
flush.
I decided to give the flush set in the squeezer a shot to flatten them
out. I'm concerned that the material has been weakened and
wont support the AN470s. I plan on calling Van's tomorrow to
confirm my suspicion, but I figured I would see if anyone
else has any input before stamping these ribs as scrap.
Garmin's Location at
SnF
As Sun 'n Fun is upon us, I wanted to extend an invitation
to Garmin's Press Conference at Sun 'n Fun in Lakeland, FL
on Tuesday, April 1 at 8:15 AM. As you may have guessed, we
are very excited about this show and the new products we're
bringing, (especially G3X Touch!) and look forward to
offering a sneak peek of G3X Touch ahead of the exhibits
opening at 9:00 AM.
Our press conference will be located in our Seminar Tent, just
outside of our booth next to Hangar D. For your reference, a
map is attached and is pasted below.
Fri Mar 28. 1153z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and RV-filled weekend.
Leadville, CO Run ...Geoff McHarg RV-7A
LA County Air Show 2014 - West Coast Ravens ...video
link sent to me by G.Sobek
Another 8 ready to fly ...bjconst
After three years and
one month, I received my pink slip. I want to thank good
friends and a supportive wife for making this happen.
Charleston, SC KJZI Fly-in Planned for 3/29 Cancelled
....weather (70% chance of severe thunderstorms
RV-14 Kit Update ...from the mothership
Fillable Order Forms Coming to Van's Aircraft! ...mothership
From TCW Technologies...
SkyView 10 Software Released ...free
Eagle's Nest Projects - SnF News
2014 Texoma 100 Update ...Bruce
Race # Name Aircraft
Class
Race 32 Mike Patey Lancair Super Legacy Unlimited
Race 66 Ernie Sutter Lancair Legacy Sport
Race 79 James Robinson Glasair III Sport
Race 24 Bob James Lancair 320 RG Red
Race 40 Chad Rundell Glasair Super II-S FX Blue
Race 73 Steve Hammer Glasair I TD FX Blue
Race 91 Bruce Hammer Glasair I TD FX Blue
Race 227 Norm Biron Glastar FX Blue
Race 390 Jerry Hajek RV-8 RV Gold
Race 26 Mike Thompson RV-6 RV Blue
Race 62 John Goodloe RV-8 RV Blue
Race 81 Gary Shelly RV-8 RV Blue
Race 118 Ken Krebaum RV-8 RV Blue
Race 411 Jeff Barnes RV-6 RV Blue
Race 17 Jim Smith RV-6 RV Red
Race 83 Dave Adams Long EZ Sprint
Race 98 John Keich Midget Mustang I Sprint
Race 1 Henry Punzi Mooney 201 FAC1RG
Race 193 Bobby Bennett S35 Bonanza FAC1RG
Race 456 AnnElise Bennett Cessna 182 FAC3FX
Race 37 Chris Nickens Grumman AA5A FAC5FX
Race 55 Team Ely Grumman AA5A FAC5FX
Race 61 Jeff Anderson Cessna172G FAC5FX
Race 21 Monica Randolph-Graham Cessna 150 FAC6
Race 89 Kurtis Samples Cessna 150G FAC6
Race 94 Jack Stanton Ercoupe FAC6
Race 59 Jeff Kubiak Cessna 340 Twin1T
Weather looking great for Saturday.
Thu Mar 27. 1205z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
The spousal unit and I were lucky enough to get a couple of $10
tickets online for last night's SMU NIT quarterfinal game
against California's Golden Bears (bracket).
Our first sporting event at our daughter's college, and it came
down to the wire. Great game, setting and atmosphere.
Look for the kid in the
lobster suit at the games - that would be student body
president Ramon Trespalacious. Triple major.
They won with seven seconds on the clock (highlight
reel). Hey NCAA, remember the team you didn't invite
to your tourney? The one with the same record as
did-get-invited OU? Well, that team is now going to the
NIT semifinals (round four) at Madison Square Garden April 1.
What's that...OU didn't make it past the second round?
Suck on that Nice headwork there, invite
committee!
Finally, by taking the picture below, the entire evening became a
business expense. High five, baby! Don't leave me
hangin' now...
Gusting 30kts here midday (over 20kts at 7am). No fly. Maybe
I'll fiddle with something at lunchtime. Go Mustangs.
Hat
sighting at the SMU v Cal. NIT Quarterfinals.
ESPN highlights / video
No. 506 Flies
(Paul Eeds RV-12) Van's
RV-12 No. 120506 made it's maiden flight on Monday 3-24-14.
All went well and as planned. Almost exactly three years
were spent in construction.
I spent most of last week flying with John Albury (Jetguy)
in Ft. Worth. I would highly recommend the transition
training that he provides. It is not just transition
training, it is detailed preparation for your first flight.
Trip to a barbershop ...Vladsky
I am tired of my barbers. Since I
moved from New York City to a NJ province I struggle to find
a barber who can keep his/her mouth shut. Recent aerial
reconnaissance yielded a barber shop in other state where no
appointments were needed. Friday was good (payday), weather
shiny and I was stupidly happy. Slipped off work a bit
early...
According to the windsock the trip to the barbershop should
take 37 minutes.
continue
Win a Ride with Team AeroDynamix at SNF! ...KatieB
Have you ever wondered
if formation flying is something you would like to do? Do
you wonder if you'll freak out in the middle of a gaggle
with wing tips, tailwheels and props so close to you? Do you
want to see a GRT EFIS in action?? Now you have a chance to
do all of that at Sun 'n Fun!
GRT Avionics is hosting a drawing at Sun 'n Fun for 2 open
seats in the Team's Saturday morning (April 5) media ride.
There are 2 ways to enter:
more
Moving the Oil Cooler Forward 1" ...Marty Santic RV-12
When Will You Be at SnF 2014?...the networking begins.
Mark Pensenstadler:
Interior Decorator
...wanna see what
single people can do? I call it the Aircraft Storage
Facility. Some other 'normal' people might call it the
"living room"!
RV-12 Newsletter ...special edition
What have you fixed with airplane parts?
Wed Mar 26. 1200z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Washington State Landslide ...video by 704CH
I thought I would share
with the VAF Community. Bekah and I left KPAE at 11:00 on
Saturday to fly the Cascade Loop. Unknowing to us my wing
cam captured video of the slide about 20 minutes after it
happened. Probably the first images/video of the slide after
it happened. You can see smoke and where it blocked the
river. The whole side of the mountain came down. Very
Horrible coincidence for us to stumble across. I am very
sorry to the people and families impacted by this horrible
event. We clearly were flying over prior to the TFR going
into effect.
VAF Special! 50% off LED Landing Light Kit ...Kahuna
"For 3 days only, 50% off our PAR 36
landing light kits with the purchase of ANY Whelen LED
Landing light, Nav/Strobe lights, or other light kits.
Offer good through March 28. Details on products
here.
Another joins the ranks of pilots
(Lucas at Trutrak) "I passed my
private checkride yesterday! I must say, that is a pretty
darn good feeling!"
Spring Cleaning ...Stein
More on Advanced Flight System's Sun 'n Fun Software Release
...Rob Hickman
SkyView Touch Video Tour
PCA Press Release
fmi:
https://www.pacificcoastavionics.com/products/2994-g3x-touch.aspx
Mitch's RV-12 Fitted with (2) G3X Touch Screens
...see it at SnF.
I have fuel tanks! ...blueflyer
Timely Rotor Lessons
Thought I would restart this as it
is March and blowing like snot outside today. I
climbed to 14.5 last season to cross East to West over the
Sierras. The sink I encountered was very smooth but in
excess of 2K fpm. Bailed out with a 180 back to Bishop for
gas to go around the south end at Bakersfield. At the pumps,
a local was trying to tell me about all the passes I should
try. Did not sound like prudent advice to me. I politely
declined and took the long route.
That particular day, all the small airports on either side
of the Sierras were reporting low wind velocities. So, it
was hard to see it coming. No clouds.
I thought alot about Steve Fossett that day as I turned
back. Anyway, thanks for posting the story and the great
graphics that put a picture to the phenomenon
Is this switch wired correctly?
Sounds levels in an RV cockpit
Today, for fun, I used a sound meter
app (Decibel 10th by SkyPaw) on my iPhone to measure the
sound level in my -4. Much to my surprise, the sound level
averaged 96dB with a peak of 99dB. I had expected a value in
the 80's... (Thank God for Lightspeed headsets) Has anyone
else measured sound levels in their cockpits?
For comparison purposes, my -4 has an IO-360, 4-pipe
Vetterman exhaust, and no sound proofing. I was running
23-squared while I held the meter (phone) at chest height
during the measurement.
Smoke ON ...schristo
Tue Mar 25. 1146z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Moved project to hanger... Got pink slip 7 days later
...Bill Thomasson RV-10
Thanks
for all the help I got from Atlanta builders moving my
project, and then also getting it ready for DAR inspection.
Saturday the 15th we moved the project to the 10 miles to
LZU. Fuselage on a car carier, wings and tail in a 17 foot
U-haul. I did not move any work benches, and the 17 foot
U-haul was
plenty
big for all my tools, supplies, Wings, and Tail Feathers.
Builders showed up at about 10:00, had the truck loaded and
secured by 11:00, tow truck showed up about 11:40 (supposed
to arrive at 10:30), and we were at the airport and wings on
by 3:00!
I took 1/2 days from work all week, and worked 8-10 hrs at
the airport each day. Had a few problems once I had
everything hooked up. Left fuel gauge not working,
Lightspeed RPM sender not talking to G3X, some problems with
my wing-tip lights, and my flap position sensor
not
having enough range, causing them either to not go all the
way down, or not go into reflex. Got the plane weighted
(1692 lbs)
Fueled and calibrated fuel gauges, and did first engine run!
She started right up without a problem (except not having an
RPM gauge). Max static RPM (once got gauge working) was 2610
out of the box.
Saturday 22nd Vic showed up and did my DAR inspection, he
found a couple items that were quickly remedied (Aileron
hitting autopilot stop and not main stop, elevator trim jam
nut not tightened.). Got my Airworthiness Certificate!
Did not rush to get things buttoned up as Sunday was
supposed to be bad weather all day (ended up being nice).
Expect to do my first flight later this week or weekend.!
Introducing Garmin G3X Touch (Thread
/ Video / Pricing)
Van’s Aircraft will be offering both
single and dual display G3X Touch systems for the RV-12.
fmi:
Company link
Fuel leak thru BNC fuel sender plug
New Product Announcement From Aircraft Specialty and TS
Flightlines
Aircraft Specialty and TSFlightlines
are excited to announce the availability of our exclusive
Thermostasis install kit for the RV-12 Aircraft.
continue
EAA Argentina Video RV+Pitts+Super 18+Pilatus ...video
Status Update...Tom Beiser RV-14A
Fresh wax after too many years - RV-6A
RV-4 Smoke Tank Behind Firewall
From Sensenich....
Status: 2 years down! ...Dbro172 status update
www.AircraftExtras.com Offering Flap Positioning System (info)
Mon Mar 24. 1155z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
I’ve known Ken since roughly age
fourteen. He lives between me and the airport. Thursday evening
he texted me about the possibility of using the RV-6 to go pick
up his kid at the University of Arkansas. Spring break, which
means full airline seats and limited options. A little number
crunching showed 1hr 33min each way at 150kts. I’d be happy to.
Did I mention the 37kt tailwind?
A 238mph groundspeed going up made quick work of that leg (207kts).
Crew car into town for a bite at a college taco joint (nice
small town atmosphere and a nice campus). Katy called thirty
minutes in front of our planned rendezvous time, finishing up a
midterm test quicker than expected. Shoved her bag in the back
and launched for Dallas, climbing to 8,500’ to get the headwind
moved over to the side a bit. One hour and fifty minutes later
we landed, Dad waiting at the hangar.
She said it’s a 6.5hr drive. The airlines wanted $1,000 one-way,
with a stop in Houston. Advantage Van's Aircraft.
My first 'more-than-50nm' flight since 5/4/2013, when I flew down
to Stephenville to eat lunch with a passing-thru Rosie/Tuppergal
(college years equal sign avgas budget). These days
anything over about .2hr and the plane looks at me funny.
Felt good to stretch the legs a bit.
The rest of the weekend was spent sneezing and watching basketball.
Hope your weekend was nice, also.
Some pictures...
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
1. Screenshot way up. 207kt GS. 2. Grass
fire damage. 3. Route.
4. Destination (the geology in this area is pretty). 5.
Pollen levels for my area.
First flight of RV8 N84GN ...Nicholas Blanck
video
West Coast Ravens at the LA County Airshow PIREP
2014 Texoma 100
Why I sold my RV-7 after 12 years of building (dcasey1's RV-8)
Turn your paint ON! ...you're gonna wanna watch this.
Ramland1's RV-7
Panel
Cub RV Flight
A tale of two tanks
Island time in the Bahamas ...Tommy Lewis trip write-up
Ultra's 'Notable bridges' entry...
RV-4 and the Spruce Goose
From Tina....
www.TinasPilotShop.com
Fri Mar 21. 1135z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and
RV-filled weekend.
Stella
Maris & Staniel Cay, Bahamas ...Andy Cobb RV-7A Trip Write-up
This picture says it all. Just
wanted to thank Rosie, Scott Schmidt, David Maib and others
for all of the information in the forums. Been wanting to
make this trip for a long time but waited until the airplane
was painted. My wife had about 6 hours in the RV over 4
years before this trip. Now she has 10 and 4 of them are
over water. She loved it!
continue
Wheel Pant Bracket Failure and Brake Failure ...Matt McManus
RV-7
Here's the story. Perhaps someone
has an idea about what might have caused this or if you've
heard of it before.
I did my run up in Greenville, Tx and the engine was running
a little rough. It had rained hard over the weekend. So I
did a full power run up to about 2200 RPM. I heard what
sounded like a screech on the right brake but the brake
held. The engine ran smoothly in the runup so I took off and
flew about 1.5 hours to Claremore OK. When I landed I
discovered I had no right brake. I was able to get it
stopped with only one, slow, 360 as I made the left turn
onto the taxi way. I killed the engine and then walked the
airplane to the A&P on the field with the tow bar.
continue
GRT Press Release...new stuff!
fmi:
http://grtavionics.com/charts.html
Screenshots....
related:
thread
Scheduled Site Maintenance 3/22 11pm
CT - 3/23 6am CT
(from the ISP) Our regularly
scheduled maintenance window will be used to install
critical patches to servers on the network, in order to keep
your data safe and improve the reliability of your hosting
services. Customers will experience intermittent service
accessibility during this window.
Thu Mar 20. 1156z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Motivation ...Bryan Douglass trip write-up
Silver birds, silver moon, silver anniversary ...Mike See
When I bought my unpainted -6A in
December, the primary purpose was to use it as a commuter
vehicle. Then that particular job got cut from the contract,
and all I have been able to do is use it for fun and
transportation. Darn!
Last night, however, it finally fulfilled the commuter
mission.
My wife was bringing American 107 Heavy into JFK, but it
became apparent as the day progressed that scheduled north
Atlantic winds were indeed there, and she was not going to
make it in time to jump on the last flight home to DCA. Oh
well, a night on the recliner in Operations and first flight
in the morning for her. NOT! You see, yesterday marked 25
years since we exchanged our vows, and while normally we
adhere to the "Christmas and birthdays are when the flight
schedule allows" rule, this particular day demanded some
time together.
continue
Construction Finished
...Randy Pflanzer
All of the assembly has been
completed. I'm busy configuring the EFIS and getting ready
for weight and balance and first engine start.
Introducing The New SkyView - Featuring SkyView Touch
...and lots more.
Ever had two planes form up on you?
...unannounced, and out of nowhere?
I had a near mid-air years ago. A commuter turboprop came
within 100 yards of merging with my RV enroute to the Outer
Banks. My passenger's cry of "Plane! PLANE!!!" alerted me
just in time to do a hard pull-up and bank as I stared in
disbelief at the steeply climbing plane just below our nose,
both pilots intently studying something inside their
cockpit. I cringed until I knew they had to have passed
beneath us, hoping my wake buffeted them enough to make them
realize how close we all came to making the evening news.
That memory played in my mind last week as my bride and I
were tooling along on her first RV cross-country, to our
honeymoon destination in Georgia's Golden Isles. I had some
new gear- an iPad mini, DualX170 GPS/ADSB, WingX trial
subscription up and running with WX and ADSB radar enabled.
We were getting some traffic on the screen- a complete
novelty for me, having only flown with a 296 plus steam
gauges for years. I was showing my gal the finer points of
VFR sectional navigation and how the ADS-B would display
some but by no means all traffic around us, with vector and
altitude info attached to the returns.
continue
My first panel plan ...Pete
This month's factory RV-12 newsletter
When the hangar doors open
Stay tuned for exciting news from
Garmin - and plan to come see us at Sun-N-Fun!.
Wed Mar 19. 1200z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
2014
Recipient of the Godfrey L. Cabot Award: Richard VanGrunsven
fmi:
http://www.acone.org/awards
A Car Horn Mod...
Troubleshooting RV-8/8A Control System Friction
West Coast Ravens at LA County Airshow 3/21-22
NOTAM
9A Down (summary from the pilot)
[Victor's
first VAF post. Thank you and welcome! dr]
I will try to include photos to let you analyze what
happened.
This is VictorC the builder/owner/pilot of N19VC, RV9A with
Subaru 2.5L engine that crashed on Sunday Feb 23, 2014 in
Mount Plymouth, FL. Route of flight was MYAM (Marsh Harbour,
Bahamas) to Orlando-Sanford International Airport (KSFB) in
Florida.
Some questions were asked in the forum and I will try to
provide short answers. Please don't beat me up if they are
not detailed. Believe me, I could write a book.
Summary:
The flight from MYAM to KSFB was a total of three RV's based
at SFB on IFR flight plans. The first two RV's were handed
over to SFB tower on a 10 mile final to 9L to clear with "SFB
Customs".
Someone had a "customs" question. At SFB, 9L/27R is 11,000
feet to handle A300's and B767 flights from places like
England and Holland.
Hence, "SFB Customs".
After I leveled off at 3000 ft. and some 12 miles on final
to 9L, something in the Prop Speed Unit broke. I have an IVO
3 blade in-flight adjustable prop.
My 'engine out' procedure was performed, 'Backup Batt ON,
Backup Fuel Pump ON, Switch to other Fuel Tank" as I
declared a Mayday to Orlando approach. My passenger was
instructed to "tighten up your shoulder harness hard, we are
in trouble".
continue
(Garmin Video) NYC Flight - Hudson Corridor Northbound
akarmy Status: Rear fuselage skin
Getting everything lined up and
ready to install the rear skin. Still need to do some wiring
before closing it up. The Fairings-Etc tail fairing fits
PERFECT!
David-aviator RV-8 Status
SB 14-01-31 was completed today.
This is how it looked this morning after riveting yesterday,
today the ribs were reinstalled and also riveted.
...
Tell us your Titan story
(Kevin at Titan)
Need help! I am launching our
new website in a few weeks and I am looking for your Titan
engine and ECi kit story. Our records show we have sold well
over 1600 engine kits and completed engine in the last 5
years and many of those engines are powering your projects.
Please email me a few photos and details about your project
so we can showcase you on our new website.
Please email to
kevine@titanengine.com
Tue Mar 18. 1143z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
ao.frog phase 1 over Norway.
1.4 hour flight in 4 minutes ...plehrke
St Louis does not have the
cool mountain or ocean landscape as some of you that are
posting great videos. I have flat land and 4 rivers here to
entertain me when flying. FYI, if this was the actual
speed of my RV, I would be going 4800 kts or Mach 7.
Fuel in the FAB ...Bob Collins 7A
Here's the looks of things
when I took off the FAB for the conditional, on an
IO-360-M1B. What can cause accumulation of 100L?
When can
I start to lean during break-in? ...ao.frog (Norway)
I've just performed the
first oil change on my brand new Lyc IO-360, and it was a
relief to find that both the oil-screen and the oil filter
has no abnormal deposits, nor dind I find any screws,
washers or nuts in them... hehe...
The oil consumption has decreased about 50% for every flight
up until now:
First flight: 1 hr: oil consumption 0.5 litres
2nd: 1 hr 10 mins: oil 0,3 litres
3rd: 1 hr 40 mins: oil 0,2 litres
4th: 1 hr 10 mins: oil 0,1 litres.
continue...
Crabandy
Update
I flew with the lower
fairings temporarily screwed on and the uppers glassed/taped
on. I guess it's not exactly 200 mph tape.
more
Bahama and Crystal River Florida ...bugsbunny 9A
My wife Melissa and I
ventured south to escape the cold a few days in our RV 9A.
We left Mauston New Lisbon airport in Mauston Wi (82C) and
flew down to Treasure Cay Bahamas, with a couple stops for
fuel and then stopping at Ft Pierce Fl for a sandwich and
then on to Treasure Cay. more
Panel Status ...John Harrell
I Like Mark Pensenstadler's
Sense of Humor
You've heard of Mark.
He runs a site for the Rans group which parallels what I run
here (ransclan.com),
is building a RV-7 as a 2nd project, and runs an aircraft
sticker business (aircraftstickers.com...VAF
advertiser!). Finally, he has a side job as an airline
pilot.
I'm thinking about adding '.net'
to the end of 'Vans Air Force' on my cowling, so I asked him
what he could do sticker-wise. I emailed him a picture
Randy Richmond took of me a few years back. Here's what Mark
replied with. THAT is good stuff, there.
The G.I. Joe beard was a nice touch!
And he also sent
what's below, but it's not as funny...
Mon Mar 17. 1151z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Good morning! So much RV news to report
today I thought it easier to break it up into two columns with smaller
thumbnails. What a great hobby.
No flying for me this weekend - rain and wind. At least there was a
lot of basketball and Formula 1 on the idiot box. DVR
saves the day!
First Flight...Steve Allison RV-6A
Fri Mar 14. 1206z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Wishing you and yours a happy, safe
and RV-filled weekend.
More Motivation (mountain tour video) ...Mike Elliot
Daisies ...Luke in Italy
Today we spent a day off-the-shop
where my friend Francesco 'Franz' Dante is in the last
finishing area of his RV-8. We flew to an airfield to
see a Fastback RV-8 project. Franz took this photo
with his iPhone and ... yes, spring is coming.
Yesterday in the RV-6
and at my airport.
A quick 15 min flight
to look at river/lake fog and count deer (32 in all - 13
bucks). Back on the ground the RVs just kept taxiing
out, so I shot a few pics for your (hopeful) enjoyment.
Uploaded full size if you want to make it your wallpaper or
something.
View Photo Album
/
Alternate link
Making a Claim- When You Have to Use Your Aviation Insurance
(Jenny at NationAir) "What happens
when the unthinkable occurs and you have to use your
aviation insurance? Perhaps you’ve skidded off the runway or
had a prop strike. While we hope you never have to make a
claim, a little knowledge goes a long way toward making the
process easier. While this site is aimed at Vans aircraft,
the same concerns and challenges apply to anyone who has to
file a claim. We hope you find this discussion helpful as we
walk readers through the claims process in the March/April
2014 issue of Cirrus Pilot, click here to read it:"
continue
200kt GS Club ...Gash
Winds 56kts from 277*
From Team Aerodynamix and Titan
Some
formation and acro ...gdflys video
Garmin's New GI 260 Angle of Attack (AOA)
indicator
•Offers
intuitive, safety-enhancing AOA information which is simple
to install in GA aircraft
•GI 260, GAP 26 pitot, GSU 25 air data computer offers a
complete, integrated system, providing pilots a quick
understanding of AOA during critical phases of flight
•AOA offers the precise display of the angle between the
wing and relative wind
•The GI 260 provides a visual indication of flight
characteristics leading to a stall, incorporating visual and
audible alerts as the aircraft nears the critical angle of
attack
•Unlike lift reserve indicators, the AOA system incorporates
industry-leading normalized AOA technology, which provides
superior performance throughout all phases of flight
•The AOA system is expected to be available for installation
in GA aircraft in the 3rd quarter with prices starting at
$1,499*
•Various packages are available that accommodate the
appropriate aircraft voltage and the option for a heated
probe.
fmi:
link
Scheduled Maintenance 3/15 11pm CT -
3/16 6am CT
"Our regularly scheduled maintenance
window will be used to install critical patches to servers
on the network, in order to keep your data safe and improve
the reliability of your hosting services. Customers will
experience intermittent service accessibility during this
window."
Thu Mar 13. 1146z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Whiskey Flight Bride and Groom
...sent to me by John Fleurent
"This bride & groom will never
forget this moment---a picture of Whiskey flight from Spruce
Creek (Daytona Beach) FL fly over led by Mike Kelly—John
Fleurent on right wing---it was a memorable evening."
(click to enlarge) related:
www.bluelanestudios.com
St Paul in Spring ...Pete Howell
Still a bit early to call it warm,
but the time change means we can fly after a full day of
work. Meeting til 5 and 630 dinner at home might just work!
Traffic not too bad, quick preflight, launch for T&Gs at
KSTP.
continue
RV-9A stall testing with wing tufts ...Steve Melton video
Panel / Wiring Complete ...Bill Thomasson RV-10
Just went under my panel for the
last time.... hopefully. Everything seems to be
working. Will see for sure next week when I am at the
airport with the wings on.
Finally Landed on the Ice ...flybill7
Saturday's East Coast weather was
great and Alton Bay's ice runway was 20 inches thick --
fully operational. Game on!
continue
Wed Mar 12. 1152z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
My boy's first flight! ...Paul Kendrick
Another flight from Florida to Louisiana ...Ted Chang
RV-9A
Last Sunday made another trip from
Florida to Lake Charles, LA. The total distance is 663 nm.
...
Weight and Balance ...Bruce Hill 9A
I borrowed scales from BillC and got
to work weighing the airplane. I was hoping to keep it
under 1070 and I did! Nice and light on the nose wheel, and
pretty good balance between sides.
A few calculations and it looks like bumping the Gross
Weight up to 1800 and baggage to 100 pounds will be safely
within CG limits in all configurations of passengers, pilot
weight, baggage and fuel load
Michael White Photos from Brian Wallis' Fly-In
Cleaveland Tool Blurb...
What
do you know about the different types of dimple dies?
Substructure, tank, standard -- What does it all mean?
Swing by the March Online Builder Hangout from Cleaveland
Aircraft Tool to get the scoop on dimple dies.
Thursday, March 13
7:30 PM CDT
http//bit.ly/314hangout
Tue Mar 11. 1145z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
(click
to enlarge)
N525RV departs my airport.
Friday morning was cold, overcast and damp, and I was in a
chair in Stan's hangar talking with Ross about the pros and
cons of using smartphones as health monitors. And
airplanes, of course. The beautiful RV-8 above came
taxiing down into view, and I felt the urge to go to the car
for the camera.
I
shot thirty images during the roll, and liked this one best.
Click on it. What stood out to me, besides the
beautiful paint job, is the position of aircraft in the
shot. That complicated mix of ground and flight, where
everything is in play, and changing by the millisecond.
Note the elevator slightly pitched up, the rudder slightly
canted to the right (the shadow of the rudder counterweight
is just barely there). The engine at its absolute
maximum, and the pilot (most likely) focused on the
centerline off in the distance, correcting constantly.
Is his thumb just now starting to move toward the trim
switch on the stick?
Three wheels spinning down, unneeded for now, as needles on
gauges continue climbing. Physics, art, engineering,
excitement, calculated risk, satisfaction. How can one
not be drawn to this hobby?
And good morning.
Aerobatic Fun ...Mike Elliott
Big Move ...seattleworm
Smoke Helper Smoke System Installed
Mark Albery in Denali, Alaska
A Little IFR, then VFR on Top ...sj8005
Crabandy
Update
Tweiss Update
From the RV-6 Yesterday ...200mm lens.
Been trying for several days to see
some bucks, and yesterday morning the tumblers clicked.
I think the one on the lower left is makin' hockey. At
least that's the stance Moondog makes in our front yard.
Fourteen minute flight and back home on the computer an hour
later.
If anyone's thinking of emailing me that I was too close,
please note that I was high enough that the female didn't
stop eating. GPS track later showed 992' agl.
It's really quite an amazing lens (info).
The challenge for me, and I find this enjoyable, is mentally
calculating the radius of turn needed to enter a nice banana
pass over the spot, trimming for altitude, holding 95kts,
putting the plane's belly between the sun and lens at the
exact moment, and raising the camera off my right thigh for
one shot....then setting it back down on the passenger seat.
The actual taking of the picture takes about two and a half
seconds if I do it right. Easy in a Cub...a little
harder in the faster moving RV.
If you're flying an RV-3/4/8, you'll have to figure out your
own system <g>. My passenger seat isn't just for
passengers!
March Issue Online
Mon
Mar 10. 1145z
Keep Building ...Mike Elliott
Another Successful First Flight! ...David Heal
Flew my new RV-12 E-LSA (#120496)
today on its first flight!
Weather was spectacular and all went very well during the 50
minute initial flight. Slightly heavy left wing and the
usual slight right rudder needed at @ 5,000 rpm cruise. All
can be tweaked.
My Airworthiness Inspection was performed on Valentine's Day
by two great FAA Oakland FSDO inspectors. It took me about
three years of spare time to build the plane. Pictures to
follow when I figure out the posting process!
Now its time to fly off the 5 hours doing Van's PAP
procedure and I'm ready for fly-in season!
Keep building out there!!
March
Ice Update
This
is a video of the (Phoenix NASCAR overflight) practice run from Delta 4
Johnny's first flight ...Mike S.
Another 3A is an airplane...
dlomheim
After 21 months of restoration and
repair, RV-3A Van's number: 10934 (original #513) flew for
1.2 hrs yesterday (total time 152.5 hrs). Previous to that
flight, the a/c sat in a house/hanger on the grass strip at
Colgate, OK for at least the pat 12 yrs. without flying. It
is powered by Lycoming O-290G which I tore down, sent the
pieces out for inspection, and rebuilt. In comparing an
average of GPS to my indicated airspeed they both coorelated
very closely together, so I believe my a/s is indicating
about 10 mph too fast. The first take-off as in all the RVs
I've ever flown was a real "non-event", since before I
finished feeding in all the power it was flying! Anyway, I
just thought I'd post this update, and see if one of my
buddies got any useable pictures of the flight to post since
I was a bit busy at the time!
Fly safe out there!
Doug Lomheim
RV-3A
Listen to the Crowd ...NASCAR overflight last week.
Goofy
Flight
Hello from the start of Section 6! ...welcome Mike Jimenez
(first post)
Hello all,
Mike J. here, first post on this site. It's been a lifelong
dream to build my own airplane, and I must say I settled on
an RV-10 largely due to VAF! It's amazing to me how much
information is available on here, seeming to cover every
step of the build process. I guess I just want to start by
saying thanks for having such an awesome site. Hopefully, I
will be able to contribute my own stories and acquired
knowledge as the build goes on.
My girlfriend Sarah and I have now officially joined the
ranks of RV-10 builders yesterday, after our empennage kit
arrived on Friday afternoon. We're about 11 hours into the
build now and have something that resembles an airplane
part!
We're going to do our best to chronicle the build process
here:
http://mikeandsarahrv10.blogspot.com/
Feel free to check the site out and let me know what you
think! There are a few pages on there that I'm still working
on cleaning up and finishing, but the general structure is
there and photos from yesterday's build are in place.
Look forward to chatting with you all throughout the
process! Take care for now, gotta get back to the shop!!!
-Mike
Covers for RV-7A and RV-9A Main Gear Mounts
Bambi's Breakfast Run & First RV Grin
Fri Mar 7. 1246z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
click to enlarge
Randy
'Monkey' Richmond taking off yesterday. What a
great old school -6! Sorry the lighting wasn't
great...it was OVC and early morning. Image specs at
right.
Wishing you and yours a
happy, safe and RV-filled weekend!
Grandson helper...RGLives
Van's RV-10
Build Timelapse #1043- Elevators- p.9-2 step 2-6 & p.9-3 step
1-3
DFW Class B airspace changes now in effect
Status Update ...Abner Sims RV-3
SportAir Workshop Courses Return to
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2014
EAA's SportAir Workshops will offer
a pair of sessions during the week of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh
2014! The popular Van's RV Assembly course will be held
Tuesday-Wednesday, July 29-30, while Electrical Systems and
Avionics will be held Thursday-Friday, July 31-August 1.
Each hands-on course is limited to 16 students. Builders
will receive professional, expert instruction spread over
two eight-hour days, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., in Paul's Aeroplane
Factory. Registration is open now, so sign up today!
NOTE: There are still a few spots still left in the
Composite Construction and Electrical Systems and Avionics
courses slated for Watsonville, California, March 22-23.
Register now.
EAA SportAir Workshops are proudly sponsored by Aircraft
Spruce & Specialty Company.
Sign up today and Register now:
http://www.sportair.com/register.html
Thu Mar 6. 1246z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Robin Marks 'Show us Your In-flight Picture' Entry.
It...is official. RV-7 it is!! ...Jason Hess
After stewing about it for several
years while building the tail and wings...I emailed my order
form for the fuselage today and paid the deposit.
I am building a RV-7 Tip-Up!
Pretty excited and had to share.
More NASCAR Flyover Footage ...Dave B.
Here's how it looked from echo 2
with camera mounted on top of fuselage pointed to the right.
After takeoff I sped up the playback while we drone along
then I actually stopped recording until the 3 large diamonds
starting coming together and kept it on until just after the
"smoke off" call and the 3 big diamonds start to separate.
If you just want to see the run-in, start watching the video
around the 6:50 mark. I purposely didn't add music so the
constant RPM changes can be heard. If you've never flown
formation, it will give you an appreciation for how hard the
pilot is working to hold position.
SB Compliance ...Walt
Finished the repair on my tail today
and started reinstalling it, here are some pics and info...
Final 1% ...Bruce Hill
I'm really running out of things to
do on the project. I had to take out the VP-X unit and have
it repaired. There was a bad voltage regulator in the box
and I wasn't getting any reading on the pitch/roll/flap
servo positions. I got it back today, reinstalled it and
everything now checks out fine. Over the weekend I started
putting on the forward top skin. I was able to solo rivet
all of the center section, but will need to find a helper to
shoot the side rivets. Once that is done the canopy goes
back on. I have a few more engine runs to perform, drain the
fuel and weigh the plane. Then pitot/static/transponder
checks and ready for the DAR inspection! I'm also starting
the transition training on Friday.
Tip- Birds in the Hangar
Get a high-power laser pointer and
start chasing them around with it. It's the opposite of what
happens with cats. Birds do NOT like the laser beam at all,
and if you leave a door partially open so they can get out,
you can chase them toward it and they'll leave. Not only
that, they usually stay gone.
Milestone....engine uncrated (Sid
Mayeux)
RV fly-in March 8th 2014 SE of ATL
(latest - driving dirs) Take 75
south from Atlanta, left for 8.5 miles to center of Jackson
on 16. Turn left on Covington St (36) for 0.6 miles, bear
right on Stark Rd for 3.2 miles, rt on Singley Rd, rt onto
taxiway, tan and green hangar on rt past red and white
hangar
Yesterday....
....from the RV-6. Lake
Grapevine beach. N33°1.33' W97°9.59'
click to enlarge
Image info:
Wed Mar 5. 1247z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Selfies ...L.D. Jeffries
GoPro Video ...Jim Brown RV-6
Status Update ...Blain
Haven't added to the thread for a
while. Here is an interesting shot; Guess where I'm at?
Meet Team
AeroDynamix...new video published 3/3/14.
From the mothership....
From the mothership...
RV-8 Owner Tommy Williams doing
'other stuff'
Tommy keeps his RV-8 about 200' from
my RV-6. Good guy, and gets laughs at lunch.
click to enlarge
Chris Fahey photo (from a P-40).
(from Tommy) Here Chris
is leading a flight of five from Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ to
Chino, CA. The flight consists of one P-40, one P-47
and three P-51s. Photo taken Monday. Chris
volunteers at the Planes of Fame Museum in Chino.
Tue Mar 4. 1248z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Saturday,
before the newest round of cold weather arrived, I took the good
camera out to the airport and enjoyed a little warm weather
while it lasted. Charlie was out, and agreed to dip his wing a
little bit my way after taking off and before getting too far
away. I got the shot below. Modern cameras with their high-speed
burst modes are amazing. 8.5 shots per second means you'll
probably get a keeper (if you have enough space on the memory
card). I shot for 2.35 seconds <g>.
click to enlarge
*shot with Canon
EOS-1D Mark II N body with Canon
EF 70-200mm f/2.8 lens.
First flight- the 4th RV-7 in Norway (and our second build) is
flying! ...ao.frog
RV-8 first flight (sort of)...nzrv8
Sunset Flight...Berchmans
Took off from Merrill Field in
Anchorage just before 6:30 PM for a nice evening flight. The
sun was just setting over the Alaska Range. The mountain to
the left of the setting sun is Mount Redoubt. Visiblity 100
plus miles, Temperature 20 degrees.
Saturday morning flight - breakfast run...tc1234c
Last Saturday morning the 11-ship
Lakes/Super Flight went to X21 at Titusville for breakfast.
We were 11 ships of different models. It includes an RV6 and
an RV-9A. We had the most smooth air I can remember for a
long time.
...
St. Pete...MarkW
Saturday lunch trip from Sanford,
FL. KSFB to St. Pete KSPG as a three ship
Loose nut in the cockpit! Help me idenfity...walkman
Yesterday after flying, including
some mild acro, I found this loose nut lying on the floor in
the cockpit. Operationally everything checks out, heck I
made it home. However I'm a little worried and I'd like to
figure out where it came from. Its possible it could have
been rattling around for years, as I've done the only
inverted flight this airplane has seen in 7 years and I've
been rained on by gravel, wire tie ends, pens, and various
other detritus that builds up over the years.
Does anyone recognize where this might have come from?
More flyover pics...
More flyover pics and movies
How it was laid out ...rvmills
akarmy Progress/Status
RV-10 Progress ...P51Matt
Upcoming Webinars Schedule
fmi:
http://www.eaa.org/webinars/
Mon Mar 3. 1240z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
(50) RVs Over Phoenix NASCAR Race (yesterday).
Gash photo
50-ship RV Flight Over Phoenix NASCAR ...thread
with pics, links and PIREPs.
(from
's
Mom) "The
flyover was beautiful. I don’t know how many planes there were, but
the camera stayed on them longer than usual. They got fore and aft
pictures so good you could see the color of the planes."
Video (Mar 1)
Video
(practice)
Video (Mar 2: Sunday)
dr photo of my TV
Gash PIREP "We had a great time flying together today.
What an awesome group of people! Hats off to everyone who put in all
the time and effort to make this happen. Yesterday's weather was too
rainy to get in a rehearsal, so we got one in this morning followed
by the real deal at 13:02:45 EXACTLY. Bill Gill did a superb job of
leading Speedway Flight, and I'm sure the NASCAR organizers are very
happy with his ability to hit the time over target (TOT) right down
to the nanosecond with 50 airplanes."
Welcome earthX
EarthX,
Inc. is a Colorado based company founded by an electrical and a
mechanical engineer who wanted something better than the hazardous,
heavy, lead acid batteries they had been using and that has been
around for over 170+ years! After years of research and development,
EarthX lithium batteries were developed with a full line of lithium
iron phosphate batteries. Lithium batteries are fundamentally
different than
lead-acid batteries. The lithium cells inside the
12V battery need electronics to monitor and balance the
voltage/charge of the individual cells. Inside every one of our
batteries is a microprocessor Battery Management System (BMS) that
monitors the charge level of each cell and balances the charge when
needed, protecting the cells from overcharge or over-discharge. What
this means for you is more starting power, longer battery life, and
the safest lithium battery on the market.
fmi:
http://earthxmotorsports.com/product-category/experimental-aircraft/
Team Aerodynamix Now Offers Light
Kits for RV's / Becomes Whelen Distributor
[ed. One of the best
formation acts on planet earth, IMHO. dr]
click to enlarge
Calendar Wallpaper for March ...it's our friend in Italy.
How to build your own aeroplane ...Financial Times article.
March Sport Aviation
...with a nice piece on a trailered
RV-12 on pg 86.
First engine start N516RC ...Irmo, SC
From Tina...
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