New SB issued 6 May 2016 (SB16-03-28)

[rightrudder]

In my case, the contact was very slight, and I didn't want to make the hole any larger than necessary. And it turns out after adding the washers, the aileron end gaps were more even than before, so win/win.

[RV7A Flyer]

In my case, the contact was very slight, and I didn't want to make the hole any larger than necessary. And it turns out after adding the washers, the aileron end gaps were more even than before, so win/win.

Agreed. I was more questioning a raft of posts that appeared to be reticent to just enlarge the hole a tad, and jumping through various hoops to avoid it...

I made all of my gaps the same, then checked clearances on pushrods (IIRC, didn't need to open those particular holes any, but even if you did...gotta do what ya gotta do to keep things from chafing. Better a larger hole than a pushrod being worn and weakened!).

[Plummit]

2013 RV-10, A little over 200 tach hours, quick-built wings, no cracks.

regards

~Marc

[N743RV]

Checked my RV7a with 300 plus hours and found no cracks. No aero and all paved runways.

Bob Cowan
N743RV
First flight 2009

[krw5927]

RV9A, 2 years, 150 hours. All clear.

[JonJay]

RV6, 700 hours, frequent acro. Nothing unusual found.
I will note that my 6 is unique in that this area of the rear spar has a doubler. Somebody drilled the push rod hole on the wrong side! 😟
So, it is unlikely any of the 6's will have cracks and even more unlikely mine ever will.

[mfshook62]

Rv-9a built in 2007 with 1020 hours. Inspection photos revealed excellent workmanship by original builder and no cracks.

[Saville]

RV-8, 152.2 hours, no cracks - I used Robin Mark's suggestion and got the borescope from Amazon - worked great.

I noticed some of the paint rash that others have on their aileron pushrods. But when I moved the ailerons from stop to stop there was lots of clearance.

Maybe it's a common construction happenstance.

[ChiefPilot]

RV-8, 152.2 hours, no cracks - I used Robin Mark's suggestion and got the borescope from Amazon - worked great.

I noticed some of the paint rash that others have on their aileron pushrods. But when I moved the ailerons from stop to stop there was lots of clearance.

Maybe it's a common construction happenstance.

Did you move them from stop to stop with the stick all the way forward and with the stick all the way back? On the side-by-sides, the aileron pushrod moves fore/aft slightly with the stick; not sure on the tandems.

Scratch that (not literally) - I'm thinking of the pushrods going out to the bellcrank, not the bellcrack-aileron one. I've seen lots of the former and not really any of the later with chafing marks.

[livetoflyanotherday]

RV4 375hr, no cracks. Used boroscope method did my 4 and a buddies -3. All good :)

[moosepileit]

RV-6, 670 TT, no cracks.

[zilik]

6A, 1800 TT, No cracks

[Ed_Wischmeyer]

How about if some brave soul summarizes all this and posts *in*a*different*thread* so we can see who had cracks and how? Ain't no point in wading through 27 pages of "not me."

[twcroy]

Thanks Rob and Scott. I was able to get out to the hangar yesterday evening. I checked the drawings against the plane and the washers were installed different from the drawings. I think this happened after I had the plane painted ~2010. After picking it up in AZ we also had to loosen the elevator bolts slightly so it could very easily move before flying back to the east coast. I think they put the washers in incorrectly in particular on the left aileron. I corrected that yesterday. Problem is I didn't gain any more clearance. I'm not sure if the brackets were bent a little when they snugged the bolts down. Is it ok to bend the inboard aileron attachment u-bracket's sides slightly toward the fuse to gain a little more clearance? I can only hear and see the rod rub at the extreme down aileron position while moving the aileron myself at the aileron. Other than enlarging the spar hole I don't see a way to gain anymore clearance as the inboard side of the aforementioned u-bracket has no washer between the rod bearing and bracket's inboard-most side. I also plan to call Vans Monday to discuss it.

Here are links to pix of the rubbed rod and bracket. They can be downloaded for a closer view if desired. The A&Ps put the white looking grease on most control surface hardware connections about two years ago. The brown stuff is residue from a mud bug nest a while back - I need to wash that off of it.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5khQo5AKuPZWmw2SlNfbVlVOFk

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5khQo5AKuPZVy03RVpkeVh0T00

Thanks,
Tim

[mfshook62]

Looks like rivets that attach the Aileron Bracket can be placed with the factory head inside or outside. Mine have the factory head facing the inside of the wing, where some of the photos have the factory head on the outside of the wing. Which is correct? Which would provide more structural support to prevent these cracks? I purchased this plane from the builders and this is the first time I have inspected this location. It looks to me that this location as well as the rest of the plane, exhibits excellent workmanship. Unless, of course these rivets were positioned incorrectly.

RV-9a with 1020 hrs and obviously no cracks.

IPhone Photos:
http://i907.photobucket.com/albums/ac278/mfshook62/AileronRT1.jpg
http://i907.photobucket.com/albums/ac278/mfshook62/AileronL.jpg

[wirejock]

Factory head on the thinner material side. Yours is correct.
I wonder if the cracks are a result of rivets installed backwards or just a coincidence.

[wirejock]

Factory head o the thinner material side. Yours is correct.
I wonder if the cracks are a result of rivets installed backwards or just a coincidence.

[rvbuilder2002]

Factory head against the thinner material is a good practice but once you get up to heavier material thicknesses it doesn't really matter much. It doesn't in this case, and likely has no effect on the likelihood of cracks occurring.

[PaulR]

RV-9A and RV-8A both with about 400 hours. No Cracks

[Fred.Stucklen]

RV-7A with 1266 Hrs - no cracks...

[BJUST]

2003, 7A, no cracks, 855 hours. used my cell phone endoscope (Moto X, android, free google play app) and filed the photos.
http://www.amazon.com/DBPOWER-Cellphone-Endoscope-Function-Compatible/dp/B01B5KQ8DQ?ie=UTF8&keywords=dbpower%208.5%20mm&qid=1464014390&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

<$20

Bayne
RV7-A

[twcroy]

I talked to Vans and I'm going to use a dremel tool and then smooth the edges off with sand paper to gain the slight clearance I need in the spar hole. Should be good to fly tomorrow.

[24Golf]

RV9A with 765 hours, flying 5.5 years - No Cracks:D

[Gary Baker]

RV-6, 215 hours, flying for 2 years: no cracks

[jimbower]

What I DIDN'T see in the SB was an inspection method for the 6/6A. I removed one aileron and attempted to view the forward side of the rear spar with an inspection mirror. That didn't work due to the rib that is right there. I built my wings about 12 years ago, so please forgive me for not remembering what they look like inside!

I tried reaching in through the bottom inspection holes and taking pictures in the blind with my cell phone. This worked! I didn't have to go to Harbor Freight Aviation Supply and buy a borescope.

It might be nice if Van's included the how-to-do-it along with the what-to-do.

Jim Bower
RV-6A N143DJ
Flying since 2011

[riobison]

RV 4 with 580 hrs TT and no cracks. (Used my cell phone)

Tim

[RVG8tor]

No Cracks, 430 hours plenty of aerobatics.

Apple watch let me monitor cell phone camera position then snap the picture, very cool, now if only the cell phone camera would fit in a spark plug hole!

Cheers

[rv7charlie]

No Cracks, 430 hours plenty of aerobatics.

Apple watch let me monitor cell phone camera position then snap the picture, very cool, now if only the cell phone camera would fit in a spark plug hole!

Cheers

It will; you just can't get the phone in there with it....

[RVbySDI]

No Cracks, 430 hours plenty of aerobatics.

Apple watch let me monitor cell phone camera position then snap the picture, very cool, now if only the cell phone camera would fit in a spark plug hole!

CheersActually it would if this (http://www.amazon.com/DBPOWER-Cellphone-Endoscope-Function-Compatible/dp/B01B5KQ8DQ?ie=UTF8&keywords=dbpower%208.5%20mm&qid=1464014390&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1) would be made available for iphones.

[Shadetree]

No cracks in 196 hours.
RV8A

[Don]

RV-9A, 666.2 hours, inspected today and no cracks found.

[DHRYCAUK]

420 hours, some aerobatics... No cracks. Thx for the great idea using the smart phone camera, worked awesome!!

[TeroKaipio]

1995 RV-4, 821 hours, some aerobatics... No cracks

[krhea]

2014 RV-7 150 hours no cracks

Keith Rhea

[RV8iator]

No cracks. 2,500 hours, lots of hard acro, grass strips.

[g zero]

N666TA , 110 hours , plenty of acro ....no cracks , must be my lucky n-number 😎

[RV6JOY]

Has anyone seen "smoking rivets" in the area where the cracks the subject of the S B are on the rear spar? This has been reported on a local RV9A but I have not seen any mention of it in the inspection reports on the Forum.
Thanks, Brian.

RV6, 730 hours, some aeros, no cracks.

[Jim P]

533 hrs, no cracks on a -7.

[SilverEagle2]

So...

I ordered the parts for my "in progress" wings to incorporate it now.

Build Log Entry (http://www.rv7-factory.com/?p=1773)

I am a little torn on how one would accomplish this now and not interfering with riveting the bottom skin and perhaps the inboard most aileron gap fairing rivet in the center of the spar.

I believe one could simply use pulled rivets here...but if someone could help met get the "order of operations" figured out before I get there...I'd be grateful.

[Berchmans]

Inspection completed last night...129 hours of operation, no anomalies found.

[ianxbrown]

No cracks found - 200 airframe hours. Built 2009, rebuilt 2014 after flip over.

RV-9A so no aerobatics.
C-GOHM

Ian Brown

[Riendeau777]

No cracks found ( SB 16-03-28 ). 662 airframe hours.
Built 1996. RV6A.
C-FGIZ

[werxcv01]

RV-6A. 1796 hrs
Built 2001
Grass since 2008, very little aerobatics since 2008
SB complied with, no cracks found.

But I have a lot of rivet rash on my arms trying to get the iPhone in to get a decent photo!

[dan]

Finally inspected mine. Cracks in both wings. More obvious in the right than the left, on which it's extremely subtle. I heard somebody mention a "scratch" but that sounds like possible denial. I want to deny mine, trust me...

[Carl Froehlich]

Finally inspected mine. Cracks in both wings. More obvious in the right than the left, on which it's extremely subtle. I heard somebody mention a "scratch" but that sounds like possible denial. I want to deny mine, trust me...

Any photos?

Carl

[dan]

http://rvproject.com/cracks/cracks_left_wing.jpg

http://rvproject.com/cracks/cracks_right_wing.jpg

[jjconstant]

Dan...how many hours on your bird? (I'm guessing a lot!):) Sorry about the cracks...

[dan]

2150ish. I suspect the cracks have been there for years.

[Tim Lewis]

Condolences - that sucks. Thanks for sharing the photos. Good eye catching that one on the left.

[rdamazio]

(sorry if this has already been mentioned, didn't want to go through the 30 pages of replies to look for it)

I received my quickbuild wings recently and was happy to find that this SB had already been complied with by Van's:

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/15821476/VAF%20posts/IMG_20160707_000302.jpg

(on the downside, deburring and riveting that one hole just above the bracket will be annoying)

[douglassmt]

Checked mine, RV-10, 4.5 years, 880 hours, no cracks. Also, I was able to inspect thoroughly the upper aileron bracket without removing the aileron or cutting away the aileron gap fairing...by lowering the flaps to full, raising the aileron to the stop, and peeking into the top bracket with my Chinese 90 degree dental usb cam. Sweet!

[glider4]

2014 RV-8A QB wings with 69 hours tach time. Inspection 7/18/2016 showed no cracks. :)

[melbarlow]

1988 RV-4, 1340 Hrs, No Cracks Detected. Occasional loops & rolls, Lets go flying!

[bwestfall]

Not my plane but posting as a data point for a friend who is not active on the list.

He inspected his 1996 RV-4 and found cracks in both wings. I'm not sure of the airframe total time but probably somewhere around 1000 hours. It's a rare flight that doesn't contain loops and rolls and more :D.

[FMF15E]

RV-8
565 hrs, light Acro, paved runways.
Used my wife's selfie stick with IPhone - got great pics.

No cracks found

Bruce Edwards
N-391FM
RV-8

[Fly2eat]

https://photos.smugmug.com/RV-9A-Project/Phase-2/i-fDNFqqJ/0/M/IMG_7662-M.jpg
Nothing to see here. Move along. (RV-9A with 252 hours)

Nice picture! Mine is a quick build so came with aileron brackets already assembled and attached. Unlike this picture, my rivet heads are on the aft side of the spar with rivets going into the brackets towards the leading edge. No cracks noted on either side though. Fifi has 1140 hours, finished in Mar 05 and routinely doing 3 and 4g aerobatics with her.

[Fly2eat]

http://rvproject.com/cracks/cracks_left_wing.jpg

http://rvproject.com/cracks/cracks_right_wing.jpg

Was that a Quick Build Dan?

[dan]

Was that a Quick Build Dan?

Nope, slow

[RV74ME]

I am a little torn on how one would accomplish this now and not interfering with riveting the bottom skin and perhaps the inboard most aileron gap fairing rivet in the center of the spar.

I believe one could simply use pulled rivets here...but if someone could help met get the "order of operations" figured out before I get there...I'd be grateful.


Having the same issue as I finish up my first wing. Anyone have a recommendation on using blind rivets in these locations mentioned above?

[PerfTech]

https://www.vansaircraft.com/pdf/service_bulletins/sb16-03-28.pdf

[Vlad]

Thank you Allan just found it https://www.vansaircraft.com/cgi-bin/store.cgi?ident=1545095158-76-21&action=search $10