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Pick up at paint shop

WardC1020

Member
On Monday January 11, our 52nd wedding anniversary I will pick up our RV 4 from the paint shop, after inspection and pre flight the plan is to fly 5 hrs home, two 2.5 hr legs. Depending on time, weather may go all the way or finish on Tuesday. As of now weather looks good. Looking for some advice, taxi, fast taxi, pre flight, check over like the first flight, except I had years to get ready for the first flight. No rush, I will take as long as needed to feel comfortable. Plane was delivered to paint shop on Sept 21, 2020, almost 4 months. I don’t think it’s sat this long since first flight April 5, 2012.

Any suggestions are welcome. Excited and cautious as well. Thank you
 
At a minimum I would suggest looking at all of the control surface bolts, jam nuts on the control rods, and rigging. Basically anything that they took off during their work. I have previously only had a spam can painted at a shop but that is what I looked for.
 
Congratulations, exciting! No rush as you say is key.
Apart from previous comments the elevator counter balance may need additional weight to compensate for the added paint. The RV-4 does have a counter balanced elevator I believe?
And then check that all masking and any rags have been removed from inside cowling, pitot, static etc. That's probably obvious! :D
 
Make sure on the first pre-flight to check that the control surfaces move in the correct direction with stick movement. It sounds obvious, but there are a number of accidents due to the controls having been reversed during maintenance with a resulting crash immediately after takeoff.
 
Use your condition inspection checklist, probably minus compression test and that sort of thing.
 
Bring copies of the plan details related to the number of washers/spacers, etc. used for control surface connections.
My paint shop strongly recommended that I disassemble and reassemble the plane myself in their hangar, with their assistance if needed. I took lots of "before" pictures of obscure little details so I had a record for reassembly.
 
Really good preflight. I had to abort my first takeoff after paint because of a clogged injector - which occurred on the takeoff roll AFTER two runups. I have a constant speed prop, and did one runup to 1800, taxied to the runway where I did another runup to about 2000, and neither one of those dislodged the piece of whatever it was in my injection system. But takeoff power moves more fuel - and then it turned loose and I lost a cylinder coming through about 40 knots.

Be ready for anything.
 
After paint

Lots of good suggestions from previous posters, maybe use those to make a checklist. Take your time. Look at the attachments for everything that was removed and reinstalled. Control surfaces, wheel pants, spinner, canopy, cowling ect ect. Drain lots of fuel from the sump drains and fuel strainer if you have one. Ensure the air path to the carb or injector is clear of masking materials. Saw a close call once after paint when a adhesive sanding disc blocked the carb inlet on a Cessna 180. Do a good run up and maybe a local flight before shoving off for home. You might get that new lawnmower smell if there is any overspray on the exhaust. Be careful & have fun.

Don Broussard
RV9 Rebuild in Progress
57 Pacer
 
Circle

After your thorough preflight, circle the airport after take off for a good 10 minutes or so. If anything goes wrong or doesn't feel right the runway is right below you.
 
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