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RV-7A rebirthing

Metal skirts??

Metal skirts yes, but just going "by the plan" in this instance requires a lot of problem-solving and ultimately you have to pull the canopy off to attach and reinstall after done. At which time you hope the skirts fit right.

I am using Sika to adhere the skirts rather than to drill, don't want to drill. So...best guess as to what will happen when it is off and unconstrained. So I am vacillating a lot on doing the first side...
 
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Metal skirts yes, but just going "by the plan" in this instance requires a lot of problem-solving and ultimately you have to pull the canopy off to attach and reinstall after done. At which time you hope the skirts fit right.

I am using Sika to adhere the skirts rather than to drill, don't want to drill. So...best guess as to what will happen when it is off and unconstrained. So I am vacillating a lot on doing the first side...

Ya even with doing the fiberglass skirts this is a little tricky. In the end my skirts don't conform PERFECTLY on the sides of the fuselage. Off by about 1/16" or so. I could correct it with some cabosil mix but I don't know if I'll bother right now.
 
Here is a skirt that fits and has a minimal flare at the lower rear area, <.125.

I'll take it.

48540379201_9d34d07b3e_b.jpg
[/url]IMAG0742 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

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[/url]IMAG0741 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

48540527917_a572269aeb_b.jpg
[/url]IMAG0738 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

Now comes the hard part...gluing
 
Test of clamping system

I had a major failure of drilling the left skirt...sad. I won't get into it but suffice it to say built another left skirt.
Here is a test of light clamping to get good adhesion of the Sika.

48606874766_22736597c7_b.jpg
[/url]IMAG0761 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

48607021362_714936c4b8_b.jpg
[/url]IMAG0757 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

48607021317_f936f58e75_b.jpg
[/url]IMAG0756 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

Just a test to find best light pressures to get enough but not too much.
Need a few more iterations to even out the contact points.
 
As I said on the phone Kent, that sure looks good man! Looks just as good with bigger pictures too! :D
 
Thanks, Jereme, meandtoys. I think I can move to something a little more straight forward for a while.

Jereme great to have contact with you to get encouragement and encourage each other!
 
Wing 1

Broke out one of my wings and started skin removal. This wing is in really good shape but the leading edge needs replacement. This means the outside bottom skin must come off...sad face...

48849351306_2f26ff0771_c.jpg
[/url]IMAG0900 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

48849541342_98f4b4e9de_c.jpg
[/url]IMAG0901 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

Have about 503 rivets left to drill out...unless I can figure out a simpler way to do it safely and soundly.
 
Oh snap, look who's back at it! Welcome to the most boring and repetitive part of the airplane! haha In the end its still an airplane which beats sitting on the couch. :D
 
Oh snap, look who's back at it! Welcome to the most boring and repetitive part of the airplane! haha, in the end, it's still an airplane which beats sitting on the couch. :D

Indeed! I had to wait to get help getting it out of storage and to the house. Gonna need a flap and an aileron but those look pretty straight forward.

I ordered the news parts and had to wait for them.........to bring them from the backroom to the will-call area. I chose this plane make in no small part to them being down the street.
 
Tip for drilling rivets when they have paint over them: Don't remove the paint from them. Sounds crazy but after drilling literally hundreds if not a thousand rivets out, the drill bit wanders less and they snap off really nicely.

Saves a bunch of time.

48849980248_fb3bf12c6a_c.jpg
[/url]IMAG0902 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]
 
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Cut a section of the skin off to get access to the spar rivets, very clean and corrosion-free. I am rebuilding an entire leading edge for this wing.

48855869118_8a0f832ce2_c.jpg
[/url]IMAG0905 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

This is an un-primed wing in totality. Looks to be a nice sheen of a sort on all exposed parts.
48856423777_c9bb96e12d_c.jpg
[/url]IMAG0903 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

48856423742_234c2bb8e3_c.jpg
[/url]IMAG0904 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

Not sure of the age of these wings I got them from a local retiring builder. Seem to remember '08ish?
 
Looking good! I remember rebuilding the LE of the wings... super awkward positions to buck those rivets. Keep it up.
 
Looking good! I remember rebuilding the LE of the wings... super awkward positions to buck those rivets. Keep it up.

Thanks!
It is a bit difficult with my super short arms! I am managing many but need my son to come home from University to help me on the rest.
Soldiering on!
 
ADAHRS

Waiting/looking for a rivet partner so I installed the ADAHRS and mounting bracket that Vans now sells

49001267533_d27bb4f1c4_c.jpg
[/url]IMAG0943 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

It is pretty darn good. I would caution that the tab stops in my case were 90% correct but I needed to adjust elevation at the right rear tab to maintain level.
This would be facing the tail. This is just my case, your application may not need any adjustment.
 
Looks like you get to use gorilla snot after all! :p It's not too bad though

Ya...I need to cut an access in the rear baffle bay one. I am installing fuel return so I am in it anyway. Pro-seal? Looks like Vans doesn't sell it anymore.

Is the new stuff OK? Do you know?
 
Ya...I need to cut an access in the rear baffle bay one. I am installing fuel return so I am in it anyway. Pro-seal? Looks like Vans doesn't sell it anymore.

Is the new stuff OK? Do you know?

Yep I used the stuff that Van's sells. Just a replacement for the old. Works great.
 
Looks pretty good there brother! I think you should have plenty of clearance, good idea supporting it close to that radius too.
 
Looks pretty good there brother! I think you should have plenty of clearance, good idea supporting it close to that radius too.

Thanks, Jereme! I had looked around at other designs and this seemed a good fit for my plane. The radius fittings at the bottom seemed the best solution if I could control it without too much hardware. Slow but steady...
 
servo brkt

Got some time away from figuring out electrical to pound a few rivets. I had to use some existing holes for the servo brkt so not quite even but it will work just fine.

49245102072_86e37cd64f_c.jpg
[/url]IMAG1003 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

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[/url]IMAG1030 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

Over drove one, maybe two but it will be ok, rivets were a bit long...

49244896191_dccc4debc8_c.jpg
[/url]IMAG1033 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

There are marks from my pen on the angle, it doesn't look too good but I doubt anyone will see them.

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[/url]IMAG1031 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]
 
I am wondering why you are installing two boost pumps. Do they run together or just one at a time? Is there a check valve on each pump?

My Andair boost pump just failed, of course away from home. After seven years and may be 30 hours run time. I wished to had a setup like yours!
 
I am wondering why you are installing two boost pumps. Do they run together or just one at a time? Is there a check valve on each pump?

My Andair boost pump just failed, of course away from home. After seven years and may be 30 hours run time. I wished to had a setup like yours!

Hey!

I am running or will be running SDS EFI, which runs on an electric fuel pump. The second is the backup pump and you typically run one pump at a time. The manifold setup is a nice clean installation they offer.

There will be a downstream fuel pressure regulator that is not pictured. It is a loop circulation system, so there is a return line to the fuel tanks.

These SDS systems have a great track record and are very clean looking to boot!

Not familiar with the specifics of your system but I am guessing you could integrate a backup...or maybe not...
 
Hey Kent! Looking good!

Did you ever get the rest of those rivets done on your wing? I don't know what kind of arms can reach in there, but I hope you found a way. Keep up the progress!
 
Hey Kent! Looking good!

Did you ever get the rest of those rivets done on your wing? I don't know what kind of arms can reach in there, but I hope you found a way. Keep up the progress!

Not yet! It is doable but I need to get some time with serious concentration and vitality!
 
Had these to post for some time:

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[/url]IMAG1119 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

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[/url]IMAG1124 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

49747129877_0f59866641_c.jpg
[/url]IMAG1131 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

49746257903_714d1ab111_c.jpg
[/url]IMAG1151 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

49746798261_a19a4f2e8f_c.jpg
[/url]IMAG1161 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

49747129817_3656d78d3c_c.jpg
[/url]IMAG1167 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

49746257963_66341a911b_c.jpg
[/url]IMAG1205 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

49746257943_99ea42ef05_c.jpg
[/url]IMAG1209 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

49747129697_a14a31b4a2_c.jpg
[/url]IMAG1217 by Kent Luttrell, on Flickr[/IMG]

Finally got the wing sorted out. Took a way long time with my hobbit arms, but had some help with part of it, James Jula, thanks!
 
switches

On the electrical side with regard to the landing/wig wag switch, what is used to make likes "wig wag" vs both on?
 
On the electrical side with regard to the landing/wig wag switch, what is used to make likes "wig wag" vs both on?

Well, I was going to add a "wig/wag" module to initiate that feature. As it turns out with the "ACM" component I am electing to use in the plane from Advanced Flight has a "wig/wag" function so I will not have that type of switch. I don't believe. That is an on/off/on switch. I haven't dug back into that after deciding to go with the ACM.

I am still in the learning stages of a lot of this electrical systems final design.
 
Heck ya dude!

I think replacing that Z-bracket would be a beotch! Okay, not that bad but I wouldn't want to play around with more proseal if it wasn't necessary. I think I would fill the holes and move on. With this one being on the inboard end I might also send an email to Van's but I'm betting they would say the same. Never know though I guess.
 
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