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Peter,

Glad to see you reach the finish line! I'll have to make my way over to Cable again to see the finished product.
 
Thanks to all for the kind words. I am looking forward to my first flight, and the RV Grin that follows :)
 
Pete,
I need to thank you for the great job you have done documenting your build. It is a BIG help to me and I am sure, many others. I am sure you will enjoy your first flight and all the rest.
 
My new customised ECI O-340S about to go into the test cell!

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Panel work...

Tonight was the first night I've had power on all the components (except the Dynon Comm radio, which I won't even be able to order until next month - that's the empty spot in the panel). All parts are talking to all other parts so far, looking good!

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Purty Greg. Let the drool flow. Those are dual 10" screens, right?

Yup, with a 430W and MGL EXtreme for a backup. The blank space to the left of the MGL is for the Dynon comm radio which will start shipping next month.
 
Hi Greg,

I'm shopping avionics a bit using dynon skyview as an assumption. How did you decide on the dynon comm? Do you consider that to be a secondary or primary radio considering the 430W comm?

Thanks.
 
Hi Greg,

I'm shopping avionics a bit using dynon skyview as an assumption. How did you decide on the dynon comm? Do you consider that to be a secondary or primary radio considering the 430W comm?

Thanks.

I knew I was going to have one Nav/Comm in the 430W, and really one needed/wanted one Nav radio since the VOR base is being depreciated by the FAA anyway as the emphasis is moved to GPS for area navigation. That meant that a second Comm radio could be a Comm only (cheaper) instead of Nav/Comm. I wanted the Dynon comm just for it's ability to push frequencies back and forth with the Skyview, but it was ultimately a timing issue to see if they would announce it for sale in time for me to put it in my panel. I had already purchased a PAR5000EX audio panel, and I could have sold it and replaced it with a PAR100EX (audio plus comm) which is the same form factor and occupies the same mounting bracket if Dynon did not release the comm radio in time. As it turns out, they did release it, and the June ship date is realistically only about 2 months later than I would have desired to have it on hand for the install anyway.

The price differential on the 5000EX and the 100EX would be just about the same as the cost of the Dynon radio, and the Dynon pushes data back and forth to Skyview so that is a plus in their column. The 430W would have been Comm 1 for me if I had to go with the 100EX, but with the Dynon announcement it became Comm 2 and the Dynon radio is Comm 1.

Seeing as how I eventually intend to use this plane as an Earth-Rounder, I needed backups against a software issue taking out the entire redundant Dynon system - therefor I've got the MGL EFIS in there and the 430W. I know I won't be IFR-takeoff-kosher with just the MGL and the 430W, but they would suffice in a pinch to get me down if the entire Dynon system went Tango Uniform in flight.

Seeing as how I've got almost everything Dynon makes installed in my plane, maybe I should tap them for an Earth-Rounder sponsorship! :D
 
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Flying but far from finished!

As with many projects, we are flying but far from finished. Bought an RV-9A out of a barn without the Subaru it had flown with originally, rebuilt our own O-320 to 150HP, put together a panel with stuff we had laying around, for the most part, and are going to compare the new Sensenich ground adjustable composite prop with a 2-blade Catto. It flies great and is speeding up and running cooler with every tweak.

As far as the panel goes, I have seen and heard a lot about the GRT screens, but until now had never flown them. 2 WS screens with a TruTrak Digiflight II VSGV and a Garmin 400 GPS is a fantastic package. Need to debug a heading calibration problem, and have a NavWorx ADS600-B to install, among a few other things, and the panel should be done.

It's the first 2-seat RV I have spent much time with, but have already learned that the -10 is not alone with its great design and performance.
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Wings Done

Still a long way to go, but it's another little milestone for me. Finally finished both wings with the help of my son; now onto the fuselage.

 
Assembled before move

We are in the process of making a change in scenery and moving to the Boise - Meridian area. I assembled my plane so we could show some of our friends what I have been bragging about the past year at a dinner party. Everyone got to sit in it and move the stick around and pretend they were flying. Now I will take it apart and load it on my trailer over the weekend for the 700 mile trip. Our son is deploying to the rock pile this fall and we want to be able to help our daughter in law with our grandkids.

One advantage is hangars are MUCH cheaper in Caldwell than Aspen! I will miss my garage. It is nice to be able to have it all together - even if we can't get the cars in!
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Nice Rockwood. But Boise??? :eek: Oh well, good excuse, being around family to help. I'm going to miss the winter Colorado pictures. I was hoping to come out and see your place some day in the early winter when there was a dusting on the ground.

Safe travels on the move. Make sure that thing's strapped down! Don't want it rolling off the back of the trailer on the highway. :D
 
We are in the process of making a change in scenery and moving to the Boise - Meridian area.

So, is this a permanent move, or only while your son is overseas?

The plane is looking good, you are getting close------------about the 90/90 point I would say:D
 
Yes, Boise

Only a select few are fortunate enough to live in Boise, ID. Likely, RockwoodRV9, you've the low-down on the area from your son, but I'd be happy to pitch in my two cents worth if you/re interested; PM. The area is a real hot-bed of homebuilding, especially RV's.

John Siebold
Boise, IDAHO, as in not on any coast or the rust belt.:D
 
3 years down ?? years to go

Finish kit arrived today. Moving forward a bit slower than I'd like but progress is progress.

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Engine's on!

With the future-ex-mother-in-law babysitting yesterdqy I seized the chance to hang the engine. :)

90 minutes work, solo, had it done. 45 mins for the first 3 bolts, another 45 mins for the final bolt. Stubborn *******, it was too!

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Etched & Alodined this weekend. I am moving it to a friends paint booth Thusday this week and the to the airport Saturday. Yeehaw!
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And one weekend later we are headed to the airport.
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Tom,
I wasn't sure if you were confused or kidding. I used my iPad and for me it was right side up. Got home and checked with the PC and sure enough upside down.
Fixed, thanks.
 
Rollout of N987J

Put all the last pieces together (except fairings) and had a mini roll out ceremony last Saturday! It is getting close now.



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Sweet

That is such a wonderful sight. I know you are proud and you should be.
Keep chipping away at all the finish details.

Pat Garboden
Katy, TX
RV9A Flying phase I

Dues paid.
 
Woohoo looking great Brice! I saw your plane on the front page this morning and didn't even realize it was yours. :rolleyes:
 
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This is what happens when all the rivets are pounded and you come to the last page of the Van's manual.
Hurry up, it's a great reward!!
 
empennage finished ...

I am working on the QB wings ...
The italian registration I've got is: I-WING (not yet used) :D:D:D
 
RV9A (57KB) Reserved

I just finished painting the fuselage and now I am in the process of assembling pieces that were painted earlier in the year. Cold weather and snow has now caught up with me and not having a heated hanger I will have to wait untill spring to paint the wings.





 
Yesterday evening:
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This morning (repeated several times...):
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Lunch time - buggered if I'm going to quibble over .05 of a degree while working under an Australian summer sun anymore!:
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Leads to this:
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And then, this evening, this!
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Yesterday evening:

This morning (repeated several times...):
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Can you explain this to me? So the plumb bob is hanging of the leading edge basically. Where the line on floor referenced from?

I like the backyard factory!! Almost there...keep checking off that list!!
 
Manny, he is setting the wing sweep alignment. Done prior to drilling the hole for the rear spar attachment.
 
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If you drop one from the inboard and outboard of each wing you will have four that should line up. Nothing to reference on the fuse.
 
The idea is to have the 4 plumb bobs in line, one at each tip and each root, and also to measure from a rivet of your choice on the wingtip to a reference point of your choice on the tail.

When the measurements are the same, left and right, and the 4 plumb bobs are in line, your leading edge is as square to th fuselage as its going to get.

If you do not measure the distance from the tail, you may have a perfectly inline leading edge that is not square to the fuselage. In my case, I used a wingtip rivet, and the join line for the HS, that gave a measurement of around 5,115 mm. So, if I had one side that was 5110 and the other 5120, add them up and divide by two to find the "ideal" measurement and adjust the sweep to get it.

There is no hard and fast rule as to what your reference points must be, just make sure you use the same point on each wingtip.
 
2 years Down!

After this windscreen fairing i'm about out of things to do in the garage. Substantial completions in the last year include: Slider Canopy, Cowling, Avionics, Engine and Firewall Forward. The only thing i'd hate to over again was the cowling and FAB .... hundreds of iteration of on-again-off-again. The most rewarding and was the avionics wiring (big help from Jenny at Stein) but this was the most fulfilling work for me. We've had two awesome kids in the process and the wife still has her parking spot:D

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Nomex suits and their ready:D
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Status is Done. Ready to fly!

Obligatory photo of the finished RV-9A.
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Airworthiness inspection completed 4/6/14.

First flight to come soon...
 
Epsound:just a thought. Look at GRT mini efis as a budget primary.
Designed for backup, but might work for you.
I have one on order to go left center in my 9. Synthetic vision is too cluttered.
Look out the window!
 
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