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Things that should wait?

SonexGuy

Active Member
I'm just finishing my RV-7 rudder. I'm wondering if there are certain parts on the empenage and other parts of the airframe, that ought to wait to be installed (like the fiberglass tips), even if the instructions say to do it now?

When I built my Sonex the bottom fuselage skin went on the night before the DAR inspection. With the bottom skin off, it was super simple to work on anything in the cockpit, including the avionics. The Sonex instructions had me installing the bottom skin a good year before my inspection.

Are there things like that on the -7 that should wait, pending avionics, lights, etc., or that just make working on the project easier?

Thanks,
 
I defer all fiberglass tips and such to the end. At that point you will have some experience with the cowl and such so the learning curve will be not as steep.

Carl
 
Sequencing

It's convenient to work fiberglass all at the same time. The shop gets set up for the task. However, no reason why tips can't be done ahead.
Slider...The top forward skin on the fuse is usually left till last because of access but that also means the windshield and trim get pushed as well.
Use a rotisserie after the fuse is solid and work as much as possible before setting the gear.
Fitting of the empennage is a good time to do the fairing.
Do the wheel pants and gear fairings before hanging the engine. Fuse is easier to lift and support.
Remember the wing root fairing when the wings get mated.
 
I agree with Carl. Leave all the fiberglass parts off. Stuff rags, paper towels etc into these 'glass parts, so that as they finish curing, they don't collapse. Better to have them "to wide" then to narrow when you go to install them. If you plan on a rudder mounted strobe/tail lamp, consider using nut plates and screws, rather than rivets to mount the fiberglass rudder bottom.

One of the best pieces of advice I received was to omit the wing tips from your wing kit for the following reasons:

1 Big & bulky, take up a lot of storage space. Will be stored for a long time while you build the wings [slow build]

2 No telling what cool updates Vans will make in the future. Not buying them now gives you the option to take advantage of any future improvements. That really paid off for me.

3 No chance they get damaged if you install them to early.

Also, when you get your wings, build the flaps and ailerons first, as the skills from building your elevators and rudder will still be fresh. Really helped me.
 
I agree with Carl. Leave all the fiberglass parts off. Stuff rags, paper towels etc into these 'glass parts, so that as they finish curing, they don't collapse. Better to have them "to wide" then to narrow when you go to install them. If you plan on a rudder mounted strobe/tail lamp, consider using nut plates and screws, rather than rivets to mount the fiberglass rudder bottom.

One of the best pieces of advice I received was to omit the wing tips from your wing kit for the following reasons:

1 Big & bulky, take up a lot of storage space. Will be stored for a long time while you build the wings [slow build]

2 No telling what cool updates Vans will make in the future. Not buying them now gives you the option to take advantage of any future improvements. That really paid off for me.

3 No chance they get damaged if you install them to early.

Also, when you get your wings, build the flaps and ailerons first, as the skills from building your elevators and rudder will still be fresh. Really helped me.


Take into consideration the cost of shipping...have you looked at shipping costs lately?
 
I'd install the tips on the HS and VS along with the top tip on the rudder. Fit but don't install the bottom rudder tip pending lights / ADS-B Out setup.
 
Rudder cap

I'd install the tips on the HS and VS along with the top tip on the rudder. Fit but don't install the bottom rudder tip pending lights / ADS-B Out setup.

Not a problem. I floxed two 4-40 nuts in place for the beacon and epoxied a section of corrugated conduit. Slipped a pull wire in the cap for a snake. Installing the light was easy. Hopefully ADS-B Out isn't a problem! :D
 
I would keep the foreskin off as long as possible making wiring and other easier. You can fit it and hole it with clecos to make sure things fit - BUT MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE THE CLECOS OFF IN THE CENTER IF YOU HAVE A TIP UP!

I made the mistake of opening the canopy with the center clecos on and ended up replacing the aluminum front of the tip up canopy. It is only about 4 clecos but make sure they are removed before you open the canopy.
 
I took a different approach and glad I did. I did not wait until the very end for all the fiberglass. I had to spread the hate around a bit more (fiberglass sucks).

I did my emp tips around the same time I did my wingtips which was when I was still working on the fuselage. I remembered I was waiting on something so I used the tips as something to keep working on.

I would not have been a happy camper if I had saved the tips for the end as they took quite a few hours to do.

P.S. I also recommend doing the wheel pants before flight. More cooling and it was hard to ground her for almost two weeks to complete them.
 
This is probably old school, but hold off final fitting the tail fairing. Shimming the HS or adjusting the VS for best trim during phase 1 can change fitting of tail fairing.

Done with RV-6 and other pre prepunch kits. Newer kits have better stock settings and may not need adjustment.
 
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