RV-7 VH-JWC Jon Clements

[Jon Clements]

RV-7 S/N 72920 VH-JWC
Little River, Melbourne, Australia.
Standard kit - 3 1/2 year build / 2000hrs approx
Long Range Outboard Leading edge tanks (300L total fuel capacity).
AeroSportPower IO-360-M1 180HP Inverted Fuel/Oil
Hartzell Constant Speed Blended Airfoil
Dual GRT HX EFIS and EIS. Garmin 430W. Avmap EKP-IV. Trutrak DII VSGV. SL-40. GTX-327. PSE 9000EX. Approach Fast Stack integration.
Hooker Harness. Classic Aero Interior.
PPG Deltron Paint system (Audi colours: Solar Orange, Daytona Grey, Aluminium Silver).

Currently in Phase 1 with 15 faultless hours on the Hobbs...

Never thought I would fall in love with an aircraft...?!

[pierre smith]

I think we have another Osh award winner here! Wow....beautiful.

So, is the entire leading edge the fuel tanks/tanks? Do the outers have separate filler caps?

Best

[RickWoodall]

That is spectacular. I love the interior, layout, trim, decals etc. Absolutely beautiful very detailed quality job. Enjoy.

[boom3]

Man I love the interior with the orange here and there. Sweeeeeet!!!!

[rv8ch]

Originally Posted by Jon Clements

...

Never thought I would fall in love with an aircraft...?!

It's easy to see why you did! Really beautiful work, Jon!

[terrykohler]

If you ever fall out of love, she won't be lonely for long.
Terry, CFI
RV-9A N323TP

[Jon Clements]

Originally Posted by pierre smith

I think we have another Osh award winner here! Wow....beautiful.

So, is the entire leading edge the fuel tanks/tanks? Do the outers have separate filler caps?

Best

Thanks all for the kind words. Genuinely appreciated.

Pierre -

I modified the outboard leading edges to become Long Range Tanks with the assistance of a mate of mine who is an AME (structures). The middle bay between the main tank and the outboard tank is open and provides access to the plumbing (via the opening for the landing light in the leading edge). To improve the structure we installed skin doublers to the underside and the outboard tanks are stiffened with lateral angles in the same way as the main tanks. The outer tanks have their own filler caps and all four tanks are plumbed separately to a four way Andair fuel selector. The vent lines are split via a "T" to provide direct venting to both the inboard and outboard tanks. We made a sacrificial test tank as part of the process, filled it with water and tested it to 7.5G's before it showed signs of deflection.
Main tanks hold 80 Litres per side (approx 20 gallons) and the outboard tanks hold 70 Litres (approx 18 gallons) per side.
Stating the obvious - I have included operating limitations in my POH for the aux fuel tanks.....no landings with fuel in outboard tanks (except in emergency) and no aerobatics with fuel in outboard tanks.

I elected to rivet the outboard tanks in place rather than install plate nuts/screws essentially because I did not want to modify the spar design. If they ever leak and I have to remove them it will be a case of drilling out the rivets and I suspect my paint job won't like that much !

The CoG is relatively unaffected by the additional fuel in the leading edge so my C of A has a higher Max weight (2020lbs) than Vans recommends to accommodate long range operations when necessary. On a day to day basis the aircraft is operated to the standard weight limits recommended by Vans and it is ALWAYS operated within the C of G range recommended by Vans (including Long Range Operations).

Cheers

Jon

[Doug]

Jon,

I would expect nothing less from an architect.

You have done the impossible - made orange look good.

Co-ordinated down to the key tag.

Regards,
Doug Gray
RV-6 VH-UDG first flight 14th July, now with 10.5 hours

[mtaviator]

SEXY! Love the orange with the black interior. Neither would be as striking without the other.

Be safe and enjoy.

[RV7Ron]

Love the center console, very nicely done, thats how a nicely finished cockpit should look IMHO.