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Show us the status of your 9/9A project!

Getting closer!! :D

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Rockwood, Love your panel!

I am a big believer in simplicity and decluttering panels and this one is good!

We still need to get up in my 7, I too have a very simple panel.
 
Phase 1 Complete.

After almost 5 (hot) months my phase 1 is finally complete! (work and a 45 minute commute to the hangar have been tough). No real snags to speak of. I had to relocate the magnetometer forward from the aft deck and into the rear tailcone and I continue to tune baffles/cowl/jetting fighting high CHT's - next stop; ASA cowl flaps:D Flies as advertised! she'll top a 160 knots but not if im putting the fuel in it:rolleyes: 150 ktas at 2500 rpm or 140 ktas at 2400 rpm are happier spots.

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Congrats, Derek! Thanks for the continued motivation, and enjoy flying to exotic locations (or at least somewhere outside the Phase 1 box!). Keep us updated on the temperature control situation.
 
Derek, I bet you are glad to get out of the box and go places. We will have to get all of the Ramona -9A's (BillC, Jim, Ron, you, me) together and do a breakfast flight some weekend. Are you going to keep her in Ramona?
 
Roll, roll, roll your canoe... NOT!

Some of you here who also know me on FB have already seen this. But I'm 4 months into fitting and drilling the center and forward sections of my fuselage. Here's last night's pic, the last view of it before it all gets torn apart for deburring, dimpling, and riveting. After this it's the no-canoe-rolling-here non-party (the word "party" is there, so a few bottles of beer is still legal for the event, right? :)).

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And before anyone asks, yes those are the gussets sitting on the center bulkhead, the center rudder pedal brace is removed, etc. Certain parts I fit, marked and started to match-drill just enough to mark the locations, and then removed to gain better access in places. Decided to leave them until the end of all drilling work on the section, where completing drilling of that part would be easier with some things (like the side skin itself) removed.
 
Scott,

It looks like good progress to me.

Keep on at it and eventually it will be finished.

Hopefully, the instructions are giving you a very clear order of operations (so there is no backtracking to uncover things you just covered up...)

Best Regards,

Paragon,
Cincinnati, OH
 
Now the progress is visible Scott. I was confused by the contraptions on rudder pedals then I read your signature. Those Beringers are nice.
 
Keep it up!!

Mine looks alot like that, Scott! I also plan to use a fuel injected 320 and Catto prop. Keep posting pictures so I'll know if I am doing it right!
 
Making progress

Finally got the "canoe" all riveted up and upright. Got the rudder and brake pedals placed



The aft deck riveted - Pleased there was absolutely no twist in the fuselage



Fitted the "turtle deck"


and got the aft section riveted.



Feels good to see this thing coming together
 
Good progress on Empennage

It's my first post in this thread, but I figured, "why not?" Starting to think about ordering the wings...

Horizontal finished
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Vertical Finished
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Rudder Started
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And...A rain guard I made for my compressor mufflers :D
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Engine is built and mounted

Finally, after 9 years of ON/OFF building and 5 years of waiting for cash and time - the engine is built (sorta) and hanging - Hooray!

 
That's great, Robert!! I recently hung my engine, and it is truly a monumental step toward completion. :):) Your hoist is much nicer than the rental I used...appeared to have been built in the Sixties by a high school metal shop class.
 
I'm still a long way from first engine start, but I got first oil pressure this weekend after finishing up the oil cooler connections. Felt good just to see the prop spin! Peak pressure I saw was about 68psi spinning the engine without top spark plugs, temperature of the block and oil was 54 so that's about right.

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Peak pressure I saw was about 68psi spinning the engine without top spark plugs,

Congrats on getting this far.

Now, realize you have just pretty much negated any effect of whatever pickling efforts were done to the engine.

Most likely not an issue unless you are still a few months away from actual engine start.
 
She leaves the nest. Temporarily, for now!

Off to the signwriters to get the vinyl applied. :D

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Driving behind the towie, I got to enjoy the looks of other motorists. Truly classic, with one Postie nearly doing a backflip trying to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks.
 
RV9A

Hy Rob,

great Work and Plane Rob..

i have the same Status at the Moment (Wings Painting on coming Weekend..)

Maybe I can be the 9000 on the Vans Hobbs :)

So end of May I will set Take of Power...

greetings from Austria
Manfred
 
She's back!

After a few days away, Aurora Australis returns home with her new tiger stripe livery.

It looks better than I thought it would, especially in the sun! :D
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Livery looks somewhat familiar though....

Photo by whitedisc1, on Flickr
 
Do not roll!

Finally... after 5 months the remaining parts of my kit arrived! Inspection by the authorities of the empennage is scheduled next week. Looking forward to start with the wings!

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Note: You don't want to see my living room at this moment :)
 
RV Grin

Big milestone for me today, I positioned the instrument panel for the first time



Then I got to sit in her for the first time.



Very exciting moment for me - my first RV grin. Finish kit is on order.
 
RV-9A Rookie

I really feel like the 9A rookie. I've got lots of time flying, no time building, and I really feel it! After lots of time preparing, I started with the rudder for N99PR, based on a comment I read here. I've decided to go with a Stewart Systems water delivered primer. I like the community I've seen and felt here, thanks!

Mark
 
First engine start!

As I mentioned in an earlier thread,

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=129885&page=2

I obtained first engine start this weekend. It started easier than I expected, and ran great! Lots of minor squawks, none major, and I think I'm within 2 months of final inspection before first flight. January will be 8 years in process, I hope to get the first flight before then.


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It's not a first flight pic, but that's definitely an RV Grin!

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Show And Tell with my dad...

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My son Collin is definitely a fan.

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He was pushing his plane around the hangar saying "Vroom Vroom"! :D
 
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Forward Canopy

After struggling with this for over a week, I finally got the forward tip-up canopy frame to fit nicely and got the hinges drilled. Thanks for everyone's help, suggestions and encouragement on this forum

 
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Success

Made the big cut today using an oscillating saw. Great control and very small curf. Onto the sitkaflex!!

 
The Big Cut

I did the big cut about a year ago. I used an oscillating saw as well. I found I had to rotate the blade as to clear the cut material while cutting. The finish was near perfect and needed very little dressing. I like using the oscillating saw because the blade only moves about 3/16". Never bound up like a cut off wheel could. The whole process took a bit longer than a cut off wheel but, I was not (and who is?) in a hurry to finish the cut.
 
Got Airworthiness Certificate yesterday

Posted on the General Discussion page yesterday...but here it is again! Almost 11 years since beginning.

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Congrats Bruce

Get that puppy into the air so we can get another tick on the Van's flying Hobbs meter. Working toward the finish line myself.
 
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