Inspection plan for SB-00036?

[D Weisgerber]

Originally Posted by gnuse

I'm not clear on what you mean by "outbound fairings". Can you explain? Thanks.

I think he meant the horizontal stabilizer tips.

[TheBebo]

Originally Posted by D Weisgerber

I think he meant the horizontal stabilizer tips.

Yep, that's correct. The tips on the horizontal stab are removable.

[dlomheim]

Originally Posted by 1rv4

There are lots of cheap borescopes (endoscopes) with 6ft. flexible wands forsale on Amazon, under $100. I think one of these would be adequate for what we are trying to do. Has anyone used one with good results?

Chris

I purchased a nice bore/endoscope in 2018 to work on my car, and have used it subsequently to inspect air ducts in the house and inside the wings on my RV-9A. The one I picked up connected right into my MAC AIR and replaced the FaceTime camera function, so has been easy to operate, and allowed me see what couldn't be seen before.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Doug

[Richard RG]

I just inspected my RV3b. The horizontal stabilizer end cap fiberglass fairings are riveted in place and not wanting to drill out the rivets, as well as damage the paint, removed the fairing piece around the vertical and horizontal stabilizer.
Using a standard size drill, was able to slightly open up the rear most tooling hole. It is 19" from from the tooling hole opening to the outboard hinge rivet holes needing inspection. My recently purchased Teslong borescope came with a 16' long extension for the camera, shorter would've been better. At the lens end of the Teslong, there is a screwed on ring that protects the threads for a few attachments that come with the unit. Removing the ring allows a slightly smaller hole for the camera to fit through.
I marked the flexible snake 19" from the camera end with a piece of tape.
It was easy enough to work the camera cable 19" into the tooling hole. The Teslong I ordered also has a second lower resolution camera lens aimed 90 degrees from the primary lens. I put a pen mark on the piece tape oriented approximately 90 to the side looking lens, making it easier to aim the lens.
Using the side looking lens, was able to inspect the rivets. Unfortunately, it appears there are two cracks. The next plan is figuring out how to clean around the rivets and double check if I am in fact seeing cracks. It is very doable on the RV3, to inspect from the inboard side of the horizontal stabilizer.

[rvaitor87]

Richard:
How many hours on your -3?

[Richard RG]

Hello Mike,
My RV3b has 962 hours on the airframe. The previous owner/builder did a lot of aerobatics. I watched a few youtube videos he had made and was obvious he knew what he was doing and gentle with the airplane. I've flown approximately 70 of the 962 hours. I haven't received training so do not do aerobatics.
I am not 110% certain I am seeing cracks (wishful thinking?) as they do look somewhat different than the cracks I discovered at the inboard aileron hinge, during the SB 16-03-28 check. Installing the Vans supplied aileron doubler kit took about 8 hours. Accessing the horizontal spar for repair will be a whole lot more involved.
If I can figure out how, will post photos of my recent inspection.
cheers

[Richard RG]

Photos of my recent https://vansairforce.net/community/a...9432horizontal stab inspection SB 000

https://vansairforce.net/community/a...1&d=1677009533

[Richard RG]

Seems I can only post one photo at a time. Here's the other bottom rivet on the
port side. https://vansairforce.net/community/a...1&d=1677009774

[TheBebo]

Looks like mine, I'm also waiting on parts. Called Vans today and they said to keep on eye on the main thread for updates to the RV3.

[Ironflight]

Just finished inspecting our -3B, and it took longer to get the empennage fairing off than it did to enlarge the two tooling holes and thread the borescope in there. Manufacture heads on the front (spar) side, 800 hours total time, lots of Acro, minimal unpaved runway operation, and….no cracks!

Paul