RV-12 Cowling

[dsm8]

Good Evening:

I am in a quandary. Although the KAI section 38 demonstrates how and when to install the cowling. It was suggested that I wait until the engine is installed. Now that he engine is in place initial fitting of the cowling revealed that maybe I should wait until the backplate, spinner and propeller are installed.

My fear is that if I follow the KAI I may not have a good result. Would it be easier to install the backplate and propeller first and adjust the cowling to make a custom fit. I have a three blade prop.

Any thoughts and suggestions are greatly appreciated

[Kahle76]

It was recommended when I took the weekend Synergy class that the cowlings be installed after the engine has ran a couple times.

[N8DAV8R]

Originally Posted by dsm8

Good Evening:

I am in a quandary. Although the KAI section 38 demonstrates how and when to install the cowling. It was suggested that I wait until the engine is installed. Now that he engine is in place initial fitting of the cowling revealed that maybe I should wait until the backplate, spinner and propeller are installed.

My fear is that if I follow the KAI I may not have a good result. Would it be easier to install the backplate and propeller first and adjust the cowling to make a custom fit. I have a three blade prop.

Any thoughts and suggestions are greatly appreciated

You can bolt up the prop hub and spinner plates in order to align the cowl parts without doing the full prop install.

[bobg56]

I have a friend that purchased an RV12, the cowl does not align with the spinner, its off by about 1/2" pretty noticable, it was suggested to shim the mount with washers to pull it over. I would rather not do that, I would take the time needed to align it properly. His airplane has been painted so now to reset the hinges would mar up his paint job. I don't see how the previous owner let this go.

[RFSchaller]

I fretted over the alignment only to find my Final Cut was right on the factory scribe line.

The only gotcha I had on the cowling was thinking I could fit the radiator duct, cleco it and remove the lower cowl to fiberglass the duct on my work bench. It shifted just enough that the lower cowl did not fit. I had to cut out the duct and and re-glass it while mounted on the plane.