Things I would have done differently...

kevinh · #1 09-18-2005, 10:22 PM

Hi ya'll,

How about a thread for builders who have completed their RV to write about things they would have done differently? Perhaps this would help our brothers and sisters who are still building avoid our mistakes.

I'll start, on my RV-7A (QB, so I can't take too much credit...):

* I installed passenger toe brakes. Oops - not much benefit and just adds weight. ****, I hardly have to use the pilot's side brakes even with the castering nosewheel. For a taildragger the passenger brakes may have some value.

* Drill a tube inflation hole in the nose pant (or use nutplates on the attach bracket) before putting the pants on the plane. I figured I'd fly it for a while to see how annoying I found putting the nose on blocks just to add air - suffice it to say, it's damned annoying.

* If you have an O-360 and a Hartzell prop (like me) - perhaps put the strobe supply and ELT forward of the baggage wall. My weight and balance is pretty good, but with two 170lbers, the baggage is limited to 80 lbs due to CG constraints.

* For the wingtip antennas, consider using RG-58 rather than RG-400 coax. The loss isn't such a big deal (assuming we're talking com 2 and VOR) and it weighs less.

* I left out map pockets, figuring I'd see if I needed them. Um - I now see that I need them.

Things I'm happy with:

* Parking brake

* Non av strobe power supply

* Using prefab multistrand 22 awg bundles for the auto pilot wiring. Much smaller than rolling my own.

* A short length of flexible PVC as wiring conduit under the baggage floor.

* The whimpy Van's (manual or electric) spring system for roll trim works just fine.

* No interior other than carpet on the floor and nice seats.

Kevin

Rick6a · #2 09-19-2005, 06:54 AM

For the next project, I've determined the following:

No fancy Flap Position Indicator. Rarely use it. Quickly learned you can feel suitable flap deployment through your butt......or look out the bubble.

No attractively packaged and expensive prefabricated electrical buss system.

Not be tempted to 100% prime every single internal part prior to assembly. Next time, just prime the contact surfaces between mating parts. Epoxy primer, of course.

Lose those hefty RC Allen electric gyros and go with glass technology.

Omit the electric priming system. With Lasar ignition, it seems a waste.

Relocate OAT probe well away from the NACA scoop.

Things I will do EXACTLY the same:

Flaps, 2 axis electric trim, and PTT controlled though Infinity joystick grip.

PSS AOA....gotta love it. Takes the pucker factor out of slow flight and that base to final turn.

Lasar ignition.

Engine monitor.

Capacitive type fuel sending system.

Annunciator light for boost pump.

Rick Galati RV-6A "Darla" 78 hours
RV-8A empennage complete

dan · #3 09-19-2005, 10:22 AM

Next time...

- LED position lights

- AVI-PAK strobe power supply instead of Whelen (Bill Vondane, I'm looking forward to drop-in replacment combo LED position/strobe lights!)

- Michelin AirStop tubes from the get-go

- stiffeners on the aft/lower fuselage skins

- hard-wire the GMA-340's 20dB boost...the switch is always ON

- run a generic power circuit aft of F-706 (for stuff like hard-wiring headset power)

- install conduit going LATERALLY under the baggage skins

)_( Dan
RV-7 N714D (630 hours)
http://www.rvproject.com

sprucemoose · #4 09-19-2005, 11:43 AM

Here's a couple things I'll do differently next time:

I won't waste time with a flop tube. Unless you also have inverted oil it's useless and makes plumbing more difficult. Plus I don't like negative G stuff anyway.

I will put access holes in the forward fuse skin, to get behind the panel without getting under the panel.

Some things I'll do the same:

I love my cowl Camlocks. $$$ but worth it.

Oregon Aero seats. $$$ but very worth it.

Engine plenum. No cooling problems of any kind.

Jeff Point
RV-6
Milwaukee

scard · #5 09-19-2005, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan

Next time...

- stiffeners on the aft/lower fuselage skins

)_( Dan
RV-7 N714D (630 hours)
http://www.rvproject.com

Dan,
I sure am interested in your comments on the stiffeners (I see the pictures on your site). I am doing tailcone assembly right now. This would be the time to do it if I understood the issues.

dan · #6 09-19-2005, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scard

I sure am interested in your comments on the stiffeners (I see the pictures on your site). I am doing tailcone assembly right now. This would be the time to do it if I understood the issues.

I haven't had time to do the write-up on my site yet, but here's the gist...

I used J-channel and .025x5/8x5/8" angle. I drilled 1/4" "ooze holes" in a few locations along the stiffeners, and then just RTV'd them in place. It makes a huge difference in the skin puckering factor.

I had seen a couple of photos of my plane from angles where you can see a little puckering in the lower fuselage side skins between F-706 and F-708 below the stringers. By stiffening vertically above the stringers, and by stiffening horizontally right above the rudder cable, it makes a big difference.

With paint, you'd probably never notice this in flight. With a bare/polished plane, you might.

I definitely don't think they're necessary, but I do believe it improves the appearance of the plane in flight.

)_( Dan
RV-7 N714D (630 hours)
http://www.rvproject.com

LettersFromFlyoverCountry · #7 09-19-2005, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan

- install conduit going LATERALLY under the baggage skins

Gotta ask before I close 'em up. How would you use it?

dan · #8 09-19-2005, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Collins

Gotta ask before I close 'em up. How would you use it?

Well, put it this way -- if you have interior panels/fabric, you can do a LOT of wire hiding that I can't. I don't have any interior decor whatsoever other than my seat cushions and the footwell carpeting.

To make matters worse, I'm incredibly anal about not seeing any wires in the cockpit. So if I wanted to install some sort of jacks in F-705, for example, or in the back end of the arm rests, it would be a challenge to keep the wires hidden.

If I had conduit running laterally under the baggage floors, I could run wires down the center, through the tunnel, under the baggage floors, and up the back of F-705. It might sound convoluted to you if you have interior panels...I wouldn't be surprised if it does. Oh, well!

)_( Dan
RV-7 N714D
http://www.rvproject.com

svanarts · #9 09-19-2005, 06:54 PM

Really the only thing I would have done differently is to put RV-6 tanks on my RV-4. That little bit of extra fuel is priceless flying to and from OSH. IMO. Also probably would have done camloks on the cowling.

LettersFromFlyoverCountry · #10 09-20-2005, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dan

It might sound convoluted to you if you have interior panels...I wouldn't be surprised if it does. Oh, well!

It makes sense. I'm not anywhere near deciding on interior finish yet. Been working on getting the nutplates installed where the pop rivets are in this section and I had to order a bunch of alternative nutplates (8 days for UPS to deliver a package to Minnesota AFTER Van's gave it to em!), and that's slowed me down. Plus since this is a pay-as-you-go project, this summer has been more "go" than "pay." Now that it's starting to cool down here, I'm slowing down for the winter period so I can spend a little more time on little stuff in the interior. Doesn't look like fitting the wings is going to happen before spring now, but we'll see.

thanks for the tip.