[Saville]

Hi all,

So I'm considering buying a -8 QB. My understanding is that you get Quick Built wings and fuselage. In addition, it seems you order the Standard Empennage and finish kits. I have very little experience in metalworking - helped out on a BD-5 many years ago.


What do you builders think of this sequence:

I start with the Empennage kit.

Then the wing kit

Then the Fuselage kit.

Then the finish kit to complete the structure and controls.

Then Instrument panel

Then Engine compartment, cowl.

With the canopy in that sequence somewhere.


Q1: Is starting with the empennage with very little metal working experience the right move?

Q2: Do you have to have the finish kit in order to do the wing and fuselage work?

Q3: If I were to do it in this sequence, am I painting myself in a corner?

Q3: When you buy all QB, do the Vans-supplied plans/instructions recommend a sequence?

Thanks

 

[Mike S]

Q1: Is starting with the empennage with very little metal working experience the right move? Yes, or get the practice kit and start there.

Q2: Do you have to have the finish kit in order to do the wing and fuselage work? No

Q3: If I were to do it in this sequence, am I painting myself in a corner? No

Q3: When you buy all QB, do the Vans-supplied plans/instructions recommend a sequence? They are in the same order you listed.


Thanks

You are on the right track.

 

[xblueh2o]

Q1: Not a great idea, but it has been done. Can you order the practice kits and do those first? Maybe take a class first?

Q2: No

Q3: Sort of. It is easier to have an idea of what your avionics suite will be and start installing what you can where you can when things are more open. Installing after everything is complete and closed up, while possible, will be a pain.

Q4: Yes

 

[Saville]

Practice kit a good idea

Ah I didn't know about the practice kit That sounds like a good idea.

Ok so I'll put that at the top of my list. Thanks!

Yes I can imagine that knowing what instrumentation I will have would be very useful while working on the plane.

With a QB fuselage, is there really much difference between putting a new panel while working on the fuse vs putting a new panel in after the airplane is done?

Based upon other discussions, it seemed to me that building a very simple VFR panel to get the thing in the air, followed by a panel update, is the way to go.

I realize that it would be helpful to run the cabling for the final panel while building but I didn't figure it mattered with a QB. Perhaps I am wrong.

 

[xblueh2o]

Installing everything in a QB, not really an issue as it comes off the truck. I was generally referring to a completed fuselage as in top skins on etc.

 

[Saville]

Modified Sequence

Based upon what I've learned so far, I've modified the sequence. I added the practice kit and maybe a class or two. But the big difference is that I swapped the order of Wing and Fuselage. According to Van, the QB wing can be made ready for flight in a long week. Even if I extend that to a month, or even 2, that means that the wings will be sitting around taking up space for months while everything else is being worked on.

So it seemed to me that working the fuselage first was a better idea.

I've also expanded the instrument panel bullet just a little.

Here is the new sequence:

Get the practice kit and maybe take a class.

I start with the Empennage kit.

Then the Fuselage kit.

- start planning the instrument panel. Initial panel will be a simplified
VFR panel just to get the a/c in the air. I may or may not choose
the avionics that I'll eventually use and run cable. I do not want to
install a vacuum system as I plan on going all electronic.

- However I was warned that if the plane takes a couple of years to build,
whatever avionics package I am thinking of will be outmoded
when I move to install it 2 years later.

- So I'm unsure as to how to handle this.

Then the wing kit

Then the finish kit to complete the structure and controls.

More Instrument panel

Then Engine compartment, cowl.

With the canopy in that sequence somewhere.


Q1: The forward fuselage skin that one installs on the QB fuse kit - it covers the back of the instrument panel yes?

- can it be made removable for instrument panel work?

Thanks!

 

[Ron RV8]

The order you have listed raises the question of how much space you have to work in as you will be jumping from fuselage to wings back to fuselage again. If you are working in a large space like a hangar that is not a problem, but if you're working in a single car garage like me it was logistically easier to do the wings before the fuselage and store them in the rec room. Also your largest expenditures attach to the fuselage, engine, avionics etc so it's nice to delay that as long as you can. I held off the avionics decision as long as I could but there's a point where you just have to decide and live with it...

If you decide to stage your avionics, do as much wiring as you can for your "someday" avionics while the fuselage is open. You can also install an access door into the baggage compartment as some of us have done. The photo is for a "simple" panel, one Skyview, one compass, and two com radios. Wiring this through the front of the panel and the baggage access door would have been a challenge.

Have fun with your project!