Answers to some questions....
Tony,
From looking at the side skin doublers it is unclear to me why you need to remove the fuel tank. I have drilled out all of the rivets in the affected side skin areas without removing the fuel tank. Maybe you need to remove the fuel tank to straighten out side skin wrinkles? Are there any instructions or criteria on how straight the side skin needs to be to install the doublers?
Anxiously awaiting my repair kit.
N712BK
You will be match drilling additional holes using the doubler(s), so the
tank removal is to avoid accidental drilling of holes in the tank
, and to properly deburr as many of the new holes as possible. It will also make it much easier to drill two new holes that get added to the center section channel on each side.
As with anything else related to RV building / maintaining, the person doing the work is the final authority in how they decide to accomplish it. If you chose a different method (or choose not to do it at all), it should be understood that you are baring additional responsibility.
Regarding whether you have to comply by installing the S.B. kit...
Technically there is nothing regulatory that can force you to do so
IF your airplane is already certificated and flying (an aircraft with an experimental airworthiness certificate is not bound to comply with A.D.s, S.B.'s, etc). I do think it would be a poor decision not to. A
lot of testing and design effort went into this modification. When properly installed it should make the main gear on an RV-12
very robust. (pilots causing damage after installing this mod. should probably switch to the sport of off roading in 4X4 vehicles
)
As already mentioned, not having it installed would always be a black mark against the airplane regarding resale value, insurance claims, etc.
Regarding compliance requirements on an airplane not yet certificated...
This is a bit more of a gray area depending where in teh construction process the builder is. For certification the airplane must show compliance with the current design using the documentation dates and rev. levels listed in the Form 8130-15 issued to the builder by Van's. So if you have an 8130-15 form that was issued before this S.B was supplied to you, you may be able to pass the airplane off to a DAR as being in compliance. My opinion is that he shouldn't certificate it (and I think the FAA would say the same).
Here is the reason....
From the very beginning, RV-12 builders have been told that the revision process works as follows -
For normal plans revisions and changes, if you have already built passed the drawing page it occurs on, you can ignore it (it was most likely a revision to more clearly describe a process, etc.)
But for notifications, service bulletins, and safety alerts, you must comply.
So, everyone who has not yet received there fuselage kit, will receive a kit with the changes incorporated into the parts and drawings (the reason for the drawings being posted last Friday) when they purchase that kit.
For everyone that already has a fuselage kit but has not yet received a documentation package and 8130-15 form, they will receive the parts as a S.B. kit, and when ready for certification the 8130-15 form they receive will show the rev level established by the fuselage changes.
As already mentioned, those with flying airplanes, that have complied with S.B. 12-09-26 and found no damage (you should have made a log book entry), can wait until the next condition inspection sign off to install the service bulletin to be in compliance with Van's requirements (as already mentioned, there is technically no regulatory requirement to comply, but it has potentially many other related issues if you choose not to).
That leaves the few kits for which an 8130-15 form has been issued, but have not yet been certificated. They will also be receiving a S.B. kit in the mail (probably in the next few days) It will be between you and your DAR what happens regarding whether you must install it prior to certification... though my opinion is that the S.B. should have to be complied with before certification.
One final comment...
The work required looks like more than it really is. My opinion is that anyone mechanically familiar with their RV-12 (built it), and reads through the documentation a couple of times so they can plan ahead for what they need to do (required tools and supplies available, etc.), should probably be able to complete the required work over a weekend (particularly if they get help from one other pair of hands).
I hope this helps cover some of the questions people might have.