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Finally Started Building!

ppilotmike

ppilotmike

Well Known Member
Just wanted to announce that my wife and I are finally building on our RV-10! We've spent so much time on the shop and getting ready to build that I thought the day would never come. However, this past weekend I made the "first cut" and proceeded to work pretty steadily after that. I am just about ready to dimple and rivet the VS together. Feels good. I can't wait to pound some rivets.
 
Good start and props to Aneta for getting involved. I, for one, will be watching your progress on KitLog.
 
Mike,

Go easy on those first rivets, the nose rib in the VS are some of the hardest and most visible on the entire build due to the cramped space, curved leading edge and the reach to get them bucked. Just a tip, I finished my second one and laughed at the fact Van's has you do them right off and how much of a pain it was.:rolleyes:
 
Congrats on the start of your build! I hope I'm in your shoes in a couple of years. :) You'll have a lot of eyes on your project and I hope you share the journey with us. :D


Edit: I just read your kitlog - great looking shop! The organization is along the lines of my OCD, but the only thing I could spot that was wrong was the minifridge isn't a kegerator. Bummer!
 
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Help

Congrats Mike! Hope you don't need help right away, I've got my hands busy working out electrical/avionics gremlins :rolleyes:

Dwight
 
Come on, admit it. Who was closer to your actual start date? :rolleyes: But hey, congratulations on pursuing and living your dream. See ya in two weeks.
 
Way to go!

Way to Mike!

Keep at it and it won't be long before you give advice
to someone who just started.
Keep us posted.
 
Rick,

Thanks for the warning on the rivets. I immediately thought that they would be difficult when I tried to reach them to feel the cleco with my finger. If that was hard, I can only imagine that bucking will be even harder. Has to be done though...

Victor,

Thanks for the advice on the Kegerator. I'll look into it.

Ron,

When's the next hangar party? Are you headed to OSH this year or what?

Dwight,

Don't worry. I won't be bothering you. I'll be too busy working. I would like to see how your project is coming along the next time I can make it to Centennial.

Jeff,

Yeah.. You were right about the upfront work taking so long. I can't wait to see your house and plane again. OSH here we come!

Brian,

My mom and sis (and little nephews) live in Marietta, GA. I grew up in Dekalb back when it was a suburb of ATL. It's good to see that it is indeed a small world, at least for RV-builders. Maybe I'll check in with you some day while visiting home.


Thanks everyone for the words of support. Now back to work.
 
ppilotmike said:
Patrick,

May I ask why you started your fuse before the wings?

Mike
Click to expand...

Avionics planning. Aerotronics is building my panel and making harnesses for me, so I needed to get enough structure done that I could do routing and measure runs. I found, building the -6A, that it is much easier to install wiring runs (and, in the -10's case, A/C hose and duct) before the skins are on. I can generally run wires and/or conduit without problem but drilling for them was almost impossible in places. This way I can run the wire/conduit, remove it if necessary for riveting, replace it before closing the interior, and use 80% fewer swear words. :p

Plus, I am going all out with Aerotronics to make this a modular design. So, cannon plugs at major harness connections (wing/fuselage, behind the panel, and even special ones on the firewall) and conduit everywhere so harnesses can be extracted and replaced if needed. O2 fill and ground power accessible through the baggage door. All systems connected with at least a Molex plug. And so on. Somewhere I read recently that it is easier to build an airplane from the inside out rather than the outside in. It is not too early to plan your systems - and think big. It is easier to leave out equipment or add it later if you have prepared the airframe for it than to add stuff after the fact once the airframe is finished with no provision for the equipment.
 
Thanks.

flion said:
It is easier to leave out equipment or add it later if you have prepared the airframe for it than to add stuff after the fact once the airframe is finished with no provision for the equipment.
Click to expand...

Wow. Good advice.. So much to learn, so little space to store the knowledge.. (probably due to movie quotes and meaningless trivia):p
 
ppilotmike said:
Ron,

When's the next hangar party? Are you headed to OSH this year or what?
Click to expand...

Well, since its not my hangar...not sure when that might be?...you need to bug Scott and Gary! :) As for OSH...yup, I'll be there in Scholler...23rd-28th...looking forward to it.
 
Come on by!

Hey Mike, you know I was just kidding, right! Come on by anytime, panel is mostly in and working on a few bugs. Will post pictures soon. Prop's been delayed (again), not happy about that. Happy to help you anytime, I owe you a couple.

Dwight
 
Space Cadet said:
Hey Mike, you know I was just kidding, right! Come on by anytime, panel is mostly in and working on a few bugs. Will post pictures soon. Prop's been delayed (again), not happy about that. Happy to help you anytime, I owe you a couple.

Dwight
Click to expand...

Cool. I'd love to come see your panel lit up. Too bad about the prop delays, but I'm sure you're on top of it. Thanks for the offer of help. For now, it's almost like I don't want anyone else doing anything. Is that weird? It's not like I think someone might damage something. It's just that I'm enjoying the building aspect so much, since it hasn't become overly repetitive yet, that I don't want to "share." When I get to the bigger pieces and there are thousands of holes to match drill and cleco and such, I may grow tired enough to let somebody take a turn.. :)
 
Congratulations on getting started, Mike! I had a feeling that ride I gave you might turn out to be an expensive ride for you!;)

Your shop looks fantastic. I look forward to following your progress. We might be back in the Denver area in September. I will give you a shout if that happens.

Best regards,
 
dmaib said:
Congratulations on getting started, Mike! I had a feeling that ride I gave you might turn out to be an expensive ride for you!;)

Your shop looks fantastic. I look forward to following your progress. We might be back in the Denver area in September. I will give you a shout if that happens.

Best regards,
Click to expand...

Dave,

Yours was the "third" in the saying "third time's the charm." My first try to get a ride in a 10 was during a visit to the Van's factory in Portland, but weather prevented a test spin. Second try was at Sloshkosh last year, but again, no dice. Thanks again for that test ride. Let me know when you're in town again.
 
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