I thought it might be helpful to reflect on things I would have done differently when I first got my RV-15 wing kit two months ago if I had known how things would progress.
- First, prep, prep, prep. The removal of blue plastic cover, deburring of edges, checking all and deburring some holes, and removing the red (or black) ink stamps on aluminum sheets is a huge time sink. Get your best Zen mode on and get to prepping. Find a TV series that you are mildly interest in and bing-watch it while tearing off plastic cover. Don't forget to flute ribs where needed. Decide which parts need primer and get that effort done and dried. Read ahead and break the appropriate edges. Then, there are scores of rivets to set to attach nut plates around inspection holes on the skins. Many, many hours of fun!
- I would have started with the flaps and ailerons, leaving the main part of the wing to the last. If I had a slow-built fuel tank, that would probably also have given them priority. Two reasons for this suggestion. First, it seems that the flap and aileron sub-kits are generally more complete than the main wing, but each of us do seem to be missing different components. The second is that once one reaches a stop point on the ailerons or flaps, they require much less storage space than the main wing assembly.
- Next, if building with quick-build fuel tanks, it might be time to carefully inspect and clean the inside of the fuel tanks. I did this with an inspection mirror and eye balls. I then took a clean, lint-free towel and wiped the interior down with rubbing alcohol. I finished by preparing and installing the fuel sender provided. One could seal the covers at this point but I opted to wait on that task and just leave the covers Cleoco-ed on. If you are going to “slosh” avgas around, as the KAIs advise, you definitely want to do this before installing the tanks of the main wing skeleton.
- AFTER reaching a stop point on the flaps and ailerons (or finishing them!), start the wing skeleton. Many of us are missing one or both front spar assemblies and key brackets on the aft side. This prevents advancing to the skinning stage. However, I (and probably most builders) can advance to the 14-foot long, somewhat flimsy stage that I wouldn’t want to move. So, I’ve been stuck with 14’ of prime work table space covered with one wing that I couldn’t progress on for the last six weeks or so. Another options is to just build the two main wing skeletons and wait to install the fuel tanks and front spar assemblies (if you have them) until you are ready to skin. The ~10’ skeletons can be stored in (or on) the original, large shipping container until ready to proceed.
- Building each set of skeletons (2 flaps, 2 ailerons, and 2 main wings) more-or-less concurrently works very well. Setting them up to mirror-image one another really helped speed up figuring out the proper configuration of the right wing since drawings are only provided for the left wing. With the main wings, this obviously has to be done before the front spar is added.
- If you have the room, keeping the original crates makes for handy storage areas and alternate work bench surfaces while juggling the various sub-assemblies. I have built all four flaps and ailerons on these surfaces since the work bench has been occupied by the stalled left wing.
- Use caution to avoid moving too far with parts missing. Study each Section to ensure that you don’t permanently install something that will have to be removed later. I got careless and rivetted on two aileron nose spars and then had to drill them out when an adjacent piece couldn’t be installed. When in doubt, just leave it Cleco-ed together.
- The Kit Assembly Instructions still need considerable work. But, so far, I have found the drawings to always be accurate. When in doubt, follow the drawings. There are a couple of places where the drawings show little inaccuracies like air lines installed before they are installed, but those couple of issues are very easy to understand and then ignore (and/or report to Van’s).
- Perhaps most important in our pioneering efforts to build an RV-15 is patience and flexibility. All indications are that this is going to be an incredible aircraft and the cat is out of the bag that the company has to work on bringing its operation’s efficiency up to the level of its engineering and design standards. Of course, communicate with Van’s about missing parts and inaccurate or confusing KAIs. And, our community must continue to communicate here on VAF. We are in this together.
