I hope you had a wonderful RV weekend, and if you went to the show, you're home safe now enjoying air-conditioning and a comfortable bed 
. Spent the weekend working extra side hustles, and while out on the road, came across an open hangar with an RV-4. Made me smile.
v/r,dr
dr
RE: Revised RV-12 Radiator
I think it’s the same revised radiator, but with the completely different mounting. The oil cooler is also attached to the lower cowl. Both are attached with hardware that is easily removable, and the prototype has braided cables that allow the radiator and oil cooler to be disconnected and just hang from the cables when the cowling is removed. I’d call them to get a definitive answer.
RE How to Rivet Lower Skin On - Wing Orientation and Sequence
…skelrad
I did leading edge down. Working around the skins would be more difficult with the leading edge up I think. My 9 wing has less depth to deal with than the 7, but I would imagine similar approaches work for both. I started in the middle of each skin and worked my way out, doing 3 or 4 rows of rivets at a time. I was able to do all riveting myself.
RE The Infamous Tip-Up Front Gap …bjdecker
1. Remove the canopy.
2. Apply some painters tape as marked in blue -- this will serve as a backing for the next step
3. From underneath the sub-panel flanges, apply a small amount of your favorite neutral cure adhesive (GE Silicone II or Ultra Blue, Red, Black [Sensor Safe] ) into the gaps*.
4. Once silicone is cured, remove painters tape.
5. Install smoke seal material along seal flange.
6. Install canopy.
FWIW the gap between the skins looks really good. Your better paint shops are going to file it up to about 1/8" for clearance *and* paint that "knee".
*Edit: Use a filler adhesive material that is paintable -- the DAP ALEX stuff works well..
RE: Increasing CO in cockpit — need help beyond the usual suspects
…bjdecker
The exhaust system itself is very leaky until it heats up -- this was an interesting discovery in the RV-14;
Update: CactusPilot
Well it official! You guys couldn’t talk me out of purchasing a RV-10.
Last week on a beautiful morning in Illinois, my son and I picked up our RV10. New build, with 41 hours, and fully equipped. With the help of a new dear friend Leigh, we flew her to Arizona with some interesting stops for fuel. The best being Flagstaff and Sedona. Receive transition training along the way..now I have to learn not to flare starting at 30 feet.
Super happy with the purchase and looking forward to flying it to Oshkosh next year with my son. Sitting in the back seat and watching my son fly has been the highlight of my life. He will be the 3rd generation of pilots in our family..My father is looking down and smiling.
Local Kid Done Good <LOL>
[ed. Seriously, congrats Paul! v/r,dr]
zcv7853
Bruce
Mothership
www.vansaircraft.com
OFF TOPIC:
Get your VansAirForce.net Charity Cap!
Please consider donating yearly to help keep this American 1-person pirate ship afloat:
Older issues of the ‘VAF News’ can be found at:
THE VAF LIST (a list of RV-related lists)
. Spent the weekend working extra side hustles, and while out on the road, came across an open hangar with an RV-4. Made me smile.v/r,dr
dr
RE: Revised RV-12 Radiator
I think it’s the same revised radiator, but with the completely different mounting. The oil cooler is also attached to the lower cowl. Both are attached with hardware that is easily removable, and the prototype has braided cables that allow the radiator and oil cooler to be disconnected and just hang from the cables when the cowling is removed. I’d call them to get a definitive answer.
2026 RV-12iS Upgrades
Looks like the 12 has a few upgrades in the works. I've got pictures of some of these that I'll post when I have usable internet.
vansairforce.net
RE How to Rivet Lower Skin On - Wing Orientation and Sequence
…skelrad
I did leading edge down. Working around the skins would be more difficult with the leading edge up I think. My 9 wing has less depth to deal with than the 7, but I would imagine similar approaches work for both. I started in the middle of each skin and worked my way out, doing 3 or 4 rows of rivets at a time. I was able to do all riveting myself.
How to Rivet Lower Skin On - Wing Orientation and Sequence
I am ready and have wings in JIG, verticle, with NOSE up, trailing edge down. What is the BEST way to position of wing for riveting lower skins on? I noticed some position wing vertical and nose down and trailing edge up. The instructions are clear ish. Start from inboard skin rear spar...
vansairforce.net
RE The Infamous Tip-Up Front Gap …bjdecker
1. Remove the canopy.
2. Apply some painters tape as marked in blue -- this will serve as a backing for the next step
3. From underneath the sub-panel flanges, apply a small amount of your favorite neutral cure adhesive (GE Silicone II or Ultra Blue, Red, Black [Sensor Safe] ) into the gaps*.
4. Once silicone is cured, remove painters tape.
5. Install smoke seal material along seal flange.
6. Install canopy.
FWIW the gap between the skins looks really good. Your better paint shops are going to file it up to about 1/8" for clearance *and* paint that "knee".
*Edit: Use a filler adhesive material that is paintable -- the DAP ALEX stuff works well..
The Infamous Tip-Up Front Gap
Regarding the front edge of the tip-up canopy frame: my gap between the frame skin and front top skin ended up being larger than I would have liked (a strong 3/32" - less depressing than saying almost 1/8"), primarily because until I was done riveting everything together and really got a good...
vansairforce.net
RE: Increasing CO in cockpit — need help beyond the usual suspects
…bjdecker
The exhaust system itself is very leaky until it heats up -- this was an interesting discovery in the RV-14;
Increasing CO in cockpit — need help beyond the usual suspects
Hey all, Over the past 3-4 months I’ve seen increasing co levels in the cockpit of my 7a via my Aithre, flight by flight to the 20s in nose high mixture rich profiles, and now even higher. I noticed my exhaust hanger on the left hand exhaust had come loose. I re-rigged that and sealed up the...
vansairforce.net
Update: CactusPilot
Well it official! You guys couldn’t talk me out of purchasing a RV-10.
Last week on a beautiful morning in Illinois, my son and I picked up our RV10. New build, with 41 hours, and fully equipped. With the help of a new dear friend Leigh, we flew her to Arizona with some interesting stops for fuel. The best being Flagstaff and Sedona. Receive transition training along the way..now I have to learn not to flare starting at 30 feet.
Super happy with the purchase and looking forward to flying it to Oshkosh next year with my son. Sitting in the back seat and watching my son fly has been the highlight of my life. He will be the 3rd generation of pilots in our family..My father is looking down and smiling.
Talk me out of buying a RV10
As far as the zippered rudders go that you called BS on, as I mentioned in my post, there were a few rudders that had torn rivets at the trailing edge that failed during the windstorm a few years ago at OSH. There were posts here on VAF with info and pics. Must have been one hell of a...
vansairforce.net
Local Kid Done Good <LOL>
Paul Dye Award
https://avweb.com/aviation-news/paul-dye-earns-prestigious-eaa-award/ Congrats Paul Boomer
vansairforce.net
zcv7853
Identify this part on my fuel tank
Guessing this is a fuel tank level sender (coax?). It was hooked up to an electronics international fuel gauge however the wiring was an absolute disaster. No idea if it worked or not. Interested to know what specific sender this might be and will work with Dynon skyview or not. Thanks!
vansairforce.net
Bruce
2025 EAA LINDY AWARDS
https://www.eaa.org/airventure/eaa-airventure-news-and-multimedia/eaa-airventure-news/2025-07-27-lindy-awards?utm_source=avtoday_240724&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=avtoday_2024&utm_content=news1&mkt_tok=OTEwLVNFVS0wNzMAAAGb68zFn_kbrPer-wXXQa1Tlz-XCufSp6qqjoK2uYvNLKrEhjwksD3VbrJpumxUHy97mXuSKyhd...
vansairforce.net
Mothership
Order the RV-15 Kit - Van's Aircraft Total Performance RV Kit Planes
www.vansaircraft.com
OFF TOPIC:
Get your VansAirForce.net Charity Cap!
VAF Charity Cap: Help your charity and promote this site.
Get the cap all the cool kids are wearing! I don’t get a penny. It’s around $15. $5 more if you want your N-number on the back (I put 'STAFF' on the back of mine because it makes me laugh. Put STAFF on yours too if it makes you smile). And down the road $10 to the charity of your choice...
vansairforce.net
Please consider donating yearly to help keep this American 1-person pirate ship afloat:
Older issues of the ‘VAF News’ can be found at:
Doug's Area ...The VAF News, About VAF, My Resume
Pushed out every now and then.
www.vansairforce.net
THE VAF LIST (a list of RV-related lists)
THE VAF LIST (a list of RV-related lists)
The VAF List ...a list of RV-related lists. RV-related things you might want to browse over (a closed post that is sticky and maintained by dr). Link to this in 'Links' in the menu. v/r,dr Small businesses that help bring you this list of RV-related lists: 360 Avionics www.360Avionics.com Ace...
vansairforce.net
Last edited:
