What did you do with your RV this Thanksgiving weekend?
Looking forward to hearing the reports of work progress and motivational flights.
v/r,dr
Looking forward to hearing the reports of work progress and motivational flights.
v/r,dr
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WDYDWYRTW? Thanksgiving Weekend 2025
- Thread starter DeltaRomeo
- Start date
Great Thanksgiving with the family in Fredericksburg, TX and T82 has FREE tiedowns, yes FREE! Bought as much gas as possible from them. The sky scooter saved us 18 hours of driving this weekend. MEM area to T82, the flight was roughly 3:30 there and 2:45 back. Highly recommend visiting Fredericksburg for the history, wineries/breweries and shopping.
Best tailwind I’ve seen in the RV.
Best tailwind I’ve seen in the RV.
I hadn’t flown an RV since the spring!
I did a bunch of flying this summer, but all of it involved taking up more than one passenger so I took the 177RG or the 182. Last time I had flown the RV-12 was a Young Eagles rally in June! (It’s a flying-club airplane, it saw plenty of flying this summer, just not by me). So yesterday I did some touch-and-goes, then went up to check out Mount Hood real quick. Perfectly smooth air, and only some high clouds until I got close to the mountain.
I did a bunch of flying this summer, but all of it involved taking up more than one passenger so I took the 177RG or the 182. Last time I had flown the RV-12 was a Young Eagles rally in June! (It’s a flying-club airplane, it saw plenty of flying this summer, just not by me). So yesterday I did some touch-and-goes, then went up to check out Mount Hood real quick. Perfectly smooth air, and only some high clouds until I got close to the mountain.
Attachments
It was a Harmon Rocket maintenance weekend for me.
I’ve been reluctant to remove the cowling on my recently acquired Rocket because I was nervous about getting it off and back on without scratching something. The builder (@HFS ) went to great lengths in procedures and specialized protection pieces to prevent scratches and I wanted to do everything in my power to maintain his high standards.
I’ve been flying the wings off of it and it was time for an oil change so I dove into the cowling removal process. I REALLY appreciate the cowling removal and storage device that David created and included with my purchase. There’s NO WAY I could have removed the cowling without a second set of hands.
The oil change itself was very quick and easy. There’s a quick drain valve on the sump and a crazy amount of room to get to the oil filter at the back of the engine! (I’m used to my RV3 where I can drop a washer and it won’t fall through the engine compartment because it’s so tight!) I switched to Phillips XC 20W50 oil for at least the winter months.
I ended up removing the vacuum pump since I no longer have any vacuum instruments after installing a couple of G5s a couple of months ago. My “modified” 7/16” harbor freight wrench needed a bit more modification (grinding) to reach the nut at the 7:30 position. That last nut really is a bugger. I had to fabricate a blanking plate to cover the hole.
I added an EZ Heat brand sump heater. I keep my hangar at a minimum of 50 degrees, but it sure is nice to have the sump heater, too. I have an instant 90+ degree oil temperature at startup with the IO320 and a sump heater. I expect similar results with the IO540.
Part of making the sump heater really effective is covering the engine cowling with some sort of insulating blanket. My Mom is an accomplished seamstress, so I called on her to fabricate a cowling cover. I bought a couple of sleeping bags off Amazon that we’ll cut up to make the covers. She’s going to do a double layer of sleeping bags on the top of the cowling. We made a pattern out of an old bedsheet earlier today and Mom expects to have the cover finished by next weekend.
I had a pretty wide “GAMI spread” in my EGTs so I popped for a set of GAMI injectors. I installed them this weekend. Pretty straightforward. I had an intermittent/dead EGT reading on my #1 cylinder, so I replaced the #1 EGT probe.
I’ll do a run up and leak check tomorrow morning with hopes of putting everything back together by the end of the day tomorrow.
I’ve been reluctant to remove the cowling on my recently acquired Rocket because I was nervous about getting it off and back on without scratching something. The builder (@HFS ) went to great lengths in procedures and specialized protection pieces to prevent scratches and I wanted to do everything in my power to maintain his high standards.
I’ve been flying the wings off of it and it was time for an oil change so I dove into the cowling removal process. I REALLY appreciate the cowling removal and storage device that David created and included with my purchase. There’s NO WAY I could have removed the cowling without a second set of hands.
The oil change itself was very quick and easy. There’s a quick drain valve on the sump and a crazy amount of room to get to the oil filter at the back of the engine! (I’m used to my RV3 where I can drop a washer and it won’t fall through the engine compartment because it’s so tight!) I switched to Phillips XC 20W50 oil for at least the winter months.
I ended up removing the vacuum pump since I no longer have any vacuum instruments after installing a couple of G5s a couple of months ago. My “modified” 7/16” harbor freight wrench needed a bit more modification (grinding) to reach the nut at the 7:30 position. That last nut really is a bugger. I had to fabricate a blanking plate to cover the hole.
I added an EZ Heat brand sump heater. I keep my hangar at a minimum of 50 degrees, but it sure is nice to have the sump heater, too. I have an instant 90+ degree oil temperature at startup with the IO320 and a sump heater. I expect similar results with the IO540.
Part of making the sump heater really effective is covering the engine cowling with some sort of insulating blanket. My Mom is an accomplished seamstress, so I called on her to fabricate a cowling cover. I bought a couple of sleeping bags off Amazon that we’ll cut up to make the covers. She’s going to do a double layer of sleeping bags on the top of the cowling. We made a pattern out of an old bedsheet earlier today and Mom expects to have the cover finished by next weekend.
I had a pretty wide “GAMI spread” in my EGTs so I popped for a set of GAMI injectors. I installed them this weekend. Pretty straightforward. I had an intermittent/dead EGT reading on my #1 cylinder, so I replaced the #1 EGT probe.
I’ll do a run up and leak check tomorrow morning with hopes of putting everything back together by the end of the day tomorrow.
tom_AZ, if we're fighting over scenery, I think you win. Or maybe it's because I haven't seen Sedona scenery at that level from the air (yet), and I see Rainier regularly (when it's clear out).
And you have me beat on years, too. I have three more to go for 41.
Sedona is definitely on my fly-to (magic carpet) list. As is Big Bear.
And you have me beat on years, too. I have three more to go for 41.
Sedona is definitely on my fly-to (magic carpet) list. As is Big Bear.
42 years here. My bride does nice landings in the 9A... Sedona is ten minutes away...
I agree, the least favorite part of owning an RV, or really any airplane, probably. But of course, necessary. I built one so I didn't have to pay someone else to do it. But still, generally speaking, no fun.
Hmmmmmmm.........My airplane has a name: SuzieQ. Gives her a personality she might not otherwise have. We have a relationship: she keeps my butt in the air and safely and it is my part in this relationship to stay current to make sure I am treating her right. She takes me places in a hurry I might not have otherwise gone. She is a gift to me that I happened to have built with my own hands. Flies like a dream. Easier to land than the Cub (don't tell the Cub I said that!). An amazing Magic Carpet that only a few select people in this world are able to partake of. That said, I actually enjoy taking my jewel apart and looking at all those things I put together that keeps me going through the air at a nice 152kts at an easy cruise. She takes care of me; I want to take care of her and laying hands and eyes on all the various mechanisms that make her work is actually, to me, an honor. I actually look forward to her condition inspections. And it is amazing to me that I have an airplane I built and that I have the talent to, once a year or every 100 hours, take apart and look her over........again. And making sure she will continue to be the amazing machine she is. But that's just me......IMHO
Thanks, SuzieQ. Let me look at you in detail today.............
Funny ........ and I agree with all you've stated. I don't necessarily mind the "outside" condition inspection items. I look forward to inspecting under the cowl to ensure everything I assembled is still clean and in good condition, lubricating what needs to be lubricated throughout the plane, and just the general condition-checking of everything. But working inside the cockpit and tailcone, particularly removing the floor and baggage area items, is a chore that I don't enjoy.
Yes, my plane (yet-to-be-named- I typically don't name cars or trucks or motorcycles) always gets a salute when I first slide the hangar door open, and another just before I close it (whether I've flown it or not), because it is a reliable, trustworthy and very fun mode of transportation that deserves my respect and care. I guess I treat it like a living, breathing thing, and give it the respect as such.
Flew commercial Richmond VA to Denver for Thanksgiving in Boulder. Invited myself to two project visits with uber hospital hosts.
Chris skirting_virga is reinstalling the IO-360 AV on his RV-8A after rebuild. His long-term plans include new IP with electronic flatscreens (he has SolidWorks skills and the IP is already laser cut), and potential SDS EFI+I and its it’s required robust electrical power system.
photos.app.goo.gl
David Paule is woking on his RV-3B which is not his first build. Note the fitting on the turtledeck for a third canopy hold-down.
photos.app.goo.gl
David also showed his custom kitchen cabinets with innovative space utilization and convenience features. BTW the folding shelf at the food processors has counterbalance arms for ease of rotation like modern pickup truck tailgates.
docs.google.com
Chris skirting_virga is reinstalling the IO-360 AV on his RV-8A after rebuild. His long-term plans include new IP with electronic flatscreens (he has SolidWorks skills and the IP is already laser cut), and potential SDS EFI+I and its it’s required robust electrical power system.
Airplane Chris "skirting_virga" on VAF KBJC 11/28/2025 · Friday, Nov 28, 2025 📸
Shared album · Tap to view!
photos.app.goo.gl
David Paule is woking on his RV-3B which is not his first build. Note the fitting on the turtledeck for a third canopy hold-down.
Airplane "David Paule" on VAF - Boulder 11/29/2025 · Saturday, Nov 29, 2025 📸
Shared album · Tap to view!
photos.app.goo.gl
David also showed his custom kitchen cabinets with innovative space utilization and convenience features. BTW the folding shelf at the food processors has counterbalance arms for ease of rotation like modern pickup truck tailgates.
Kitchen Design Lessons Learned "David Paule" on VAF
Mentioned by David during project visit 11/29/2025: 27” drawer slides longest available. If you can afford (or build) fully custom cabinets, you’ll have much greater design flexibility than if you had to use standard cabinets or even partially-custom ones. Be aware that building isn’t necessarily...
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What happened to all the snow..............?
Dawn - looking east over Mt. Diablo (just east of San Francisco). If you zoom in on the top of the mountain the “castle” is visible. I flew up the Central Valley on my way to Oregon - the valley was blanketed in a turbulent fog until about Shasta (second pic, a bit north, looking east towards the coastal range) - I imagined this is what the valley must have looked like when it was an inland sea a while ago.
Av8torTom
Well Known Member
Exactly - it's the seat pans, and baggage floor and behind the baggage compartment bulkhead. I'm 6foot2, and it's tough getting into those spaces. Everything else is a breeze.
