When is a Quickbuild not so quick??

[WenEng]

I am working on my RV-6A quickbuild fuselage. There have been quality control issues I stumbled on last fall with F-657 gussets installed backwards. That caused extra holes in the wrong place on the F-605 bulkhead top that thankfully did not interfere with the roll bar AN3 attach bolt holes that will be drilled soon. Vans sent new ones. Fixed it and moved on. Fine. I'm now at the front end and things didn't look right. I didn't have that little "bump out" at the top of the firewall. Why not? Anyone see why not in the 2nd photo? Answer: The F-646 ribs are installed upside down and flanges point inward instead of outward. Notice the 90 degree sub-panel. No tilt. Guess what I get to do. Drill out 36 rivets, hope to salvage the sub panel, make new sub panel attach angles with the proper degrees of tilt, etc. I suppose there aren't too many 6A quickbuild fuselages left but I thought it was a good time to remind any builder that just because you have a quickbuild doesn't mean it was built right and its up to you to know what's wrong. Kind of a bizarre dilemma for new builders, eh?

 

[Jerry Cochran]

If it came that way from Van's why not just ask for a swap ? One would think/hope they would want to protect their brand...

Are you SURE it's a QB? Any paperwork, serial # etc.?

 

[WenEng]

That was funny. Made my day. It's quick build ...

I would accept replacement ribs and subpanel blank. I'm almost done with the fuselage. I already drillled out the subpanel and ribs. My point is builders must be aware of and verify all plan compliances even with quick build. I'll tell vans I want a replacement fuselage. Let you know what they said

 

[BillSchlatterer]

Quick build differences

My 7a QB did not come with the ribs or sub panel installed. Just curious, did yours come that way from vans or from another previous builder ?

Bill S
7a Got the Grin
90 hours on the meter

 

[WenEng]

Yea, the RV7 production was more stable than RV6s

Van's was very accommodating about this situation. This was a 2006 RV-6A quickbuild fuselage with the RV-7 firewall. (towards the end of RV6 production). The RV7 was in full production in the Phillipines so its possible the expertise there on the RV-6 was gone. It definitely came with the sub panel fully riveted on the pilot side longeron, pop riveted on the co pilot side. Both F646 forward fuselage ribs were installed (upside down and facing wrong way). Go figure.... Bad stuff is out now and waiting for the replacements to arrive. I suppose its possible this quickbuild was new to me but not new to Vans. We'll never know and frankly I don't care. I'm getting closer to the end now and this was just a couple more tasks to accomplish.

 

[Scott Hersha]

I had a QB RV6 too and it had quality issues. I think they are better at it now, so the -7 is probably much better. Good advise though. Check and measure everything. You are the builder. My second airplane was an -8 and I did it the slow build way. Took me 2 months to get the fuse to the QB stage and I saved $5K...

 

[dstafford]

Another RV6 QB quality issue to consider

Wendell,

I have a RV6 QB from the 2000 time frame. I too found the sub panel installed backwards.

Also, something you might check is the alignment of the rear bulkheads. On mine both rear bulkheads were tilted about a 1/4 inch as measured top to bottom. I considered rework but all the holes in the skin would then be in the wrong place. So I made some tapered shims for the mounting points that adjusted for the misaligned bulkheads. Very frustrating then, but the plane flies wonderful now.

Dave

 

[WenEng]

Thank you Dave..

Sorry to hear about your fuselage issues, but in a way its gratifying to know that it wasn't just my quickbuild with issues. As frustrating as it is, I have no problems taking out bad stuff and redoing it. I have also learned after a couple years experience that there isn't anything about the RV-6A build that actually bothers me. I can still recall when I was too afraid to start for fear of making a mistake. And, I get satisfaction actually making forming blocks and shaping parts and marking rivet lines from underneath to lay out rivet spacings, and working with less than perfect drawings. Can't wait to get it in the air. I will double check those bulkheads for misalignment. Thanks.