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TOP STORY |
Papa Golf gets some gear leg fairings
Dave Gamble runs one of my favorite blogs, the PapaGolf Chronicles. He's taken us on some cool video tours and now that it's winter, he's doing some handy work on his steed. "I've been flying around with the new wheel fairings for a few months now and actually have myself 90% convinced that they aren't going to fall off or in some way run afoul of the rotating bits down there, so I finally started changing out the old aluminum leg fairings for new fiberglass fairings. This also entails replacing the old upper intersection fairings with new, and adding lower leg fairings where none had existed previously." (Read about installation| Followup)
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Direct 2 Avionics closes
 The distributor that handled the experimental version of the Chelton avionics has closed. That's left some people wondering what's happened to the money that they sent for systems. Avionics shops had forwarded it with the equipment orders. Certainly developing. (RV-10 List)
Related thread:
Analysis (RV-10 List)
More chatter (VAF)
Fuselage question answered
 Van's has posted an update on their construction FAQ page. The update clarifies the rivets on the F-704 and F-776 (or 904 & 906) overlaps. A second clarification pertains to the intersection of floor stiffeners. (See PDF)
Superior recalls engines
 Superior Air Parts is expanding the number of cylinder assemblies that are recalled by Service Bulleting B06-01 from approximately 324 to 1368. The cylinder part numbers affected, and therefore the engines they are installed upon, has also expanded. (More)
Changes at Sun 'n' Fun
 Some RVers aren't too thrilled with the idea, but Sun 'N Fun is changing its rules this year to allow all ticketholders to walk the flight line. Several RVers say that practice at Oshkosh has caused damage to their planes. (The Ledger)
Related Links:
RV List: Haven't they learned?
Sun-n-Fun Web site
A PVC paint booth
 When it's slow at work -- not often enough -- I like to peruse the EAA Chapter 105 Web site and, in particular, leaf through the old newsletters from before the Van's Home wing and the chapter merged. Lots of good information there that is, at least so far, timeless, like this article on a PVC paint booth. It's always nice to see that not all RVators have a bottomless pit of cash. (More)
| Happy New Year to everyone and thanks for subscribing and sending links and information. I'm not sure, yet, about whether there'll be enough RV news next week to warrant an issue. If there is, you'll find it in your inbox. - Bob Collins. |
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CALENDAR
December 31 - January 6 |
| AZ: Jan. 1- Laughlin, AZ. KIFP. SoCal fly-in. (More)
TX: Lake Whitney camp-out. January 5. (More)
CA: Upland Cable Air Show. 1/6-7. (More)
GA: Jan. 6. Lawrenceville. EAA 690 program, "Owner maintenance: What you need to know." (More)
NV: Reno. Jan. 8. ASF seminar, "Radio communications in today's airspace." (More)
FunPlacesToFly.com
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| GOOD ENOUGH? |
| It's true that we'd rather hear "build on!" than "do it again." But I've found over the course of this project that "build on" doesn't make the little voice in my head that says "do it again" go away.
Some things are just too important to ignore that voice. And quite often, you could just kick that voice's rear. (Editor's page) |
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| FLYING STORIES |
| "The toughest thing on a flight like this alone is to keep from getting bored! If it was a little shorter, I'd allow myself the occasional detour to look at stuff, and the odd aileron roll to stay awake, but when I am already looking at a 6.5 hour day, I kinda just want to get there as quick as I can! Th XM radio sure helps to give some variety, and I always enjoy listening to Flight Watch. I have noticed that more people people must be using onboard weather, cause there are fewer people calling to ask FOR weather, and more just calling to give PIREPS." (Paul Dye on VAF) |
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BUILDER QUICK Q & A & TIPS |
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Skin dimpling made easier
 Sometimes you could sure use a third set of hands when dimpling skins. Out of necessity, I discovered a much easier way to keep the skins perfectly flat while dimpling. Here are a couple of pics of my RV-8 fuel tanks under construction. You know how difficult it is to bend the skins out of the way of the hammer blows when dimpling holes closest to the skin's leading edge. I originally bought several 25# shot bags to lower the tail on my 6A when working on the nose tire or anytime it is convenient to raise the nose when working under the engine. Works great. http://www.vansairforce.com/communi...read.php?t=2105 These pics illustrate how easy it is to lay a couple of those same lead shot bags on the fuel tank skin firmly holding it in place, in effect, a third set of hands. This first pic shows the natural curve of the fuel tank skin just laying atop the dimpler without any weight on it. The second shot shows how flat it becomes with 50 pounds of weight placed on it. The last shot shows the dimpler over the hardest to reach forward most hole on the fuel tank skin, held flat and accessable totally by the strategic placement of weight of the shot bags. By visually sighting the male dimple protruding through a hole also reduces the chance of accidentally generating a double dimple too. (Rick Galati on VAF)
Fuel injection line run
 The RV List this week had a thread on running the fuel line injection system, and the responses provided some good information. One of them is excerpted here since it was also accompanied by some helpful pictures from Jim Nelson. You can read the entire thread here.
ARCHIVES |
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a list of previous RV Builder Hotlines organized by date and
subject. (Go) |
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PICTURE
OF THE WEEK
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Peter Fruehling of St. Paul published this on Rivetbangers. It's over Madison, Wisconsin. Here's the thing with me these days. My first reaction was "gee, that's beautiful.... oh and the sky is pretty cool too." |
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