TOP STORY

The edge-distance penalty - Part two I A few months ago, I wrote an article for the RV Builder's Hotline after I realized I'd violated the 5/8" edge distance when I mated my airplane's wings and drilled the bolt hole after setting the wing incidence. As the article noted, I replaced the entire rear spar doubler, but decided not to replace the "fork" that extends out of the fuselage of my RV-7A. But something happened and I changed my mind. I couldn't sleep. I thought it would be too much trouble and, possibly, lead to further problems when trying to drill the rivets out of the 705C doubler. However, being careful allowed me to fix one of the worst mistakes you can make building an RV airplane. So I wanted to present the full conclusion to the previous story (More).

Using videos to learn about homebuilt airplane construction techniques
One area that holds tremendous potential -- comparatively unmet -- for learning is video, and there are very few of them available, perhaps for the same reason that there are few audio slideshows on the Web -- they take a long time to put together, and -- I suspect -- that there's a theory that since someone -- in this case George Orndorff -- has already produced a set, there's no reason to produce more. (More)

An insider's view of the Portugal fly-out
When RV builders/pilots Richard and Viv West moved to their new home in the Algarve, Viv flew down in their RV6 G-RVSX to base it at the Portuguese south coast airfield of Alvor for part of the year. Missing the camaraderie of the UK RV squadron, Viv didn't hesitate when Richard asked what she would like for her 60th Birthday. “An RV fly-in” she replied.(More from David Broom)

How to move a project
Ever wonder how you'd get your half-built project across country if you had to move? You might want to ask John Oliveira, an RV-9A builder in upstate New York who moved to California. Sharp wits, good friends, and , oh yeah, plenty of plywood. (EAA 44)

Sun 'n Fun
The weather, we hear, was a bit gusty for RVers heading to Lakeland for Sun n' Fun this week. We've searched out images high and low on the Web and found a few for your to enjoy. Very few messages around with substantive details, however.
Images and More:
Ohio RVers blow into Georgia
Frank Smith's report (VAF)
Bret Smith's images of the new GRT HS-1
Critical reviews (VAF)
Just in! Sun N'Fun Report (Rivetbangers)

RVers to Monument Valley
It all started last year when a couple of RVers decided it would be fun to do a overnight trip to Monument Valley and put out an email on the AZ and Socal RV list to see if anyone else was interested. (More from Tom Velvick )

From the archives
The art of safety wiring
Look most any store-bought airplane over closely and you will probably find at least one screw or some kind of fastener missing from its prop spinner, cowling, or landing gear fairings . . . makes you wonder what else you would see under the cowling. This need not be typical of your aircraft if you take the time to ensure that every assembly you make, initially, is a fail-safe installation. (Tony Bingelis. EAA membership required.)

Visual fuel level indicator
I saw this suggestion in the 25 Years of RVator and here's how I interpreted the idea. One of Van's guys offered the idea of having some kind of visual indicator of fuel level, so when you look in the cap, you'd know about how much each wing has. I guessed at 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4. Not too fine, but, distinguishable when looking in a dark tank. I installed AN470-7 rivets thru the next to last outboard tank rib, gently squeezing them for an interference fit in the holes and then sealed the heads in with Proseal to keep them in place. Anyway, I hope to be able to looking the cap and easily see my fuel level in 1/4 tank increments. (Bud Smith on VAF)

Canopy latch lugs
The plans for the side-by-side tip-up canopies have you clamp the latch lugs into place. If you have the roll-bar installed it is virtually impossible. Here is what I did to install the latch lugs. (More from Jamie D. Painter on VAF)

Wheelpant seam
The builder's manual has you fiddling with sandpaper on a stick and the like to straighten the flanged half of a wheelpant seam. Very tedious. Try this instead. First the nose section half of the seam; no flange so it is easy. Set it on a flat surface, hold a pencil flat to the surface to draw a line around it, then trim back to the line with a big 60 grit rasp block. Tape a sheet of 120 to the table top to finish lap the edge dead straight. (Read more from Dan Horton on VAF)