| Hot
threads online |
|
Manual elevator trim
Ever wanted to get rid of the big black plastic knob? (VAF) |
|
Toggle
switches with Fast-on tabs
Bob Nuckolls "lays out all the simple ideas behind
the design
fabrication and operation of a toggle switch fitted
with fast-on tabs for the purpose of discovering a failure
mode
and deducing a remedy." (AeroElectric List) |
|
Deburring
wing ribs
Those stupid little tabs in the nose! (VAF) |
|
Fuel pump
Does your RV really need one? (VAF) |
|
Battery box lightening holes
A regular hole saw will work fine, but there's a few minor tricks to getting it done right. (VAF) |
|
Opening a sliding canopy from outside
What builders do to make it easier. (VAF) |
|
Pattern configuration for RV-7A
A builder is writing his POH and would like some base numbers to start with regarding numbers in the pattern. (VAF) |
|
Deburring canopy
I think you're risking problems if you try to do this on the cheap. But that's just me. (VAF) |
|
Fly cutter
Tips for using it correctly. Hint: Speed. (VAF) |
|
RV-10
nose gear intersection fairing
Has anyone designed / built an intersecting nose gear
fairing that transitions from the lower cowl to the
nose gear? (RV-10 List) |
|
Tip-up
construction sequence
Cut, sand, fit, sand, cut, kick the dog, sand, cut,
fit, bend, go for a walk. OK, it's not exactly like
that.... (VAF) |
|
Fuel tank rivet leak
Hopefully, you won't need to know how to fix a leaking fuel tank. (VAF) |
|
MT vs. Hartzell
A prop comparison. (VAF) |
|
PMag
problem
A long thread with a happy ending (VAF) |
|
Fuel
selector plate
Sources for a nicer-looking fuel selector valve plate
(RV YGroup) |
|
Audio
files on on the AF3500
Can the audio files be edited? (AFS) |
|
| SERVICE
BULLETINS |
Mandatory
inspections on all Slick 4200/6200/4300/6300 and LASAR™
4700/6700
magnetos
Field reports indicate operators have experienced
premature carbon brush wear. Premature brush wear
can lead to failure of the magneto to provide consistent
spark and possible loss of engine power. This bulletin
describes an inspection schedule for specific serial
number ranges and magneto and brush operating times
due to observed variations in premature wear rates.
(See
the service bulletin)
Related thread:
Customers
aren't happy with the money involved. (VAF) |
|
|
|
FEATURED STORY |
The
Jedi Guide to Building an RV
 The
longer I build my RV -- and at 7 years and counting, I
am building my RV longer -- the more I marvel at the people
who built RVs before me, especially those who did so without
prepunched kits, Web sites, or electrical power. These
are the masters of Planet RV. Fortunately, we are equipped
to use their wisdom. Nervous about building? You will
be, young RV knight. But the force is strong with you,
and the advice is abundant with our teachers. (More) |
Flushing
in the cockpit
 I
wanted the map box in my panel to have a flush door, so that it
will not protrude from the instrument panel itself. The following
implements this idea in a way which is simple, requires no extra
support for the door in the open position, and looks nice. The
latch I used is also quite nifty and pretty cheap (did I say nothing
protrudes?). Read the entire directions carefully before cutting
any metal (More
from Amit Dagan)
Saddling
up the ponies
 I’m
now 2 yrs 3 mo and about 750 MH into the RV-9A project. It took
3 yrs 2 mo 2 wks and 1900 MH to build my Long-EZ. I originally
hoped to complete the QB RV project
in around 2 yrs….. but then, I hadn’t yet taken the schedule and
budget times Pi divided by 2!! (Mike
Rhodes in EAA 902 newsletter)
RV-12 fuselage
kits to ship next week
 According
to an update posted on the Van's Aircraft Web site, "We are
scheduled to crate the first Fuselage kits October 1st, and begin
shipping two or three days later. So far about 110 are on order.
Empennage kits are nearing completion and should begin shipping
in late November, as soon as the backlog of Fuselage Kits is cleared."
(More)
RV
Day tripping
Singing the blues with an RV-6
 "As
neither Rick or I could conjure up a destination for the day,
I took the simple expedient of using AirNav.com to find the cheapest
gas that was at least 75 miles away. That turned out to be Ashland
County (KDWU),
Kentucky. The AirNav comments were all very favorable, and we
figured the worst case is that I'd buy some gas and we could fly
back up north for lunch at Portsmouth." (Papa
Golf Chronicles | Video)
Related links:
Pix:
Trip to Burning Man (Paul Eastham)
Write-up:
Georgia to Pennsylvania (VAF)
Pix: North
Weald fly-in photos (RVUK)
What does affordable flying mean to you?
Take my RV-10. Sure, building it has been a drain on the checkbook in a steady, significant way over the past four years, but until that engine fired up and the aircraft took to the air those costs were predictable. Then we got the first fuel bills had to replace the electrical components that did not work and a tire. And — well, you know where I am going with this. (Amy Laboda on AvWeb)
Related link:
How
do you afford to fly? (VAF)
New
tour times at Van's
In an effort to better man the tech-help phone lines and serve
a customer base that spans all the time zones on the planet, we
are now offering tours/demo rides at specific times twice a day.
We will have two tour slots per day. There will be a morning tour
at 9:00 a.m. and an afternoon tour at 2 p.m. Other times may be
available by appointment but if it is at all possible, we'd ask
prospective tourers to show up at the scheduled times. We cannot
offer tours after 3:00 p.m. or on weekends. Customers who arrive
after the scheduled times may join a tour in progress, or plan
to join us for a later tour. Thank you very much for your cooperation.
It will allow our tour guides/demo pilots to address their other
responsibilities without interruption and result in better service
all around.
|
| EVENTS |
| FIBERGLASS:
October 11, 2008. 9-3. Tips, tricks, tools, fillers,
inspection and repair. Sponsored by EAA Chapter 32
(St. Louis). More....
LAND
OF ENCHANTMENT: 10/10-10/12. Fly-in, dinner,
raffle., etc. $35 (Details)
LSA
Forum - Lawrence, Massachusetts. Oct. 4.
Includes first RV-12 built from a kit.
FunPlacesToFly.Com
|
| |
|
| ACCIDENT REPORTS |
| No
new incidents have been reported, nor probable cause
reports released in the last two weeks. |
|
| OTHER
NEWS/NOTES |
Touching
down in Cowra
An RVer is national counselor for Australia's Sport
Aircraft Association. (Cowra Guardian)
Changes
to the 51% rule
Only a few more days to comment on the proposed
changes (Van's)
The
'why' of homebuilt aircraft
There are few stories more compelling than the thousands
of individual people who have triumphed over a number
of obstacles to finally build and fly their own
aircraft. Here's a video that was just posted on
Friday. (ANN)
JAR
to EASA
The U.S. isn't the only place where pilot certification
and categories have been changing (Light Aircraft
Association)
"No
airline would ever hire me"
Not RV specific, but since 'perseverance' comes
up often in matters of airplane building, I thought
this is a valuable read. (AOPA)
Oshkosh
video
Winter is coming and we'll need another shot of
Oshkosh to get us through. An occasional glimpse
of an RV or two in this GE-produced video. (GE)
Whatever
happened to that canopy fairing?
Have you ever gotten a part or component almost
done and then heard of a better way of doing the
thing? Yeah, me too. (Letters From Flyover Country)
Pancake
breakfast draws crowd, conversation
RVer
Steve Thompson featured in this SD newspaper. (Tea
Champion)
Miss
September
Profile of Jerry Farrell's RV-8 (EAA Chapter 25)
|
|
|
|
Paint-booth
extractor fan
 An
interesting thread on VAF this week, ostensibly about extractor
fans, got me interested in some of the paint booths that people
have set up. Certainly better than my surround-the-part-with-a-cardboard-box
system. (Thread
on VAF)
Aircraft
fire extinguisher system
 I
decided to install an engine fire suppression system in my RV-7A
after reading an article about fire extinguishers in the August
2008 issue of Kitplanes. I was also inspired by another RV builder
who kindly shared his ideas with me. Lots of hot-rod car builders
put these engine compartment systems in their cars, but interestingly,
not a lot of homebuilders put these systems in their planes. Fortunately,
it appears the likelihood of an in-flight engine fire is very
low, though I've never seen any statistics on it. Perhaps this
is the reason we don't see many of these systems in small piston
powered aircraft? (Thread
on VAF)
Nose
cowl landing lights
 I
did not want my taxi light to be in a wingtip, because of the
limited lighting pattern, so a cowl mount had to be designed.
The landing lights will be mounted in the wingtips. These two
criteria were met. I used MR-16 71 watt bulbs. The taxi light
in the nose has a 25 degree pattern, and the two landing lights
are 15 degree. The angle of the bulbs are adjustable, the wingtips
with screws and springs, and the nose with washers. I use .125"
plexi bought from Home Depot to make the light covers. These were
shaped carefully using a heat gun over the fiberglass parts before
cutting the fiberglass. Doublers were made, shaped, and riveted
to hold the plexi lenses. (Thread
on VAF)
|
|
|
PICTURE
OF THE WEEK
 |
"Ex
Harrier pilot Andy Hill and Warbird display pilot
Alister Kay's precision handling makes the photographers
job an easy one," the cutline on UKer Andy Hill's
Web site. Somehow I think the photographer had a little
something to do with this fine pictures. (See
more).
|
|
|
