Miscellaneous information

 Torque, tool sizes

Notes

nickel carbide cylinders

change oil after 5 hours, 25-30 hours, 35 hours, then every 50. Ignore oil sample testing first 2 or 3 times.  Stay with straight mineral oil until at least 50 hours (or until oil consumption stabilizes)

Phone contacts

EAA: (800) 564-6322 (membership); Sport Pilot hotline (Joe Norris) (877) 359-1232

Washington FSDO: (703) 661-8160 x245 (Ramon Smeltz)

Falcon insurance (Ladd Gardner): (866) 647-4322

Richard Gardiner (lawyer): (703) 352-7276

Avionics Systems (703) 669-2669

Shipping.  Tony Partain (800)774-0828/(541)330-0828, tpartain@bendcable.com ships the QB uncrated, point to point, driver +1 to my address in Virginia for $2,413. When kit is ready and paid for, Vans releases it, then about 2 weeks to arrive.

Insurance.  For a similar RV7 with $100K hull value, I was quoted $2,300 by Falcon insurance (100K hull, 0 deduct, 1M liability, 100K pax, 10K). 25 hrs tailwheel, RV signoff. Doesn’t care if Mattituck or Lycoming.

Training

EAA ref transition training (877) 359-1232 (Joe Norris): RV7 tng in Goldsboro, NC: Alan Ham (919) 689-2737; RV6 tng in Davidson, NC: Ron Archer (704) 947-2638; RV6 tng in NJ: Armand Turillo (908) 722-2778

Required equipment

For VFR flight during the day, the following instruments and equipment are required:
(1) Airspeed indicator.
(2) Altimeter.
(3) Magnetic direction indicator.
(4) Tachometer for each engine.
(5) Oil pressure gauge for each engine using pressure system.
(6) Temperature gauge for each liquid-cooled engine.
(7) Oil temperature gauge for each air-cooled engine.
(8) Manifold pressure gauge for each altitude engine.
(9) Fuel gauge indicating the quantity of fuel in each tank.

(10) An approved aviation red or aviation white anticollision light system

(11) Approved safety belt with an approved metal-to-metal latching device for each occupant, approved shoulder harness for each front seat

(12) An emergency locator transmitter

For VFR flight at night, the following instruments and equipment are required:
(1) Approved position lights.
(2) An approved aviation red or aviation white anticollision light system on all U.S.-registered civil aircraft.
(3) If the aircraft is operated for hire, one electric landing light.
(4) An adequate source of electrical energy for all installed electrical and radio equipment.
(5) One spare set of fuses, or three spare fuses of each kind required, that are accessible to the pilot in flight.

For IFR flight, the following instruments and equipment are required:
(1) Instruments and equipment specified in paragraph (b) of this section, and, for night flight, instruments and equipment specified in paragraph (c) of this section.
(2) Two-way radio communications system and navigational equipment appropriate to the ground facilities to be used.
(3) Gyroscopic rate-of-turn indicator.
(4) Slip-skid indicator.
(5) Sensitive altimeter adjustable for barometric pressure.
(6) A clock displaying hours, minutes, and seconds with a sweep-second pointer or digital presentation.
(7) Generator or alternator of adequate capacity.
(8) Gyroscopic pitch and bank indicator (artificial horizon).
(9) Gyroscopic direction indicator (directional gyro or equivalent).

Tools

Since most builders have probably never worked with aluminum, the average person starts with the manual and intellectual building skills they have accumulated over a lifetime of miscellaneous projects.  I've made and built a lot of things, so I figured I could manage.  I have, but I've picked up some pointers I'd like to share.

Safety (first)

Pneumatic squeezer:  Always disconnect the hose from the squeezer when adjusting the set holder or changing yokes.  When about to use the tool, stop a second and make sure your digits are not or will not be in the way; visualize the compression stroke and make sure you are not in the way.  This tool develops 3,000psi of pressure, which will crush any organic structure on earth.  One of my first acts was to pinch the skin on my right index finger.  I was very lucky; three weeks later it's almost healed up.

Eyes: I wear eyeglasses, so there's a barrier in place at all times.  If you don't, get some eye protection and wear it.  Grinders, which you will use a lot, throw millions of specs of metal in your direction.  The bandsaw, an indispensable tool for trimming pieces like stiffeners, can fling a sharp little chunk of aluminum right into your face.

Cleco clamps: When removing them, make sure they are fully closed before you take them off the pliers.

Tools

Where to buy?  Cleaveland Aircraft Tools has the best price and a great setup.  I highly recommend dropping the hand squeezer and adding the pneumatic squeezer.  Also, get the 4" and longeron yokes right off the bat.  You will use them from the beginning.  Finally, Cleaveland has a bunch of little videos on how to use the tools.  You likely will look at every one.

Must-haves:

• Cordless drill.  You will use this tool more than any other, at least during the empennage building phase.  Home Depot sells a cheap Makita model with an extra battery for way under $100 that is perfect.  

• Pneumatic squeezer.  It will save you from carpal tunnel syndrome and allow you to work much faster.  The longeron yoke is simply indispensable; the 4" yoke is really nice to have.

• Bench grinder.  A simple and perfect one goes for $39 at Home Depot.

• Band saw.  Again, at Home Depot you get one for $99.  It comes with a 6 tooth-per-inch blade, which is perfect for our applications.  I can't even imagine what it would be like making cuts with a hacksaw instead.

• Fluorescent lighting.  Home Depot has two-bulb units for $8 a piece.  You need good lighting.

• Two 4'x3' pieces of old carpeting.  Saves skins from getting scratched up during construction.  Aluminum will scratch by being looked at...

• Two 2'x5' tables.  Print out these plans and build these two tables.  I am 6'3" and cut the legs to 36" instead of the plan's 33"; more comfortable, and did not change the material list.  Just cut 2x4s numbers 1 through 8 with 36" pieces.

Techniques

Deburring edges of aluminum:  Run the piece on the bench grinder's Scotchbrite wheel once with the edge perpendicular to the wheel.  Then, put the piece on a table and run the 2" Scotchbrite on the air drill over the edge.  Get the wheel set up like this and you'll be able to make it in one pass.

Back riveting: Unless you had the back riveting plate ground to a mirror finish, the plate that came with your tool kit likely is covered with a myriad fine groove that will transfer to the skins when you back rivet the stiffeners.  A simple solution is to place an 8.5x11 sheet of paper on the plate.

Decisions

Why?  "Vans ninatedeltalfa" is my next ride. Why?!?  I've got time, coordinated hands, could always use more tools, 170kts is way better than the Archer's 120, and tailwheel is a challenge.  I ordered the RV7 kit January 16th, 2006 and the empennage arrived January 23rd, 2006.  I opted for the quickbuild fuselage and wings because I want to fly, not spend the rest of my life in the shop.

Why 98DA?  "Vans ninatedeltalfa" rolls off my tongue (you try it!), especially after first contact when it becomes "vanzatedeltalfa".

Time.  Like anyone thinking about building an experimental airplane, my first thought was "how long will this take?"  I'm still wondering about that.  I am counting shop hours only, not time spent online, calling resources, reading the builder's book, etc...  Being retired and able to devote my full attention to this project, I am using 12 months as a planning timeline.  I am finding that four 8 to 9 hour days is about all I can take physically.  The day off gives me time for running the household, flying my Archer, and doing research.

Engine

Size.  I decided on a 180hp engine because 200hp was much more money for not much more cruise speed.  I couldn't see any reason to go with a 160hp mill.

Builder.  Vans' factory Lycoming came in at more than $4,000 more than most clone builders.  So, I gave Mattituck, Penn Yan, and others a look.  I decided on Mattituck because of their relative vicinity to Virginia and outstanding reputation.

Carbureted or injected?  The word is that injected engines are a little more efficient with fuel, meaning that you'll get a little more power from an injected engine for the same amount of fuel; also, you can fly inverted.  On the other hand, injection is a more complicated system which costs more to maintain and repair, and hot starts can be a real pain in the ass.  I opted for simplicity and went carbed.

Fixed pitch prop or constant speed?  Constant speed props will give you better climb and better economy at cruise.  Neither will make up for the considerable price premium over fixed pitch, and the governor is a system that can fail.  However, I am interested in the climb and descent capabilities, so I'm going constant speed.

Avionics and accessories.  I will have someone build my panel for me because it's a savings in time.  I plan to go with a conventional sixpack, vacuum attitude indicator and directional gyro for the primary instruments.  Engine, fuel, and electrical gauges will likely be conventional needle types.  I'd like an approach-certified GPS setup, perhaps a KLN94, teamed up with a single nav/com, but then I'd also like to work in ADS-B.

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