VAF POSTS & RV NEWS THAT CAUGHT MY EYE.....dr:
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Rotisserie PIREP...HAL Pilot
I mounted the body on 2 harbor freight engine mounts to make a rotisserie. Soooooooo much easier to do tasks. Lost count of how many times it's been on it's side, upside-down back to right side up, some times multiple times a day. Having the tail feathers on would make it really hard. Riveting the big join was way easier this way.
www.vansairforce.net
"Changing the starter ring gear on the flywheel of a Lycoming eng" added to 'The VAF List'...video
Link added to 'The VAF List'
RV-4 #4175 Fastback Conversion
My 4 is down for a bit for a several little projects, like elevator reskinning due to some cracking, adding a light to the tail, possibly electric trim, fiberglass repair due to some less than perfect fits over the years, etc. While it's down, I decided to make it way worse for time and money and do the fastback conversion plus a new paint job. It's not a full build, but it'll make it more my own until I can start building a new kit. I'll be using the Harmon Rocket bulkheads and top skin, and a Rocket canopy. I'll be using Axel's (user AX-O) really good writeup on his fastback build as a reference and stealing a lot of ideas from Dave Paule's RV-3 build log, especially his full fiberglass canopy frame since he lives a few towns over from me and is a wealth of knowledge. I'll try to update whenever I make any real progress or come across something interesting. Might throw in a few WW1 biplane replica photos since I'm bumming some hangar space from the Vintage Aero Flying Museum that I do a lot of work at to avoid having to buy a lot of extra tools and such.
Here's the current winning paint scheme for my own motivation since I was bored waiting for tools and parts to show up before I could really get to work and have just been photoshopping in the meantime:
www.vansairforce.net
Garmin G3X Touch Software v9.32 Now Available
This release includes a few maintenance updates we have made to the display that will improve TIS-B Traffic performance to address a few problems that have been reported over the past few months. We appreciate your patience and effort in assisting us with the resolution for this problem. This software update also includes a maintenance update for GSA 28 autopilot servos that resolves a failure mode we characterized in-house which caused the autopilot to fail to engage upon pilot command in certain circumstances.
vansairforce.net
Cowl Update ...PaulvS
Thanks Steve and Mike for the clarification, that order worked out well. It took longer than expected (!) to sand all of the edges straight for the top and bottom to fit together properly.
www.vansairforce.net
Shawn's -4 re-build
To wrap up some of the previous posts....
Static ports are done
Rudder pedals are reinstalled (waiting on a few pieces of hardware )
Master brake cylinder is plumbed on inlet side. I replaced the plastic plumbing fittings with some hydraulic fittings. When the shop made my lines up, they put those fittings on so I had to change over. I like them much better though. You can see them in one of the photos. Local shop so nice.
I assembled the FlyLED's control module for the Strobe/Nav lights. I will give them a kudos. Nice PC board to work with. Well documented kit. Good support.
I decided to take the advice and sentiment expressed in previous posts and ditched the little rocker switches for more robust toggle switches. Thanks for the input there.
Tail-Lift Update ...Pmerems
Sorry for the long delay in releasing information on the Tail-Lift development. I am pleased to let you know that the Tail-Lift prototype has completed testing and is ready to go into production.
The new design has several design improvements over the older Tail-Mate™ offered years ago. These include:
vansairforce.net
Sticking valves?
I have what appears to be sticking exhaust valves on my freshly overhauled IO 360 A1B engine mounted in my RV7. This is an older engine that doesn’t have the counterweighted crankshaft.
Currently I have about 84 hours on the engine SMOH. The cylinders are reconditioned, steel nitride, .010 over, and were provided with new valves, seats, springs, pistons, pins, and rings. Break-in seemed normal and CHTs never got anywhere near out of hand – the highest I saw was #3 @ 375° which dropped down quickly within the first hour. My baffling and cooling works very well. I’ve never seen CHT‘s go over 360° in an aggressive climb on a hot day here in Texas and normal cruise will show a CHT spread from 320° to 345°.
vansairforce.net
OFF TOPIC:
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Rotisserie PIREP...HAL Pilot
I mounted the body on 2 harbor freight engine mounts to make a rotisserie. Soooooooo much easier to do tasks. Lost count of how many times it's been on it's side, upside-down back to right side up, some times multiple times a day. Having the tail feathers on would make it really hard. Riveting the big join was way easier this way.
I've "finished" the empennage - attach control surfaces now or wait?
I've finished all I can with my empennage. The only thing left is the empennage fairing which I can't work on because it's included in the Finish kit which I don't have yet. I have the horizontal stabilizer and elevators temporarily attached to the rear fuselage (hardware isn't torqued). I'm...
www.vansairforce.net
"Changing the starter ring gear on the flywheel of a Lycoming eng" added to 'The VAF List'...video
Link added to 'The VAF List'
RV-4 #4175 Fastback Conversion
My 4 is down for a bit for a several little projects, like elevator reskinning due to some cracking, adding a light to the tail, possibly electric trim, fiberglass repair due to some less than perfect fits over the years, etc. While it's down, I decided to make it way worse for time and money and do the fastback conversion plus a new paint job. It's not a full build, but it'll make it more my own until I can start building a new kit. I'll be using the Harmon Rocket bulkheads and top skin, and a Rocket canopy. I'll be using Axel's (user AX-O) really good writeup on his fastback build as a reference and stealing a lot of ideas from Dave Paule's RV-3 build log, especially his full fiberglass canopy frame since he lives a few towns over from me and is a wealth of knowledge. I'll try to update whenever I make any real progress or come across something interesting. Might throw in a few WW1 biplane replica photos since I'm bumming some hangar space from the Vintage Aero Flying Museum that I do a lot of work at to avoid having to buy a lot of extra tools and such.
Here's the current winning paint scheme for my own motivation since I was bored waiting for tools and parts to show up before I could really get to work and have just been photoshopping in the meantime:
RV-4 #4175 Fastback Conversion
My 4 is down for a bit for a several little projects, like elevator reskinning due to some cracking, adding a light to the tail, possibly electric trim, fiberglass repair due to some less than perfect fits over the years, etc. While it's down, I decided to make it way worse for time and money...
www.vansairforce.net
Garmin G3X Touch Software v9.32 Now Available
This release includes a few maintenance updates we have made to the display that will improve TIS-B Traffic performance to address a few problems that have been reported over the past few months. We appreciate your patience and effort in assisting us with the resolution for this problem. This software update also includes a maintenance update for GSA 28 autopilot servos that resolves a failure mode we characterized in-house which caused the autopilot to fail to engage upon pilot command in certain circumstances.
Garmin G3X Touch Software v9.32 Now Available (2/6/2024)
Greetings VAF! We released G3X Touch Version 9.32 to the Software Download Area today. This release includes a few maintenance updates we have made to the display that will improve TIS-B Traffic performance to address a few problems that have been reported over the past few months. We...
vansairforce.net
Cowl Update ...PaulvS
Thanks Steve and Mike for the clarification, that order worked out well. It took longer than expected (!) to sand all of the edges straight for the top and bottom to fit together properly.
Cowl fitting question (RV 6/7/9 engine cowl)
The question is: when in the cowl fitting sequence to cut off the rebate along the side edges of the lower cowl where the upper cowl overlaps and where the piano hinge attaches. (It is unclear why the rebate is molded in, unless it is to help during fitting.) There isn't any mention of the...
www.vansairforce.net
Shawn's -4 re-build
To wrap up some of the previous posts....
Static ports are done
Rudder pedals are reinstalled (waiting on a few pieces of hardware )
Master brake cylinder is plumbed on inlet side. I replaced the plastic plumbing fittings with some hydraulic fittings. When the shop made my lines up, they put those fittings on so I had to change over. I like them much better though. You can see them in one of the photos. Local shop so nice.
I assembled the FlyLED's control module for the Strobe/Nav lights. I will give them a kudos. Nice PC board to work with. Well documented kit. Good support.
I decided to take the advice and sentiment expressed in previous posts and ditched the little rocker switches for more robust toggle switches. Thanks for the input there.
Tail-Lift Update ...Pmerems
Sorry for the long delay in releasing information on the Tail-Lift development. I am pleased to let you know that the Tail-Lift prototype has completed testing and is ready to go into production.
The new design has several design improvements over the older Tail-Mate™ offered years ago. These include:
Tail Wheel Buidlers/Owners-I need your input
I have been asked to consider the designing and manufacturing of a new Tail Wheel Lift for a prominent aircraft accessory company. Some years ago, a product known as the Tail-Mate was manufactured and sold, but it is no longer available. Given that I am currently involved in the production of...
vansairforce.net
Sticking valves?
I have what appears to be sticking exhaust valves on my freshly overhauled IO 360 A1B engine mounted in my RV7. This is an older engine that doesn’t have the counterweighted crankshaft.
Currently I have about 84 hours on the engine SMOH. The cylinders are reconditioned, steel nitride, .010 over, and were provided with new valves, seats, springs, pistons, pins, and rings. Break-in seemed normal and CHTs never got anywhere near out of hand – the highest I saw was #3 @ 375° which dropped down quickly within the first hour. My baffling and cooling works very well. I’ve never seen CHT‘s go over 360° in an aggressive climb on a hot day here in Texas and normal cruise will show a CHT spread from 320° to 345°.
Sticking valves?
I have what appears to be sticking exhaust valves on my freshly overhauled IO 360 A1B engine mounted in my RV7. This is an older engine that doesn’t have the counterweighted crankshaft. Currently I have about 84 hours on the engine SMOH. The cylinders are reconditioned, steel nitride, .010...
vansairforce.net
OFF TOPIC:
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