What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Show us the status of your 7/7A project!

Baffling work is not much fun.
Next up is fitting the snorkel.


btw...I reserved an N number last week. N789YZ Nothin special; I just wanted it to sound good and be easy to say.

Ryan

Good news Ryan, once the baffles are done it's pretty much all downhill from there man! Last major job at first glance is attaching your windscreen. Keep it up dude.
 
Back from the paint shop and everything assembled. Now the final inspection and Weight and Balance.

http://ph-mnx.nl/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2021/10/PH-MNX.jpg

Unbelievable
icon14.gif


I just had to repost the photo for all.

Is that a full feathering prop :eek:

PH-MNX.jpg
 
Unbelievable
icon14.gif


I just had to repost the photo for all.

Is that a full feathering prop :eek:

PH-MNX.jpg
Yes it's an Airmaster AP533CTF-SNR67JE, which works very well with the ULPower 520iSA.
It has an electrical governor and can be set to feather. I think there is also one which allows reverse.
 
That's a really nice looking paint job. Where did you get it done?
The design was done together with Plane Schemer. The paint job was done here in the Netherlands close to Teuge airport (EHTE), by the Boonzaayer brothers. The normally do trucks and tractors, this was their first airplane.
 
The design was done together with Plane Schemer. The paint job was done here in the Netherlands close to Teuge airport (EHTE), by the Boonzaayer brothers. The normally do trucks and tractors, this was their first airplane.

just gorgeous! Beautiful scheme.
 
Prop on!

This is one of the more satisfying milestones!

December 1st will mark 4.5 years from the day I started this project.

Very Thankful!

Ryan
 

Attachments

  • 20211125_182117 Prop on.jpg
    20211125_182117 Prop on.jpg
    304 KB · Views: 211
Very nice Ryan! We are about at the same point, I just finished getting my cowl interior and exterior painted and matched to the plenum. As you know it's a ton of sanding and more sanding!

Cowl is on! by Dave Hock, on Flickr
 
Spinner almost done!

That's beautiful work Dave!

Here's a pic of my -7 striking a similar pose.

It took me nearly all day yesterday to final fit the spinner, but I'm happy with it. Just need to make those small pieces that go on the back side of the prop.

Ryan
 

Attachments

  • 20211127_123317 Spinner.jpg
    20211127_123317 Spinner.jpg
    314.2 KB · Views: 232
Hartzell spinner question

Ryan,

Your cowl and spinner look great. I have a (possibly dumb) question about the spinner.

The cutouts in the spinner for the blades appear to be very tight to the contour of the blade. What is the range of motion for the twist of the blade and is there sufficient clearance in the cutout for that range? It doesn't look like there's a lot of room for movement.

-Ted
 
Hi Ted,

That's a really good question, actually. I followed the pattern that was already marked/provided on the spinner by Vans for the constant speed Hartzell. There are areas that have more clearance and I assume that is for the rotational twist of the blades. I've provided a couple more pictures here.

Ideally, if there's a way I can manually cycle the blades through their travel so that I can verify clearance, that's what I would like to do.

Here's my (possibly dumb) question. Do you or anyone else know if I can do this by hand?

Ryan
 

Attachments

  • 20211127_184525 Prop cut out #1.jpg
    20211127_184525 Prop cut out #1.jpg
    138.3 KB · Views: 177
  • 20211127_184525 Prop cut out #2.jpg
    20211127_184525 Prop cut out #2.jpg
    155 KB · Views: 183
Move to the hanger

Wings are on, it only took three years:D
 

Attachments

  • FEAD0780-8302-4226-9482-6A7AFAD2B7AB.jpg
    FEAD0780-8302-4226-9482-6A7AFAD2B7AB.jpg
    398.7 KB · Views: 244
Changing prop pitch

Hi Ted,

That's a really good question, actually. I followed the pattern that was already marked/provided on the spinner by Vans for the constant speed Hartzell. There are areas that have more clearance and I assume that is for the rotational twist of the blades. I've provided a couple more pictures here.

Ideally, if there's a way I can manually cycle the blades through their travel so that I can verify clearance, that's what I would like to do.

Here's my (possibly dumb) question. Do you or anyone else know if I can do this by hand?

Ryan

Strap a length of 2x6 to one prop blade about half span on both sides of the blade at right angle to use as a lever ( strap both pieces of wood together with the prop blade in a sandwich) . Use about 3 ft of 2x6. Not much force is required on the 2x6 to move the prop blades through the pitch range. I found that taking it in small increments from the full fine position got a good fit with constant clearance for the spinner to the blade. Took about 6-7 iterations of on-off for trimming the spinner.

KT
 
Last edited:
Ryan.
You CAN rotate the prop blades to test fitting of the spinner.
I clamped two 1'x4'X4' boards sandwiched onto one of the blades about 1/3 way out from the hub. This gives you leverage to rotate the blade. (cant turn by hand otherwise) Go slowly.
Didnt do it a lot, but enough to fit the spinner.

An Hartzell expert can opine if this is a bad thing to do.
 
That's beautiful work Dave!

Here's a pic of my -7 striking a similar pose.

It took me nearly all day yesterday to final fit the spinner, but I'm happy with it. Just need to make those small pieces that go on the back side of the prop.

Ryan

Ryan,
Interesting picture. When I looked at it, I thought, hmmm, that engine has the FI spider on the left side of the engine. Then I noticed that the governor line was also on the left side. Then I noticed that the writing on your T-shirt is written backwards. I’m too dumb to know how you did that, but it caught me.

You can manually move the prop through it’s range of control motion with your bare hands. It’s pretty tight, and you can take a couple pieces of wood and clamp them on the blade on one side to give you leverage to move it if you need to. Use some padding under the wood boards to protect the blade from scratches. This won’t hurt the prop. You could also get a buddy to grap one blade in his/her hands, you grab the other, and rotate those blades together - opposite direction of course - you on the left, him/her on the right. It should move, coarse pitch to fine pitch, limit to limit, and give you what you need to determine spinner cutout clearance. If your prop is new, it should be properly lubricated, if not, lubricate it first.
 
Last edited:
Engine Arrival

Have a 370lb. pallet arriving from PA this Thursday!! Whoo Hoo!

0-360 A1A dual Pmags, Ordered right before the price increase on June 30th.
Received my Sam James long cowling earlier in the year. Super stoked.

Motodave,
Ill be reaching out to you when I start the cowling work! Yours looks beautiful; great job.

Arnie
 
Thanks for the tips

KT, Bruce, Scott,

I just want to say thanks for the tips on how to manually twist the blades so that I can verify spinner clearance. I’ll do that this weekend.

Ryan
 
Fuselage painted

Please find 2 photographs of my aircraft. The first one is of the fuselage sitting on the truck about to be transported to the paint shop.

https://flic.kr/p/2mVvUQK

This second photo is when the painting was completed and it has just been delivered back to the hangar.

https://flic.kr/p/2mVu5si

The wings were painted some months ago and so now the final assembly process begins. I decided to have it all painted before doing the Weight and Balance and before certification so that I only had to do it once.

Cheers,
 
Please find 2 photographs of my aircraft. The first one is of the fuselage sitting on the truck about to be transported to the paint shop.

https://flic.kr/p/2mVvUQK

This second photo is when the painting was completed and it has just been delivered back to the hangar.

https://flic.kr/p/2mVu5si

The wings were painted some months ago and so now the final assembly process begins. I decided to have it all painted before doing the Weight and Balance and before certification so that I only had to do it once.

Cheers,

Looks great Gordon!!
 
Nice job Dave! That's a milestone for sure!

I'm right about where you are now: dragging my feet on the wind screen. It gets cold in my garage in Eastern AZ, believe it or not.

However, I do have my wings done. I have fond memories of flossing wing ribs in the back of our mini van (wife driving) while on I-40 and I-25 on our way to CO Springs! Glad those are now distant memories!

Ryan
 
Thanks for the nice comments everyone… thinking I fly unpainted for awhile or maybe just paint fiberglass stuff silver given the time and cost of paint jobs, shocking.

Waiting on my wing kit… will be 10 months since I ordered it. Hoping to fly in the fall if I can get started on the wings soon, “all” I have left.
 
Main Gear Fairings

First I would like to thank Dave Hock (Motodave) for posting his photographs a few months back of his wheel pants.

I had purchased the two U-719 Lower Intersection Fairings from Van's and was pondering what action to take to make them work and look good. After looking at Dave's wheel pants I found my solution. They say that imitation is the ultimate form of flattery so Dave be flattered and thank you for posting.

I have attached three photographs of my wheel pants after cutting the U-719's, fibreglassing them onto the pants and painting the finished assembly.

https://flic.kr/p/2mYgosN

https://flic.kr/p/2mYpZor

https://flic.kr/p/2mYmdFc
 
Chipping Away

Finalizing things in the tail section. Getting closer to first engine start!
 

Attachments

  • C130D946-BB84-43E1-A0C6-5D8AB21FDAFC.jpg
    C130D946-BB84-43E1-A0C6-5D8AB21FDAFC.jpg
    432.9 KB · Views: 234
“ FINISHED “

After three years and four months, she received her airworthiness certificate!:D
 

Attachments

  • 774321B1-D5A0-4883-A743-0A6D3874D202.jpg
    774321B1-D5A0-4883-A743-0A6D3874D202.jpg
    382.5 KB · Views: 222
  • DF39EBB4-9156-4B3C-924B-BAFDA541A0EC.jpg
    DF39EBB4-9156-4B3C-924B-BAFDA541A0EC.jpg
    541.3 KB · Views: 182
instrument panel and firewall work
 

Attachments

  • 66776875738__9138FFCD-F85C-4B2E-8819-052C761BE9C4.jpg
    66776875738__9138FFCD-F85C-4B2E-8819-052C761BE9C4.jpg
    434.1 KB · Views: 295
  • IMG_6598.jpg
    IMG_6598.jpg
    311.4 KB · Views: 230
Vetterman exhaust

I installed my Vetterman exhaust pipes yesterday and I am very happy with the way they fit. I have the standard throttle cable bracket (i.e. unmodified) which has given me what I consider sufficient clearance to the exhaust pipes.

The horizontal support tubes are angled so that they go around the back of the nose gear socket with a slight curve in the rubber hose with clearance to the engine mount.

Please click on the links below to view my installation.

https://flic.kr/p/2n9gctA

https://flic.kr/p/2n9eAMW

https://flic.kr/p/2n9eBgg

Cheers,
 
Cowls

Wow. Finally making some progress on cowl work.
Insides were skimmed with neat epoxy, wet sanded then sprayed with two coats of EnduroPrime 2K epoxy primer. The primer was wet sanded and three more coats sprayed today. They aren't as pretty as the outside will be, but they are sealed. Weather is coming so I'm back inside to finish baffling before final finish on the outside.
I'm getting anxious to get past this phase.
It really should be 90% done, 180% to go!
Of course, me hacking up the cowls didn't help.:D
20220328_153029.jpg
 
Wings installed

Some photographs with my wings now permanently installed. Plus the prop is also installed. Click on the links below to view.

https://flic.kr/p/2nh8Vn2

https://flic.kr/p/2nh9Ypt

Fuel hose from tank to gascolator

https://flic.kr/p/2nh9YXH

Fuel tank vent tube

https://flic.kr/p/2nhbnaH

Wing tip wiring for strobe/nav and landing lights

https://flic.kr/p/2nh3nHu

For RV-7A builders some tips and tools I used to install the 4 lower NAS1307-50 bolts through the spar.
1. Insert bolts through spar until no more than 3 threads are visible. Any further and you won't be able to install the AN365-720A nuts.
2. The top item in the photo below is the small extension magnet I then used to hold the nut against the face of the bolt.
3. The next item is the strip of aluminium I used to then hold against the face of the nut so I could remove the magnet and then use the screw driver (third item) to start the nut onto the bolt.
4. Progressively insert the bolt while also using the screw driver to keep installing the nut (i.e. so it doesn't contact hard up against the landing gear bracket). Do this until the bolt is fully installed and the nut is installed down to the fibre lock.
5. The 4th item is the modified spanner used to fully tighten the nut while torqueing the bolt head. It is a tight fit to get the tool in.

https://flic.kr/p/2nh8HVn

I hope the above information is beneficial for other builders.

P.S: The spanner is original from January 1965 when I joined the airline to start my Engineering apprenticeship (i.e. USA A&P). I retired from the airline just 3 weeks short of 45 years of employment with the company.
 
RV-7 at Aero Expo in Friedrichshafen Germany

I've just finished my RV-7 (PH-MNX), with a ULPower Engine (520iSA) and an Airmaster C/S prop (first flight January 26th, 2022).
I was honored that ULPower asked me to fly to Friedrichshafen to present my plane in their Booth at the Aero Expo.

1651470197089


Talked to a lot of RV builders and potential RV builders who liked my setup of the ULPower Engine. I also learned a ton of the technical guys of ULPower, who had some interesting improvements on my installation. It's great to work together a few days with engine experts. Only wish I knew all this before hand.

Also this was the first time a did some longer distances, flying from the Netherlands to Germany/Switzerland, was about 320nm, it took me 2.5 hours with 2600 rpm and 23" map at 5500 feet (weather was tough), cruising at 150 kts (TAS) and using 8.2 gallon/hour.
After talking to the ULPower guys on the way back, same setup, but with 2400 rpm and 24" MAP (only 3500 feet, because weather was worse) 7.8 gallon/hour. They also advised me to change the air intake, so it will pick up colder air and change the position of the pressure intake of the ECU. My goal is to reach 7 gallon/hr with 150 kts on 8000 ft.

I want to thank everyone of ULPower for the opportunity to show-case my RV at the Aero Expo.
I now have 15 hours on my RV, so time for the first maintenance check (change filters and oil).
 
Last edited:
Marcel: i was sneaking around your beautiful bird several times but everytime you have been busy talking. very interesting setup and a great looking aircraft! hopefully we can chat next Aero or at the upcoming Vans gathering in Hildesheim first weekend of june. not far away from the netherlands.
 
Marcel: i was sneaking around your beautiful bird several times but everytime you have been busy talking. very interesting setup and a great looking aircraft! hopefully we can chat next Aero or at the upcoming Vans gathering in Hildesheim first weekend of june. not far away from the netherlands.

I was about to write the exact same thing!
 
Back
Top