RV-12iS Boulder High School, Colorado

[David Paule]

I'm starting this thread so that we have a place to show progress and discuss issues.

Right now the biggest issue is that mentors are scarce. We have two regular ones and they can meet two days a week. As we have four morning and four afternoon classes, that leaves some time available. Also, we have more students than a single mentor can handle, and the two regular ones don't overlap.

Dave
Yeah, I'm one of the mentors
Also building an RV-3B, now on the cowl.

[David Paule]

The kit was ordered last summer, by Dan Zahner, a teacher at the school, with funding from a donor. He ordered the empennage, wing, fuselage and finish kits. All have arrived except the finish kit, which I understand is now in crating at the factory.

Dan was killed last July in the crash of an RV (I think) on his way to his first visit to Oshkosh. The schools was left with little knowledge of the details of the project. I'd met Dan and knew of it and decided that I could contribute something.

I got one team of students to inventory the kits that had arrived. The teacher who was assigned arranged for space and some of the part-time mentors donated some tools and a nice work table. Another off-site mentor donated practice kits - thanks, Ernie!. These consist of two short angles, a small plate, some rivets and instructions. To complete one of these, a student needs to cut, deburr, lay out holes, center punch them, drill them, assemble the pieces and rivet them together. Each takes two flush rivets (dimple and countersink), two universal head rivets, and four of the blind rivets that the RV-12iS is made for.

I started with the inventory group since they were at least somewhat familiar with what things look like. They finished their practice kits and I started them on the first assembly piece of the plane: the vertical stabilizer. On the days I can't be there, they are helping the next batch of students assemble their practice kits. Depending on mentor availability and practice kit progress, the next group of students will start the rudder.

We have this rule: no student can work on the plane until they have satisfactorily completed their practice kit. A mentor or airplane-qualified-student must guide them on the practice kit. Right now we're assuming that after building one or two airplane parts, those students will be able to lead other students on other airplane parts.

We have several mentors with varying availability. The bottom line is that regular ones are scarce. We need a few more with RV construction experience and who are available on a regular basis. The class schedule is:

Monday, Tuesday and Fridays -
8:35 to 9:25 AM
2:10 to 3:00 PM

Wednesdays -
9:30 to 10:45 AM
2:05 to 3:20 PM

And if you can help out, PM me. Thanks!

Dave
RV-3B, now on the cowl,
Cessna 180, flying.

[David Paule]

Here are some of the students today.

Mack's deburring some of the AEX Angle pieces.



Elizabeth and Emma are getting some of the next parts that they'll need. Elizabeth, on the left, is the Team Leader for this assembly.



Two others of the team were ill today.

Dave

[RV7Ron]

I have signed on to mentor the morning crew...I have named them, Bravo team.

In our first two sessions, I started with introductions and "standards of excellence" expected. Then we moved to "riveting 101" so they can understand how rivets work, and the process of setting them properly. Next up are the practice kits.

Right now, I can only do Monday and Tuesday mornings. If anyone in the area is interested in joining the fun, contact Dave or myself. We could use the help!

[David Paule]

We also sometimes have a Friday afternoon mentor, thanks, Norm, but right now Tuesday afternoons has no mentor.

We could easily use multiple mentors per class. If we had them, more students could learn how to build an airplane. So if your only available time doubles up with a current mentor - welcome!

Dave

[rwarre]

Unfortunately I live in Eastern Colorado. I do have a sister that lives in Broomfield and have a substitute teacher license. If there would be opportunity, I would stop by. Send me a pm if you have any suggestions where I could assist.

[David Paule]

We got the practice kits for the morning session, so Ron's going to have his hands full mentoring them. We need more morning mentors, though. Well, more mentors, period.

The tools are starting to roll in.

The afternoon session I mentor is building the vertical stabilizer and is now drilling the holes in the rear spar. One thing we can't to this school year but future years will do, is make the classes two periods long. Instead of 55 minutes they'll be 1:55, and that will help out. Right now we need to get tools and parts out and set up, and afterwards reverse that and clean up. The overhead is a relatively serious hit to the efficient use of the student's time. A lesson learned.

Another is that given the paucity of mentors, limit the number of students who sign up. Perhaps have a dual track, with a build class and an aviation knowledge class.

Dave

Dave

[RV7Ron]

Although it takes a minute to get the ball rolling, today we finally started work on the practice kits. As you can see, it's a big group. I think they were excited to finally do something instead of listen to me drone on about rivets, drawings, drill bits and dimples.

[David Paule]

Terrific!

We now have a pneumatic rivet squeezer that still lacks the industrial air hose fitting (and perhaps the compressor too). Also some more dies, electric blind rivet pullers and a few more things.

I recommend using the beeswax as a drill bit lube and if needed, the ice pick to help line up holes.

If necessary, one of the magnifying glasses can be used to help QC the deburring.

The #30 and #40 drill bits on the white plastic cutting board/die holder are intended for the removal of rivets. They have a flat round end for that. We have other bits that size too.

Dave

[David Paule]

Turns out that appointing a team leader is a lot easier than training the person to lead. I've never had any leadership training and have only held a couple relatively short leadership positions. I don't know how to teach it.

Can anyone offer suggestions?

Thanks!

Dave