Common Deviations / Modifications from Plans

[erich weaver]

Many install access panels in the forward top skin. I did and am glad I did it.

erich

[Jekyll]

Affordable Panel's modular panel.

Jekyll

[skyfrog]

So far I have the following:

Canopy:
- Quick Release pins for emergency.
- Tip-Up/Slider combination mod

Wings:
- Extend tank by 2 or 3 ribs for more fuel capacity (http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...extended+range)
- Access panels in forward top skin
- ?? holes in ribs for wire conduit
- Fuel return in tanks for fuel injected systems

Panel:
- Affordable Panel's modular panel. (http://www.affordablepanels.com/)

Cockpit:
- Oxygen
- Fiberglass fuel tanks in baggage area

Tail:
- Wire conduit in VS for (XM , GPS receivers, Camera)

This is a good start. Do we have any others to add?

Eventually I'd like to add links (to the thread or website) for all the information.

[grjtucson]

John,

Here are a few more to consider, some I've done and some I'm planning:

Wings:
- Duckworks landing light in each
- Oriented tank vent elbow opposite direction to allow an RV-10 / Rocket style vent (coil in wing root), see http://www.pflanzer-aviation.com/RigFinalAssembly9.html
- homebrew Lift Reserve Indicator on one wing inspection panel see http://www.ch601.org/resources/aoa/aoa.htm

Fuselage:
- parking brake
- conduit under seats & baggage compartments
- drill right side bulkheads under longeron same as left for static line - use that for wiring to magnetometer
- mount magnetometer behind baggage compartment up high
- improved tailwheel fork
- solid link vs. chains on tailwheel
- passing on the tip-up canopy release on the panel
- access panel forward of sub-panel ala Checkoway

Finish Kit:
- Sam James Cowl & Plenum
- Screws / tinnerman washers / nutplates on cowl to firewall seam, sticking w/hinges for top to bottom
- Sam James wheelpants (?)
- Aftermarket fairings for empennage and gear legs

George

[pvansrv3]

Pierre,
One of my pet peeves is comparing airplane fuel capacity to human bladder or sit time capacity. The two are not related. I do not think I should have to pump fuel every time I land. We do not by gas for our cars after every trip either.

So, more fuel is good, and the ability to have some extra fuel if we do not have full seats is a great convenience.

I have a Cessna 210 on which I installed the Flint tip tanks. 16 gallons a side, added right to each wing ( with the old tips removed) with 13 number 10 screws into nut plates. That is all that holds them on. The loads out on the end of the wing actually reduce the bending load on the entire wing. A good place to put it. It now has 122 gallons total fuel. My son and I made a very nice non stop flight from western Washington state to Oshkosh one summer, 1446 nautical miles in 8 hours 38 minutes, with over an hour fuel in reserve. Fun, but I would not do it again, too long to sit.

Now building a Harmon Rocket that the first builder assembled with the standard 42 gallon tanks. I added a 15 gallon aux tank in the baggage compartment. It removes easily, and with a pump you transfer the fuel into the left main when there is room there. Full, it is 100 pounds, so with no back seat passenger I can carry some extra fuel for out and return flights without refueling and extended IFR range. This is good.

[Jeff R]

Its more than just about the bending moment of the wing. Extra fuel out there would cause a twisting force along the length of the wing which has to be borne, in part, by that tapered-down spar. The forces do get carried by the skins, too, which are also thinner out there, but unless someone has run the numbers, I would be concerned about what all the impacts are of having another hundred pounds or so of fuel out there. It would be nice to have a bit more fuel capacity, but building the fuel tanks as is is tough enough! Has Van's commented on these bigger tanks?

[skyfrog]

Originally Posted by grjtucson

Here are a few more to consider, some I've done and some I'm planning:

Thanks George, I combined your modifications into the list below. This is what I was looking for. Now I can at least research these modifications, and run-the-numbers as Jeff suggests, to see if they are desirable or not.

Are there any others????

Canopy:
- Quick Release pins for emergency.
- Tip-Up/Slider combination mod

Wings:
- Extend tank by 2 or 3 ribs for more fuel capacity (http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...extended+range)
- Access panels in forward top skin
- ?? holes in ribs for wire conduit
- Fuel return in tanks for fuel injected systems
- Duckworks landing light in each
- Oriented tank vent elbow opposite direction to allow an RV-10 / Rocket style vent (coil in wing root), see http://www.pflanzer-aviation.com/RigFinalAssembly9.html
- homebrew Lift Reserve Indicator on one wing inspection panel see http://www.ch601.org/resources/aoa/aoa.htm

Tail:
- Wire conduit in VS for (XM , GPS receivers, Camera)

Panel:
- Affordable Panel's modular panel. (http://www.affordablepanels.com/)

Fuselage:
- Oxygen
- Fiberglass fuel tanks in baggage area
- parking brake
- conduit under seats & baggage compartments
- drill right side bulkheads under longeron same as left for static line - use that for wiring to magnetometer
- mount magnetometer behind baggage compartment up high
- improved tailwheel fork
- solid link vs. chains on tailwheel
- passing on the tip-up canopy release on the panel
- access panel forward of sub-panel ala Checkoway

Finish Kit:
- Sam James Cowl & Plenum
- Screws / tinnerman washers / nutplates on cowl to firewall seam, sticking w/hinges for top to bottom
- Sam James wheelpants (?)
- Aftermarket fairings for empennage and gear legs

[kentb]

I didn't put in the quick release. ( wanted more panel space and knew I would never have a parachute to leave the plane with).

Put in two baggage floor compartment doors. (keep oil, tools in these)

build a hat rack behind the baggage compartment. ( I have never used it)

Kent

[N941WR]

A couple of things other's have not mentioned...

Coat hanager
SafeAir1 Static ports
Sheet of loop Velcro for the top of the glair shield. (Sorry no picture but it works great to stick GPS & XM antennas up there.) BTW, it feels like velvet.
Small fire extinguisher
AirGizmo for whatever handheld GPS you have
SkyBolt Fasteners for the cowling
AirStopper tubes
Antennas (Comm, transponder, etc.)
Courtesy and red cabin lights
Throttle Quadrant <- One of my favorite mods

[thallock]

Here's a few mods that I am working on for my 7A:

- center console
- center arm rest
- LED nav lights
- LED strobes
- wing tip landing and taxi lights
- fuse status panel
- controller and LCD with the following functions:
- fuel gauges for capacitive fuel sensors to solve the mogas/avgas
different densities problem
- audio TIVO so you can play back missed messages
- flap position
- timer and clock function

Tracy.