RV 12 Seats

My seats are here! Do you think they will match "yellow-jacket" yellow
(exterior of course)?

July 10, 2009: Static Air continued

P. 10-10 step 6-10. Took care to debur the F-1210C Angle so as not to cause a deformation when riveting the top skin onto the tailcone. First clecoed skin onto tailcone and then match drilled as per step 6. Dissassembled and deburred. Then re-clecoe and rivet. also followed directions to mask over holes within 7 inches of the fwd edge of the tailcone skins.

June 29, 2009: Static Air System continued

P. 10-08, step 8 and p. 10-09, steps 2-9. Things progress pretty well. Not sure about seal around static air joints, but did what plans indicated. Needed to put end of clear tubing in teapot of boiling water to soften and then slide over the joint. Moving onto p. 10-09, no problems and most of the page consists of riveting tailcone skins to frames. Routed strings for rudder control cable to be installed later.

July 4-9 Vacation in Boston!

Left for a 6-day vacation to Boston to go through art museums with son Syd, wife Wendy and sister-in-law Glenda. Wendy's cousin, Clifford Ackley is one of the MFA's curators and he took vacation time to show us around and take us to many different art museums. It was an incredible experience and worth repeating down the road. Enjoyed dinner and beer at "Cheers", viewing the MFA's recent acquisition for $25 million, and paid Paul Revere's house a visit. Good times had by all!!!

June 26, 2009: Static Air System

P. 10-08 step 7. Sealant arrived from Spruce Aircraft. Take care here with installing the static air system rivets. I riveted these in and fully pulled the mandrel, with the anticipated result of it breaking off. Next step was to drive out the small mandrel fragment that remains in the rivet. This was difficult. I tried a variety of methods, including backing the rivet with a wooden block to support the skin so as not to deform it. Long story short, I wrecked one of the rivets. On the other one, I used a #40 drill bit and drilled out the mandrel. So, had to go to Van's and get a rivet replacement ($ .15). So, on the remaining rivet I followed a suggestion by another builder which was to use a C-clamp to push a short piece of mandrel into the rivet hole to push out the remaining mandrel. This worked perfectly and I wish I had thought to use it for both statice source rivets!

June 20, 2009: Tailcone Continued & Seatbacks completed

P. 10-10, step 1-6. Jumped ahead here because still waiting for RTV sealant. Debur F-12106 fwd skin rib. Take care here if using scotchbrite wheel. I did and the part caught on the wheel and bent. The bend was not serious and I rebent and moved on. More dimpling and nutplate installation.

Moved to section 26 to complete the seatbacks. P. 26-02, step 1-6. Initiated work on seatbacks and encounter no problems. Biggest challenge is correctly perceiving the 2-dimensional drawings and getting it right. If you just take the part and hold it up, compare it to the drawing and use common sense you'll get it. If not, use a life-line and call a friend!

June 13, 2009: Pitch/Trim Wire Install

Having received the WH-P30 from Van's, I installed the pitch/trim wire. Paying attention to plans, left a 6 inches aft of the F-1211 assembly. Had Dan Benua inspect the tailcone at this point.

June 6, 2009: Attach Tail Cone Skins

P. 10-06 - 10-08 (step 3) initiated and complete. This is the place where you attach tailcone skins to the frames. Nothing surprising here. I think the only change was in regard to the shear clips in step 3 on p. 10-06. The vansairforce forum had identified that the clips were reversed and so I made the change. No challenges up through p. 10-08, step 3. Also, the right side skins had a gap between skin and frame identified by others on the Van's Forum. The advice from Vans was to insert a shim between skin and frame. I did this and it made a better fit.

June 3, 2009: Trial fit HS

P. 10-05 Initiated and completed. Checking the fit of the F-1211 assembly with the hinge brackets was tricky, but I got it! To make the best fit, for my project, I am using one 416 on the outside of the lefthand hinge bracket and one 416L washer on the righthand side of the hingebracket. It worked the same for the righthand hinge bracket too. Washers on each side were super glued into place. I have my doubts whether these washers will stay glue till the stabilator is installed. We'll see. In any event, I have recorded the washers used and will replace if necessary.

May 31st, 2009: Aft bulkhead in Tailcone (F-1211)

P. 10-04 Initiated and completed. Fuselage Bulkhead (F-1211). Deburred parts throughout the day. I found the plans to be clear. Take care to follow the plans carefully as the rivets are many and varied. The biggest challenge of this the deburring (no big deal, just time consuming) and using the hand squeezer is some tight places. I am learning to be patient and take my time. The great thing about this building process is that you feel good when you get it right, and if you don't get as far along as you'd like at any specific time, the project will be there for you tomorrow.

May 30, 2009: Tailcone

P. 10-03 Step 1, fabricate the tail skid bracket. Used the template provided in the kit and it worked perfectly. Figure 1 has direction of what to do and wehre to do it. I was not sure of the diagram that shows 5 inches long by 1 inch wide. That was because I was perceiving it incorrectly. It is a sideview of the tailskid showing where to make the tapered cut. I will prime the skid before installation. MCS required on the bulkhead doubler (F-1211B) for AN426AD4 and AN426AD3, so be sure to use the right bit. Again, I practice on scrap and then if possible use the drill press to finish on the part. This went well.

May 29, 2009: Tailcone continued

P. 10-02 continued. Moved to the tailcone fuselage frames. Step 4 directs you to flute to align holes. I did not see this as necessary. However, I did try to flute to get the frames flat, without success. Stopped and communciated with John Bender and Marty Santic and they both ran into the same thing. So, not to worry. Will align holes with skin when I get to that step. Received the replacement part (F-1210C) and prepared it properly for installation. All went well.

My Dad's Birthday!

89 today and going strong!!

Scott's Birthday

Today is July 11, not my birthday. However, Tim and Tiffany leave for New York before my birthday and so we are celebrating today so that I have the privilege of their company. Also, Syd, Abi and Brian were here too that helped it be special too. Ackley is in Hong Kong and I'll send him the link.

Coffee at Starbucks!

Wendy and took sister's (Janette) dog (Rudy) to coffee at Starbucks.
We all enjoyed ourselves!