What's new
Van's Air Force

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

What videos would you like to see Van's publish?

greghughespdx

Well Known Member
Advertiser
We've been working on a few short(ish) help/instructional videos here at Van's, with plans to publish them on the web for folks to watch. For example, we'll have a quick video or two about assembling and sealing fuel tanks at some point, which will cover the techniques and things our tank builders have found one should be aware of and pay attention to.

So, we figured what better way to decide what sorts of topics would be useful than to combine out own thoughts with the community of Van's kit builders. No guarantees we'll publish on any given topic, but please post your ideas about what you might like to see.

Over the next months and into next year we'll be developing and publishing some of these videos, as well as some inside stories that we hope you'll enjoy. When we launch our new web site in the coming months, we hope to provide more of this sort of helpful content.

Okay - What do you think might belong on the possible topic list? Ready? Post!

greg
 
Greg - Great idea.
The list might get pretty long.
One idea I might suggest is including links from the EAA whereby the content is appropriate for RV construction. Basic things like sheet metal work, riveting, etc....
The EAA site is great, but includes so many topics that are not RV. Having a direct link from your site would be most helpful if that is possible.

Unfortunately, topics that I could help with, like, "how to find ribs under skins", "how to build a jig", etc... have gone the way of the Dodo for all but the few legacy builders out there. Your kits are just so good these days, some of our old skills are just not needed, so I am of little help....
 
I would recommend a video on trimming the fiberglass top for installation on the RV-10. I had to make several calls to your help desk as I was doing this part of the build as it seemed like I was having to trim too much off of the top. And once I finally got it to fit, I had hardly anything left at the bottom edges of the door.

Another suggestion would be a video to explain fabrication of the engine intake air box. I found the instructions for this to be the most confusing of any of the instructions provided, likely because the air box is of an older design and is used by so many different kits and engines. That or re-write these instructions specifically for each kit and provide more detail in the instructions for this part.

The other area that video instruction would help would be in cutting and fitting the cowl. In particular fitting the 2 halves at the nose of the cowl, and trimming the horizontal split between the 2 halves. I suspect that a single video of this would work for most of the RV models as I understand the cowl designs are similar.

Thanks
 
An introduction

....to the brand new RV-15! :)

Seriously....how about some videos that would elaborate on some of the chapters in the building manual which are common to all the fleet. Such as initial metal working (deburring, riveting, etc), fiberglass work, explanation of AN hardware, suggested tools and how to properly use them, wiring basics, etc, etc

Just some ideas to start with for the newbies....
 
Last edited:
....to the brand new RV-15! :)

Ummm, don't hold your breath for that one quite yet. :D

Seriously....how about some videos that would elaborate on some of the chapters in the building manual which are common to all the fleet. Such as initial metal working (deburring, riveting, etc), fiberglass work, explanation of AN hardware, suggested tools and how to properly use them, wiring basics, etc, etc

Just some ideas to start with for the newbies....

Great ideas. We plan to focus on very specific tasks, and some of these fit that bill - thanks!
 
How about those 'fit-up' tasks: cowls, slider canopy frames.

Then there's the much needed directive on which primer to use. :D
 
No doubt there's a list of the more frequently asked questions to the support staff for specific models. That would make a decent guide on what to show.

If you don't have such a list, worth starting one, eh?

Dave
 
SLIDER CANOPY FRAME, CANOPY AND CANOPY SKIRTS. I've spent an inordinate amount of time on this (actually kind of stuck at the moment). I think the instructions for both slider and tip up canopies up to the RV-10 are poor and a video of a start to finish example of each would be most welcome. In particular, the forming of the canopy frame to match the roll bar and the fuselage sides compensating for the springback of the canopy bubble itself would be great. I ended up making a custom tool to bend more/less curvature into the front and rear canopy frame hoop which worked well. The method in the instructions about bending it by leaning on it or bending it over your knee I took as being a joke by the instruction writer.

I found the video of the installation of the windshield fiberglass buildup (I think of the RV-14 on Vans website) very informative, but I'm not there yet.
 
Greg - Great idea.
The list might get pretty long.
One idea I might suggest is including links from the EAA whereby the content is appropriate for RV construction. Basic things like sheet metal work, riveting, etc....
The EAA site is great, but includes so many topics that are not RV. Having a direct link from your site would be most helpful if that is possible.

Unfortunately, topics that I could help with, like, "how to find ribs under skins", "how to build a jig", etc... have gone the way of the Dodo for all but the few legacy builders out there. Your kits are just so good these days, some of our old skills are just not needed, so I am of little help....

Yes, we have been discussing with EAA how to best collaborate - great point. And if you think of anything you'd like to demo skills-wise, let me know. You're close by!

Prosealing and riveting fuel tanks...

I am actually right in the middle to shooting some video for that topic right now.

I would recommend a video on trimming the fiberglass top for installation on the RV-10. I had to make several calls to your help desk as I was doing this part of the build as it seemed like I was having to trim too much off of the top. And once I finally got it to fit, I had hardly anything left at the bottom edges of the door.

Another suggestion would be a video to explain fabrication of the engine intake air box. I found the instructions for this to be the most confusing of any of the instructions provided, likely because the air box is of an older design and is used by so many different kits and engines. That or re-write these instructions specifically for each kit and provide more detail in the instructions for this part.

The other area that video instruction would help would be in cutting and fitting the cowl. In particular fitting the 2 halves at the nose of the cowl, and trimming the horizontal split between the 2 halves. I suspect that a single video of this would work for most of the RV models as I understand the cowl designs are similar.

Thanks

The RV-10 fiberglass is a great idea, tough one to make happen but valid request. Will think about how that could work.

The filtered air box tutorial/instruction point is, frankly, a valid one. It's on our list of things to do at some point.

And the cowl fitting topic is also a great one. Thanks!
 
I agree with JonJay on piggybacking on EAA's videos for the standard stuff. Concentrate on tasks that are specific to RV's, especially the ones that take a lot of time because people don't know the "tricks" - cowl fitting, canopy fitting, aligning wheel pants, etc.

I agree on getting a list from the Tech Support desk to see what issues come up the most!
 
Then there's the much needed directive on which primer to use. :D

Yeah, we'll get right on that one. Or maybe not! :) Maybe it would be better to just have a little fun on that topic instead.

"A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away..."

45203464032_835c88c33a_q.jpg



All in fun and jest, of course.
 
Last edited:
I agree with JonJay on piggybacking on EAA's videos for the standard stuff. Concentrate on tasks that are specific to RV's, especially the ones that take a lot of time because people don't know the "tricks" - cowl fitting, canopy fitting, aligning wheel pants, etc.

I agree on getting a list from the Tech Support desk to see what issues come up the most!

Already in discussion with EAA on that very idea, glad there's a similar train of thought. And the RV-specific "tricks" and experienced "how-to's" are where we want to primarily focus.

And we do have the Tech Support team's hot-topic list, as well.

Keep the ideas coming, good stuff -- and thanks!

greg
 
A short video on deburring alone would answer literally thousands of questions.
It seems like no two people really seem to agree on how much is enough and what the end goal should be. This video needs to go beyond just a straight edge! A perfect example would be the front of a nose rib...

I have also recently searched information about flaring tubing and torquing fluid fittings, there is also a lot of mass confusion in this area too.
 
Two ideas for the RV-12:

1. How to properly set the blade angle on the RV-12 prop

2. How to bend all those tiny pieces of tubing in the RV-12iS fuel system
 
Looks like the Death Star used rattle can, several cans...



Yeah, we'll get right on that one. Or maybe not! :) Maybe it would be better to just have a little fun on that topic instead.

"A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away..."



All in fun and jest, of course.
 
I'd love to see a video of top 10 things to NOT do while building a Vans. Things like.... 'I know you see this problem in two non mating surfaces that should mate... I know you think you can fix it... but DON'T'. That sort of video. Include some sections like:

- how to NOT overdebur
- how to NOT Jackson Pollock everything with proseal
- how to NOT cause twists
- how to not drive your back rivet chuck through your rudder skin (personal favorite of mine.

- Kilroy
 
Show not just how to do things, but what results are acceptable and what are not.

For example, riveting. The construction manuals show illustrations from Tony Bingelis of various rivet problems. It would be great to see close-up video of such problems, including criteria of when to replace, when to re-strike, and when to "build on".

Similarly for installing fiberglass components. How closely should they fit the adjacent metal edges, what sort of surface imperfections are acceptable and what sort require further work - and what to do about them. What are the factory-preferred resins, glasses, fillers, sealers. Sort of a video version of some of Dan Horton's threads about fiberglass work.

Same for tank sealant. Best ways to apply it, how much to use in each area, how much surface preparation is enough, how to inspect after application, what to do about areas that are problematic.
 
links to other good videos

As was already mentioned, the links to EAA videos that are applicable to RVs is a good idea, there are also other videos on fiberglass, wiring, and soldering available that I found helpful. Steinair has some videos that I really found helpful for example.

The RV14 windshield video was very helpful to me on my RV8.

The 360 degree photo of the FWF on the RV14 was also helpful in understanding best practices and how how to wire things up front.

Close up photos and videos of RVs that you found to be well done would really add a lot of value to first time builders, particularly in areas that are not easy to see at airshows like under the cowling, behind the panel, under the floors, and in the tailcone.

Great initiative!
 
The idea producing videos which answer the most asked questions on the helpline sounds good.
Maybe a video explaining how to prime in my own garage (setup of a workspace etc. when space is limited).

Concerning your new web design, please keep all the information which is provided at the moment. Although the design has some room for improvement, your site is so informative compared to others where a bunch of hight quality pictures is shown but only a few words about really important issues.
 
Great Ideas, please keep them coming! We are also planning some more of the 360-photo type thing, and showing examples of what we see at quality representing good examples of RV building and workmanship.

Concerning your new web design, please keep all the information which is provided at the moment. Although the design has some room for improvement, your site is so informative compared to others where a bunch of hight quality pictures is shown but only a few words about really important issues.

Appreciate that comment, and know that while we are working hard right now to significantly change how Van's appears on the web in the future, we won't be doing that at the expense of providing deep, useful information and detail. In fact, our goal is to provide even more and new content as time goes on. And not just technical content: We'll also be telling the broader, and at-least-as-important stories about how your RVs have impacted your lives.

Thx - please keep posting ideas!

greg
 
Last edited:
I agree with JonJay on piggybacking on EAA's videos for the standard stuff. Concentrate on tasks that are specific to RV's, especially the ones that take a lot of time because people don't know the "tricks" - cowl fitting, canopy fitting, aligning wheel pants, etc.

I agree on getting a list from the Tech Support desk to see what issues come up the most!

I agree with Paul. Standard ITIL problem management. Categorize all your calls as part of your incident management (tech calls), then rank them by the number of calls. Start with the one you get the most calls. Then #2 and so on......
 
A Video on fuel flow testing, recommended method on how to determine gallons unusable fuel, performing a good W&B before inspection, mounting intersection fairings, annual condition inspection checks on Van's aircraft, and the list goes on!
 
I should have filmed mine when I did it, eh? Thx for the suggestion. While it;s not something we actually do here at the factory, that's a good one.

Greg, I didn't film mine either, but I do have a lot of photos and documentation on my web site. I hope that at least helps with some ideas.

Here's a link at a good place for jumping in, for the main tip-up canopy:
SikaFlex Main Canopy

Here's another one, for the rear window:
SikaFlex Rear Window
 
Fiberglass and filler application/molding for the canopy and wing/stab/elevator/etc tips would be an outstanding video!
 
I think the first thing I have really worried over (and over and over) was the riveting of the rudder trailing edge. Perhaps something on the technique for that? You spend so much effort to make a good rudder - and really don?t want to screw it up!

Also - countersinking to allow for a dimple. On the practice kit it just doesn?t seem right 0.007 deeper - it seems that it needs to be MUCH deeper.

Wouldn?t you be able to aggregate all your supportemails etc into a topic list?

While we are talking about it, a forum on here where you post the query from a builder and your response that that builder I think would be greatly helpful. I am certain the times I have emailed that someone else has already asked the same thing before me.
 
I'd be interested in how Van's develops new models. From A to Z.
Maybe you can do a special episode on this?
 
I'd love to see a video of top 10 things to NOT do while building a Vans. Things like.... 'I know you see this problem in two non mating surfaces that should mate... I know you think you can fix it... but DON'T'. That sort of video. Include some sections like:

- how to NOT overdebur
- how to NOT Jackson Pollock everything with proseal
- how to NOT cause twists
- how to not drive your back rivet chuck through your rudder skin (personal favorite of mine.

- Kilroy

I would add:
- how-to NOT get Proseal on your bedroom carpet

That one cost me.
 
Let's start with two simple fiberglass tutorials.

1. How to install the HS end caps and fiberglass the opening closed. (Typically one of the first fiberglass tasks a builder does.)

2. Fiberglassing the base of the windscreen. (The tip included in the instructions worked great but add using black die to hide the white epoxy, use electrical tape to define the curve of the layup. Start laying the tape out up high and overlap it as you work down so the last few layers are replaceable as they get sanded off, etc.)

Things to mention:

1. When to use flox vs. micro

2. The use of peal ply
 
Let's start with two simple fiberglass tutorials.

1. How to install the HS end caps and fiberglass the opening closed. (Typically one of the first fiberglass tasks a builder does.)

2. Fiberglassing the base of the windscreen. (The tip included in the instructions worked great but add using black die to hide the white epoxy, use electrical tape to define the curve of the layup. Start laying the tape out up high and overlap it as you work down so the last few layers are replaceable as they get sanded off, etc.)

Things to mention:

1. When to use flox vs. micro

2. The use of peal ply

#2 has been well covered in videos for the RV-14, but would be applicable to any RV. Complete, step-by-step installation instructions. Made the task easy to understand and less intimidating. Kudos to Vans for those. :)
 
Maybe it's generational, but I can't stay awake watching the typical how-to video. They are generally slow and boring, with narrators who seem to have been picked for their ability to speak in a monotone.

The point here is that regardless of subject, a video is a form of film art. We don't fall asleep watching a good movie. Keep it interesting, well paced, and the actors (yes, actors) need to be good speakers.

Here's a tip. Go fast. The experienced builders just want the general concept. The rest will watch it multiple times.
 
:joke:

How about a video demonstrating how many fiberglass parts you can "accidentaly" leave off for flight....cowling, emp fairing, wingtips...
 
I think a video on overall build sequence might be good. When I got to the middle stages there were a lot of different directions that could be taken, and I referred to my Synergy Air notes to make decisions. It's an issue I still struggle with since the further you get, the more of a jigsaw puzzle you create. You can make a decision based on one criteria that might conflict with another set. Is it possible to figure out the best possible assembly sequence?
 
Maybe it's generational, but I can't stay awake watching the typical how-to video. They are generally slow and boring, with narrators who seem to have been picked for their ability to speak in a monotone.

The point here is that regardless of subject, a video is a form of film art. We don't fall asleep watching a good movie. Keep it interesting, well paced, and the actors (yes, actors) need to be good speakers.

Here's a tip. Go fast. The experienced builders just want the general concept. The rest will watch it multiple times.


I'm with Dan on this one. I think lots of good topics have been suggested, but I really enjoy shorter videos with more show me than talk to me, where I can pause, rewind take notes, etc. If a video gets over 10 minutes I debate that it might be to long to watch and should maybe be split into smaller segments, but that's just me, we all learn differently.
 
Fuel lines

The ABCs of fuel line fabrication. How to measure, bend, cut, flare, and torque, all done CORRECTLY. Especially newby builders may have no clue as to the nuances and necessities of creating good, robust, and most of all, safe fuel lines (dot dot dot) in an RV.

Why? Because aircraft fuel leaks occur in only three places: bad places; really bad places; and much worse places.
 
How about improvements you have made to each kit since first realease? A Video that shows what the improvement looks like and how it might be adopted to complete aircraft. I only found out that some things on RV10 have been improved accidentally on this forum.
 
While we are talking about it, a forum on here where you post the query from a builder and your response to that builder I think would be greatly helpful. I am certain the times I have emailed that someone else has already asked the same thing before me.

This sounds like a great idea! It would certainly be helpful to builders and might reduce the number of calls to tech support.
 
I'm with Dan on this one. I think lots of good topics have been suggested, but I really enjoy shorter videos with more show me than talk to me, where I can pause, rewind take notes, etc. If a video gets over 10 minutes I debate that it might be to long to watch and should maybe be split into smaller segments, but that's just me, we all learn differently.

Yes, we agree with you and Dan for sure on this one. We already have criteria of shooting for 5-10 mins length and quick, upbeat and useful. We aim to have fun, too. We'll miss sometimes I'm sure. But we'll try and I'm sure we'll get feedback from ya'll on how we do. :)

greg
 
Last edited:
#2 has been well covered in videos for the RV-14, but would be applicable to any RV. Complete, step-by-step installation instructions. Made the task easy to understand and less intimidating. Kudos to Vans for those. :)

What? You -14 builders have videos? And to think the -4 & -6 builders gave me a hard time when I started my RV-9 15 years ago!

Way to improve your product Van's!
 
Y....We already have criteria of shooting for 5-10 mins length....

Well, I'm much more likely to watch something shorter than longer. I think the goal should be 2 to 7 minutes. And if you need longer than that, which some topics might, make it into a 2-part series.

Thanks!

And also thanks more for embarking on this project at all. It's a good move.

You know, until I read this discussion, I didn't even know that there are RV-14 videos or that they might be general. Good to know. Now, where are they?

Dave
 
The RV-14 videos are on the Van's website under support, revisions, RV-14/14A. Well worth a visit. :)
 
Well, I'm much more likely to watch something shorter than longer. I think the goal should be 2 to 7 minutes. And if you need longer than that, which some topics might, make it into a 2-part series.

Thanks!

And also thanks more for embarking on this project at all. It's a good move.

You know, until I read this discussion, I didn't even know that there are RV-14 videos or that they might be general. Good to know. Now, where are they?

Dave

Shorter is generally better. Got it, and agree!

The RV14 videos are counter-intuitively located at this link. Note that our new web site design, once published, will help make all of this type of stuff much more accessible and usable, or that is the plan.

https://www.vansaircraft.com/public/service-rv14.htm
 
Back
Top