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Finish Kit

Av8torTom

Av8torTom

Well Known Member
First, I want to thank everyone who offered help over the past few weeks with all my questions. I'm making good progress.

I am about to order the finish kit. What are the popular items people have swapped out (wheels, brakes etc) of the finish kit and why?

Thanks again,

Tom
 
One option to consider is to get the UVA/UVB blocking plexiglass for your canopy. It cost a bit more, but it keeps my fair skin from burning!

I also swapped out the nose wheel for the Grove unit. There are other options for the nose wheel, like Beringer.
 
Do you remember any details on this, Bruce? When I talked with Barb at the factory back in December, to get a finish list packing list, she mentioned there were different canopy tint levels, but nothing about a UVA/UVB option.

And it looks like the Firewall Forward Kit is separate from the Finish Kit, according to the packing list I got sent. So things from that will have to be piecemealed in.
 
sbalmos said:
Do you remember any details on this, Bruce? When I talked with Barb at the factory back in December, to get a finish list packing list, she mentioned there were different canopy tint levels, but nothing about a UVA/UVB option.
Click to expand...

Read this thread. I called the airplane plastics folks and they said to just go through Van's and they would be able to order it for me. Van's said they already had one in stock, so it was easy for me to get this into my finish kit order.
 
Thanks Bruce! Will have to give them a call when the time comes. Aircraft Plastics is only an hour away from me!
 
Uv

I also went the uv canopy route. I debated on either the uv or possibly a darker shade. They helped me decide to go the UV route. I had the standard canopies on both my -3 and -6a and those were HOT in summer here in Georgia. I'm hoping the UV is a cooler deal.
 
I just called Vans and talked canopies (my finish kit is on order).
The standard (RV-8 anyway) canopy only transmits 1% UVA and 12% UVB with about an 80% visible light transmission. There is an option to upgrade the UV protection so only 1% UVB is transmitted (UVA stays the same at 1% and a slight decrease in visible light transmission). So my conclusion is the standard canopy does a good job of blocking the UV and I just told Vans to ship the standard canopy. There is another option to get more tint in the canopy (around 60% visible light transmission), but Vans does not recommend night flight with the darker canopy.

Dave
 
Another data point

This thread is very timely. I ordered my finish kit this afternoon and this thread prompted me to ask a few questions first. I wouldn't have known this canopy was an option.

I talked with Becky at Airplane Plastics. She mentioned they began making the SC-15 canopy for the aerobatic planes with bubble canopies. She relayed several stories of satisfied customers who claimed cooler cockpits. The additive to the resin does not change the characteristics of the acrylic. I was concerned the canopy may be more brittle or prone to cracking. That's not the case. This was enough for me to order this canopy.

I also talked with Vans. The price increase for the RV-7 finish kit was $305.

Hopefully this will be helpful for other folks.

Brian
 
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So here's my chance to ask for a double-check on my finish kit deletions. I'm going to be ordering in a few weeks also.

  • C-601-1 Canopy: May still order from Vans, if they have a UVA/UVB one in stock like we've been talking about. Otherwise, I'll call Aircraft Plastics and pick it up directly, since they're an hour away.
  • VA-118-1 Brake Hose Assembly: Part of Beringer setup
  • WHL INSTL KIT TRIGEAR Subkit: Part of Beringer setup
  • 7A COWL KIT O-360 Subkit: Going with a Sam James cowl

What else should be deleted? That seems like a really small list above (admittedly a lot of individual parts are in the subkits). Maybe delete the Spinner FP-13 subkit if I go with a Catto spinner? If I have the Beringer wheels and everything, do I still need the axle nuts, etc from the finish kit?

Thanks!
 
  • I deleted the alternator and mounts, going with a Planepower FS14 on the accessory pad instead.
  • Had I known about the tinted canopy, I would have ordered that instead.
  • I should have ordered the Koger sunshades then, instead of later. A big, light box costs cubic $$ to send across the Pacific!
  • Brake fluid.
  • Flap tape.
 
Yeah, I just have the finish kit's packing list. Now I'm starting to piece together what parts from the firewall forward kit I might want. Over half of it I'm buying elsewhere as it is. But some pieces might be usable.
 
Av8torTom said:
Are the main wheels and brakes supplied by Vans adequate?
Click to expand...

I'd say Vans' mains and brakes are completely adequate. I did go with the tubeless Beringer nose gear (saves a pound of weight). I am completely happy with the set up. The Beringer main gear package prices have come down in recent times. I would consider going with Beringer for my mains if I were in the build process, if for no other reason than to get rid of the inner tubes altogether.
 
Hrm, here's a new head-scratcher. Exactly which line items for fairings do I delete from the finish kit, if I want to go with all available intersection fairings from Fairings-Etc? This has to be one of the first things on a packing list that I can't quite figure out - which line items are for the wheel pants themselves, the leg gear fairings, and then the intersection fairings themselves.
 
sbalmos said:
Hrm, here's a new head-scratcher. Exactly which line items for fairings do I delete from the finish kit, if I want to go with all available intersection fairings from Fairings-Etc? This has to be one of the first things on a packing list that I can't quite figure out - which line items are for the wheel pants themselves, the leg gear fairings, and then the intersection fairings themselves.
Click to expand...

IIRC, the gear-leg-to-wheel-pant and gear-leg-to-fuselage intersection fairings do not come standard as part of the finish kit. Only wheel pants and gear leg fairings. If I'm right, then you wouldn't delete anything.

They are available from Vans as an additional purchase, or from 3rd party vendors, but the plans have you making your own with modeling clay and glass.
 
I would not recomend the Vans intersection fairings....unless you want some FG pratice.
 
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