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AP install in the 14

DaveO

Well Known Member
I have ordered the QB wing kit and I wanted to install the brackets that hold the servos in the Tail cone and later in the wing.

I ordered the AP servo install from Van's and I was disappointed to learn that most of the hardware does not come with this kit.
Basically I got wiring and bolts all for a 118.00. A little expensive i think.

Does anyone know when I will receive the mounting brackets? Is it with the Finish kit? If it is with the finish kit, then why send them in that manner as the owner might not be installing a AP. Then it is a waste of $$.

If they are somewhere else where would I look? What am I missing?

When i built my 7A the mounting kit was ordered from Dynon. I did not see that option now.

Thanks for your response.
 
I have ordered the QB wing kit and I wanted to install the brackets that hold the servos in the Tail cone and later in the wing.

I ordered the AP servo install from Van's and I was disappointed to learn that most of the hardware does not come with this kit.
Basically I got wiring and bolts all for a 118.00. A little expensive i think.

Does anyone know when I will receive the mounting brackets? Is it with the Finish kit? If it is with the finish kit, then why send them in that manner as the owner might not be installing a AP. Then it is a waste of $$.

If they are somewhere else where would I look? What am I missing?

When i built my 7A the mounting kit was ordered from Dynon. I did not see that option now.

Thanks for your response.

The roll servo mount is included with the wing kit. The pitch servo mount is part of the elevator bellcrank assembly included in the fuselage kit.

The only extra mounts I had to buy were for the (optional) yaw servo - bracket from Van's and "bow" from Steinair - I'm using Garmin so not sure how this works for Dynon servos.
 
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The roll servo mount is included with the wing kit. The pitch servo mount is part of the aileron bellcrank assembly included in the fuselage kit.

That's the elevator bellcrank assembly, correct? Any reason not to install the pitch and yaw servos relatively early in the fuselage assembly process (certainly prior to joining the tailcone) while access to the bellcrank area is unobstructed?
 
There is every reason to do it early. Doing it later is a pain and I wish they just put those parts in the tail kit because the tiny expense is irrelevant to the hassle.
 
That's the elevator bellcrank assembly, correct? Any reason not to install the pitch and yaw servos relatively early in the fuselage assembly process (certainly prior to joining the tailcone) while access to the bellcrank area is unobstructed?

CORRECT - my mistake - editing original post.
 
That's the elevator bellcrank assembly, correct? Any reason not to install the pitch and yaw servos relatively early in the fuselage assembly process (certainly prior to joining the tailcone) while access to the bellcrank area is unobstructed?

I installed pitch and yaw servos after the empennage/fuselage join - not really too hard. You have to install a bracket for the yaw servo which would have been easier before the join - I ended up changing rivets to screws where the yaw servo bracket attaches to the bulkhead (I messed up one rivet hole and after thinking about it decided it would be nice to have the bracket easily removable). What was harder was installing the cable clamps on the yaw servos (part of Van's yaw servo installation kit). I waited to do this until there was a convenient time to mount the tailfeathers - rudder has to be centered and rudder cables tight to do this. I had to crawl a bit farther back into the fuse to tighten/position the clamps. So if you have all the parts and particularly if you're opting for yaw servo, do it before the join.
 
Does Dynon Skyview integrate a Yaw servo in the mix with roll and pitch?

In my 7A build I do not think they did, but years later they might.
I had not planned on using the Yaw servo, but rethinking.
 
I installed pitch and yaw servos after the empennage/fuselage join - not really too hard. You have to install a bracket for the yaw servo which would have been easier before the join - I ended up changing rivets to screws where the yaw servo bracket attaches to the bulkhead (I messed up one rivet hole and after thinking about it decided it would be nice to have the bracket easily removable). What was harder was installing the cable clamps on the yaw servos (part of Van's yaw servo installation kit). I waited to do this until there was a convenient time to mount the tailfeathers - rudder has to be centered and rudder cables tight to do this. I had to crawl a bit farther back into the fuse to tighten/position the clamps. So if you have all the parts and particularly if you're opting for yaw servo, do it before the join.

So just install the yaw servo before the join or is it a good idea to not rivet some tailcone skins until you install the servo?
I'm about to assemble the tailcone and am wondering if I should wait to rivet the skins until I have decided with which servos I'll go.

Malte
 
So just install the yaw servo before the join or is it a good idea to not rivet some tailcone skins until you install the servo?
I'm about to assemble the tailcone and am wondering if I should wait to rivet the skins until I have decided with which servos I'll go.

Malte

Before the join. I would do it with rudder and rudder cables in place so you can position the clamps. I think if you did it with tailcone skins off the structure might twist a bit.
 
I forgot to mention the need for a ?bow? to protect the rudder cables. I ordered this from SteinAir.

I got mine from Stein, too. I was told that these are no longer available and they're selling through their stock. Buy yours quickly! :)
 
I guess they may still be available from Garmin?

Yep, Garmin is still selling them as part of a whole yaw servo mount kit - for the low, low price of ~$700. They've stopped making the hoop available as a separate part to resellers such as Stein. They must think that they'll sell more kits, but I sort of doubt it. All of us here (and those who'll follow) could easily make the hoop for ourselves should it come to that.
 
Here the picture from the referenced thread:
HdO6mto.jpg

http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showpost.php?p=1258276&postcount=39

I am not a manufacturing master but this looks not that difficult to fabricate.
 
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Consider not installing a yaw servo. With thousands of hours in RVs and quite a few in the RV14 I have never felt the need for yaw control. Save the weight and complexity.
You built the plane, if you decide you need the yaw control, it should be an easy thing to add later.

I am of the less is more, when it comes to add ons. Auto pilot, absolutely, but save your $ on the yaw servo.
 
Consider not installing a yaw servo. With thousands of hours in RVs and quite a few in the RV14 I have never felt the need for yaw control. Save the weight and complexity.
You built the plane, if you decide you need the yaw control, it should be an easy thing to add later.

I am of the less is more, when it comes to add ons. Auto pilot, absolutely, but save your $ on the yaw servo.

On the other hand, it?s not a very complex system, all the wiring is already there, and one only has to mount the additional servo. Easy-peasy, so why not do it now? If you wind up having to crawl back there again down the road, you?ll wish you?d done it during initial construction.

My wife is particularly sensitive to tail wagging in lightly wing-loaded airplanes (she was never truly comfortable in our -8) and strongly prefers to have a yaw damper working. For the trivial cost of an additional servo, why not?
 
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