Most Worthwhile Big and Small Kit Improvements?

Having read the forums, I came across some recommendations that would take perhaps just a little effort, cost a little more. There are part enhancements, such as using Lord engine mounts, or better screws that won't strip so easily. A little bigger are system enhancements that may or may not fit everyone, like the antisplat (that seems to have become a common choice), wiring hubs (Vertical Power VP200 system and FastStack or Approach Systems Stack), and extra avionics (AoA, CO2). Even bigger are swapouts, like Titan engines or Catto props, or entirely new systems, like a BRS parachute.

What improvements would you recommend? What is popular, proven, and makes sense?

I'm not familiar with the current kit status, or accessories, so here are some *opinions*, based on what I like and don't like about my RV-9A that I bought already flying. Some of these are undoubtedly already available and I don't know about them;
* Should be able to put air in the tires without removing wheel pants;
* Should be able to change oil filter without making a mess;
* Add baggage door for the two seat side by side planes. Us old farts get real tired of reaching into the baggage area. Relatively cheap and easy to add;
* Cowling can be a real pain to remove and replace, depending on how well it was built and the gap between cowl and spinner. I've currently got a relatively huge gap because my constant speed prop has a spacer, the that makes the cowl so much easier to remove and replace. Would be nice to work on accessories and spark plugs without having to remove the cowling -- think Bonanza;
* Ability to add wires out to wings and tail after construction. Ask me how I know;
* Ability to access connectors on back of radio stack without having to disassemble everything. Ask me how I know;
* Ability to change the battery without removing the entire cowling;
* Shelf over baggage compartment (I added this and it is so useful!!);
* For sliders, grab handles on the roll bar (have it on mine, love it);
* Higher flap speeds;
* Variable trim speed based on airspeed (have it and love it);
* Control lock for elevator and aileron, already have a simple rudder lock. I've not seen an aftermarket one that I like well enough to buy. (See previous post about a twin Cessna whose rudder was seriously damaged by a jet doing a runup);
* Ability to push the plane uphill with a castoring nosewheel. Laws of physics won't allow this, really, and a steerable nosewheel might not be feasible;
* Like the sealed bearing nosewheel;
* Not necessarily a fan of airframe chutes. They're good if you can't glide down for a forced landing, but won't save you from low altitude loss of control. Reinforced landing gear is required to prevent spinal injury when you hit the ground but won't help if you come down over water. After three spinal surgeries, there's a good chance that if I came down in a plane with a chute, I wouldn't walk again.

When it comes to avionics, here's where we put the fun in dysfunctional. I've done both computer user interfaces and cockpit design professionally, so my standards are different from many others'. And if you're trained, you can go into any cockpit, including airliners, and find many, many violations of good practice. Here's my wall of shame:
* AOA -- having done an absolute ton of research on AOA indicators and loss of control accidents for the EAA Founder's Innovation Prize, AOA is the emperor's new clothes of flight guidance. I strongly recommend AOA as a progressive, aural stall warning (traditional), but not as a voice callout. As for a visual aid, if you're too busy to watch airspeed, why would you suddenly be able to watch AOA? Then there's the AOA lead/lag characteristics (due to aerodynamics, not system design) that are essentially unknown in the industry (gave two forums on that at Oshkosh last summer), and my accident research clearly indicates that many "stall/spins" were in fact not that, but the accident investigators didn't know what else to call them. Not to mention how noisy AOA can be in turbulence or that you can't choose a new target AOA for reported winds, etc. etc. I have videos of AOA noise when landing in 9G14, and it's not pretty. Flame away, I've done the research;
* Basic human factors -- so many vendors have engine displays with the background markings that are huge, bright red, bright yellow and bright green ALL THE TIME, a visual cacophony that hides those tiny little sliders. Dumb;
* Tiny little tach and MP readouts without usable tick marks so the needle is only there for show;
* Instruments that could give immediate response but are instead filtered to mimic the limitations of old mechanical instruments;
* Vertical tape instruments are all the rage for airspeed, altitude and vertical speed, and those are less readable than round dials when the pilot has no a priori knowledge of what the gauge is going to say, or if the reading is changing rapidly. Worse, the digital readout is on top of the tape so you can't see your target reading because it disappears behind the digital readout. Unlike the first systems on the big jets 50 years ago, there's now room on the displays to move the digital readout off the tape;
* Unmarked hot spots -- some systems have lots of hot spots on the touch screen that are unmarked (outlining is the standard indicator), lots that are marked, and lots that are outlined that are not hot spots. Dumb!
* ADS-B traffic backgrounds -- I can see traffic on the map display, but targets can be hard to read against the background. But if I go to the traffic display, there's absolutely no background, like runway centerlines. Only when fully zoomed in does the airport appear, and that zoomed in scale isn't useful;
* Lots of other human factors stuff;
* Step by step manuals: don't teach underlying design principals of the system, way too wordy, and only teach rote learning;
* Indices (search functions) for manuals presented in .pdf. Almost useless;
* Voice warnings -- way overused. Way back when, I wrote the first document at Boeing integrating voice callouts into the quiet, dark cockpit concept.

Problems with user interfaces: everybody has an opinion; pilots seem to adapt to just about everything and then loudly defend their purchase decision; bad user interfaces don't have obvious and immediate symptoms but can still bite you when you least expect it. Then again, cold solder joints, loose jam nuts, missing cotter pins and inadequate edge distances on rivets can be trouble free until they're not...

Vans Upgrades

Here are some mods I made. I'm still wrapping up my build, so I can't speak from experience how well these work.

* C-601-1 SC-15 UV-resistant plexiglass canopy (special order for Vans)
* Step Kit (Vans lists as optional, but it doesn't seem optional unless you want to carry a stool around, and much easier to put in at the beginning than to have to rip up the floor like I did)
* PMAG electronic ignition
* Catto composite 3-blade prop (looks great, but it is so light I may have to put a weighted crush plate on to bring my CG forward)
* Classic Aero Design interior with heated seats
* Aerosun Vx landing light, Pulsar NS90 wingtip/strobe light, Suntail tail light
* Electric trim (important to allow an autopilot to auto trim)
* Full Dynon + Avidyne + backup G5 glass panel with AFS QuickPanel (way better and more reasonably priced than anything I've flown in a certified plane)
* Heated Pitot/AOA probe
* Aithre Shield CO monitor
* Mountain High O2D2 oxygen system
* H3R A344T Halon fire extinguisher
* Aerosport Products Vents
* Smoke System Helper smoke oil
* Generous set of USB chargers on panel and near flap motor (for iPad, phone, passenger enjoyment)
* Flap position sensor
* SteinAir defrost fans
* AntiSplat Almost RV-14 seat back modification
* AntiSplat Nose Job II and Lip Skid front gear improvements
* Aerosport Products cowl pin covers
* Cessna oil door latch (from Aircraft Spruce)

Wait as long as possible to rivet on the floors, top skins, and interior baggage panels. Test all the systems before closing easy access. Test the fuel gauge before closing the fuel tank.

Think early about what parts of the interior you plan to paint, and do this painting while access is easy.

Here are others I strongly considered making or may make later or wish I made

* Firewall insulation
* Constant speed prop
* SuperTracks slider extension for easier access to baggage area.
* AntiSplat wheel modifications to avoid shimmy.
* Andair fuel selector
* More time planning the systems and routing before putting skins on, so that I could have drilled the wiring channels on the bench rather than in an assembled aircraft. Vans doesn't provide nearly enough. Make sure you run the conduit to the wing tips, 3/8" grommets for Pitot and AOA, autopilot, and stall warning in the wings. SteinAir has an antenna location planning guide that I wished I'd found earlier. Many more channels are needed to get the antennas and wiring bundles through the bulkheads.

David

K.I.S.S.

Also -

Keep it light!

Sure, if you have the money you can tart your plane up. No problem there. Better not to, though, at least until you've got some serious time on it.

In my opinion.

Dave

Ed,
Wow! That's a great collection of excellent insights.
Charlie

Handles on the rollbar for entry/exit.
Use the aluminum eyeball airvents, the plastic ones are junk.
Braided high pressure hoses for the brake system rather than the plastic.
Sunshade.
Defrost hole in the top of the avionics stack to move hot air away from them and up to the windshield.
Revise the step design/fab to eliminate the weld cracking.

DavidHarris said:

* C-601-1 SC-15 UV-resistant plexiglass canopy (special order for Vans)

Worth noting at least for me that the price increase by going with this canopy was just enough to torque me off! I felt that $300 increase was a bit steep.

Click to expand...

airguy said:

Handles on the rollbar for entry/exit.

What did you use for the handles airguy?

Revise the step design/fab to eliminate the weld cracking.

I think Van's does this already now.

Click to expand...

I installed
-step kit
-electric aileron and elevator trim.
-access panel in baggage floor
-firewall insullation with titanium covering see here
-dual brakes
-braided brake lines
-braided fuel lines
-blended tips

Just to name most, I didn't want to get too carried away with complexity and time. Like Dave said, K.I.S.S.

+1 on Ed?s post: if you have electric trim, airspeed dependent trim speed is a big plus.
(2) If you have a -10, get the aftermarket door handle mechanism, the one with the cam that grabs the door sill, and also gives a bit more throw on the pins. Vans add-on safety latch is, perhaps, their worst offering.

David Paule said:

K.I.S.S.

Also -

Keep it light!

Sure, if you have the money you can tart your plane up. No problem there. Better not to, though, at least until you've got some serious time on it.

In my opinion.

Dave

Click to expand...

Dave nailed it. Also how about a mod that is even lighter, works better and takes less time to fabricate than what's shown in the plans. Move your throttle cables to the panel.

Keep it light is key to a nice flying plane.

For a nosewheel, I would relace the Van's bearing.

Upgrades well worth the money and ones I would do again:
Andair fuel valve
Center throttle quadrant
Braded steel brake lines
Parking brake
Five points harness
Modular instrument panel
Doug Bell tailwheel fork and DJM lightweight tailwheel

Other thoughts:
Correctly designed instrument panels!!! (Putting the fuel pump switch next to the avionics master is almost criminal.)
Split top cowl so you can actually inspect the engine prior to flight, similar to a Cherokee.

Screaming Eagle tailwheel assembly
Steering link
Handles on the roll bar

Lots of good stuff here already- many of which I have done.

I'd also add-

Supertracks canopy mod if doing a 6/7/9 slider
Anti-Spat almost a 14
Control Approach Rudder pedals
Berringer nose wheel (if nose) mains look great too, or anti-splat mains
Skybolts vs. hinge at least where cowling meets fuse

Could "Sample Improvements" become its own panel? this especially applies to issues that have been solved by a builder...like Ed's suggestion to put a shelf over the baggage hold. it's almost like "best practice" that otherwise needs to be rediscovered again and again, typically randomly.

There are so many improvements listed by Ed and David alone that they deserve their own discussion posts. Many seem more like teasers, others I do not understand, but I would love to read about them, and perhaps have them discussed, one by one. In fact, this applies to almost every bullet point Ed raised before the airframe chute and avionics (which I agree with, but which were not really build improvements that we can make). Heck, maybe Vans will endorse and offer some of them.

Unsolved (related to Ed's Chute comment): I wonder whether there should be a HANS-like device in every airplane to prevent spinal injury. Unlike cars, airplanes often have unusual warnings before crashes. When the engine goes out, we know we have many many seconds to get ready for the big hit. We should be able to swivel something over our sholders and heads.

(Are there any "easy-cowling-opening-mechanism" alternatives to the piano wires? I found them to be painful. my flight design CTSW has a nice easy-latch opening system, but it's not too flush. a split cowling design that lifts up would be even easier. it is odd that a convenient and flush cowl opening mechanism would be difficult to engineer. [PS: what is a cowl pin cover? functional or just cosmetic?])

can I bring this up with the forum maintainers?

enhancements

Some things I did, no particular order, and not complete:

• Aluminum gear legs (RV-8) from Grove, but also available from Ken
• Space shuttle switch guards from Perihelion Design
• Easy to remove panel (inside aircraft) like Paul suggested
• EarthX battery - small and light, helps RV-8 with CG
• Constantly think about maintenance when installing something - "how will I fix it or maintain it after everything is buttoned up?"

What would probably also be an interesting thread would be "what are the things you did, that you would not recommend again?"

Optionitis (op - shun- i - tus)

A disease commonly infecting aircraft homebuilders. First time builders are particularly prone to infection, as like most diseases, immunity is developed by prior exposure. It manifests itself as a mania for not missing any and all optional improvements to airframes, engines, and devices already known to be serviceable and reliable.

Additional symptoms include eyestrain from too much internet, thinness of checkbook, and the agony of indecision. Many patients become aware of their condition, develop partial immunity, and proceed to a favorable outcome. However, if left unrecognized and untreated, the patient slowly becomes paralyzed, eventually resulting in a unfinished project.

All in fun. There are real choices to be made, but the baseline is what you heard from Mr. Paule. Long term, less is more.

even when less is more, there are good exceptions: when the extra cost and weight at install time is minimal. for example, why not put a little better (Lord) engine insulators? or put in a nicer bigger conduit to the wings at build time?

at build-time, the complication and cost is minor, as are the weight consequences. after the build, this can be very complex and costly.

these are particularly worthwhile pointers for improvements.

on things like interiors, shelving, etc., I agree that it can wait until later or never, depending on preferences for weight and simplicity.

of course, to save airplane weight, the best prescription is not to build less but to eat less.

Options

Here's mine.
Installed...
-P60G2 inside, Alodine outside
-Wing conduit
-Step kit (modified)
-SC15 tinted canopy
-Sikaflex (no rivets, only one hole)
-Electric aileron and elevator trim.
-Beringer dual brakes, wheels and parking brake. Braided lines. No Antilock valve
-TS Flightlines braided fuel lines
-USB ports pilot and pass
-Dual Pmags (auto plugs)
-Andair fuel valve
-Dynon with auto pilot and auto trim
-Supertracks
-Removeable floors
-One piece fiberglass canopy skirt
-Aerosport vents
-SteinAir defrost cooling fans (2)
-New Vans engine mount and nose gear
-Flyboys rudder stops
-Capacitive fuel senders

Planning...
-Firewall insullation fiberfrax with titanium layer
-Vertical Power VPx Pro
-Skybolt cowl fasteners
-AeroLED
-Mountain High O2D2
-Wirlwind 300RV prop
-Vinyl wrap
-Interior accessible cowl pins

Dave is my mentor so a lot of thought goes into weight even though it doesn't seem like it.

iaw4 said:

even when less is more, there are good exceptions: when the extra cost and weight at install time is minimal. for example, .... or put in a nicer bigger conduit to the wings at build time?....

Click to expand...

Good example of how easy it is to get seduced - the only real benefit to conduit in the wings is that it's easier to run more wires through later. Leave the conduit out completely, Van's plastic bushings work great so use them, and install a piece of string that can be used in the future to pull another wire and another string through. You'll save weight and cost and heck, you may never need to pull more wires through.

Dave

If this becomes a "sticky", it might be helpful to break it into categories: airframe, interior, engine, etc. There are *so* many options available for each one that a single list would get Yuuuuge quickly

So here's my list of things that I liked when I built mine:

Rudder pedal extensions
DJM Throttle Quadrant
Andair fuel pump and fuel selector valve (along with reduction in height of fuel pump cover)
1 lb Halon extinguisher mounted on forward portion of fuel pump cover (with racing style "loops" w/ quick release pin)
Custom cover for forward portion of flap actuator, courtesy of Classic Aero (covered in leather to match full Aviator interior)
Custom cover for canopy interior side rails, to cover the rivets, with leather from Classic Aero, to match interior
Locking push-pull cables with laser engraved labels (Red for alternate air, blue for oil cooler, black for cabin heat)
Aerox O2 system
Smokin' Airplanes smoke oil system (slightly modified hoses to use leakproof quick-disconnect fittings, modified cap similarly, so I can fill it using a pump without having to take it out and not risk spilling smoke oil on the interior carpeting)
Really minor things, like I made a metal cover for the upper canopy latch so it looks nice, filled the gap between the two halves of the rollbar and sanded smooth so it looks like one solid piece, etc.
Wemac air vents (yes, the plastic ones from Van's suuuuck)

Latest addition: Aithre CO detector feeding directly into Dynon Skyview system...can't recommend this highly enough. Great addition!

Let's see...engine and FWF:
Screwless spinner, one of my favorite parts of the whole airframe
Van's oil cooler shutter
Clear brake fluid reservoir, don't remember where I got it, but I can instantly see the fluid level every time I preflight and check the oil
High-temp (blue) Adel clamps
Not too much else...most of the engine is stock YIO-360-M1B.

Brakes: braided steel flex line for the "loop" around the gear legs at the bottom
Wheels/tires: replaced the axle nut with the ones that have the hole in them, and the removable bracket, to take that jack that uses a bottle jack and the steel rod into the gear leg (y'all know what I'm talking about )

Conduit in wings (*with* a string left in to pull more wires if ever needed...not yet!)
Internal aileron stops
Internal rudder stops
Fuel drain port fairings
Fuel vent port fairings
"Rocket-style" vent line coils inside wing root
Capacitive fuel sensors (was stock from Van's at the time of my build, though)
Recently added just because they look fun...the RV Printed Parts rudder clevis fairings

Safe-air1 pitot/static/AOA lines and fittings...zero leaks anywhere from day one, knock on wood

Sikaflex for canopy and aft window, albeit with Hylocks where the screws would have gone (to avoid having to fill holes, and they look like rivets from the outside )

SkyBolt canopy fasteners

"Hidden hinge" on the oil door (but SkyBolts on the two corners to fasten it down)

Electrical/avionics is anybody's choice, so the only advice there: FOT grounding busses, and *everything* (and I mean everything) returns ground to one of those two busses. Result: no ground loops, zero headset noise.
Instead of a homebuilt (or now Van's-available) ADAHRS mount, I used two pieces of angle between the longerons aft of the baggage bulkhead and mounted mine there.
Van's ELT mounts L (ELT) and R (Dynon ADS-B electronics box)
Clik-Bond mounts of various styles used throughout the airframe for wiring harnesses

And no steps installed. Yes, I carry a small step stool for passengers, and I can get up on the wing no problem (when the day comes that I can't, then we'll see...). It's a small price to pay for NOT having to replace them *when* they crack.

There are lots of little bitty things I did, too, along the way...e.g., IIRC Van's has you remove a couple of eyes from the flap hinges, and insert the hinge pins from the middle and then safety. I didn't do that, and simply put small collets with set screws on each end after inserting the pins. Things like that.

Van?s Aircraft ideas

I would like to see Van’s invest in making the canopies easer to build / assemble.
The RV14 canopy is so well engineered, it is an assembly job. Wonderful kit!
The RV8, 7, and 9 ,, tip up and slider could use some improvement.
I m wanting to build a new RV 8, or 15

So glad I went with the map box in the IP. Very handy for storage.

Jeremy could you post a picture of your baggage door?

bizpilot said:

Jeremy could you post a picture of your baggage door?

Click to expand...

Ya I probably shouldn't have used the word "door". It's just an access panel in the floor. I don't have any great pics but here is what I got.

In this pic you can see the metal plate being held on by a couple of clecos on the center/right of the pic.

20181021_165010 by Jereme Carne, on Flickr

In this pic you can see part of the actual hole.

20181020_203205 by Jereme Carne, on Flickr