RV-4 Spar kit - W-406 - is it the pre-built one?

Hi all,

Oddball question here:

I'm trying to find out if a particular RV-4 has a spar that needed to be assembled by the builder or is one of the gold "Phlogiston" (sp?) spars.

I called Vans with the serial number and they said the spar kit shipped was kit number W-406.

Can anyone tell me which spar that is?

thanks

Check with them maybe??

http://www.phlogistonproducts.com/

W-406 is the P/N of the spar, not a "kit number". When I ordered my Phlogiston spar with the kit, as I recall, Van's shipped the parts for the spars (and the center bulkhead) to Phlogiston for anodize and assy. I believe the spars went back to Van's and were included with the balance of the wing parts for delivery to me.

The best way to confirm the spar pedigree is to look at it. If the spar exhibits outstanding workmanship and gold anodize, it is almost certainly a Phlogiston spar. You can see the spar in the cockpit, thru the aileron access panel, or behind a wing tip.

Good luck,

Dean
Bolton, MA

Thanks Mike and Dean.

Sometimes the owner has painted everything int he cockpit so whether or not the spar is gold isn't possible to tell form there. But Dean's suggestions about access panels etc are good ones.

Thanks!

By the way, on one kit invoice ofr one plane it says:


W-406 Drilled Spar --------- Subkit ---------------

On another invoice for another plane - an older one - it lists:

W-406A - Main spar web
W-406B Main Spar Web doubler

and then a collection of Bar:

W-406C, W-406D, W-406E, W-406F, W-406G

Could this be some sort of clue? Or is it perhaps merely a modification of their invoicing technique?

Thanks

Sounds like it was built by the builder. When I ordered the pre-built spar I don't think I got a BOM listing of the individual components.

Easiest way to tell is to take off the access cover for the aileron linkage and look at the spar. If it is gold anodized it is 99% certain it was prebuilt. If painted, probably not.

But either way the fact is was owner built in itself doesn't mean much. Back in the real early days they all were. Its the quality of the work not who did it that counts.

Get a tech counselor to look at it for you if you are uncomfortable. You fan tell a lot for the aileron access plate. If more inspection needed pull the wing tips and/or tanks.

This is not a clue. These numbers are Van's part numbers. As stated before, if you order a spar built by Phlogiston, Van's simply sends them the parts and they anodize and assemble them, returning it to Vans for shipment to the builder.

If you haven't removed the seat skins to look at the spar, try that. People don't usually paint the spar when it is covered by the seat skins. You might also try looking at the spar where it leaves the fuselage by removing the wing root fairing.

I don't think you will be able to confirm anything with information from Vans unless you have the original shipping papers.

Internal inspection

Hi

Pull the inspection covers from under the wing, I doubt that the spar itself has been painted if it is a Phlosogon. If it is it will be gold annodised. If its pained 99% chance it was home built.