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3 Year Anniversary!

Hi Rvators

Today, 15 May, to the day is the 3 year anniversary of my RV kit arriving in my garage.
2275 Hours of building later and fitting that today, the painter finished painting it! :) :D :) :p
I am collecting it on Friday to take back to the Garage, for that infamous last 10%.

The Fuselage in the paint booth, just finished.
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The Design.
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Kind Regards
Rudi
 
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Getting closer

My plane moved to its hangar last week. I thought I would post some progress pictures. Now, at final assembly, I get to discover all the tings I previously did wrong!



 
Nice design Rudy

Rudy, I really like your paint design...I think it may be on the short list of designs for my -7A.
 
Thanks Chris! The practice kit was definitely worth the $ and time! I'm glad you came and got me started off on the right foot. I'm trying to hold back on building this thing cause I don't have enough saved up for the wing kit yet! :eek: Don't want to sit around with nothing to do! I just sent an order to Vans for some proseal... I've got a feeling I'm fixing to make a mess...

Let me know when you get situated, I'd still like to come drool over your -8!
;)

-Daniel
 
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Today we have kicked ZU-MER out of the nest and moved to the airfield - Brits, South Africa.
From when we had it one the ground to where both wings were on with all bolts in place and all holes drilled etc. it took about five hours and we had a short lunch break. Only three guys. I must say that the nuts are not yet in place and torqued. Everything worked out 100%. In the end the sleepless night I had about sweep and incidence was not necessary.:)

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Weekend away clearance

I've just finished the cabin frame roll bar and of course needed to check it to make sure that the weekend luggage bag (which will include the lovely Mrs. O's beauty case) went in there without any problems. As you can see, it does, so I now have a very happy wife and a happy buidling husband!

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Martin :)
 
Status "Brantel"

Finish kit is suppose to ship this week with Partain.... Hope he gets it here quick! I need parts!

Spent a few hours over the weekend drilling, deburing, dimpling and priming the front deck structure. This took what seemed like forever. I primed it all light grey using my Stewart Systems (AFS) stuff in order to make it easier to see under their when I am upside down under the panel in the future.

I took the hint off Chad Jensen's website not to rivet the stub ribs to the center subpanel yet like the directions tell you to. Not sure when to go ahead and rivet this structure to the fuse. I thought it might be nice to wait till I paint the interior but I don't want to paint it too soon and then get in there and mess it all up while working on the canopy.

I am not using the release mechanism so I am not putting in the "hat" section which would be right in the way of one of the radio's as they cut thru the subpanel. I will use a pullable pin or bolt instead. Five minutes of pain and suffering to get out a pin when and if I ever need to get the canopy off fits my plan better than the release mechanism.

Should I rivet this all in before working on the canopy?

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Pink Slip for 303P

Yesterday was a big day. After almost 6 years, just a couple weeks short, I received the pink slip for 303P. Transition training wtih Mike Seager was completed a couple weeks ago so first flight should follow soon if work and weather permit. Frank Baldwin, a fellow Boredom Fighter builder and AB-DAR did the honors (that's Frank in the picture, not me, I had to take the shot).

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REGreat Day

Jim

congrats on the pink slip and have a big RV Grin first flight.

Frank @ 1L8 .....RV7A ...... last 991 details
 
First Taxi at the Lafayette Airport

Here is a shot of my "baby" after first taxi. I need to have my DAR stop by but I have to weigh it and calibrate my fuel tanks before I can call him. My car temp gauge said it was 105 degrees on all that asphalt.

The engine seems smooth and my MT prop makes a whistling sound. I have a ton of little things to do but I am getting close.

Am I happy I painted it before first flight? I had no choice as my feline friends did a number on my wings in their caddy. It put me back at least six months but now I am happy. With all the heat and humidity, I believe I am better off in the long run.

Steve Anderson
RV 7A H-6
Lafayette, La.


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Walter, I know it is hard to update a web site while you are building. but, 2006? Throw a dog a bone. How's it coming?
 
Well, since the EVO wings aren't available any more the rocket build
is on hold. Then work got in the way, and it took forever to get the
plane painted, and I could list a hundred other excuses... :)

I see that there's an EVO kit for sale in the VAF Classifieds. Dang
nabbit, the timing could NOT be worse. I'm searching for a new house
and need every bit for the down.

House? Rocket? House? Rocket? House? Rocket?

It's so hard to chose.
 
Walter, take the Rocket. They are building new houses every day. A good deal on a Rocket does not come that often.

As for me, another milestone. They are coming fast now.
I hung the engine. Kind of anticlimactic, but now, I get to hook everything up. If I can figure out the best way to pull the plug in the end of the crankshaft, I will bolt on the prop tonight.

BTW, them grey valve cover have got to go. I am thinking Chrome.

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Top Wing Skins Are On

Over the holiday weekend, I was able to get my wing stand built and the left wing skins on.

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Almost complete now...

Hi.

The milestones are coming fast in Norway too.
Wings and tailfeathers are on now.
We completed the wiring today (hopefully) and first start is in 1-2 weeks (hopefully)

The goal is to get airborne in July (hopefully)

Here's a couple of pics of yours truly and four of my six (!) man building team, all of them are retired mechanics from the Norwegian Airforce.

Let's get the fan on and get this thing in the air!!

This will be the very first -7 flying in Norway... (five more 7's under construction), that is if Mother Earth doesn't call on me just after lift off and convert this beautiful thing into a pile of aluminium and rivets once again.... hope not!




[
 
I love the smell of paint in the morning.

Finished the interior paint last week and removed the tape and paper today. So far so good and learning how to use an HVLP spray gun. A cigar shaped spray pattern is the way to go.

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Up on the Gear and out of the Shop...

It felt so good to get to this point I just had to post a status update. I still need to do a little tweaking on the canopy frame before I get it powdercoated (I ordered it bare) and make the Big Cut.








(a little plug for SteinAir - they're a great bunch of guys and just down the road from me...)
 
Status Brantel

Well since I am having to wait an extra month for the "delivery" of my finish kit and I am out of parts otherwise, I decided to bite the bullet and use the time to paint the interior.

This Saturday I pulled everything I could get out of the cockpit and painted it. I used the Rustoleum Hammered paint in bulk. I thinned it 8oz per quart of Xylol per the directions which proved to be perfect.

This stuff has a learning curve on how you spray it. Too little and you don't get the even hammered apearance, too much and you get what looks like runny metalic paint. There seems to also be a trick to getting the most even coverage. I found that by spraying a medium coat all over and then waiting for about a minute and spraying another medium coat, I had what it took to make a nice even hammered finish. This stuff changes before your eyes so it is difficult to tell what you have until it is done doing it's thing.

Overall it was not hard to figure it out. The results are fantastic! I love this stuff! It seems to be the perfect thing for interiors as it has some hidding ability and seems to be easy to learn how to spray it.

This stuff was able to be handled in about an hour after spraying (95+degrees Saturday). I just let it sit yesturday and cure. It seemed to change a little more from Saturday night till this morning. It took on more of an even hammered finish. I suspect that was the remainder of the solvent evaporating causing this.

I checked for durability a little and this stuff seems to be pretty tough already. Others have reported great toughness so only time will tell.
Here is the finish it produces:

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Here are the shots of all the parts I pulled and painted:

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Now I am going to take the interior in three steps. I want to do the baggage area first, then the mid section, then the forward section. This is so I can mask, scuff, clean and paint before the surface oxidizes and looses its grip. I will do this in the evenings this week. I don't think I would have enough time in a session to do more than that in one evening session.

Hope the inside goes as good as the removable parts! If it does, I will be a happy man! Wish me luck!
 
Emp Complete (mostly)

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Just trying to see if I can get a pix on here. I finished the tail last Feb. I've got the left wing mostly done the right wing going into the jig.
Rick
 
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Well the bird has left the buildings nest, the garage, and gone to the bigger nest , the hangar, to get the final assembly started. A good day all and all, arriving safely at the hangar, and finishing fitting the wings the same day.

Life is good.


Getting everyone to help with the move, Dad, Brother and Wife
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Safely in the hangar with wings on for good
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Regards
Rudi
 
Thanks, yip it is a 'hot' red, isn't it? :D

Auto Paint: Car make= MG Rover, Colour=Hot Red , model year=?2003? I think. It is on the auto paint colour charts.
For Reference the silver trim is from the same year and model same car, but can't remember the name of it.

Regards
Rudi
 
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Status Brantel

Calling the interior paint done...

I finished everything up this weekend that I felt that I could do before starting the finish kit.

Did not paint the rollbar or the inside of the aft top skin due to the canopy work that is to come.

Also did not paint the fuel selector plate because I am not sure what I am doing with that yet.

Reinstalled everything possible back into the interior. Installed UHMW tape on the seat back bar front and top surfaces. Hard to tell the tape is even there. Hope it helps that area from getting trashed so quickly in the future.

I have not drilled the anlge to the back of the panel yet because I will be needing an extended panel.

Partain's driver called and said that he is on his way with my finish kit!

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seal of approval, not DAR

Haven't made much progress lately with Spring runoff work and hosting grandkids but at least they approve of the panel layout.
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Austin the pilot, Kylah the Navigator and Dog is their co-pilot wondering why they keep doing loops.

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I may be slow but having fun.

;)
 
N454CH Passed

After 5 years, 8 months, and 19 days of building (and other stuff) N454CH passed its DAR inspection on May 30, 2008. Paint is scheduled for January 2009 with Grady.

For now, I'm flying every tailwheel plane I get my hands on until my transition training with Alex - scheduled for the 3rd time (wx) next week. "Lord willin' " first flight will be Saturday June 28th.

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Done with those (insert expletive here) ribs and finally assembled my skeleton for the first time.

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Brad. You do awesome work man. I follow your site a lot. I can't tell you how many times your site has kept me from making a boo boo. Ha! :D
 
Thanks Mike. I am glad you are getting some utility from it. I noticed a familiar looking countersinking jig on your site the other night. ;):D
 
I steal ideas from both of you guys! :D

***EDIT***

Got the right wing mounted all nice and straight in my stands. Thanks for the stands, PaulR!

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My -7 passed the inspection!

Hi.

Just wanted to shear some good news with you "guys'n gals":
yesterday "Wilco" (the name of my plane,) passed the final inspection conducted by "Luftfartstilsynet", the Norwegain equivalent to FAA.

We where able to mount the registration letters etc just in time too, and it turned out pretty nice we think.

Both the plane and registration is named after the orginal US-builder and his wife. We bought the plane from them two years ago when they had to sell it due to finacial reasons.
They had built it up to the stage where it was ready for canopy-fitting, engine and instruments.

Now, the panels, covers and the interior can go in, a few more small jobs to complete and I've to fly the last couple of rides on my RV-transition training.
Due to work and stuff, the first ride is probably still a couple of weeks away, but what the heck.... I don't mind waiting a couple of weeks at this stage!









 
Now the fussy stuff

Airframe complete, Ailerons Flaps under way. Have just wrapped up the basic layout of the interior - I have extended the panel down with a recessed "z" angle and built a custom center console to house Andair LR fuel selector, Map box (under arm rest) and an RV-8 throttle quadrant. Also customized the vent housings in the corners to complete the theme. Call it a plug if you like (I don't care) but how good is the Classic Aero Interior....IMO it "completes" the RV-7 like nothing else. No doubt someone will criticize me for choosing black leather but my baby lives in a hangar and it looks better than anything else (especially with the Hookers).

Now onto the cowl, wiring etc etc etc.

Too much fun.......... (Apologies for slightly blurry photos - taken without flash or tripod under lights).

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Drove all night, got to Vans and snoozed in the parking lot before they were open. Then after reducing the load in my wallet and pulling into the loading zone, I got this wonderful view. Finish kit ready to go home

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That is now the third set of wings those stands have built.

BTW, If you have no plans for them, I need them for a RV8 being built locally.

Paul only sent me one set of stands, as I'm only building one wing at a time. I had planned on passing them on when I'm done, so I'll check back with you after both wings are completed enough to be off the stands.
 
Made the big cut!

Started cutting the bubble this weekend.

After the initial fitting, made the big cut!
Total non event.... It was about 95 in the sun on Saturday and the bubble was like a wet noodle.

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Working on some more detail trimming. I also trimmed the sides off and started working on the area up at the front corners. Got the right side almost there and had to stop. This week is bible school week at church and I am part of that so no RV building this week at all!

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Paul only sent me one set of stands, as I'm only building one wing at a time. I had planned on passing them on when I'm done, so I'll check back with you after both wings are completed enough to be off the stands.


Matt,
Let's leave them in GA for someone else. I'll see that Al gets another set!!
 
A box with 180HP in it...

We can put the rumors to bed, kill the suspicions of alternatives, and end all fears that I would never make up my mind. I have an engine! My O-360-A1A showed up at work today...

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It's ready to bolt on the airplane as it is, but I always wanted a silver and red engine, so it will be painted before I bring it home. Also have the starter, alternator, mags and harness (of which I am pulling one for a Plasma III...anybody need a non-impulse 4370 Slick? I'll be selling one...), fuel pump, and carb.

It's not a new engine (but only 252 since new), but rebuilt (after a prop strike and inspection) with a new ECI crank, and all yellow tagged parts and accessories. Lycoming and ECI combo engine.

Phew...I feel better now. :cool:
 
Now What??

SWEET CHAD!!! Nice to see that you're on your way and have that decision OFFICIALLY behind you!!!

- Peter

Shoot, now we'll have to find something else he's doing to harass him. We all got a lot of milage of his engine analysis and reflections.

Good job Chad. I'm proud of you!!!
 
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