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Wing build phase 2 begins

After many nutplates, wing rib prep, and bucking rivets I finally have 2 skeletons ready for skinning. I had to get the first skin on just to see what it would start to look like. Seems like progress now.

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Inspection scheduled

Looks like May 27th will be the day my project becomes an airplane if all goes well. Yay me!!! seven years 4 months.
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I keep putting off posting an update for just one more item. But finally it's ready for the photo I wanted to take.

Just about ready for the move to the airport.

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Run the engine first time. Started with first blade. All needles came alive and were moving in right direction :) . DAR comes on June the 20th.


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your plane

Beautiful workmanship and paint scheme. my daughter and I are building the same plane/tip-up. any close up construction pictures?
Thanks,
Tim and :)Emily
 
Empennage, Wings & Fuselage done...

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Finish Kit is in the shop!

Now I just need an engine, prop, some avionics and wires. :D
 
Hi Vlad!
A taxing plane with cleco in wing tips looks quite funny. Are you going to paint the bird? Have you chosen a paint scheme yet?
 
Alex_K said:
Hi Vlad!
A taxing plane with cleco in wing tips looks quite funny. Are you going to paint the bird? Have you chosen a paint scheme yet?
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Alex privet! Clecos no more, riveted yesterday :) I will paint next year budget permitting. How about your RV-9A? I know it's a beauty post couple pictures.
 
Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vlad, remember your post a few days ago in the Bahama trip thread??

"After hard day of final assembly I am ready for motivation injection..."

Sounds to me like you got motivated in a big way with the taxing of the plane.

Congrats on reaching this milestone, first flight should be just around the corner.
 
First engine start!

Had my first engine start Sunday, June 5th. Engine started easily and ran smooth. I'm using Precision's Eagle EMS system which consist of dual electronic ignitions and electronic fuel injection. There is no mixture control other than a small rheostat they provide to allow for an additional 10% further leaning if desired. Restarted the engine a couple of times and it was really easy. Just flip the boost pump and hit the start button. No more guessing or rolling the dice on how to restart an injected motor.:)

I have a Superior IO-320 with C/S that was built by AeroSport. Bart has worked closely with Precision on the Eagle system and had run my engine for @90 minutes before shipping it to me. They are a great bunch of people to work with!

I would also like to thank Al & Dennis from Precision who answered a lot of questions along the way and Trevor at AFS who helped get the engine info to display on my 4500s.

Finally, I want to thank my pal and hangar mate, Marv, for helping me make this day possible. Without him, I would probably be years away from this. Thanks Marv!
 
Eagle EMS

Had my first engine start Sunday, June 5th. Engine started easily and ran smooth. I'm using Precision's Eagle EMS system
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Kevin-

Way to go! Congrats on the engine start.

I am building the Eagle EMS system as well. Hopefully, I can have the first engine start in the next couple months. Keep us posted on your experiences. Glad to hear that the first start was smooth.
 
At the airport!

Congrats to Kevin and Vlad!

I spent three hours last night moving the wings, so now I have all the big parts in a hangar at 3R9. Realized afterwards I didn't take any pictures of that part. I have pics of the fuselage move, but they look just like all the others - same tow truck guy loading fuselage onto tilt bed wrecker, fuse on wrecker at stoplight, fuse in new home.
 
Left tank finished

Whew.... wasn't so bad I guess. On to finishing the rest of the wing now.
Thanks for the inspiration you guys!!!

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First workshop test flight ...

Yesterday I have made my first RV9A workshop test flight ! ...
Great experience ...
Empennage and wings are done, soon it will be time to put all together.
Friendly.

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I just got my panel installed! (Ignore the wiring cable you see - the radio shop screwed it up, but that is another topic.) I am installing a hinged fuse panel that will flip up down from below the radio stack. Can't wait to finally get power to the panel!



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Av8torTom said:
Whew.... wasn't so bad I guess. On to finishing the rest of the wing now.
Thanks for the inspiration you guys!!!

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I see the scuffing where the rear baffle will be sealed, by in looking at your filet seam, why is there no scuffing showing past the sealant? there should be some "over scuffed" areas there, otherwise you could not have a good seal all the way between the edge of the filet and the aluminum

of course it could be photography tricking me, just trying to help you avoid leaks down the road!
 
Thanks BK

Plenty of scuffing... just a crappy cell phone photo.


Riveted wing ribs and outer leading edge to spar. The center nose rib was a little tricky reaching, but I was able to reach in with a bucking bar through the access panel opening.

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Another Milestone!

Finished the fitting and fab work on the Sam James cowl. Skybolt fasteners throughout. I layed up fiberglass flanges on the side seams and it looks fantastic. Starting to really look like an airplane now!

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Don,

Spinner but no prop? Is there an engine under that cowling? Looks like it would tip off the stand if there was engine weight up front. How did you fit the cowling without an engine and prop???
 
It's mostly in there

bruceh said:
Don,

Spinner but no prop? Is there an engine under that cowling? Looks like it would tip off the stand if there was engine weight up front. How did you fit the cowling without an engine and prop???
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The engine is in it without cylinders on it. I built the bottom end and installed it in the plane to fit the cowl. If you look closely there is a mop bucket full of concrete holding the tail down;) I will be putting it on the gear soon.
 
After 6 weeks at the airport

Wings are on for good, just need to finish the wing tips and complete the fuel system.

Yesterday it passed transponder and pitot/static tests.
And the pilot completed transition training this week!

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Beginning to paint

N942PT is beginning to look like a plane again. After a long layoff due to job changes and two residential moves, we are back to working towards completion of the 9A. Here we have prepped the fuselage and shot two coats of primer to a very nice finish. Only had a few locations to spot sand prior to the first coat of Sherwin Williams JetGlo.
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Then we shot two coats of full color to find after it dried that it was not enough, so had to sand this down with 320 grit, work every rivet with scotchbright and reshoot two more coats of color.
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You know where I am going with this. After redoing the orange, we began the labor of laying out the stripes.
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Tens days of over 10 hour days and we have this to a point where we can at least roll it out in the driveway and get lots of looks. Small parts are next then on to painting the wings.
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Pat Garboden
N942PT
O-320 150 hp Lycoming
 
Panel wired

Panel is complete and in the plane. Some small things to do like paint the four screw heads on the panel. Wiring took months.
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Meticulous measuring to lay out the wiring and it all looks great now that it is combed out and in place. Here is a shot of the mass of wires before combing and final wrap.
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Front of panel before installing tip up canopy.
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Pat Garboden
Katy, TX
RV9A N942PT O-320 150 hp Lycoming tip up
 
That is nice Tony

Really nice paint design. Clean lines. I like it.

Pat Garboden
Katy, TX
RV9A Painting now.
 
Very nice Tony! Your painter must either have an army of folks attacking planes or is like a squirrel on Mt. Dew. They are fast!
 
Yeah, Don. Guess you're the winner! I figured just about anyone would notice, anyone but me, that is. I was in such a hurry to lay everything up with clecos that I screwed this up. The other brackets are actually inside the structure here as well. :eek: Wasn't until I tore it down again that I noticed my mistake. I'm learning to read, re-read and re-re-read the plans... :)
 
I did something similar with a nut plate on the rudder. Fortunately it was easy to take it off and put it on the other side.
 
The right kind of pink slip

Mel Asberry flew down and gave me a few more items to work on. Of course he found the obligatory loose jam nuts.
It's going to be nice to get all those access panels back where they're supposed to be.

I now have an airplane instead of a kit!

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Congrats! I was there about 2 months ago. Mel is the best! Don't forget to take out a loan for all that avgas you're going to burn in the next 40 hours. :D
 
Great job Chip. I always enjoy seeing the Hobbs meter climb on the 9/9A models. I'm getting closer myself.
 
N619KB gets a Pink Slip!

After way too many years, N619KB was finally rewarded with a pink slip by local DAR Charlie Cotton.

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Just finished the windscreen. Now it's on to finally getting at the fuel tank service bulletin (I closed mine up one week before Van's issued the bulletin!:rolleyes:) Then, a few minor things and off to the airport.
 
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