sbalmos
Well Known Member
So here begins the build log of my RV-9a slider, N112SB, tentatively named "My Significant Other". Why yes, I'm single, why do you ask? I'm just shy of 30, and by day, I am a senior software developer. By night, I'm building this beast in the converted second bedroom and garage of my condo. Before you all drop your jaws, yes it's a tight squeeze sometimes. But I have the parents' basement available to store subsections as I finish them. Plus my dad is a woodworking shop teacher with a full shop, so I've got free reign of all his bench power tools (especially the bandsaw and drill press!). The build time will be long, but steady - usually a half hour nightly during the work-week, assuming nothing else is going on that night, and then a majority of the weekends. Amazingly, the neighbors do not hear the air compressor or rivet gun!
I've been PPL licensed for a little over half a year, since late October 2011, and figured that building my own plane will, in the long run, be the best way for me to have a reliable plane that is available on my schedule, with the equipment I want, with a **** of a lot more capability than the 172's I trained in. Ultimately, what sold me on Van's (as opposed to Mustang II) was the community size. It was going to be much easier for me to find help building an RV than a Mustang. After that, it was down to the 7a or 9a. I eventually went with the 9a mainly because I really don't care about performing aerobatics (really, I don't!), and being a low-time pilot, the added low-speed stability of the 9a is appealing. I'd rather drive a comfortable, capable all-around sporty car than possibly shoot myself in the foot trying to control a high-speed sports car. Doesn't mean I'll settle for a Corolla, but I don't need the Ferrari.
Below, mainly for posterity's sake for builders in the future, are some decisions I've come to make along the way. My intended flight profile is mainly VFR, mid-range regional cross-country flights (hello Ohio Valley RVator weekend UFOs!). But I want to equip it for full IFR, because I'm a gadget geek, being a computer guy, and I want the capability when I eventually upgrade my license.
Current Equipment Plans
Paint
Eventually it will be painted, yes. I *LOVE* the paint scheme of Steve Eberhart's (newtech here on VAF) N14SE, especially the deep candy-apple red. Combine that maybe with a dark metallic blue gradient, maybe some patches of polished aluminum. Don't quite know yet. But definitely the candy-apple red.
Priming
This took quite a bit of deciding, since it is such a contentious issue. I knew for a fact that I wanted to just deal with a rattle-can self-etching primer. I didn't have the resources - much less the space - to deal with the hazards and mess of a two-part primer, paint gun, etc. So, I've got the which primer out of the way. Now the harder part - how much to prime?
So, first off, this plane will be in southwest Ohio, hangared. No worry about saltwater corrosion or such. After discussions with other builders at my eventual home 'drome (KHAO), and reading all the entries in the flamewar threads (which basically all boiled down to "I wouldn't do nearly as much priming next time around"), I decided that I'll do a combination of priming where required, priming the inside rivet lines of skins, and priming after riveting the insides of rivet lines and spar/rib flanges, where my bucking bar is likely to have rubbed off the top layer during bucking. Everything else can stay unprimed in my mind. I'm sure that'll set off some "friendly discussions". When I mean priming after riveting, see the pics below of the front spar and main rib assembly of the HS. I just spray a quick layer on the rivet lines to seal everything up and cover up any bucking bar rubbing points:
One side note - I went to my local NAPA to get the NAPA 7220, and without really realizing it, they gave me the military-green Duplicolor DAP 1690 - at the higher $9/can price! What a ripoff. I can get it from AutoZone or Wal-Mart for around $6-7/can. Oh well. Hopefully I can source the beige color primer for the interior.
If anyone has any other questions, or suggestions for other sections of background info I should add on here, let me know!
I've been PPL licensed for a little over half a year, since late October 2011, and figured that building my own plane will, in the long run, be the best way for me to have a reliable plane that is available on my schedule, with the equipment I want, with a **** of a lot more capability than the 172's I trained in. Ultimately, what sold me on Van's (as opposed to Mustang II) was the community size. It was going to be much easier for me to find help building an RV than a Mustang. After that, it was down to the 7a or 9a. I eventually went with the 9a mainly because I really don't care about performing aerobatics (really, I don't!), and being a low-time pilot, the added low-speed stability of the 9a is appealing. I'd rather drive a comfortable, capable all-around sporty car than possibly shoot myself in the foot trying to control a high-speed sports car. Doesn't mean I'll settle for a Corolla, but I don't need the Ferrari.
Below, mainly for posterity's sake for builders in the future, are some decisions I've come to make along the way. My intended flight profile is mainly VFR, mid-range regional cross-country flights (hello Ohio Valley RVator weekend UFOs!). But I want to equip it for full IFR, because I'm a gadget geek, being a computer guy, and I want the capability when I eventually upgrade my license.
Current Equipment Plans
- O-320 engine - preferably a D1A or similar submodel that can/will run mogas
- Dual P-Mags - I know I want electronic ignition for the increased fuel efficiency. Considered the dual Lightspeed, or a combo Lightspeed + Slick mag. But having the built-in mechanical fallback of a P-Mag seems to alleviate this.
- Catto 3-blade FP prop - 3-blade for the cruise smoothness, and because it gosh darn looks cool. Gotta think ramp presence, you know!
- Unsure of which autopilot to go with at the moment - maybe Dynon's if I go with them. Otherwise TruTrak?
- Dual AFS 5600 EFIS screens. Maybe Dynon SkyView, if they catch back up. I like integrated everything, including XM music radio control.
- GTN 650 GPS? Unsure of this one. I know I want WAAS-capable, so I can do full RNAV/LPV approaches eventually, even if I have to still file /U.
- SL30 secondary nav/com radio
- PMA8000B Audio Panel (maybe Garmin's GMA 240 or 350, depending on how it sounds when I try it up at Oshkosh)
- GTX-330 Transponder (or Dynon's Mode-S if I go SkyView)
- ADSB-In/out transceiver?
- Classic Aero full interior - I'm thinking black/gray with red center seatback cushion panel and red stitching
Paint
Eventually it will be painted, yes. I *LOVE* the paint scheme of Steve Eberhart's (newtech here on VAF) N14SE, especially the deep candy-apple red. Combine that maybe with a dark metallic blue gradient, maybe some patches of polished aluminum. Don't quite know yet. But definitely the candy-apple red.
Priming
This took quite a bit of deciding, since it is such a contentious issue. I knew for a fact that I wanted to just deal with a rattle-can self-etching primer. I didn't have the resources - much less the space - to deal with the hazards and mess of a two-part primer, paint gun, etc. So, I've got the which primer out of the way. Now the harder part - how much to prime?
So, first off, this plane will be in southwest Ohio, hangared. No worry about saltwater corrosion or such. After discussions with other builders at my eventual home 'drome (KHAO), and reading all the entries in the flamewar threads (which basically all boiled down to "I wouldn't do nearly as much priming next time around"), I decided that I'll do a combination of priming where required, priming the inside rivet lines of skins, and priming after riveting the insides of rivet lines and spar/rib flanges, where my bucking bar is likely to have rubbed off the top layer during bucking. Everything else can stay unprimed in my mind. I'm sure that'll set off some "friendly discussions". When I mean priming after riveting, see the pics below of the front spar and main rib assembly of the HS. I just spray a quick layer on the rivet lines to seal everything up and cover up any bucking bar rubbing points:
One side note - I went to my local NAPA to get the NAPA 7220, and without really realizing it, they gave me the military-green Duplicolor DAP 1690 - at the higher $9/can price! What a ripoff. I can get it from AutoZone or Wal-Mart for around $6-7/can. Oh well. Hopefully I can source the beige color primer for the interior.
If anyone has any other questions, or suggestions for other sections of background info I should add on here, let me know!