Hit By Excavator!!

Hard to believe but my RV7 got hit my an excavator.
At the airfeild where my plane is based they were doing some constuction work. An excavator parked behind my aeroplane and the driver was talking to me while I preflight checked. I said he could come for a ride so he went to shut the machine down. He reached inside and accidently pushed a lever. The machine swung around and hit my rudder. As the aeroplane was not tied down and the tail wheel unlocked the plane swung away. As it swung the tailwheel reversed and this forced it against the rudder direction bending my rocket steering link.
Damage thankfully was a dented rudder and bent steering link.
I borrowed a rudder while I wait for parts to build a new one. I was flying again within a couple of days.

Peter


Photo's:

kiwipete said:

If borrowed a rudder while I wait for parts to build a new one.

Click to expand...

Is it just me.. or does it seem real strange see: "I borrowed a rudder"?

Did you still give the guy a ride?

Glad you're OK!

Grateful you and your plane are OK, Peter. The popularity of the -7 kit didn't hurt when you were looking for a rudder to use. I've heard of more than one case of folks loaning parts to friends with 'bent flight controls'.

Thanks for the report and take care.

b,
d

I see TWO awesome vehicles in the #2 photo. What is the one in the background? Lotus Elise?

Borrowed rudder

I borrowed the rudder from a friend who is also building an RV7 and currently flies mine.

Yes the car is a Lotus Elise S1. I've had it about 6 years. Great fun and I think I could only replace it with another one!! Hard to get in - out of. But once you drive it you can forgive it for being loud, leaking in the rain and having no real boot (trunk) space.

Peter

Come on Peter. That's not a damaged rudder! This is a damaged rudder!

I see that you're in the UK. Maybe you can find someone who was sent the Van's conversion kit for the new larger rudder. Just be aware that the conversion kit isn't a full rudder kit. You would need to reuse your old bearings and the lead counterweight.

That's how I rebuilt mine.

Jamie

If that is the worst damage you see in a year, thats a good thing. Great story to tell though. Can't say I ever tangled with an excavator.

You want to talk real rudder damage:

http://www.talkingproud.us/HistoryB52NoTail.html

Yikes!

What about the ride?

Did you end up giving the guy his ride?

Pete,

Do you recall the mfg and paint # of the blue paint you used on your plane? Beautiful paint job BTW. I really like the "primer green" rudder.

Rudder

Pete,
If you'd rather buy a finished RV-7 rudder instead of building one, I have one. I built it for something to do about a year and a half ago. It belonged to a friend who gave up on his project and donated it to a kid's building group. Then Van's sent him a new rudder kit because they made some changes. It is completely finished, tips glassed on smooth, rudder nav light version, internally primed with bearings installed. I've built an RV-6 and I'm almost finished with my new RV-8, so I have some experience. I'll sell it for the cost of the kit from Van's (free labor).

Scott Hersha

Scott

Thanks for the kind offer. I quite enjoy building so I've already got the bits organised to be sent from Van's.

Phillip

I actually took the guy flying last week. It was purely an accident and he felt really bad about it.

Bret

It's painted in sherwin williams jet glow. The touch up paint the painter gave me has jet glo ACT 1-1 on the can containing titanium silver and the metallic blue can ACRY GLO 3.1. Not sure if these codes are correct?
The yellow tail makes it stand out for the others!!!

KR

Peter