Valkyrie is now in to her tenth year of flying, so this was something like the 9th time (depending on how you count the licensing inspection I suppose?) we?ve opened her all up since new. Doing pretty well, with just shy of 1800 hours on the clock. Annual hours the first couple of years were in the 300 range ? then I adopted Louise?s RV-6, and we built the -3?.so have to share flying time between them all ? plus all the OPP?s (?Other People?s Planes?) I fly, so Val gets more like 150 per year these days.
No big issues this time:
1) Rudder cable attach point wear ? the known issue of where the cables attach to the rudder arms with AN3 bolts. The bolts start enlarging the holes. Interestingly enough, the RV-3 plans show bushings installed from day 1 ? many have done that on the newer RV?s, and now the Val has them as well. Ordered 3/16? ID x ?? OD bushings from McMaster and cut them down to a little longer than the arm was thick. Drilled and reamed the holes to 1/4:?, used a C-clamp to press them in, then a sanding disk on an angle die-grinder to bring them down flush. Should be good for a while.
2) Air filter vs. FAB ? yup, the K&N started wearing an escape hole in the bottom of the FAB. I am only surprised it hadn?t done so earlier ? the -3 started the first year! Easy fiberglass repair, and a brand new K&N ? the old one had done the shrinking act, but I?ll accept a new filter once a decade as acceptable wear.
3) Adel clamp that tied the starter cable to an intake tube was sliding around ? did a little tidying up with new clamps.
4) Replaced brake piston O-rings due to a leak. Brake linings last me about three years, and these were done last year, so we?re still fat in the stopping department.
Everything else was routine inspection, lubrication, and torque-checking. Good to go for another year!
Paul
No big issues this time:
1) Rudder cable attach point wear ? the known issue of where the cables attach to the rudder arms with AN3 bolts. The bolts start enlarging the holes. Interestingly enough, the RV-3 plans show bushings installed from day 1 ? many have done that on the newer RV?s, and now the Val has them as well. Ordered 3/16? ID x ?? OD bushings from McMaster and cut them down to a little longer than the arm was thick. Drilled and reamed the holes to 1/4:?, used a C-clamp to press them in, then a sanding disk on an angle die-grinder to bring them down flush. Should be good for a while.
2) Air filter vs. FAB ? yup, the K&N started wearing an escape hole in the bottom of the FAB. I am only surprised it hadn?t done so earlier ? the -3 started the first year! Easy fiberglass repair, and a brand new K&N ? the old one had done the shrinking act, but I?ll accept a new filter once a decade as acceptable wear.
3) Adel clamp that tied the starter cable to an intake tube was sliding around ? did a little tidying up with new clamps.
4) Replaced brake piston O-rings due to a leak. Brake linings last me about three years, and these were done last year, so we?re still fat in the stopping department.
Everything else was routine inspection, lubrication, and torque-checking. Good to go for another year!
Paul
