What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

Show us the status of your 7/7A project!

Hey Chad,
Your buddy must have a nice hanger and lots of room :D Looks good, now all we have to do is fix the thermostat wire :rolleyes:
I'm killing time weathered in at Jonesboro AR. JSB
 
Last edited:
JACKR said:
Hey Chad,
Your buddy must have a nice hanger and lots of room :D Looks good, now all we have to do is fix the thermostat wire :rolleyes:
I'm killing time weathered in at Jonesboro Ak. JSB
Yeah, that hanger is OK...I guess...for something that most ALL of us non hanger/home owners long for... ;) :D

I'm weathered in sitting in my office this morning...we're supposed to be on our way to KMDH right now...if we do get off the ground this morning, I should be back late afternoon if you're home today...I can come over the this evening to help ya. :)
 
Got my help back for a few weeks

My son got back from colege this morning at about 3:30. Tonight I put him to work bucking rivets. My friend Tom C came down on Saturday and helped buck some tailcone rivets and Luke and I finished up the side skins this evening.

Here are the results.

aftfuse-luke.jpg


aftrivets.jpg


We backriveted most of the sideskin rivets and they came out great!
 
Thanks Luke Doughton at Classic Aero Design

for posting nice interior pics of my RV7A on your advertisement here on VAF...the red and gray Aviator package is installed in N174BK. Click on the ad to see the rest of the pics. It rocks!
 
VS done(mostly)

On advice from a fellow RV builder(Yakdriver), I am delaying rivet the HS together. His advice was to do the Vertical Stab first, as it is easier and I would learn some good skills prior to messing with the noseribs on the HS. <10hrs later here's what I got:

VS99.jpg
 
This could be titled "Ultimate Motivation" In the foreground is my RV-7A that just got it's wings mounted for the first time this past week. In the background is, my hangar mate, Larry Helming's beautiful rendition of an RV-7. Larry and I share ownership of the hangar so the ultimate motivation is seeing his plane all the time.
P1010326.JPG


Steve Eberhart
Evansville, IN 3EV
 
Last edited:
I have made it to the inverted canoe stage. I had to consult Dan's website to get the skins cloco'd up. No problem after you follow his method. I will be ready to drill the firewall tomorrow. the longerons came out good. They should have, I measured them at least one hundred times before cutting and bending.
RV7A155.jpg
 
Alton, the fuselage is looking good! Hope to get mine there one of these days.

Jim, sure feels good doesn't it? :D
 
end of 2006 update

I started on the journey 12/16/06, now 41hrs later I have these

HSVS.jpg


Hopefully by this time next year, I'll have something to sit in or better yet, something I can roll in & out of the shop.
 
Well, I finally have enough stuff assembled to post a note about!

I have the empennage, wings and tailcone done and am starting on the center section!

P1010258.JPG


The place is LITTERED with airplane parts now!

P1010260.JPG


;) CJ
 
Ahhhhh, the memories. You have a great adventure ahead of you. Enjoy the trip and friendships you will make.

Steve Eberhart
RV-7A, Tail and wings mounted, working on finish kit.
 
My 'Canoe' evolved into a 'Submarine', still a bit to go before she is an airplane :D . Just passed the 1500 mark, took a good picture for the log book.

rudis%20rv%20on%201500hours.jpg


PS: Will Release the 1250 - 1500 Hour movie in a week or so, when I get around to it.

Regards
Rudi
 
jdeas said:
Day 1.
The Adventure begins....
100pentximgp0217imgp021zj7.jpg

I couldn't believe my eyes when I looked at your HS spar...I thought it was mine! same exact assembly stage, same color clecoe plier, same plastic storage box, same orange airhose - but no earplugs. Just the way I left it when I went to work this morning. Have fun!

Tony
STINGRAY - emp
 
Hi Guys,

It is MOVIE time again...1250 - 1500 Hour Progress.

1500_800x600.jpg


This movie contains 174 photos/images and took just less than 6 hours to edit.

Here is a direct link to You Tube...the quality is low and the resolution small.

The High Quality versions are on my website, available as a Download for you to store on your Hard Drive. (For a while at least, that is until I ran out of bandwidth again, then I'll remove the downloadable files)

PLEASE KEEP THIS THREAD CLEAN, the discussion is over HERE on the forum:
http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=14432

Enjoy...Kind Regards,
Rudi
 
Last edited:
Congratulations Mike! (MikeJ 7A)

You've accomplished one of the hardest parts...getting started!

I remember how I felt when I was at that stage two years ago. Sort of like I feel right now!
It's fun to build an airplane.

Happy riveting,
Mark
 
Last edited:
Congratulations

woooeeee! Those are some shiny clecos! I may have to polish mine that nice.

You've taken on a project that will be a big part of who you are...

Keep after it...take one small step at a time and pretty soon there won't be any more.

When you get discouraged (and you will...), try to visit someone else's project or better yet, get a ride in an RV!!
 
Wow, new idea everyday, this one might be another regular visit for me :).

scotasaurus said:
I couldn't think of a better way to show off my progress than to put a web cam in my shop. As of today I'm waiting on the wing kit to deliver.

Live RV CAM
 
Starting Fuse Kit

Getting the control column assembled took me all day. The bushings needed quite a bit of work to fit the AN4 bolts. It came out very nice.

FP29012007A00018.jpg


-Ron
 
Milestone: Wheels and Engine on

Hi Rvators,

A lot of visual progress happened in the last couple of weeks. I am so excited I just got to share it. My submarine grew tentacles and a head that can make brooeemmm broeeemmm noises...that is what the little butterfly says...

More photos and discussion over here...keep this thread clean!

rv_07.jpg


Kind Regards
Rudi
 
Last edited:
Rudi:

Keep up the good work. You're not going to believe the feeling of
excitement during and after the first flight. (And a long time thereafter!!!!!!!!!!!)
 
Very Clean Shop!!

Rudi,

My compliments to what appears to be a very clean shop. Of course it's anybody's guess as to what it looks like behind the camera. Just kidding of course! Also many Kudos to making such good progress with such a beautiful young helper at your side(I know very well how that is!).
 
Rudi, Now the fun really starts to get all the wiring, baffling and so on done.
Good Luck!! ;)
 
New rivet partner

My grandson, Austin, dropped by today after his wrestling meet. He said "let's get this built, I want to go fly upside down!"

RV7038-1.jpg


So we back-riveted the trimplate to the left elevator skin. Actually he is better at removing tape and plastic. ;)
 
Fellow RV'r Vince Potts came over today. We set a couple of dozen rivets and flipped the canoe.

I have to work on the saw horses. They are a little too high form my liking.

RV7A168.jpg
 
Visual progress, but still a long road to hoe!

So far, it has been 30 months in the build and this is my latest creation.

P2240285.JPG


So much more to do, but it is about the journey!

It is nice to be working on the fuse. People always ask, "When are you going to build the part you sit in?" Now I can show it to them!

:cool: CJ
 
The wings are on for good:
IMG_2407.jpg


Since we're counting, this is 41 months of progress. Hopefully 42 months will see it in the air.
 
Back
Top