Making the Transition to an RV
Very Cool Link!
The RV Finder
Van's Air Force; World Wide Wing
Scott Millhouse's trip to Vans
Precision Airmotive carb information
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Downloads
W&B Program
must also install the
update
and here are
the instructions
AC 20-27E
(pdf, 2.3 meg)
This is the circular you need for info about registration and inspection
Do a Roll in Tracy Crook's Mazda powered RV-4
Engine Info
A great article with useful data about acquiring an engine
Article by Bob Archer about his internal wing-tip nav/com antennae
Product listing of Bob Archer's internal antennae
GIF of Archer type antenna (Bob Nuckoll's AeroElectric Connection)
Download the TVRVBG logo
(copyright 2002)
Building Philosophy
TVRVBG member Alex Sloan is the former chairman of the EAA Homebuilder Council and an EAA Technical Advisor. The following thoughts are excerpted from an email to one of our new members who was contemplating the immensity of an aircraft project.
"Trying to see the whole construction process can be a little discouraging and I caution you in doing so. Building an airplane is a thousand and one little jobs that make one big job that will look like an airplane. When I was in the process of plans building my RV-3 (ed: nine years!) I received the best advice ever offered; "Do not try to see the end of the tunnel". Concentrate on only the job that is laying on the work table and get it done. Go to the next job and concentrate on it and get it done, etc. By following the guide Vans gives you and adhering to it closely you will progress well. Do not set a time table on getting the job done. Enjoy each and every job as you progress from one to the next. The joy of having your own plane that you manufactured is having joy with the construction process and seeing it go together piece by piece. (ed: for more thoughts on dividing your project into "tasks", see the editorial on "Working Smart")
Once you get your plans and construction manual I recommend you go through the manual
slowly getting familiar with the drawings and the plans and the parts. Using the new parts
identification list Vans has in the manual now you can pick up any part and look up what
plans number they will be on and you can look at the plans and see just what it is and
where it goes. This is an important thing to do. As you inventory each part of the kit
when you unpack it this is a good time to do that and it will help you when you are in the
actual construction mode. It is impossible to spend too much time studying the
plans and manual and parts! Education is the big reason we are permitted to enjoy the
homebuilding process.
As you take the parts out of the box, feel along the edges of the skins or ribs and you will feel that they are not smooth. It is important that you carefully go over each and every skin or part edges with scotch Brite to smooth them up. This will preclude any possibility of cracks. Deburring is the fun part also after each hole is drilled. Be careful in not over doing it. It is possible to countersink a hole with a deburring tool.
Whether or not to prime the inside of the plane is another thing to decide. If you are careful with your parts and do not scratch any of them, they are protected with the alclad and priming is unnecessary. Only the extruded parts will need priming. They are not alclad. (ed: Here is another article on the priming issue)
Deciding how to store all the rivets and small parts is another thing to decide. I started out thinking the stand-up storage bins with drawers was the way to go; I have since changed my mind. The flat boxes with lids and compartments are the best. You can see through the tops and each small bin can be labeled on the box top. They stack nicely and if labeled properly you will know what part of the plane the parts will go to.
There are several more things I could tell you but you will be getting tons of advice and suggestions once you commit to building. I am available to offer advice any time you need. The other builders are all there to help as you need it. With as many in the Valley that have now built and are flying, you are fortunate. I was a lonesome builder on the RV-3. When I built the RV-6 I bought a kit and it came a lot easier and much faster. The new kits are great. The key to a successful project is to study, study, study. Know what you are about to do and then do it!"