Sunday, March 27, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
Ready... Aim... Fire, I mean shoot. (paint and rivets)
The month of February and was spent in Kipnuk AK recovering an aircraft (C208B)that went off the end of a runway. We replaced the engine, nose gear and mount, right wing and installed a temporary repair for the crushed rear spar carry-thru so it could fly out on a ferry permit.
March was spent prepping and priming parts for the horizontal stabilizer. This work is being done 20 minutes to an hour at a time a few minutes before or after work and will not be recorded specifically.
March 5 and 6 Added 8 nut plates a side to the horizontal stabilizer ribs for extra vertical stabilizers in the event I put this thing on floats.
Here are all the parts primed with “Green Death”
March was spent prepping and priming parts for the horizontal stabilizer. This work is being done 20 minutes to an hour at a time a few minutes before or after work and will not be recorded specifically.
March 5 and 6 Added 8 nut plates a side to the horizontal stabilizer ribs for extra vertical stabilizers in the event I put this thing on floats.
Here are all the parts primed with “Green Death”
Hard points installed on ribs, next two photos on right. March15 thru 17. Dimpled horizontal skins and primed, below.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Let The Fun Begin
My lovely wife Dora took this photo.
Inventory took place over the next few days and everything was there.
It’s hard to tell, but what I did in this photo is put metal tape on the angle stock to mark the cut lines and hole locations. I set my dial caliper to the required dimension then drag it along the edge I am measuring from. This makes a thinner “mark”, as a “line” has no width. Accuracy is lost every time a measurement is transferred from a ruler by hand. Marks made in this manner can easily be highlighted by marking with a sharpie and rubbing off as much ink while still wet. Final sizing is done to the edge of the mark, this usually leaves parts a little fat. 12 Jan 11 Fwd and aft horizontal stab drilled with HS 908 attach angles fabricated and fitted.
14 Jan 11 Clecoed together, getting ready to size holes.
Here my son, Henrique, and I are taking a break from me getting my a$$ kicked by him on Halo Reach. I have no doubt that he will be able to handle a glass panel, judging by his video gaming skills. It is truly amazing his ability to process all the information displayed in battle for the top half for his screen, and the bottom half for my information as well. He knows where I am by what I see. Invisibility doesn’t help. When I see my head in his screen…… .http://dora-miller.artistwebsites.com/
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
The "Plan" Long form
Thanks everyone for your input. The common thread many of you expressed was addition of time and complexity. When I here this from a few people its time to step back and really think about what I want and why.
First I want to go fast. If this means no bush work, I am O.K. Years ago the FAA put out a little safety flier that had preliminary accident data on the back page. Ninety percent of the incidents (in Alaska ) started with the phase “ during off airport take off” or “landing”. The one year ban on that kind of flying when I got my first airplane gave me time to meet other pilots and get tips on that kind of work and plenty of time to get to know the airplane and how to practice in safer conditions. What can the nine do?
With 8.50 X6’s I can expect to go anywhere a 172 or 206 can go with the same tires. Beaches and gravel bars. Those tires have been put on a -9, and I expect to see that airplane before I purchase the gear legs. Flying in the fall (read hunting season ) the water level drops as things start to freeze. The surfaces are plentiful, the width required for low wing will be the bigger issue. If it were a matter of “ I want to go there”, it could be problematic. I just want to go someplace. And at 170 MPH there are more places to pick from.
Second, once having found a place to go, I might like to go back. Making a place to go back to can be beat out of what is already out there in a week or two, with the exception of floor and roof. The cargo rack has now be abandoned for hard points. Its like a two hole antenna mount on steroids to screw eyes into. I want to (try) to carry 2’X8’ plywood and tin roof. Enough for to cover a 12’x12’ pole cabin in two or three trips. I think it can be done. (not that it should!) Other things to carry are, a dip net, kayak, fold a boat sono tubes a long shovel, or even aluminum poles for a large tent. The eyes come off, the holes get plugged and I am back to being speedy. Antennas will have to go up top. I got my practice mounting about 20 com antennas for fleet upgrades on a curved surface this year, so know by experience that each new mount will take 6 hours and each mirror image will take half that. Hard points tie to existing heavy members without adding any extras hole to that member. However extra holes rivets will go in the skin to “repair” the ¼” or 5/16” hole in the skin. Longer gear is not even considered. Moves the wheel back, forces a change in angle at the mount, changes the angle that the spring works. To complicated.
Third, stall fence. Seems to me Van tried this? Any one know anything about this? Making and installing the internal supports for this removable fence will again, be quick as this kind of thing is my life work and I already have lots stuff lying around.
Last. Aileron droop. At first I was trying to envision how to do this with dual controls between the control sticks. I’m pretty sure I have a workable solution (if it fits),but then quit that as I value simplicity (I’m lazy) I gave it up for Pilots stick only. It has already been done, on the original RV-3.The picture I have doesn’t show much, just where, and that it works. With this I have dreamed up three basic ways to do this, but until I have existing parts in hand, further development is just not doable. I have worked on the Robertson stol conversion and I imagine this is what the Ag cat has. To much monkey motion!
The one thing you guys missed is for the ski’s. The twisting load put on this or any gear during a slow taxi or ground handling can be considerable. How big are the gear mount bolts?
If a 200 MPH Super cub were available, I wouldn’t be building this. An argument can be made that the PA-18 was originally a piece of farm equipment, judging my the spray equipment found in the factory parts book. Look how far it has come. How far can the -9 go? Stretching this airplanes usefulness just a little sounds exciting. I don’t think I really proposing to do that much. An avionic upgrade would be more mentally taxing for me. The rivet gods I have appeased, the demon electrons, not so much.
Thanks again for helping me flush out these ideas, as time thinking and not sleeping is better spent than time lost losing sleep, over time spent uselessly. Please (forgive that sentence, after all I’m a sheet metal guy.)
First I want to go fast. If this means no bush work, I am O.K. Years ago the FAA put out a little safety flier that had preliminary accident data on the back page. Ninety percent of the incidents (in Alaska ) started with the phase “ during off airport take off” or “landing”. The one year ban on that kind of flying when I got my first airplane gave me time to meet other pilots and get tips on that kind of work and plenty of time to get to know the airplane and how to practice in safer conditions. What can the nine do?
With 8.50 X6’s I can expect to go anywhere a 172 or 206 can go with the same tires. Beaches and gravel bars. Those tires have been put on a -9, and I expect to see that airplane before I purchase the gear legs. Flying in the fall (read hunting season ) the water level drops as things start to freeze. The surfaces are plentiful, the width required for low wing will be the bigger issue. If it were a matter of “ I want to go there”, it could be problematic. I just want to go someplace. And at 170 MPH there are more places to pick from.
Second, once having found a place to go, I might like to go back. Making a place to go back to can be beat out of what is already out there in a week or two, with the exception of floor and roof. The cargo rack has now be abandoned for hard points. Its like a two hole antenna mount on steroids to screw eyes into. I want to (try) to carry 2’X8’ plywood and tin roof. Enough for to cover a 12’x12’ pole cabin in two or three trips. I think it can be done. (not that it should!) Other things to carry are, a dip net, kayak, fold a boat sono tubes a long shovel, or even aluminum poles for a large tent. The eyes come off, the holes get plugged and I am back to being speedy. Antennas will have to go up top. I got my practice mounting about 20 com antennas for fleet upgrades on a curved surface this year, so know by experience that each new mount will take 6 hours and each mirror image will take half that. Hard points tie to existing heavy members without adding any extras hole to that member. However extra holes rivets will go in the skin to “repair” the ¼” or 5/16” hole in the skin. Longer gear is not even considered. Moves the wheel back, forces a change in angle at the mount, changes the angle that the spring works. To complicated.
Third, stall fence. Seems to me Van tried this? Any one know anything about this? Making and installing the internal supports for this removable fence will again, be quick as this kind of thing is my life work and I already have lots stuff lying around.
Last. Aileron droop. At first I was trying to envision how to do this with dual controls between the control sticks. I’m pretty sure I have a workable solution (if it fits),but then quit that as I value simplicity (I’m lazy) I gave it up for Pilots stick only. It has already been done, on the original RV-3.The picture I have doesn’t show much, just where, and that it works. With this I have dreamed up three basic ways to do this, but until I have existing parts in hand, further development is just not doable. I have worked on the Robertson stol conversion and I imagine this is what the Ag cat has. To much monkey motion!
The one thing you guys missed is for the ski’s. The twisting load put on this or any gear during a slow taxi or ground handling can be considerable. How big are the gear mount bolts?
If a 200 MPH Super cub were available, I wouldn’t be building this. An argument can be made that the PA-18 was originally a piece of farm equipment, judging my the spray equipment found in the factory parts book. Look how far it has come. How far can the -9 go? Stretching this airplanes usefulness just a little sounds exciting. I don’t think I really proposing to do that much. An avionic upgrade would be more mentally taxing for me. The rivet gods I have appeased, the demon electrons, not so much.
Thanks again for helping me flush out these ideas, as time thinking and not sleeping is better spent than time lost losing sleep, over time spent uselessly. Please (forgive that sentence, after all I’m a sheet metal guy.)
Monday, December 27, 2010
Commitment, or committed.
I went and ordered the tail kit today. I expect to see it in a week or ten days. So am committed, or should I be committed? Time will tell. For now I feel like it's RV-9 or bust.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
The plan to deviate from, or I never know what I am going to do, but I allways know what I am doing when I do it.
Although this document is prepared for a few different audiences, it is primarily to satisfy the requirements of the FAA to document a project of this nature.
The Van’s designs has a solid service history and is also a good platform for configuring the aircraft for the kind of flying desired. No changes of the primary structure are planned. Primer will be applied internally on most surfaces, and left off of the elevator, rudder, and flap skins and stiffeners. These surfaces can expect to take a beating operating off the kinds of surfaces I expect to be flying to and will be dinged up long before corrosion becomes an issue. I have elected to go with the tip up for visibility, and conventional gear for operating off rougher strips. I currently have a first run O 320 E2D basket case that I may overhaul, or have partially overhauled. Being an airframe guy I will probably have the bottom end built up by a the local talent and install the cylinders and accessories myself. I will keep the lower 150 H.P. so auto gas can be used, although I prefer avgas. (Auto gas is not made to the spec required by the Auto fuel S.T.C. here in Alaska) Fixed pitch metal cruise prop, and a climb wood prop for off airport work is planned. Primarily configured for day VFR, provisions for night VFR will be wired for. The newer screen type instrumentation system systems are very desirable, but unless I can get a good deal, used analog instruments will be utilized. Autopilot servo mounts and IFR antenna mounts will be seriously considered. Some additions may include:
Addition of extra ribs near the inboard aileron end to support a removable stall fence.
Provisions to droop the ailerons with the flaps.
Provisions for installation of straight skis or penetrater skis.
External camera mount.
Provisions for an external cargo/ lumber rack
Float mounts.
Sealing and drain provisions for the bag area.
Engine and battery preheat.
Work space consist of half a two car garage for subassembly, and the sheet metal and paint shops at work for fabrication and other related prep work. I may be able to use the hanger at work for (pre) final assembly if these tasks don’t take more than a day or two. Being an airframe guy I already poses most of the tooling required. I am sure I will need to either make or purchase some specially tools. My tool philosophy is less is more. By the time I figure out how to do something easier, or faster with a special one purpose tool, I can have the task done multiple times with what I have by the time I earn enough money to buy and actually get the said tool. Shrinker stetcher, rollers, brakes and stomp shears are available at work along with some fancy welding rigs with welders. Certified scales and dymamic prop balancing is also available. Other parts not supplied in the kit I intend to buy used. Airspeed and other RV related instruments I hope to find on V.A.F. (Vans Air Force) Many other items I can purchase from work at a reduced price (I got two ICOM A200’s for $200) My employer doesn’t want the liability for parts sold as serviceable, so we get them at discount with no condition implied. The only good stuff is usually avionics and antennas that are removed for upgrades. My next door neighbor is also a career mechanic, and he is pretty good at banging up metal as well, so having an experienced bucker is not going to be an issue. Final paint is yet to be determined, however the following ideas are being weighed for merit.
1. One high visibility solid color for simplicity.
2. Blue top, white bottom. Blue to aid frost removal in the sun and show against snow in the event of a forced landing in the winter, white bottom to show against green for when it flips over during a forced landing in the summer .
3. Solid color for the fiberglass and polished aluminum everywhere else except flight control wells and leading edges, and the belly.
The Van’s designs has a solid service history and is also a good platform for configuring the aircraft for the kind of flying desired. No changes of the primary structure are planned. Primer will be applied internally on most surfaces, and left off of the elevator, rudder, and flap skins and stiffeners. These surfaces can expect to take a beating operating off the kinds of surfaces I expect to be flying to and will be dinged up long before corrosion becomes an issue. I have elected to go with the tip up for visibility, and conventional gear for operating off rougher strips. I currently have a first run O 320 E2D basket case that I may overhaul, or have partially overhauled. Being an airframe guy I will probably have the bottom end built up by a the local talent and install the cylinders and accessories myself. I will keep the lower 150 H.P. so auto gas can be used, although I prefer avgas. (Auto gas is not made to the spec required by the Auto fuel S.T.C. here in Alaska) Fixed pitch metal cruise prop, and a climb wood prop for off airport work is planned. Primarily configured for day VFR, provisions for night VFR will be wired for. The newer screen type instrumentation system systems are very desirable, but unless I can get a good deal, used analog instruments will be utilized. Autopilot servo mounts and IFR antenna mounts will be seriously considered. Some additions may include:
Addition of extra ribs near the inboard aileron end to support a removable stall fence.
Provisions to droop the ailerons with the flaps.
Provisions for installation of straight skis or penetrater skis.
External camera mount.
Provisions for an external cargo/ lumber rack
Float mounts.
Sealing and drain provisions for the bag area.
Engine and battery preheat.
Work space consist of half a two car garage for subassembly, and the sheet metal and paint shops at work for fabrication and other related prep work. I may be able to use the hanger at work for (pre) final assembly if these tasks don’t take more than a day or two. Being an airframe guy I already poses most of the tooling required. I am sure I will need to either make or purchase some specially tools. My tool philosophy is less is more. By the time I figure out how to do something easier, or faster with a special one purpose tool, I can have the task done multiple times with what I have by the time I earn enough money to buy and actually get the said tool. Shrinker stetcher, rollers, brakes and stomp shears are available at work along with some fancy welding rigs with welders. Certified scales and dymamic prop balancing is also available. Other parts not supplied in the kit I intend to buy used. Airspeed and other RV related instruments I hope to find on V.A.F. (Vans Air Force) Many other items I can purchase from work at a reduced price (I got two ICOM A200’s for $200) My employer doesn’t want the liability for parts sold as serviceable, so we get them at discount with no condition implied. The only good stuff is usually avionics and antennas that are removed for upgrades. My next door neighbor is also a career mechanic, and he is pretty good at banging up metal as well, so having an experienced bucker is not going to be an issue. Final paint is yet to be determined, however the following ideas are being weighed for merit.
1. One high visibility solid color for simplicity.
2. Blue top, white bottom. Blue to aid frost removal in the sun and show against snow in the event of a forced landing in the winter, white bottom to show against green for when it flips over during a forced landing in the summer .
3. Solid color for the fiberglass and polished aluminum everywhere else except flight control wells and leading edges, and the belly.
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