Rudi's RV7 build progress...Done and Flying

[RudiGreyling]

Hi RVators,

I have updated my slow stop building animations with some progress made over the holiday. You have 2 options, either the web browser animation that uses Java script or download the Zip files if you do not want to run active stuff in your browser (Unzip it and view it in sequence with you own image software or screensaver.)

I cheated a bit with the tanks, since there was not enough time to take snaps shots and work with the proseal before it dries, and it was a hell-of-a mess you don't want to see!

I would appreciate your feedback and comments:

Kind Regards
Rudi

[RudiGreyling]

Jipee, No leaks!
I pressure tested the tanks this weekend and no leaks, I am so glad. Now to do the finishing touches to the wings.

[Deanw]

Well done

I bet that was a huge relief!

[George]

Rudi
When you gonna start taking orders? Very nice indeed...

[RudiGreyling]

Hi RVators,

DeanW: Yip it was, first time ever building tanks, so I'm glad.
JCVB: I'm thinking about it maybe it can replace my day job

Anycase I did a bit of work this week.

I fitted the tanks to the wings, this setup looks so sweet!




Then I finished the aileron brackets, and aileron push rods:
The bracket components


The brackets assembled


The aileron push rods close up


The long picture (Long push rods left, short push rods right)


The wings will come of the stands the weekend, to finish connecting the ailerons and flaps. I've decided to leave the bottom skins off until very late in the project. The reason is that I might fit an autopilot servo and nice pitot tube, and the experimental aircraft technology changes so quickly that every 6 months there's new cheaper stuff.

Till next time, Regards
Rudi

[RudiGreyling]

Hi RVators,

It was an excellent weekend. Dolph Kruger gave me my first flip in a RV. WOW...Wooha..This baby is going to be fun. I bought my RV kit based on flight reports, and no actual flying experience. Quietly I have been wondering myself if it was the correct decision. After Saturday all I can say is I made the right decision.

Saturday was the perfect day for an RV flip with puffy clouds at 1000-1500 ft AGL one could do some cloud dancing. Dolph did some good barrel rolls, steep turns, high speed passes, and pulling 3G’s on times etc…etc. He gave me the stick for a while...Boy oh boy. With the puffy clouds I could do some cloud bobbing and weaving between the clouds to feel the RV's response. Two fingers on the stick is all she needed. Wow what a fantastic day.

Dolp and his RV6


The climb out at Kitty hawk at 1500 ft/m


Me concentrating to take an in flight picture! (no time to smile, but I was inside! )


Back home the wings came of the stands and I build some brackets to put them onto the wall.

The plan is to hang the ailerons and flaps soon.

Till next time,
Kind Regards
Rudi

[RudiGreyling]

Hi RVators,

Long time no post, been taking a break from the RV and flying the Drakensberg in the Microlight. I have already posted the movies, but here they are again, so that you know why I did not do any building the past 2 weeks

Part 1: The arrival at the airfield, with the tricky field landing [4.3 mb]
http://www.RudiGreyling.com/movie/dragons_small_1.wmv

Part 2: Going to the top of the Mountain 11,000 ft [7.1 mb]
http://www.RudiGreyling.com/movie/dragons_small_2.wmv

Part 3: Some scenery around the berg [7.5 mb]
http://www.RudiGreyling.com/movie/dragons_small_3.wmv

Part 4: Awesome stunning clouds and beams of light. [11.6 mb]
http://www.RudiGreyling.com/movie/dragons_small_4.wmv

Back to the RV…I managed to fit the Aileron Brackets and Flap Gap Fairings and manufactured the aileron bell-crank bushings to fit the bolts. I also pulled the ribbed conduit for the electric wires, what a pain to get it through the holes.






Till next time, Regards
Rudi

[RudiGreyling]

To my fellow RVators

It has been 1 year now since I started building the RV, a total 665 hours so far, and now I can add the wings to the "done" list as well. (Well almost, the outboard bottom skins and wingtips still need to go on, but that will be done at the end of the project) I did pretty good, I only budgeted for 400hours a year. It feels good to have the wings “done”.


Any case I started on the fuselage last week. The quality of the RV7 kit shows. I was impressed how perfect the firewall came together. The firewall has a lot of stiffeners, spacers, gussets and brackets mounted to a stainless steel backing. It goes together like a puzzle, and like a ‘Mechano’ set everything fitted perfect, first time.

Here are some of the firewall components


Here is the firewall clecko’ed together


I also started working on the centre section where the wings attach. The centre section is the hart of the fuselage since it carries most of the wing load to the fuse and fuse loads. Here once again the RV7 kit shines. Below is a picture of the golden anodised centre section, looks like it belongs in a jewellery box.


Well I got a bunch of exciting work ahead of me…till next time…Kind Regards
Rudi

[Jan]

Hou so aan Rudi!!
Dit lyk baie mooi.

[Yakman]

Looks like a real master piece, well done !!

[ChrisB]

Rudi, dit lyk GREAT!!!!

[Dip stick]

Looking Good!

[Malcolm]

Hey Rudi,

At the rate you're going, you had better start building your hangar.

Looks great - well done.

[RudiGreyling]

Hi Rvators,

been very busy with my day job and worked lot of overtime, taking time away from the RV. I managed to do a lot of prepwork on the firewall and bulkheads, match drilled them and primered the lot. A lot of small things need to be manufactured and was done. I'm now ready to start assembling the bulkheads.

We should see some real progress in the next week or so...

Here are some pictures of the past weeks:

The firewall:


Some of the bulkheads:



Some parts for the center section, the control column mounts:



The wing bolts for the center section, and center section uprights riveted on.


Till next time,
Regards
Rudi

[Romeo E.T.]

Rudi..some comments...your building site looks almost like a hospital thats how clean and sterile it is, the quality of your workmanship from the photos is outstanding.

Ab-Initio students should visit this site to get an idea what airframe technology is all about, ie stringers,spars etc.

I'll be watching your progress, nicely done so far, as another person mentioned you are gonna need a hangar soon.