Category: Cockpit

Work after First Flight

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Updated: October 22, 2021

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October 8, 2021 – I took care of the items that were noted during the first flight.

Chuck suggested that I remove a little bit of the dam in front of the #1 cylinder, because it was getting a little warm.

I also took care of some of the items that were related to configuration on the Dynon. Battery voltage showed a steady 14.5 volts, yet was annunciated in yellow. I changed the parameter for the yellow to 15 volts. I also had a yellow caution band on the RPM gauge. Chuck questioned whether it had to be there. I called Aerosport Power, then Hartzell. Based on my engine and prop combination, there was no restriction, so I changed the parameters for that sensor in Dynon to remove the yellow band.

My airspeed issue was because I reversed the AOA and Pitot connections at the tube. My transponder guy came out, found that, and he also pumped up the airplane from the pitot tube back. No leaks and an accurate indication.

I also had a slight yaw issue, where the ball was a little bit to the right. I installed a temporary tab, and we will investigate further during the next flight.

After the first flight issues were taken care of, and because my pilots are on vacation, I decided to pull the right fuel tank to try to address my calibration issue.

Yay. What joy to remove the bolts that attach the tank to the wing spar…

I took out the float sensor. It electrically checked out, but it seemed a bit stiff. I decided to go ahead and order a new one from Van’s.

I have since installed the new one. I’m going to give the sealant time before I put fuel to it.

I moved on to the interior.

I’ve had to make some small mods because of things that I have done differently in the airplane.

This small panel wraps around the air vents. Since I made my own air vent brackets, I had to make a cut about 1″ long to accommodate…

The big side pockets fit under the armrests. Since I installed the J-stringer sections to stiffen the armrests, I had to modify these…

Time: 12:30

Category: RV-7, Fuel Tanks, Cockpit, Avionics, Interior

Prep for First Flight

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Updated: September 24, 2021

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September 23, 2021 – I completed the finishing touches to get ready for the first flight.

I had asked the test pilot if he wanted to see anything before I closed up. He came out and gave me a short list.

I put in some of the interior so I could place the seats.

The measles are velcro dots that get attached on the seat pans for the carpet. This is how Classic Aero has you install the carpet.

I also closed up all the external panels.

I installed the wing root fairings. Dealing with these in the past, I learned some new words while trying to put these on. I got some gasket adhesive and glued the rubber seals to the panels, and they went right on.

The tail was closed next.

I installed the cowling last. Had an interesting problem with some of the fasteners. About 5 of the Skybolt fasteners wouldn’t go in. I was getting frustrated because I had done these previously with no issues. Come to find out that when I sealed the interiors with resin for the heat blanket, some of the resin had gotten inside the openings for the fasteners. So I took out the fasteners, scraped around the collar to clear the dried resin, and everything went in like it was supposed to. I also tried out the inlet plugs I’d gotten from Bruce’s at Oshkosh.

I put 174PM to bed. We have a big day tomorrow…

Time: 16:00

Category: RV-7, Wings, Fuselage, Cockpit

Started Interior

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Posted: September 15, 2021

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September 15, 2021 – I started putting some interior pieces in, even though I can’t have most of it in before the inspection.

I did have to install the seat belts.

I also put the baggage compartment upper wall in place, since it does contain a required placard.

I installed the boots for the aileron pushrods. This is an option for the interior, but I’ve read a lot about air coming in that way.

The next item is a small piece of vinyl that covers the lower end of the pillar. This gets glued in with spray adhesive.

Then I test fit the carpet under the seats.

This is going to be very nice. Can’t wait to see this finished.

Time: 5:00

Category: RV-7, Forward Fuselage, Cockpit, Baggage Compartment

Aileron Trim

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Posted: August 18, 2021

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August 18, 2021 – I finished the installation of the aileron trim.

The trim block and shaft had been previously installed; I just needed to connect the block and handle to the aileron system. This is just the installation of springs to the trim arm. The springs are connected with .041″ safety wire. The wire is tighter than it looks in the picture…

 

Time: 2:00

Category: RV-7, Cockpit, Ailerons, Flight Controls

Brakes!

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Posted: July 2, 2021

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July 2, 2021 – Today I serviced the brakes.

I started by making the links that connect the rudder cables to the pedals. These are made of steel. I still wasn’t really sure how long to make them, so I made them according to the drawing, which still leaves it open to where the pedals are set. It’s still kind of hard to tell, but the pedals appear to be in a good position. If I have to do it again when I get my seats, I will.

A friend had an as yet unused ATS brake servicing tool, essentially a garden sprayer. This has fittings used for brake servicing and bleeding. I also put a barbed AN fitting in the top of the reservoir to catch overflow.

In the second picture you can see the fluid in the lines at the pedals.

The smell of 5606 took me back to my C-5 days. We used to bathe in this stuff.

This went very easily. Connect everything, pressurize the pot, then open the valve. It took a couple of tries to get fluid with no air out of the top. It doesn’t appear that I have any leaks. When I go back in a couple of days I’ll try the pedals and see how they feel.

Time: 5:00

Category: RV-7, Rudder, Cockpit, Rudder Pedals, Landing Gear

Panel Prep and Wiring

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Posted: May 31, 2021

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May 31, 2021 – I covered the panel and finished securing wires.

I cut out the ELT hole and did some cleaning up on the panel before covering it.

I also finished securing the wiring down through the center tunnel. Ugghhh! What back-breaking work. I also figured out that I probably did the damage to the armrest that I posted last time. I found my self leaning against it while I was working in the cockpit area and the baggage compartment. I added quick connectors for the fuel pump and the flap actuator. I anticipate that these components will need to be replaced at some point. I like the Amp 48 Series Wire Splice Connectors.

One mod I had to make. Where the wire bundle goes up the firewall, I had to cut access on the far right forward corner in the panel that forms the cabin heat box .

I was ready to install the panel. I got nice black 8-32 screws that are brass. Well, the third screw into the process broke. So I had to take the panel back out and replace that nutplate. I decided to order steel screws to install the panel. I have nothing in the panel that will be affected by the steel. I didn’t order steel screws for the instruments themselves, so I need to be careful when I install those.

Time: 21:20

Category: RV-7, Cockpit, Baggage Compartment, Avionics, Wiring

Connecting Wing Wiring

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Updated: April 27, 2021

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April 27, 2021 – Now that the wings are on I can connect the wing wiring.

I safetied the tank attach bolts. Not sure why they need to be safetied, since they go into a nutplate that locks, but OK… I drilled the safety wire hole in the steel bracket.

I also installed the fuel lines.

I ran the pitot and AOA tubes into the fuselage and back to the ADAHRS, then connected the heat controller. Put power on the airplane and the heat works. I don’t have a message saying the heta is either on or off yet; I’ll set that up later in Dynon.

I ran and terminated the wires for the roll autopilot servo. The Skyview network portion is connected to the hub in the back.

I plan on connecting the wires for the lighting and the stick grips on a terminal bar under the left seat.

When I tried my lights, I had crossed the wires for the right landing light and the right nav lights. Got that figured out and now the lighting works correctly.

Time: 25:00

Category: RV-7, Wings, Fuselage, Cockpit, Avionics, LED Nav lights, Lighting, Pitot, Wiring, Wiring

Panel Progress

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Posted: January 24, 2021

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January 24, 2021 – I’m getting dangerously close to having an airplane here…

I made a harness for the lights in my AML34 rocker switches. I decided to make one unified harness with one power and ground from the dimmer.

Here’s the bulbs in the switches:

Turned out that I needed to tweak the contacts in the switches a little bit to tighten the connections for the bulbs.

Here’s the harness I made with the dimmer.

…and the end result:

Here’s another photo of the mass of wires behind the panel, but I know that there is progress here.

I tried to run the ground wires for these front panel switches back to my firewall ground, but things are kind of tight and I really didn’t want to add to the spaghetti that was already there, so I made a local ground on the bulkhead forward of the panel. Not the most attractive, but it definitely works. These switches all provide grounds for the VPX, so there is no load on them.

After this I decided there was not much keeping me from getting ready to put everything in place and prepare to put power on, so I started installing panel items from the bottom up, keeping the big 10″ holes for access.

And here we are today… I have to tweak a few things and change a couple of connections for the Skyview network before I put power on. I also didn’t have the intestinal fortitude to even try putting power to it on that day. 🙂

Time: 22:00

Category: RV-7, Cockpit, Avionics, Panel, Sub-Panel, Wiring

Avionics and Wiring

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Updated: October 22, 2020

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October 22, 2020 – I realized when I looked at my time log how long it’s been since I posted an update, so here goes…

Com Harness

I finished the connectors and put the harness in place. I’m trying my damnedest to not have a rats nest here. Once everything is clamped in place and tied back, it’ll be OK. This is what happens when a sheet metal guy handles wires.

I did the headset and mic jacks. I made some a long time ago, but I didn’t have wires for PTT in there, so I took mine out and used the new ones.

I also installed the antennas.

Tailcone Wiring

Well, I call it the tailcone because once I get in there, I may as well be all the way back there.

I assembled the harness for the autopilot pitch servo. Power, ground and a yellow wire for AP disconnect go up front. The rest go into the Skyview network.

Since I have limited space for wires to go up the tunnel between the seats, I bought a hub to put in the tailcone and I ran a 15-foot Skyview network cable to the front.

I made a bracket where the transponder attaches to the center beam in the fuselage.

Air Temperature Probe

I installed the OAT probe in the fuselage under the left horizontal stab. I ran the wires up through tiny grommets I had and they go straight to the ADHRS.

Panel

For a long time I had the “life-size” Dynon templates taped to the panel on my table and I was playing around with them trying to find the best locations. When I was ready to make a decision, I found out that those templates were about 1/4″ small. That made a big difference in what I was going to do. So I did some rearranging.

In the above pictures I have the two coms with the intercom panel above them. I wasn’t sure I liked that, so I redrew that stack with the intercom underneath. Much better.

I decided to do the cutting myself. Lots of filing…

It appears that except for the intercom panel, all the Dynon panel items have the same cutouts. Nice idea…

After those center items, I did the cutouts for the screens.

Here’s the panel in the airplane:

I still have to do the other small items in the panel, which I just ordered.

I’m just going on, routing wires and terminating them as needed. One wire at a time…

Time: 42:00

Category: RV-7, Empennage, Fuselage, Forward Fuselage, Cockpit, Avionics, Wiring, Wiring

Avionics and Wiring (again)

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Posted: September 24, 2020

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September 24, 2020 – Well, it’s been an interesting few weeks. After losing both of my parents and a covid-like illness (I was negative!) I’m back. We won’t talk about my flying! That’s another issue. But things are moving forward with this project.

I looked more into locating various items in the airplane. Because of proximity to antennas, I decided to put the ADSB-In box back there, as well as the transponder. Van’s sells brackets that are for an ELT or strobe power supply. I decided to get one each for the left and right, one for the ELT in the future, and one for the ADSB. Because the ADSB antenna is on the right side, that’s where I placed this bracket.

ADSB

Access to install this bracket was a pain. It attached between two stringers behind the baggage compartment. It fits fantastically, but it gets pop-riveted in place in the stringers. Note to self: install the lower rivets first, then the top ones.

Antennas

My darling wife came out to the hangar and helped me install the ADSB and transponder antennas.

I also ran the coax cables for the com antennas.

Com Harness

I think the biggest part of this project is going to be the com harness. This connects the two transceivers, the intercom, and the two radio control heads in the panel. Dynon does not sell a harness for the whole thing, but they do sell one for the intercom, which appears to be the heart of the machine. Because I have two coms instead of the one officially supported by Dynon, I found out I had to add two pins to the intercom harness. Took me two tries because I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing, but I got that done.

After much head-scratching and consultation with experts on the airport, I called Stein and found out they would sell me a drawing of the entire com system provisioned for my setup.

Armed with this information, I laid out my version of a harness board on my work table, with close approximations of distance and relative positions of each component.

I started with the connectors for the transceivers.

I haven’t closed them up because I need to install the power wires from the VPX.

In order to get distance correct, I wanted to locate the harness in the airplane where the connectors would be. I made up a template out of posterboard with the locations of the three panel items. I’m sure there’s am easier way to do this…

I think before I get too much farther along, I’ll consider starting to get the panel ready to cut.

Time: 27:00

Category: RV-7, Fuselage, Cockpit, Avionics, Panel, Wiring

More Cockpit Work

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Posted: March 12, 2020

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March 12, 2020 – I installed a couple of items on or near the firewall.

I installed the manifold pressure sensor in the cockpit. Tried to find an out of the way corner. I’ll probably move it to the forward side of the bulkhead, so the hose doesn’t have to bend back to where it attaches.

I also attached a ground bus. This will provide my engine ground and connect it to other grounds in the cockpit.

Time: 1:45

Category: RV-7, Cockpit, Engine Electrical, Sub-Panel

Continued Cockpit Fuel Lines

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Posted: February 2, 2020

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February 2, 2020 – I continue working on the cockpit fuel system.

Not much to tell…I have a nice 4′ long piece of 3/8 aluminum fuel line that is shrinking away to nothing because of my trial and error… Picture shows a nice section of tubing that would work if I can get it to run through the angle instead of outside…

Time: 2:45

Category: RV-7, Cockpit, Fuel System

Cockpit fuel system

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Posted: July 9, 2019

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July 9, 2019 – I worked on assembling some of the fuel lines in the cockpit.

I needed to make the straight fuel line that goes from the fuel pump/filter assembly to the firewall. pretty simple; it’s just a bend and a straight run. I’m pretty pleased I got the measurement right the first time. I did have to slide the pump and filter in their clamps a little bit, but that worked.

The plans call for securing the line underneath the bracket with a piece of foam, but there’s no more information than that.

Here’s a shot of the tube under the bracket:

I think I might put an adel clamp on the forward end of the bracket and around the tube underneath. It’s pretty solid but I don’t want it to just hang there and vibrate.

I also installed the line from the selector valve to the filter. Kind of tight, but it does fit.

Time: 1:10

Category: RV-7, Cockpit, Engine Fuel, Firewall Forward, Fuel System

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