Don's RV7 Project
This Web site will serve as my Van's RV7 construction log. It is also my way of passing on my trials and tribulations while building the project. I have made several decisions regarding the equipment I will incorporate into my aircraft. A large number of my decisions were influenced by talking to Dan Checkoway, an accomplished RV7 builder. My "7" will be very similar to Dan's. The engine will be an Aero Sport Performance/Lycoming with 200 HP and the AFP fuel injection system. The plane will be night and IFR legal. The panel will consist of an EFIS1 and an EFIS Lite both G4 versions from BMA. The rest of the panel will include GARMIN radios and transponder and the CNX80 GPS. Engine instruments will be the Advanced Flight Systems AFS2500. The ignitions will be electronic, built by EMAG
Current status Phase One Video
This is the demonstration RV7 at Van's. It has been converted to a trike gear instead of the tail dragger. Mine will be like this one, a tail dragger.
Nov 18-Dec2 Vacation
SEPTEMBER 3, 2007 Glass work on the vertical stabilizer and rudder
SEPTEMBER 4, 2007 More glass work on the vertical stab and rudder
Ailerons
APRIL 12, 2004 Worked on the ailerons and flaps
FLAPS
APRIL 30,2004 Built and installed right flap.
MAY 1, 2004 Built left flap.
Wings
Right wing
JAN 20, 2004 Riveted rear spars. Drilled holes for electrical conduit. Clecoed skeleton together.
JAN 24, 25,2004 Built wing stand arms, drilled ribs to spars and primed ribs. Riveted skeleton together and hung it on the stand.
JAN 26,2004 Drilled top and bottom wing skins. Assembled leading edge.
JAN 27, 2004 Drilled leading edge end rib and joint plate. Drilled tie down ring hole.
FEB 8, 2004 Riveted leading edge. Installed landing light. Installed leading edge.
FEB 22, 2004 Dimpled and de-burred ribs. De-burred right wing skins.
FEB 28,2994 Riveted top skin.
FEB 29,2004 Built wing dolly and drilled spar brace, aileron gap seal and aileron brackets
MARCH 27, 2004 Installed the roll servo for the autopilot. Riveted the right bottom inboard wing skin.
MARCH 28, 2004 Riveted the right bottom outboard wing skin.
Right Fuel Tank
JAN 30, 2004 Assembled/clecoed fuel tank.
JAN 31, 2004 Drilled tank attach brackets using the method that Dan Checkoway devised. Drilled drain valve mount to tank skin.
FEB 1, 2004 Worked on fuel tank hardware and stiffeners
FEB 9, 2004 Built the trap door and tooling hole cover for the right fuel tank.
FEB 14, 2004 Sealed the five inner fuel tank ribs and stiffeners in the right fuel tank.
FEB 15, 2004 Installed the inboard and outboard ribs in the right fuel tank. Finished fuel level senders. Finished vent and return.
Feb 21, 2004 Closed right tank and installed it. No pressure test yet.
Left Wing
MARCH 6, 2004 Primed left wing ribs and right aileron brackets. Had an inspection by a EAA tech counselor.
MARCH 7, 2004 Assembled the left wing skeleton. Assembled and installed the right aileron brackets and one push rod.
MARCH 8, 2004 Clecoed top and bottom skins on left wing. Built one of the push rods for the right wing.
MARCH 13-16,2004 Leading edge and fuel tank prep.
MARCH 22, 2004 Built the left leading edge and installed the taxi light. Installed the leading edge.
APRIL 5, 2004 DE-burred and dimpled the left wing skeleton and the top skins. Clecoed the top skin on.
APRIL 10, 2004 The tank is back on and the top skin is on. The wing jig is disassembled and the wings are in the dolly.
APRIL 17, 2004 Installed the flap brace and aileron gap seal.
APRIL 18, 2004 Built the left flap.
APRIL 19, 2004 De-bured and dimpled the left flap and the left bottom skins.
APRIL 24, 2004 Worked on the flaps and the electrical conduit in the left wing. Did a "BFR" complete with a one turn spin.
MAY 15, 2004 Installed inner lower left wing panel and pitot tube fittings.
OCTOBER 16, 2004 Installed pitot tube. Riveted the last panel on the wings.
Left Fuel Tank
MARCH 31, 2004 Started work on the left fuel tank.
APRIL 3, 2004 Installed the five inner ribs in the left fuel tank.
APRIL 4, 2004 Finished the left fuel tank and installed it.
APRIL 6, 2004 Pressure tested the tank.
Bulkheads
MAY 24, 2004 Fuselage arrived and inventory was completed.
MAY 29, 2004 Drilled Firewall
MAY 30, 2004 Worked on the F704 bulkhead.
MAY 31, 2004 Finished F704 and started F705
JUNE 3,2004 Worked on Bulkhead F705
JUNE 6,2004 Finished F705 bulkhead.
JUNE 7, 2004 Built F706 bulkhead.
JUNE 19, 2004 Built the F711 and F712 bulkheads and drilled the tail wheel spring mount. Also attended the Aero Electric seminar in Long Beach. Very worthwhile!!
JUNE 26, 2004 Bent and drilled the longerons. Did the chemical prep on all of the bulkhead parts.
JUNE 27, 2004 Primed all the bulkhead parts. Marked the centerlines on the J channels.
JUNE 28, 2004 Today I assembled the aft bulkheads and clecoed the tail cone together.
JULY 3, 2004 Today I drilled the J channels
ASSEMBLY
JULY 6, 2004 Today I re-clecoed the tail cone together and picked up the tail wheel parts from the powder coat shop.
JULY 10, 2004 Finished the firewall and riveted the underside of the tail cone.
JULY 11, 2004 Finished riveting the tail cone and clecoed the center section together
JULY 12, 2004 Finished tail cone and drilled center section
JULY 17, 2004 Worked on the center section.
JULY 24, 2004 More center section.
JULY 26, 2004 Mated center section with tail cone.
AUGUST 1, 2004 Bent the side skins and drilled longerons from the rear up to F704
AUGUST 2. 2004 Drilled the front of the longerons. Drilled the firewall and the longeron/ upper firewall mounts.
AUGUST 7, 2004 Worked on the front internal structure.
AUGUST 8, 2004 More internal structure work.
AUGUST 9, 2004 Worked on the rudder petal installation.
AUGUST 16, 2004 Took fuselage apart to de-burr and dimple.
August 21 and 22. 2004 Spent the weekend deburing and dimpling and counter sinking.. Sorry, no pictures.
AUGUST 29. 2004 Primed the fuselage parts and did the prep work prior to riveting the lower fuse together.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2004 Clecoed the fuselage back together.
SEPTEMBER 5, 2004 Riveted the front half of the fuselage.
SEPTEMBER 6, 2004 Finished riveting the lower fuselage and rolled it over.
SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 Riveted aft deck into place.
SEPTEMBER 18, 2004 Drilled the forward gussets, static ports and shoulder belt anchors.
SEPTEMBER 19, 2004 Drilled the F706 and 707 gussets.
SEPTEMBER 25, 2004 Drilled the top skins, J channels and the triangle top plate.
SEPTEMBER 26 ,2004 Changed the fitting position on the fuel pump.
OCTOBER 2, 2004 Worked on the electric flap installation
OCTOBER 4, 2004 Riveted the lower skins to the longerons between the top skins
OCTOBER 10, 2004 Installed baggage floors
OCTOBER 11, 2004 installed nutplates for baggage bulkhead. Installed shoulder belt cable wear blocks.
OCTOBER 14, 2004 Worked on the fuel vent system in the fuselage.
OCTOBER 25, 2004 Worked on the aileron trim.
OCTOBER 31, 2004 Installed the seat pans and worked on the electric flap actuator housing.
NOVEMBER 5, 2004 Surgery on my right foot.
January 22, 2005 Started repair of a near fatal flaw.
February 6, 2005 More repair work
FEBRUARY 28, 2005 Finished the longeron splices except for the rivets that are shared with the top skin.
April 25, 2005 Ready to fit the wings, but, my hangar is not finished so I am in the waiting mode. Made various repairs and feel like I am
going backwards
May 18 Broke my left elbow so no work on the project for a while.
May 23, 2005 The reason for the break!!
AUGUST 15, 2005 Worked on the rudder petals and the brake system.
AUGUST 16, 2005 Worked on strobe power supply mount.
AUGUST 21, 2005 Preparations for closing up the tail section
AUGUST 28, 2005 More stuff getting ready to close the tail cone.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2005 Riveted top rear skin in place.
SEPTEMBER 12, 2005 Finished top rear skins. Installed crotch strap brackets.
September 27, 2005 Prepared the interior for painting
OCTOBER 3, 2005 Painted the interior
OCTOBER 23, 2005 Moved the bird to the hangar
OCTOBER 30, 2005 Hung the wings
NOVEMBER 14, 2005 Re hung wings, made and installed flap actuators, attached and drilled fuel tank mounts.
NOVEMBER 24, 2005 Worked on fuel system, firewall penetrations and cowl mounting systems.
MARCH 14, 2006 Started to install empennage
May 6, 2006 More empannage work
MAY 28, 2006 Worked on the empennage installation.
May 30, 2006 Drilled the elevator horns.
JUNE 5, 2006 Installed empennage tips
June 12, 2006 More empennage fiber glass work
DECEMBER 24, 2006 Worked on Aileron trim and finish up the stick install
WIRING
August 20, 2006 Wiring and sound/.fire proofing
November 10, 2006 Wired stick .
November 24, 2006 Wired voltage regulator.
DECEMBER 17, 2006 More wiring.
DECEMBER 31, 2006 Installed TCAD and ELT
January 7, 2007 Cleaned up the tail cone wiring.
JUNE 9, 2007 Wiring and panel work
JUNE 11, 3007 More wiring
JUNE 24, 2007 Finished the wiring
AUGUST 9, 2004 The finish kit arrives.
JULY 14, 2005 Worked on the spinner rear bulkhead and doubler.
October 8-14, 2006 Canopy work
NOVEMBER 4. 2006 More canopy work
NOVEMBER 10,2006 More canopy work
November 11, 2006 More canopy work.
November 23, 2006 Sound and heat shield installation.
JULY 8, 2007 Installed front top skin, roll bar brace and fitted windscreen
JULY 28, 2007 More work on the windscreen
AUGUST 12, 2007 Windscreen and canopy slider work
AUGUST 29, 2007 Canopy slider and fairing work
SEPTEMBER 1, 2007 Canopy fairing work.
SEPTEMBER 4, 2007 Trimmed the canopy fairing
SEPTEMBER 9, 2007 Worked on the canopy and windscreen fairings
September 16, 2007 Riveting canopy to frame
October 15, 2007 Canopy fairings complete and landing gear installed
JANUARY 3, 2006 Worked on the instrument panel
JANUARY 29, 2006 First install of panel
MARCH 14, 2006 Worked on panel
JULY30, 2006 Avionics and Wiring
September 3, 2006 Throttle Quadrant and mount
September 5, 2006 More throttle quadrant mount work
November 18, 2006 Installed Blue Mountain G4 lite
DECEMBER 5. 2005 Worked on cowl mounting and firewall penetrations.
DECEMBER 25, 2005 More firewall work. Added the SD8 alternator.
JANIARY 23, 2006 The prop arrived
August 13,2006 Control cable pass through's, voltage regulator, amp sensor. engine gauge wire pass through.
October 15, 2007Engine mount installed.
OCTOBER 20, 2007 On the gear and the engine is mounted
October 28, 2007 Engine control cables.
NOVEMBER 3, 2007 Hung oil cooler.
NOVEMBER 11, 2007 Cowl and baffle work
NOVEMBER 24, 2007 More cowl and baffle work
MARCH 9, 2008 Engine wiring and air filter and airbox work.
April 20, 2008 Engine ram air and cowl work
June 7, 2008 Wing root boots and Fuel tank service bulletin
June 8, 2008 More fuel tank service bulletin and rear fairing work
June 14, 2008 Hung wings.
June 21, 2008. First Engine Start. Sorry no pictures, I was rather busy.
JULY 5, 2008 Wing tips and lights.