My



My

RV-6a

Project

Workbook

By

Michael Stewart

Created 8/4/99

Last Saved 8/4/99 3:06 PM

Last Printed 8/10/99 11:02 AM

Editing time 146 min.

Rev 8

Builders Log

Builders Log.xls

Building Info

Empennnage

OK, so the tail kit arrives in 2 small boxes, Friday, August 13, 1999, I put them in the back of my truck and I say to myself,” how is it possible those 2 boxes turn into the tail of a plan? Looks like a lot of work. Yikes!!” Going to be the beginning of a long road. I hope I can stay the course.

Horizontal Stabilizer

Vertical Stabilizer

Rudder

Elevator

Fuselage

Wing

Instruments

Engine

Electrical

Sample POH

Snatched from

POH RV6A.doc

Wiring Diagrams

Snatched from

Main

[pic]

Main Fuse Bus

[pic]

Avionics Fuse Bus

[pic]

Left Wing

[pic]

Right Wing

[pic]

Empennage

[pic]

Interior Lighting

[pic]

Audio and Flaps

[pic]

Ignition Switch

[pic]

Fuselage Wiring

[pic]

Switch Panel Layout

[pic]

Fuse Box

[pic]

Firewall Wires

[pic]

Audio Panel

[pic]

Tools Needed

Taken from Brads Hiatts home page

• 2X rivet gun (a 3X is required if you plan on riveting your own spars)

• hand rivet squeezer tool (my TATCO with a 2" yoke worked great)

• dimple dies (3/32, 1/8, #6, #8)

• rivet sets for hand squeezer (flush: 1/8" & 1/4", cupped: 3/32", 1/8", 3/16")

• rivet sets for gun (1/8", 3/16", flush swivel , back-rivet set) I bought a complete set including angle sets, but never used them.

• bucking bars (Avery # 615,675)

• Avery hand riveting/dimpling tool

• back-riveting plate (1/2" thick steel plate aprx. 6" x 10")

• fluting pliers and hand seamer

• 2 ea. 12" long drill bits (#40 & #30)

• Unibit - step drill ( up to 7/8" diam. ) useful

• clecos - 150 ea. #40, 75 ea. #30, 10 ea. #10

• cleco pliers (get 2 if you are lucky and have a helpful friend)

• left & right offset snips

• micro-stop countersink cage

• stop countersink cutters (#40, #30)

• circle cutter (up to 6" diam)

• speed deburring tool (again if you have a helper, get 2)

• files (1 fine, 1 coarse with 1/2 round side, 1 rat-tail)

• polishing/deburring wheel (Scotchbrite wheels are $43, I used one from Sears for $15)

Appendix:

Sample Passenger Flight Safety Information

[pic][pic]

Sample FAA Pre-Inspection Checklist

From

Inspection Check List for Amateur-Built Aircraft

The following is the inspection check list I use during the inspection of Amateur-Built aircraft. Please feel free to print it out, along with the explanations for use found at the following hot link: MACROBUTTON HtmlResAnchor Checklist explanations Page

Ask your local FAA Inspector or Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR) what He/She uses in your area. As always, this is NOT an official source of information. Always contact your local FAA office for official information. Sorry for the formatting problems, I'm working on it

Finally, this list is not all inclusive, but generic in nature. Other things may be added as necessary

And now, the checklist:

Builder: ___________ Model _________ S/N __________

Date of Inspection__________ Inspector _______________

Regulatory Prerequisites & Placards

Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Item

____ ____ 1. Meets 51% rule, has invoices, plans, pictures and building records

____ _____ 2. Presents notarized statement FAA Form Eligibility Statement

____ _____ 3. Presents FAA Form 8130-6 Application for A/W Certificate properly filled out

____ _____ 4. ID dataplate is fireproof (steel), has Builder's name, model, serial number.

____ _____ 5. ID dataplate is installed in proper external location per FAR 45. 11(a).

____ _____ 6. N-Numbers installed, block letters, 3" proper location per FAR 45.25, or 12 inch, if a/c has cruise speed over 180 Knots CAS.

_____ _____ 7. Word Experimental Displayed, 2" min size, proper location per FAR 45.23(b).

____ _____ 8. Passenger warning placard (not required for single place) ".This aircraft does not meet U.S. safety standards for certified aircraft..."

____ _____ 9. Registration certificate available in aircraft. (NOT pink slip!)

____ _____ 10. Builder makes statement in logbook that aircraft has been inspected

____ _____ 11. A/C Weight and balance done, and shows within designer's limits.

FAR 91.9 Placards

____ _____ 12. ALL controls - flight and engine, marked as to use.

____ _____ 13. Markings for :

______Throttle- open-closed

_____ Carb Heat- pull on

_____ Flaps- Up- Down, Degrees/Inches Take Off Setting Marked

_____ Trim Tab- Nose Up, Nose Down, Take Off setting

_____ Trim Tab- rudder left, rudder right, neutral

_____ Mixture- Push rich

_____ Fuel On-Off levers

_____ Fuel quantity and type marked on or near each cap

Cockpit interior

_____ _____ Seat Belts function, and angle is slightly rearward

_____ _____ Shoulder harness function, and angle is -5 to + 30 degrees

_____ _____ Seat Belt Anchor Points firm, no interference

_____ _____ Shoulder Harness Anchor Points firm, no interference

_____ _____ Seats and seat tracks o.k., stops on aft of rails

Instruments and required equipment

___ ____ 14. ELT meeting TSO-C91A properly installed, with remote switch and battery date current and recorded in aircraft records (See MACROBUTTON HtmlResAnchor Checklist explanations Page) for details

FAR 91.205 and others

_____ _____ 15. Fuel gauge each tank, has been calibrated and calibration in records showing unusable fuel

_____ _____ 16. VFR Day requirements: * Note: All instruments should be marked with green/red line ranges

____ Altimeter

____ Airspeed indicator

____ Tachometer

____ Oil Pressure

____ Oil Temperature

____ Compass

_____ For retract gear aircraft, indicator of up/down gear

____ ______ 17. VFR Night Requirements- Day VFR plus:

____ Position Lights

____ Anti-collision strobes/rotating beacon which meets FAA standards

____ Spare fuses

____ Electrical energy sufficient for duration of aircraft range, plus reserve

____ _____ 18. IFR Requirements Day & Night VFR, plus:

___ Working two-way radio (See MACROBUTTON HtmlResAnchor Checklist explanations Page)

___ Gyroscopic rate of turn indicator (Turn & Bank or Turn Coordinator)

___ Slip / Skid indicator

___ Sensitive altimeter

___ Artificial horizon

___ Directional gyro

___ Clock

___ Vacuum gauge, if vacuum powered, or volt and amp meter, if electric (See MACROBUTTON HtmlResAnchor Checklist explanations Page)

___ Heated Pitot

___ Generator or alternator

___ Alternate Static Source (SeeMACROBUTTON HtmlResAnchor Checklist explanations Page)

Systems

Wire type and size is appropriate for load being carried, and connections are solid. All installed systems perform as intended.

Electrical

____ _____ Battery & Electrical System, wiring adequate size and secure

____ _____ Switches marked for operation, and wired properly

____ _____ Circuit Breakers or fuses labeled for value and function, and wired properly

____ _____ Ground on battery to airframe, or wired into place properly

____ _____ Ammeter

____ _____ Voltmeter

____ _____ Landing Lights / Position Lights wired correctly

____ _____ Cockpit lights/ Instrument lighting

____ _____ Battery case and battery securely mounted

_____ _____ Battery vented overboard

Avionics

_____ _____ Antennas are properly installed, and have proper support/doubler plates

_____ _____ Coax Cable secured, with slack enough to prevent disconnection

_____ _____ Radios/Avionics and cooling fans are mounted securely

_____ _____ Avionics gear is wired properly, and functions

_____ _____ Transponder "Mode C" check done, and in aircraft records

Fuel System

_____ _____ Caps fit, and are vented on all tanks

_____ _____ Fuel drains installed at lowest portion of tank, and at lowest point in fuel lines

_____ _____ Fuel Vent System contains no loops which would block venting

_____ _____ Shutoff valve/ Selector switch ease of operation, and clearly marked for intended operation

_____ _____ Fuel Line routing proper material and diameter for intended fuel supply

_____ _____ Fuel Strainer functional and safety wired

_____ _____ Fuel Lines protected from chafing, and secure from "catching a foot."(MACROBUTTON HtmlResAnchor Checklist explanations Page)

_____ _____ Fuel line routing avoids areas of heat

Gear/Wheel/Brake Systems

_____ _____ Retractable Gear functions- Operations check

_____ _____ Emergency gear extension test

_____ _____ Clearance in wheel wells

_____ _____ Brake System line routing, reservoir, pumps

_____ _____ Brake & Wheel installation secure

_____ _____ Taxi test on gear toe in/ toe out o.k.

_____ _____ Tires are clear of pants or struts, including clearance of "mud scraper", no binding

_____ _____ Wheel Pants are secure

_____ _____ Tail Spring secure, well designed, and is clear of rudder

Control Surfaces

A. Designers Recommended limits: This Plane Measures:

Aileron Up travel: ______ Degrees/Inches _______ Degrees/Inches

Down travel : ______ Degrees/Inches _______ Degrees/Inches

Elevator Up travel: ______ Degrees/Inches _______ Degrees/Inches

Down travel: ______ Degrees/Inches _______ Degrees/Inches

Rudder Left/Right ______ Degrees/Inches _______ Left_______ Right

General Condition- Fuselage, Wing, Tail Assembly

_____ _____ Skin condition, wrinkles, rivets, or tape

_____ _____ Vertical Fin, movement and condition

_____ _____ Elevator assembly, movement and condition

_____ _____ Trim Tabs function, no binding, heavy structure to reduce flutter potential

_____ _____ Control Travel "Stops"

_____ _____ Control Cables Safety Wired Correctly

_____ _____ Counterweights secure

_____ _____ Doors close securely and open properly, if open in flight, markings

_____ _____ Windows secure, and markings for distance if open in flight

_____ _____ Canopy secure

_____ _____ Canopy emergency release marked red and copper safety wired

_____ _____ Canopy locks/door locks work

Flight Controls

_____ _____ Proper tension of cables

_____ _____ Safety wiring of cables

_____ _____ Clearance on controls/no hitting panel or floorboards

_____ _____ Freedom of movement

_____ _____ PROPER DIRECTION

_____ _____ Is everything safetied?

Engine Compartment

_____ _____ Engine Compression in Logs1=___ 2=____ 3=____ 4=____ 5=____ 6=___

_____ _____ Throttle cables anchored and functional, spring open

_____ _____ Clearances in engine compartment

_____ _____ Carb Heat Control- Functional

_____ _____ Mixture Control- Functional, spring full-rich

_____ _____ Fuel Hose routing to avoid heat & bends (Firesleave preferred)

_____ _____ Fuel strainer safety wired

_____ _____ Fuel Hose diameter sufficient for engine

_____ _____ Fuel and Oil Hoses proper material

_____ _____ Oil System Hose & Cooler installation

_____ _____ Prop Governor. Functional, proper lines

_____ _____ Firewall steel, no openings

_____ _____ Engine Mount secure, no cracks

_____ _____ Alternator, belts, accessories properly installed

_____ _____ Heater hoses proper material

_____ _____ Heater design minimizes CO poisoning chances

_____ _____ Baffles appear correct

_____ _____ All electrical and ignition wires appear correct

_____ _____ Cowling secure, (INSTALL IT NOW).

Propeller

_____ _____ Propeller nicks

_____ _____ Safety Wired Bolts of sufficient size

_____ _____ Bolts torqued properly

_____ _____ Bolts clear engine, proper length

_____ _____ Prop clears ground in takeoff attitude by >7"

_____ _____ Prop Spinner o.k., clear of cowl, not uneven spin

_____ _____ Ready for Run-up.

Test Run Engine Note: At least one hour of runup should have been done previously, and logged in the aircraft logbook. The engine compressions should also be recorded after one hour of runup. Some may be low on a fresh overhaul engine, but it is important to get this information as a base line!

_____ _____ Engine starts easily

_____ _____ Oil Pressure comes up quickly to proper level

_____ _____ Oil Temp comes off cold peg

_____ _____ Check all instrument operations/tach/oil/volts/ etc.

Record all data five minutes after startup here ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

_____ _____ Carb Heat Functions, RPM Drop is ________

_____ _____ Mag Drop, Left is ______ Right is _______

_____ _____ Fuel Gauges show calibrated

_____ _____ Mixture/Throttle/Prop controls work

_____ _____ Fuel Shutoff works

_____ _____ No abnormal vibration

_____ _____ Propeller tracks within specs

Airworthiness Directive Compliance

_____ ______ Engine AD's which apply have been complied with, and how

(Attach list if necessary)

__________________________________________________________________________________________

_____ ______ Equipment AD's which apply have been complied with, and how

(Attach list if necessary)

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Certification

_____ ______ Logs present and builder records the following statement: “ I certify that I have built this aircraft for my own education and recreation, and I have inspected it fully. I am the manufacturer, and I consider it eligible for issuance of an Experimental Airworthiness Certificate for the purpose of operating amateur-built aircraft under provisions of FAR 21.191(g). “

_____ Discuss operating limitations with applicant, flight test areas, and flight test time.

_____ _____ Airworthiness application properly filled out and signed?

_____ Sign Logbook and issue certificate, if applicable.

OR ______ Provide list of deficiencies to applicant, if applicable

Unsatisfactory Conditions

N_______ Owner __________

The following unsatisfactory conditions were noted in your inspection. It is your responsibility to correct these conditions prior to obtaining an airworthiness certificate. Please correct the deficiencies and return this list, with evidence of the corrections, to the certificating inspector.

1. Condition:______________________________________________

Corrective action taken: ___________________________________ ________________________________________________________

2. Condition: ____________________________________________

Corrective action taken: _______________________________________________________

Signed: _________________________

MACROBUTTON HtmlResImg zoom

Shop tips

Snagged from

this... is a summary of some lessons learned by a newbie builder with good shop skills but no prior sheet metal experience.  It is primarily presented for first time builders. 

Tools 

Carpenter screws.  Harbor Freight sells low cost wood carpenter screws (clamps).  These clamps are very versatile and I prefer them over steel clamps because they won't mar if used without shims.  They also have a deep depth of reach and can be opened easily.  They are easily adjusted to fit over rib and bulkhead flanges.  The two sizes I use are two 12 inch and four 10 inch.  The larger ones also make excellent holding jigs while riveting light but unwieldy components like HS spars, wing rear spars, etc....   Just clamp two to the spar  and set them vertically on the workbench while drilling or riveting.  A couple of wraps of duct tape around the center threads is a good idea to prevent chaffing.  They're like a second set of hands. 

 

Swivel flush riveter  

Avery sells a swivel flush riveter that is IMHO indispensable for a newbie riveter.  My HS skins were dinged in several places because the alignment of the rivet gun to surface was off slightly. The swivel rivet tool would have prevented this.  It is very forgiving and a bargain. 

 

Paint guns  

Harbor Freight sells a touch up gun for $20 that works great on  priming small parts.  If  the cup is Teflon coated, I recommend soaking it in MEK and removing the coating with steel wool or another abrasive. The Teflon tends to flake off and clog the paint gun.  The HVLP gun sold by Harbor Freight was discussed several months ago.  I bought one and believe it lives up to all expectations.  The paint savings is dramatic to someone used to conventional sprayers. 

 

Pneumatic cleco gun 

This item was purchased from Avery as sort of a nice-to-have tool half  way through drilling my wing skins.  I now consider it an essential part of my tool bag.  It saves lots of time and helps prevent 

fatigue from repetitive motion.  In fact, I keep it in a holster, designed for drill motors.  With a my nail apron on to hold clecoes and the cleco gun in my belt clecoing goes fast.  I look a little foolish though;  but who cares? 

 

Scotchbrite wheels 

Avery sells a 1 inch wheel and mandrel that is outstanding for fast finishing of aluminum edges.  If there was ever a tool that minimizes metal fatigue cracks; this is it.  These tools work well in drill presses and on high speed die grinders; however, they don't last as long on the die grinder but work twice as fast.  After shaping the part on a belt sander, it is passed through the scotchbrite wheel for a smooth 

satin finish.   I usually keep about five wheels on hand and two mandrels, one for narrow edges like skins and the other for structural edges 1/8 inch or better.  I can't comment on the other wheel sizes but it seems other builders are satisfied with them too. 

 

Homemade tools 

Bucking bars.  There is nothing special about bucking bars.  They are simply a smooth and heavy surface to form the finished rivet.  The manufactured bars are great and several should be purchased but I recommend buying small pieces of scrap steel from a scrap metal yard or welding shop.  Expect to pay about $0.35 per pound for this metal.  Anything more, is a rip-off.  These pieces can be shaped and smoothed for the one or two rivets that can't be reached with a manufactured bucking bar. 

 

Priming frame 

The task of priming small parts can be a pain because they stick to flat surfaces after painting.  This became a non-problem by using a painting surface made from chicken wire attached to a 2x2 wood frame. The chicken wire mesh size is 1 inch.  The frame can be any size.  I use  one  approximately 3 ft x 7 ft laid across two sawhorses.  Really small parts can be impaled in the mesh while painting.  Because so little surface area actually touches the primed part, it dries fast and completely without 

leaving adhesion marks.. 

 

Workbench surface 

The manual recommends a plywood or similar surface while drilling  stiffeners to  skins.  I used aluminum backed insulation board on top of my workbench.  This insulation board is used in home construction.  This IMHO is a superior surface.  It doesn't scratch.  The drills easily penetrate it and the clecoed skins can be lifted free when finished.  The material is cheap too.  Of course, the underlying surface must be flat.  None of my skins have any oil canning.  I highly recommend 

it over plywood or particle board. 

 

Scratch protection 

Carpet remnants are excellent for preventing scratches on bare skins.  The handiest size has been about 2ft x 3ft.  They are particularly beneficial when running the skins through the C frame while dimpling or while back riveting stiffeners to skins.  Use them to cover anything that could produce a scratch.  I keep about 6-8 pieces on hand. They're also good to cover sawhorses when you lay large finished pieces like wings across them.  Involve your spouse or significant other.  Have them help you pick out an appropriate color/texture for your shop decor! 

 

Wood dowels 

I like to use wood dowels in place of  steel machine screws wherever possible.  For instance, while building the HS on the jig, I used golf tees to hold it to the jig rather than the recommended machine screws. They are easy to insert and remove and they won't enlarge the hole diameter from chaffing.  They'll break before the piece bends.   They're cheap and easy to replace.  The supply is plentiful around my house.  Recently I used a tapered dowel for a temporary pin to mount the gear leg to the mount.  The taper was made on a belt sander in about two minutes. This long tapered pin was easily inserted, found center, and easily removed. 

 

Inventorying 

When inventorying parts, I like to mark on the plastic coating the part number in magic marker in three inch letters.  This is so I can't miss it when searching for it during building.  It gives easy identification. I hate to waste precious building time searching for parts that I've already found once. 

 

Labeling parts 

Early in the building process I was sensitized to possible metal fatigue due to metal etching stemming from construction labeling.  I don't know where this came from but the first month of building both wings simultaneously nearly drove me crazy keeping track of left - right, top -bottom, tip - root,  leading edge - trailing edge, etc... in my head.  Then I started labeling everything with a laundry marker.  I now mark the jig and parts.  And prime over labels.  Can't label too much in my opinion. 

 

Parts bags 

When inventorying the bag parts, I transfer them into plastic zip lock freezer bags.  Each bag is marked with the bag number and parts contained in it.  This gives me good visual and documentary identification. The  bag parts are placed in one of three boxes marked rivets, fasteners, or miscellaneous.  The rivet box is further organized by diameter, length and type (AN470 , AN426 or pop rivet). This technique really helps to find parts while building.  While building the wings, the AN3-XX bolts were stored according to length.  Baby food jars worked well for this but 

freezer bags would work too!. 

 

Red tags 

I like to hang red shipping tags on or in the vicinity of components that I haven't finished or have skipped construction steps. These tags are the fluorescent red 1 inch shipping tags available at office supply stores or Walmart. This is just a visual reminder to go back and complete the step.  It eases the memory load during construction. 

Bearing Tool

[pic]"Bob Skinner suggested this to me: I bought an extra 11/16th" socket and simply ground down two of the little nubs. It fits perfectly over the smaller bearings. I'll need to make a bigger one for one of the bearings on the rudder (I think). A Dremel tool with a grinder bit worked perfectly. Took less than 5

minutes." (Editors note: You can also see how to make Sam's rod-end bearing tool)

The Interior

Check out

A Dimpling Table

Snagged from - bearing tool

Rod End Bearing Tool

tool

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