Saturday, November 26, 2011

W&B

It seems that the w/b may have been so pencil whipped that it is causing issue finding the correct info to set the cg off of in my paperwork supplied by the previous owner.

Ive been spending time on vaf researching. It seems a that a quick and easy way of doing the w/b for an rv-4 is to weigh the planes tail in level flight attitude and try to achieve as close to 50 lbs as possible, any heavier and I have aft cg and lighter and it nose heavy. Im sure there is a 5 pound range or so that will affect the useful load... Sounds like the "good ole boy method" to me....

At one point, as I mentioned, the guy helping me seemed to think that I would need to install a metal prop. Im not sure what the verdict is now. He has told me at one point it was nose heavy and we need to move the battery back and more recently it now he is saying it seems to be tail heavy (after he met with another RV friend of his). I need to find out more on the right way to figure this out myself I guess.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Annual Inpspection

Ok, so aside form my motor woes there were other things to think about especially while I had the motor off. The early Rv-4's were different the the later models in a few ways. One of which that is of the most concern to me were the Firewall/Motor-mount Gusset reinforcement brackets.

I ordered a set from Vans and set about removing the old and installing the new. The first rivets on the plane that I drilled and subsequently pounded in too. Unfortunately the guy helping me suggested what I later found out to be the incorrect rivets and I would have to drill them all out again and set the correct flush rivets.

Around this time I was realizing that the help I had hired was less than enthralled about my project and doing anymore work on it than absolutely necessary. I first had my suspicions while shopping for a replacement motor. Nothing seemed to be "ok" in his book. Not because he actually checked any of my prospects out just because of one reason or another. So I finally found what I thought might be a solution.

This particular guy that was helping me had built a RV-3 with his dad many many moons ago that he still had and was in the middle of building a RV-4 when he started helping me with my project. He had a dyno-focal mount and a matching 0-320 he was planning to put on his -4. He had said he got the motor from a guy who said it was a first run timed out motor. I had known about it and was looking for something similar but with nothing being acceptable i decided to offer him what he paid for the motor plus a 1k finders fee but he had to trade me motor mounts (mine was conical mount) and the match drilled gear legs. I had the short gear he already had the long. So we ended up trading because he wanted to switch the motors on his flying -3 and soon to be done -4 anyway.

So I finally had a motor that my mentor would approve of hanging on the plane (mostly because it involved no extra work).

Monday, January 31, 2011

Searching for an Engine.

All of January was spent searching for and engine that was within my budget and that the guy helping me with the engine swap was willing to help put in. Come to find out I guess it didn't matter what engine it was, he wasn't wanting to help anymore.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Some things I would like to address aside from the engine durring the annual.

Landing and Taxi Lights need the lenses replaced.
Wingtip Lenses are no better. I would like to get some of the LED Nav lights





 The Rear Stick has a mild bend in it I noticed. The foam has a rip in it due to my wrapping the seatbelt over it for use as a gust lock. Id like to get some new grips in the future.





This is the current Throttle set-up for the pilot, there is no rear throttle installed. Im thinking of buying a new nicer throttle for the pilot and moving this one aft for the GIB. The Bulkhead that it is attached to blocks your wrist and forces it into a funny angle when mounted in front of that brace. Even with it on the bulkhead and sticking out some it is still a funny angle and ill need to change it sometime in the future. It used to have vernier style controls but the previous owner installed these instead.
Maybe after I have got to fly it some more I will pull all the steam gauges and convert to glass...