Bill's RV-7 Project

My first goal was to finish up the flaps which were retracting a little bit too much. I lengthened the flap push-rods and tested. Just right. I might have to trim the lower inboard flap ends someday; for now they are OK. I did a permanent i nstall of the washers and nuts on the flap push-rods. Flaps are done!

While I was in the cockpit, I reversed the autopilot switch. I ended up just turning the entire switch upside down.

I swept the hangar where the Kitfox wings had been laying down. Didn’t want to track all of that dirt and straw into the cockpit.

I installed the washers on the HS-elevator horn bolt, but could not tightened the nut. Couldn’t get a wrench or socket in there. My plan is to grind down the sides of an open-ended wrench in the hopes that I'll be turn the nut.

January 17, 2009 - Flaps, Canopy & Cold
I knew it was going to be cold this Saturday. But Hunter Joe from work was going to be in out in the weather at daybreak Duck hunting so I was shamed into going to the airport. It was 14 degrees driving out to the airport at 11AM. But it was sunny, and the visibility was pheonominal – best I’ve ever seen it. (Note: it turns out the Guide cancelled the duck hunting trip -- too much ice on the water -- of so Hunter Joe alledges. Hunter Joe spent Saturday in his warm house watching TV) The first thing I did in the hangar was fire up the diesel-fuel powered turbo-heat 5000. Only about 15 feet in front of the outlet gets really warm, but it does take the edge off in the entire hangar. It's the difference between tolerable and "this is ridiculous".

My first goal was to finish up the flaps which were retracting a little bit too much. I lengthened the flap push-rods and tested. Just right. I might have to trim the lower inboard flap ends someday; for now they are OK. I did a permanent i nstall of the washers and nuts on the flap push-rods. Flaps are done! While I was in the cockpit, I reversed the autopilot switch. I ended up just turning the entire switch upside down. I swept the hangar where the Kitfox wings had been laying down. Didn’t want to track all of that dirt and straw into the cockpit. I installed the washers on the HS-elevator horn bolt, but could not tightened the nut. Couldn’t get a wrench or socket in there. My plan is to grind down the sides of an open-ended wrench in the hopes that I'll be turn the nut.

I clamped the elevators in “trail” position – and was dismayed to find my ailerons uneven. They had been even but not with the elevators in trail. Another lesson learned the hard way. Will have to do more rigging on the ailerons.

It was 4PM and I almost went home at this point. But I got a sudden burst of motivation and started trimming the canopy trailing edge. I put a new sanding cylinder on the Dremel, propped up the canopy, and went to work. An hour later, I got the canopy to come all the way down. Still need to do a little more trimming but it looks OK. The problem is going to be on the left side. There is a pretty good gap between the side deck and the canopy frame. It had warmed up on the ride home. By four degrees. It was now 18 degrees. The cold wasn't as bad as I thought it would be though. On the way home, I stopped at Harbor Freight, Dollar Store, Five and Below and Ace Hardware looking for a cheapo 7/16” wrench. Nothing. HF only sells wrench sets now. Ace had one for $8 but I didn't want to spend that much for a single lousy wrench.


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January 17, 2009 - Flaps, Canopy & Cold