March 7, 2009 - Weight and Balance, Riveting

 This Saturday was weight and balance day.  Mike Regen flew over in his RV-7A loaded down with aircraft weighing scales.  Before he arrived, I pushed the plane out of the barn, defueled the right tank, and gathered all the covers, floors, fairings and seat cushions.  I also put the cowl and spinner on for the first time.   You're supposed to weight the aircraft in an "in-flight" position, so that's why the tail is up. 

It may not look like it in the picture, but it was an extremely pleasant 65 degrees or so outside this entire weekend. 

At one point, there must have been 15 people gathered around my plane, checking it out. 

 
The RV really looks good with cowl and spinner on. 
 
The scales Mike brought are really nice.  Just roll the plane onto the scales and record the readings off the brain box for left wheel, right wheel and tailwheel.  The weight on the rear scale was 67 pounds. 
 
The overall weight was 1066 pounds (including 10 pounds for the wheel pants and gear fairings, which I weighed separately.)
 
The activity at Essex Skypark this day was unbelievable; the heaviest I've ever seen it.  I guess everyone was taking advantage of the nice weather. 
 
Then it was time for the dreaded riveting of the top forward skin.  Mike shot the rivet gun and I bucked.  I was able to buck the center rivets from the outside of the plane but once those were done, there was no alternative to crawling underneath the panel on my back.  Actually, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  I was able to get the bucking bar firmly on most of the rivets. 
 

Still, I was glad to be finished with it. 

I'm glad I didn't cut panel holes in the top forward skin because you do have access to everything by crawling underneath the panel.  It isn't fun, but it can be done. 

 

Mike was a maestro with the rivet gun.  We had to use the "suicide set" on the 1/8" rivets that go into the main longeron. 

People would stop by and watch us rivet for awhile; not something you see every day.

 
I still have to rivet the forward edge; however, I'll be able to squeeze those with the Main Squeeze.
 
I was pleased with how the top forward skin came out.  It fits nice and tight and is as solid as a rock. 
 
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