New Topics Feature

To help people find various postings more quickly I am adding a section called "RV-12 Page" and then a page number. So if you know the page your working on you can quickly see if there are any related posts. I hope this proves of value!

Making the Bottom Rudder Fairing Removable on the RV 10

Van's Aircraft plans calls for riveting on the lower rudder cap fairing, however I wanted mine removable. The idea is to have the area behind it assessable so I can put electrical connectors for the strobe, nav light and electric rudder trim.

It's a fairly easy modification. The pre-punched rivet holes are drilled out with a #27 drill bit. Then K1000-6 nut plates are installed (similar to the wing tips are installed). The screw holes and rivet holes are countersunk into the fiberglass cap. Were as the screw holes in the aluminum are dimpled with a set for a #6 screw. The screws used are AN 507-C632R8, these are stainless screw but could be substituted with steel AN507-6R8.

Reducing the weight of the Lycoming IO 540

Well I finally received the standard flywheel to replace the original hot prop flywheel. As you may recall that one weighed 8.86 pounds. The standard flywheel/ring gear assembly weighs 6.9 pounds. For a whopping weight savings of 1.96 pounds. Probably not worth the cost of buying a new one, but mine was a straight across exchange so there were only some shipping costs involved.

In a future installment I hope to have some additional weight saving tip centered around trading out the stock starter and alternator. Until then it's time for me to start hitting the cottage cheese and rice cakes.)