Vans Aircraft RV-12 Build, Section 22: FWD Lower Fuselage (part 2)

Reference: page 22-02, 3 hours

I love the saying someone at worked used, "It's a pace not a race." This is so true when it come to building an airplane. So today will finish the first page of the lower fuselage.The main thing is trying to have regular building sessions rather that marathon days with large lapses of time in between, well that's the plan.

. Step 9: Rivet the nutplates to the F-1217A-L & -R Tunnel Ribs and F-1272 Fwd Fuse Skin per the call outs in Figure 4 on page 22-02 of the RV-12 plans. Rivet nutplates to the F-1201C Firewall Bottom and fwd fuse skin per the call outs in figure 4.





Step 10: Make two F-1201U Firewall Spacers from AS3-020 as shown in figure 3 on page 22-02 per Van's Aircraft.

NOTE: Curve parts slightly by hand for a better fit.



Step 11: Center the Firewall Spacers about the holes used to attach them to the Fwd Lower Fuse Assembly. Place the F-12118 Cowl Attach Plates over the top of the firewall spacers then cleco the hole on the inboard edge of the cowl attach plate and the firewall spacer to the Fwd Lower Fuse Assembly. See figure 4 of Van's Aircraft's plans.

Step 12: Match-drill #30 the holes in the Fwd Lower Fuse Assembly into the F-1201U Firewall Spacers and the Cowl Attach Plates. Remove and deburr the firewall spacers. Machine countersink the nutplate attach holes in the cowl attach plates. Rivet the firewall spacers and cowl attach plates to the firewall spacers and cowl attach plates to the lower fuse assembly.







Step 13:Rivet a nutplate to the forward side of the F-1201C Firewall Bottom to the location labeled "Return Line Clamp" as called out by Van's Aircraft on page 22-02 figure 4.



Step 14: Use a unibit to enlarge the hole between the gascolator attach holes per the dimension given in the RV-12 plans. To kepp the hole centered draw a cross hair out from the hole for reference.

Builder's note: To help this process I drilled a #30 pilot hole before using a unibit.





This complete page 22-02 for the RV-12 aircraft plans. Next time we will get into having fun with fuel tank sealant. Which is not really that bad just messy!