Vans Aircraft RV-12 Airplane Build, Section 27 Rudder Pedals & Brake System (part 3)

Reference: page 27-04; 2.0 hours

In this entry I will start building the brake lines for the RV-12 aircraft designed by Van's Aircraft. In the first three steps Van's describles boiling the brake line end to easy the install of the fitting inserts. I have never been able to get this to work! So after trying it again (hope springs eternal) I opted for the method I used on the RV-10. It invloves heating the ends up with a low temperture heat gun and then push the insert into place. The heat gun I use is the kind designed for shrinking Monokoat onto RC aircraft models. This is NOT the same as one design to peal paint!

NOTE: The brake lines in this section are assembled with two different end fittings. the The only difference between the two assemblies are the nut supplied with the 45 degree elbow has the sleeve attached to it.

Step 1: Slide the nut and sleeve over the plastic tube, then locate the sleeve about 1/8 inch from the end as shown in Figure 1 of the RV-12 plans page 27-04.

Step 2: Press the insert into the end of the plastic tube as far as possible by pushing it against some solid object.



Step 3: Place the end of the assembly in boiling water for about a minute, then immediately press the insert in the rest of the way until it bottoms against the end of the plastic tube.



Builder's Note: The boiling water didn't work for me so I used the heat gun as mentioned above.





Step 4: Thread the brass elbows, called out in Figure 2 on page 27-04 by Van's Aircraft. into the ports of the master cylinders as shown (use a small amount of pipe thread sealant on the threads.) Note that the elbows in the lower ports are clocked to direct their corresponding brake lines between the elbows in the upper ports. The elbows in the upper ports are directed upwards.

Builder's note: I used EZ Turn thread sealant pictured below. One tube will last you a lifetime.







Step 5: Assemble the L & R Cross-Over Brake Lines and connect them to their corresponding elbows as shown in figure to by Van's Aircraft on page 27-04.



Step 6: Final Drill 5/16" both holes in three of the six F-1276C System Blocks, then place the three System Blocks over the studs in the Bottom Skin.

Builder's Note: I found using a Unibit worked very well, just drill part way through from one side of the block turn it over and finish drilling from the other side.







This completes page 27-04. So long until next time!

Vans Aircraft RV-12 Airplane Build, Section 27 Rudder Pedals & Brake System (part 2)

Reference: page 27-03; 3.5 hours

I'm just starting to have fun with the RV-12 rudder pedals. Van's Aircraft has done a nice job designing a simple light setup for their ELSA aircraft.

Step 1: There are 1/8 inch holes in both sides of the Brake Pedals. Match-Drill #30 the hole in the one side of both brake pedals into the underlying Brake pedal Torque Tubes. Cleco, then match-drill the hole in the other side.



Step 2: Drill #12 all the way through the holes in both sides of the Brake Pedals and the Brake Pedal Torque Tubes, then final drill 1/4 all the way through.



Step 3: Remove the Brake Pedals and Brake Pedal Torque Tubes. Mark the parts to be reinstalled in the same locations.

Step 4: Repeat the same process for match-drilling and final drilling the Brake Pedals and Brake Torque Tubes for the other end of the WD-1206 Rudder Pedal assembly. The parts are assembled as shown in figure 2 on page 27-03 of the RV-12 aircraft plans.



Step 5: Grease the Brake Pedal Torque Tubes then slide them into the Rudder Pedals.

Builder's note: I used Aeroshell #5 grease on the torque tubes.



Step 6: Secure the Brake Pedals and Pedal Blocks to the Torque Tubes using the hardware called out in figure 3 on page 27-03 of Van's Aircraft plans. File away any portion of the pedal block that interfere with the welds on the brake pedals or Rudder pedals.

Builder's note: I had to use the low end of the torque range for the bolts holding the pedal blocks part F-1290. Otherwise the block ends would start to pull away from the rudder pedal tube if too much compression is applied with the bolt.



Step 7: Attach the master cylinders to the Rudder Pedals and the Torque tubes using the hardware called out in figure 3. of the RV-12 aircraft plans.



Step 8: Remove the lower halves of the Rudder Pedal Blocks and slide the whole Rudder Pedal Assembly into position in the fuselage as shown in figure 4 of Van's Aircraft plans page 27-03.



Builder's note: I left the rudder pedals assembled as shown until I was ready to slip it into place at that time I removed the nuts and washer onto of the UMHW blocks slide it into place and installed the bolts. It all went very smoothly this way.

Step 9: Secure the Rudder Pedal Assembly to the F-1201B Firewall Shelf and the three F-1257 Rudder Pedal Support Channels using the hardware called out in figure 4 on page 27-03.





This completes page 27-03 of the RV-12 plans. Next time I will start on fabricating the brake lines for the RV-12 aircraft.

Vans Aircraft RV-12 Airplane Build, Section 27 Rudder Pedals & Brake System (part 1)

Reference: page 27-02; 1.0 hours

This blog entry starts the assembly of the rudder pedals and brake system for the RV12 aircraft kitted by Van's Aircraft.

Step 1: Split the F-1235A Inbd Rudder Pedal Block and the two F-1235B Outbd Rudder Pedal Blocks as shown in figure 1 on page 20-02 of the RV-12 aircraft plans. Mark the split parts so that they remain together and so that they can be assembled in their original, pre-split orientation.

Builder's note: As can be seen in the pictures I used my band-saw to separate the parts and it worked very well.



Step 2: Clamp the WD-1206 Rudder Pedals using the Rudder Pedal Blocks as shown in figure 2 of Van's Aircraft's plans on page 27-02. Be sure the rudder pedals are oriented as shown in the figure (long end and short end together), and place the heads of the bolts on the bottom so that the clamped assembly will lay flat on the work surface.



Step 3: Slide the WD-1211-L & -R Brake Pedal Torque Tubes into the WD-1206 Rudder Pedals as shown in figure 3 on page 27-02.



Step 4: Be sure that the F-1235 A & B Rudder Pedal Blocks are all flush against the work surface (clamp down if nessary), then slide one of the remaining Pedal Torque Tubes (doesn't matter which one) into both of the WD-1206 Rudder Pedals as shown in figure 3 of the plans. This will lock both rudder pedals into the neutral position.

Builder's note: I had to fight with the assembly to get it to slide together. I think this was due to warpage from the welding process.



Step 5: Temporarily attach the Right and Left Brake Master Cylinders to the Rudder Pedals and Brake Torque Tubes as shown in figure 4 on page 27-02 of the RV-12 plans. The hardware shown is called out on page 27-03, figure 3.

Builder's note: To get the clevis pin to fit through the bracket holes I needed to ream them with a #12 drill bit.





Step 6: Slide the Brake pedals over the Brake Redal Torque Tubes and against the Brake pedal as shown in figure 4. Use a square to make sure the brake pedals are vertical (or perpendicular to the work surface), then clamp the brake pedals to the rudder pedals as shown.



That completes page 27-02. Until next time!

Van's Aircraft RV-12 Trial fitting of Carpet kit

With the seat backs done, it seems like a good time to find out how the RV-12's interior fits with the side panels. This should give me a good idea what metal is exposed and needs painting. My main concern is the rudder pedal area as these could be a bear to paint around. Again, I purchased the full side panel and carpet kit from Van's Aircraft.























Surprisingly not much is left exposed. Obviously the rollover structure will need painting, a few small spots up by the instrument panel and the area around the wing mounts, as can be seen in the pictures above.

I don't see any need to paint the interior right now and will hold off until later in the construction.

Vans Aircraft RV-12 Airplane Build, Section 26 Seat Backs (part 2)

Reference: page 26-03, 26-04; 4.0 hours

I'm in the process of building the Seatbacks for the RV-12 aircraft. During this build session thing got a little interesting as I wanted to final paint the Seatbacks before assembling the hinges to them. As such, some of the steps are out of sequence from how they appear in the plans by Van's Aircraft. One other thing I ran into was the floor mounting hinge on the right seat is off center of the control stick by 1/2". Yes, it is built according to the plans. In fact I called Van's Aircraft and they went out and measured the factory airplane and sure enough their seat is off by 1/2" as well. In addition to this, the carpet kit is cut for the seat bing off center as well. The good new is I've ridden in the right seat of the factory plane and you just don't notice it!

Step 1: Cleco the locating hole of the Fwd Seatback Brace Hinge to the Seatback at the location shown in figure 1 on page 23-03 of the RV-12 plans by Van's Aircraft. Clamp the hinge parallel to the seatback corrugations.



Builder's note: To ensure this part is set correctly I drew a centering mark on the hinge to align it visibly through the holes.



Step 2: Match-drill #30 the holes from the Seatback into the Fwd Seatback Brace Hinge. Mark parts, disassemble and deburr, cleco back together.



NOTE: For Step 3 through Step 7, the rivet orientations are specified in the RV-12 plans.

Step 3: Rivet the Aft Seatback Brace using the rivets called out in figure 2 of the RV-12 plans. Set the manufactured heads on the seatback brace.

Builder's note: My Seat side angles had a slight curve to them that needed to be striaghtened out before assembly.



Step 4: Cleco the Upper, Lower and L&R Seatback Angles to the Seatback as shown in figures 3 & 4 of the RV-12 pans on page 26-03. Final-drill #12 the hole in each lower corner common to the left or right AND the lower seatback angles and seatback. Disassemble and deburr.



Some of the following steps are out of order because I wanted to paint the parts before riveting on the hinge material. For final finish I am using the two Rust-oleum products show below. After etching, alodining and zinc chromate, I paint the surface the black primer as a color cover coat then spray a light coating of the Texture paint. I used this system on the RV-10 and have been happy with the appearance and the fact it is easily repaired if you get a scratch.



Step 5: Rivet the Upper Seatback Angle to the top row of holes in the Seatback per call-out in figure 3 of the RV-12 plans. Set the manufactured heads on the seatback. Leave open the first hole at both ends of the upper heads on the seatback.



Step 6: Rivet the Fwd Seatback Brace Hinge to the Seatback using the rivets called out in figure 3 of the RV-12 airplane plans.Set the manufactured heads on the seat back.



Step 7: Rivet the Lower Seatback Angle and the Seatback Hinge to the Seatback per call-out in figure 3. Set the manufactured heads on the seatback hinge. Leave open the first hole at both ends of the lower seatback angle.



Step 8: Rivet the L R Seatback Angles to the Seatback using the rivets called out in figure 4 of Van's Aircrafts plans on page 26-03. Set the manufactured heads on the seatback angles. Hereafter refer to this assembly as the Seatback Assembly.



This completes page 26-03



Reference page 26-04 of Van's Aircraft RV-12 plans

Note: The hinge pins that will be used for the steps on this page were set aside on page 26-02, Step 4 and Step 7.

Step 1: Cut a 14 1/2 inch length of hinge pin. Make a one inch long 90 degree bend at one of the ends. File the other end of the hinge pin to make a dull point.



Step 2: Attach the Seatback Brace to the back of the Seatback Assembly, by inserting the 14 1/2 inch hinge pin through the Fwd and Aft Hinges as shown in figure 1 on page 26-04 of the RV-12 plans.

Step 3: Drill #52 a hole in the Seatback Brace mext to the bend at the end of the hinge pin as shown in figure 1 of Van's Aircraft plans on page 26-04.



Step 4: Secure the bent end of the hinge pin using safety wire through the #52 hole.



Step 5: Cut two % 1/2 inch lengths of hinge pin. Make a one inch long 90 degree bend at one end of each pin. File the other end of each hinge pin to make a dull point.



Step 6: Using the 5 1/2 inch hinge pins, secure the Seatback Assembly to either the forward or aft Seatback Hinge as shown in the RV-12 plans on page 26-02.

This completes the assembly of the RV-12 Seatbacks. As far as the right seat not being centered to the control stick, I'm going to leave it per the RV-12 plans. If it bugs me after getting the LSA certification then I will make new hinge mount and shift the seat to center.

I'm going to leave you with a few pitures of the seats mounts for the RV-12 aircraft.