Short post, but important. Most of the information out there is about how to properly pre-load the style of wheel bearings that don't have the integrated dust seal. The new Matco brakes come with integrated seals on the bearings and need a special procedure for install. According to the guide, the bearings should have 18-26... Continue Reading →

Let's start with the simple one, static line install. My first install wasn't going to cut it. I ran the static lines down and put a water catcher loop at the bottom that would hopefully keep the line going forward dry. After looking at it, I didn't like it, and my tech advisor agreed. Kacy... Continue Reading →

I started the canopy fairing by cutting out the suggested patterns and mocking them up into place. It didn't take long to realize that the metal fairings weren't going to fit. Because the rear of the canopy frame was a bit wider than Van's expected (in order to clear the skin), I couldn't get a... Continue Reading →

The stock Van's fairing fit like crap. It needed to be excessively pulled into place and even once screwed into place, had large gaps everywhere. We decided to make our own. We started by laying out the basic shape we wanted, then taping up gaps and laying laid foam over that. This only took an... Continue Reading →

Our tech advisor came by for an inspection prior to glueing the canopy on to the frame and doing the install. He highlighted a few areas that needed to be tweaked on the frame, so I spent a day with a conduit bender going over the rear bow. It matches the curvature of the upper... Continue Reading →

September 22 - October 3, 2020 Finally time to start doing canopy fittings. The initial fitment of the canopy frame from Vans look really good. None of the dimensions matched what were in the instructions or drawings though, so we started bending. Bending the square tubes to fit the shape of the fuselage sides took... Continue Reading →

September 20-21, 2020 We riveted on the turtle deck in preparation for the canopy work. This was standard work that required a driving rivets, but overall a simple task. Kacy ran the gun and I laid inside and held the bucking bar. We purchased the top rail from an RV8 to install on our turtle... Continue Reading →

September 18, 2020 I'm finding it harder and harder to find things to do on the plane, so I decided to make the leap and start working on the canopy. First step is to fit the roll bar, which means making up some spacers. These are very similar, but slightly different from each other. I... Continue Reading →

September 14-17, 2020 This is a completely optional add-on that most people can just skip. There have been some accident reports that mention a melted floor during engine fires in the past. Since we're planning on using this plane for Sportsman aerobatic competitions, we felt it was a solid modification to increase safety. RV-10 users... Continue Reading →

September 13, 2020 Had to order the right Loctite for the brake lines, but now that it came in, its time to cut the plastic lines and get them sorted. I debated upgrading to steel lines everywhere and I just couldn't justify it. The plastic line is rated to 500 psi, and being a tail... Continue Reading →