What did you do on your airplane project today?

[Toobuilder]

Looks like you have plenty of prop tip clearance!

 

[TFF]

I was going to say it was optimistic

 

[Ava]

Looks like you have plenty of prop tip clearance!

But it's really difficult to get it to catch on that first swing!

 

[Sraight'nlevel]

After much trial fitting, followed by removal, cutting and sanding, and repeating, I’m starting to get happy with the fitting of the nose wheel pant, the lower cowl, and the nose gear strut fairing.

View attachment 127135


View attachment 127136

BJC

I love it...I have studied at GT.

 

[BJC]

Looks like you have plenty of prop tip clearance!

I was going to say it was optimistic

Surely you guys have heard of clipping a prop to gain RPM and, therefore, HP.

I love it...I have studied at GT.

From your profile, that would have had you there sometime between gtae07 and me (gtae70).

That flag is there not because I'm a big booster of GT, but it reminds me of what our graduating class was told by the head of the alumni association. He said, "You won't be hired because you know how to do something, because you don't. You will be hired because you have demonstrated that you are reasonably intelligent, but, more importantly, you have demonstrated that you can learn and that you have great tenacity." When I was there, the graduation rate was low.


BJC

 

[Ava]

We disassembled an engine today, cleaning a few parts just enough to take some critical measurements. It took about three hours...

I'm just guessing it might take a wee bit longer to put back together...

(Not certain how it transformed into a Volks... maybe I accidentally used a metric screwdriver... -- Peter Aschwanden artwork)

 

[Malcolm C]

Began latex painting my outer wing panels on my Flying Flea. The word " Flea " will be in big letters on the lower surface, maybe good advice for anybody below ?

 

[scramjetter]

Hmm. There were an even number of case savers before the dog and Junior walked in.

We disassembled an engine today, cleaning a few parts just enough to take some critical measurements. It took about three hours...
View attachment 127209
I'm just guessing it might take a wee bit longer to put back together...

(Not certain how it transformed into a Volks... maybe I accidentally used a metric screwdriver... -- Peter Aschwanden artwork)

 

[Bill-Higdon]

We disassembled an engine today, cleaning a few parts just enough to take some critical measurements. It took about three hours...
View attachment 127209
I'm just guessing it might take a wee bit longer to put back together...

(Not certain how it transformed into a Volks... maybe I accidentally used a metric screwdriver... -- Peter Aschwanden artwork)

Along with a metric left handed crescent wrench

 

[gtae07]

Continued preparations for my first fiberglass work... got packing tape laid up around the canopy to form the skirts and made some paper templates for cutting the cloth. I won't get to do the actual layups for while since we're traveling but hopefully I'll get to do some flying while I'm gone.

Not sure how well the skirts are going to come out; I think they're going to take a lot of filling work to look decent

 

[Ava]

....Made some paper templates for cutting the cloth. I won't get to do the actual layups for while since we're traveling but hopefully I'll get to do some flying while I'm gone.

Not sure how well the skirts are going to come out; I think they're going to take a lot of filling work to look decent

You know, they sell paper skirt patterns that have already been tested...

 

[SpruceForest]

Seems like BID would drape nicely, but how do I get the skirt off the dress dummy after glassing?

Never mind... will use some of that stretchy 18" wide plastic and wrap the dummy before layup.

 

[Toobuilder]

Heres one for the memory bank. On the trip to PHX, right at the halfway point things are going fine EXCEPT for a fixation on a slightly higher than normal fuel flow. Autopilot, vast expanses of nothing, and a full EMS suite allow this to become a "thing". Out of nowhere, We hear/feel a single "BANG" from the augmentor tube. Same popping sound that I get when retarding the throttle on base... Anyway, I scan the instruments and do an S turn looking over my shoulder for a smoke trail. Everything is fine and I continue, looking for any further engine issue. Im also on flight following and right about the point where Id expect a handoff to the next center, but I hear nothing but a garbeled mess. After a while I make the freq shift to ABQ center but cant reach them either. Figuring my new antenna location is sub-optimal, I press on, finally reaching PHX approach just prior to landing and close out the radar sevice. Upon landing, my troubles are explained...

My new fairing strip between the augmentor tubes, secured at the front by a single #10 screw, has come free. The single forward screw fell out and the 4 inch wide flap flew back and wrapped itself around the antenna like a long, skinny speedbrake. No futter or vibration - the "backfire" I heard was the strip smacking the antenna and nesting there. Was not until we landed that I made the mental connection that my radio problems were concurrent with the "backfire".

All fixed now, but one more example of the pilot brain trying desperately to explain an event - and being completely wrong.

 

[karmarepair]

Lots of recent progress documented here http://eaabuilderslog.org/?s=wlawrence

 

[delta]

Lots of recent progress documented here http://eaabuilderslog.org/?s=wlawrence

The link doesn't work for me.

 

[karmarepair]

The link doesn't work for me.

Thanx delta, try this http://eaabuilderslog.org/?blproject&proj=7fZQxebwn

 

[bhooper360]

I put stuff into the computer. I learned that the shape of the fuselage changes how the stall propagates. This is basically the same thing that Mike Arnold talks about in his videos. However, there are complicating factors. When in knife edge flight the fuselage acts as an airfoil, and a triangular fuselage works well in crossflow.

I used a cloud platform for this example, which seemed to work ok. You can probably see the project in 3D by clicking the link.

Using what I learned, I created a parametric fuselage. Hard surface modeling is something that takes practice. The cowling and canopy were particularly frustrating. Sometimes I step away from the computer to go for a jog. But, I'm getting better at it. Also, once the work is done I can basically change a few numbers and achieve whatever tradeoff I want, in terms of optimizing the aerodynamics.

It may be a faux pas to post computer models in this thread. But, after holding parts which started out on the computer, I must insist on breaking these rules. With my workflow most of the time is spent in the computer anyway, because it's the most efficient way to get useful results.

 

[Kyle Boatright]

I put another 2 hours on the RV-10 before work today. I don't 'zactly remember, but I think the Hobbes is at 27 or 28 hours now. Today I made the first flight with ballast. About 300 pounds, but I'd have to consult my spreadsheet to be sure. I've got 650 pounds of sand, double bagged in 50 pound sacks to use as I continue the series of test flights intended to expand the W/B envelope. I'll be glad when I'm done with that portion of the testing. There's nothing fun about schlepping 50 pound bags into the airplane and I'm scared to death of ripping one open, even though I'm being very careful. The other concern is making sure the bags (specifically the ones in the right front seat) are well behaved and stay where I've placed 'em. The 4 point harnesses are a good start, but there's the risk of submarining, so I had to break out my cargo straps on those bags.

After work, there were serious thunderstorms so I closed the hangar doors and adjusted the low pitch stop on the prop (I'd been shorting myself by about 75 rpm) and adjusted the aileron rigging. I'd rigged them per plans when I assembled the airplane and (as I remember) they were spot-on, but I've noticed them sagging in flight, so that's corrected now.

If the weather works out, I'll complete the ballasted testing tomorrow.

 

[Toobuilder]

Ballast security is a thing. My former Tailwind is famous in the community in that it was one of the first customer built examples and subject to "demonstration" of flight at VD and max G before the AW certificate could be issued. Story has it that my airplane had bags of sand in the co pilot seat to bring it to max GW that slipped forward against the stick on initial pushover for the dive portion. This resulted in a 3.8 negative G, a 9G pullout, and some ungodly IAS in the middle. The CAA guy saw the G meter and the reported IAS and issued the cert on the spot.

Thats the story I was told, anyway. N100G.

 

[Kyle Boatright]

Flew the final three ballasted flights today. Ultimately, I took the airplane to 100 pounds over the recommended gross and to slightly aft of the specified CG envelope. The flying wasn't bad at all - the airplane handled the CG and weight very well. I suspect the aft CG limit on the RV-10 is defined by the landing gear. The airplane was VERY light on the nosegear in that configuration and every time I climbed down using the step I was worried the airplane was gonna tip onto its tail.

It was a miserably hot, humid, and sunny morning and I really didn't enjoy the loading and unloading process. I was wringing wet with sweat when I finished. After removing all of the sandbags, I vacuumed the airplane to clear out any sand that spilled in the airplane. I suspect I'll be able to vacuum the airplane daily for a month and never really get all of the <miniscule> amount of sand I spilled.