First Flight

A forum in which to discuss topics specific to the assembly of the RV 7/7A.
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Doakes
Class E
Posts: 69
Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2004 8:27 am
Location: Indiana

First Flight

Post by Doakes »

I have the RV Grinn!!!!! March 22, 2013 1:40 P.M.
http://s1283.photobucket.com/user/Davoa ... d.jpg.html

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painless
Class C
Posts: 701
Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2005 12:42 pm
Location: Peshtigo, Wisconsin

Post by painless »

Congrats!!! :yay:
Jeff Orear
RV6A N782P
Hatz Classic, Welding fuselage
Hatz build log. https://eaabuilderslog.org/?blproject&p ... GNCwv&sid=
Peshtigo, WI

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Brantel
Class B
Posts: 1029
Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2006 3:23 pm
Location: Newport, TN

Post by Brantel »

Congrats! Great job!
Brantel (Brian Chesteen),
RV12-IS, #121606, N912BC - Building Now!
RV10, #41942, N????? - Project Sold
RV-7/TU, #72823, N159SB - SOLD

Spike
Chief Rivet Banger
Posts: 4013
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 8:40 pm
Location: Baltimore, MD
Contact:

Post by Spike »

Boy is that cool! So how does it feel?

Nice job: :thumbsup: :beer:

John
http://www.rivetbangers.com - Now integrating web and mail!
Current Build: 2 years into a beautiful little girl

Bob Barrett
Class C
Posts: 625
Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2004 8:37 pm
Location: Sartell MN

Post by Bob Barrett »

Congratulations. Fly the wheels off of it!

simatos
Class E
Posts: 75
Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2012 10:46 am

Post by simatos »

Wow Thats exciting, Great looking machine.....enjoy

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captain_john
Sparky
Posts: 5880
Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2004 9:17 am
Location: KPYM

Post by captain_john »

Dave, That is great!

Tell me, how did you like painting before first flight. I am doing the same.

Aside from the obvious stuff like you gotta be careful not to screw up the paint... how did it work out? Many blemishes during the assembly or was it painted right at the airport?

Tell me how it went.

:) CJ
RV-7
Garmin G3X with VP-X & a TMX-IO-360 with G3i
It's all over but the flying! 800+ hours in only 3 years!

Bob Barrett
Class C
Posts: 625
Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2004 8:37 pm
Location: Sartell MN

Post by Bob Barrett »

Captain John, I had my RV-6A N 784TB painted in sections before I took it to the airport. First I had the wings, horizontal stabilizer, and elevators painted and then took them to the airport. They were all white. Then I had the fuselage, cowl, spinner Vertical stabilizer and rudder painted. The rest was all painted red. I had a white vinyl stripe made to run down each side of the fuselage with the N number cut in it. Due to lack of money I didn't have the wing tips, wheel pants and gear leg fairings a year later. These were also red. I also put Whelen position lights, strobes etc put in the wing tips the next spring. You have to be careful during assembly but it was not a big problem. We had some old blankets that we covered the wings with to protect them while doing assembly. You could also lay light tools etc on them that way.

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Joe Parish
Class D
Posts: 311
Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2010 3:42 pm
Location: Sioux Falls SD

First flight

Post by Joe Parish »

Congrats on the new Grin. May it last for years!
Joe
N525XC reserved
Empennage done
wings done
Fuse in progress
RV-9A

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hydroguy2
Class B
Posts: 1307
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2007 11:13 pm
Location: Townsend, Montana

Post by hydroguy2 »

Nce pic, congrats.

I like the paint before fly route. I thought it made that first flight a little more special.

CJ, be careful and all should be fine. I took my parts from the house to the paint booth, then to the hangar. Wings were done 3+months before the fuselage. I didn't scratch anything during my final assembly, 2 years later it still is doing great. I even had to squeeze an aileron ( already painted) it was so slight it never cracked or scuffed the paint.
Brian
Townsend, MT

Doakes
Class E
Posts: 69
Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2004 8:27 am
Location: Indiana

Post by Doakes »

Capt. John and All,
Thanks for the words of congrats.
I did paint it in my paint booth I made in my barn. I would do it the same if I built another. To say that the paint is perfect would be a stretch. But I really did not scratch it during the assembly, the parts are light weight and easily moved. Except for the fuselage. The wings are not heavy either.
I took the fuselage with the engine to the airport and ask a friend IA Dan Catherman to watch over my final assembly of the engine. I have a 1000' strip at home, but the idea of first flight at home was not smart I thought. So I hauled the wings and tail pieces to the airport. I did the final assembly and the late John Marshall helped install the wings.
The first flight went well and I got another 1.5 hr the next day.
Thanks to all of you for your help when I had questions.
I hope to see meet you all in the near future.
Dave

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