RV7Builder

RV-7 Construction Log

Pre Construction

August 2, 2008 - RV-7A demo ride at Oshkosh
July 26, 2009 - Purchase RV-7 preview plans
October 17-18, 2009 - Grov-air weekend workshop
September 4-6, 2010 - Workshop construction

Empennage

July 26, 2010 - Ordered empennage and tools
August 6, 2010 - Empennage kit arrives
August 7, 2010 - Kit inventoried

Horizontal Stabilizer - (48.25 hrs)

September 18, 2010 - First day of construction - 2.0 hrs
September 19, 2010 - More rear spar work - 5.5 hrs
September 20, 2010 - Rivet elevator bearing assembly - 1.0 hr
September 21, 2010 - Front spar reinforcement angles - 1.5 hrs
September 22, 2010 - Notch and bend front spars and angles - 1.0 hr
September 24, 2010 - Learn how to flute, straighten and edge finish - 1.0 hr
September 25, 2010 - We have the semblance of a plane part - 4.0 hrs
September 26, 2010 - Finish left HS and complete most of right HS - 4.25 hrs
September 27, 2010 - Finish right HS and join to left HS - 2.5 hrs
October 3, 2010 - Disassemble HS. Began edge finishing and dimpling - 2.0 hrs
October 5, 2010 - Houston, we have a problem! - 1.0 hr
October 9, 2010 - Left side HS - edge finish, dimple and scuff - 2.0 hrs
October 17, 2010 - Prep right side HS parts for priming - 1.0 hr
October 18, 2010 - HS Tip Rib: Take 2 - 1.0 hr
October 23, 2010 - Prime HS skeleton, rivet rear spar and brackets - 4.0 hrs
October 24, 2010 - Rivet front spar and try 404 and 405 ribs - 3.0 hrs
October 30, 2010 - Finally rivet 404 and 405 ribs to spar - 0.5 hr
November 2, 2010 - Prime left HS skin - 1.0 hr
November 6, 2010 - Prime right HS skin and begin left skin riveting - 3.0 hrs
November 7, 2010 - Start right HS skin riveting - 3.5 hrs
November 8, 2010 - Rivet topside right HS skin - 1.0 hr
November 20, 2010 - Redo on left nose rib and rivet most of the skin - 3.5 hrs
November 21, 2010 - Horizontal stabilizer completed - 3.0 hrs

Vertical Stabilizer - (20.0 hrs)

October 10, 2010 - Began work on vertical stabilizer - 5.0 hrs
October 11, 2010 - Match drill VS skin - 1.0 hr
October 16, 2010 - Edge finish and dimple VS skin - 2.0 hrs
October 17, 2010 - Prep VS parts for priming - 1.0 hr
October 25, 2010 - Prime VS ribs and spars - 1.0 hr
October 26, 2010 - Rivet VS ribs and spars - 2.5 hrs
October 30, 2010 - Prime and begin riveting VS skin - 2.5 hrs
October 31, 2010 - 90% of VS riveted - 4.0 hrs
November 1, 2010 - Vertical stabilizer completed!! - 1.0 hr

Rudder - (33.5 hrs)

November 13, 2010 - Began work on rudder - 5.5 hrs
November 14, 2010 - Dimple skins. Begin assembly of rudder skeleton - 6.0 hrs
November 16, 2010 - Cleco skin to tip and counterbalance ribs. - 0.5 hr
November 26, 2010 - Prime and backrivet stiffeners to skins. - 3.5 hrs
November 27, 2010 - Attach skins and horn brace. Make bottom strips. - 2.0 hrs
November 29, 2010 - Clamp and drill bottom strips. - 0.5 hr
November 30, 2010 - Disassemble, debur and edge finish. - 1.0 hr
December 3, 2010 - More deburring and edge finishing. - 1.5 hrs
December 4, 2010 - Edge finishing done. Dimpled skins, spars and ribs. - 4.0 hrs
December 11, 2010 - Prime rudder skelton and start riveting it together. - 3.0 hrs
December 12, 2010 - More rudder skeleton riveting. - 2.5 hrs
December 13, 2010 - Rivet right rudder skin. - 1.5 hrs
December 14, 2010 - Rivet left rudder skin. - 1.0 hr
December 18, 2010 - Countersink trailing edge wedge. - 1.0 hr

Elevators - (23.0 hrs)

December 18, 2010 - Began work on elevators. - 4.0 hrs
December 19, 2010 - More stiffener and skin work. Reinforcement plate. - 3.5 hrs
December 20, 2010 - Dimple right elevator skin. - 0.5 hr
December 22, 2010 - Dimple elevator skins and other parts. - 1.0 hr
December 24, 2010 - Countersink E-615PP for platenuts. - 2.0 hrs
December 27, 2010 - Primed stiffeners and plate. Rivet platenuts. - 2.5 hrs
December 28, 2010 - Start backriveting stiffeners to skins. - 2.0 hrs
December 29, 2010 - Finish backriveting stiffeners, start on spars. - 1.0 hr
December 31, 2010 - Set trailing edge angle. Initial assembly. - 6.5 hrs