This space is meant for notes and stuff that I should not forget to think about at some point in the construction.
Pilots should be completely familiar with the DRAMATIC difference this makes. You can NOT fly the airplane with finesse / safety, unless you understand what effect propeller pitch has on glide. Use course pitch to glide, use fine pitch to sink. For a constant speed propeller, keep in mind that RPM is not the same as blade pitch. You can have fine pitch with 0 rpm as well as with max takeoff rpm, etc. Any particular blade angle /rpm, is dependent upon engine power and aircraft speed.
- Course pitch will:
- Make the propeller efficient in cruise
- Provide shallow descents
- Cool the engine better
- Make the airplane fly effortlessly at low power settings.
- Not be ideal for a go-around
- Not enable the engine to produce max rated power
- Fine pitch will:
- Help slowing the airplane for landing
- Help increase descent rate
- Provide the ability to develop max rated hp with throttle movement
- Not cool the engine as well
- Not optimizing propeller blade angle for efficiency.
- When to use what pitch:
- Fine pitch is used for takeoff and initial climb
- Medium pitch is used for cruise climb
- Course pitch is used for cruise
- Very course pitch used for high altitude turbo cruise.
- Medium pitch is used for cruise descents
- Fine pitch is used for rapid altitude loss
- Medium pitch is used in pattern for landing
- Fine pitch is used once runway is made for final slowdown and landing.
- Eggenfellner installation notes:
- Other notes on Eggenfellner engines:
- Elevator and wing tip construction: http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=26899
- GRT has just released their synthetic vision displays: http://www.grtavionics.com/File/SNF%20HX%20RELEASE2(1).pdf. Pretty cool stuff (and a price tag of $8350 for a dual screen, dual AHRS configuration)
- I think I will go with the Duckworks leading edge lights in my wings and use a normal Halogen lamp for the taxi light and a HID lamp for the landing light. That way I save a bit on the lighting system as HID's are expensive. I plan to use LED light for the position lights combined with a strobe; there are several sets on the market that provide that functionality.
- TruTrak also has an EFIS these days and integrated their AP into it. This is definitely interesting. And the price for a dual-axis AP is also not too bad.
- Vans has a PDF document with specs for the wiring holes in the wings.
- Cowl mod for Egg H6: http://www.protekperformance.com/info/vertical_cowl_inlets.htm
- I've decided to go with a flop tube in the right tank and a normal fuel pickup line in the left tank. That way if I ever want to do aerobatics, I can switch to the right tank and have a flopping tube picking up the fuel :-) It does complicate things a bit with the float fuel sender in the right tank as this one as to be mounted from the back in the second fuel tank bay to not disturb the flop tube.
- As I am going with a fuel-injected engine (Eggenfellner or old-style Lycoming) I will need to make provisions for a fuel return line in the tanks. Probably need to order some more fuel line hardware for this.
- Cleaveland has a stainless steel screw set for the RV wing tips. Is this useful to buy? Investigate.
- Jeff mentioned that I should buy the RV-9A pre-made flap rods instead of using the aluminum ones that come with the RV-7A kit. The 9 ones are drilled and threaded which will save a lot of time. The partnr of this is VA-256 (flap push-rod).
- Linear actuator for cowl flap to provide air to H6: http://www.dcactuators.com/Detail.asp?Product_ID=301.200_6176E,
- Notes and tips to seal the tanks:
What did I use:
- Proseal
- Scale (although I honestly don't think you have to be too precise as it seems to work fine for me doing it roughly be eye; although I seem to be using too much black stuff consistently)
- Lots of latex gloves (I've used at least 50 pair for 1 tank)
- Tong depressors or Popsicle sticks
- Toothpicks for the fine work and to swirl around shopheads
- Lots of clear cups to mix the proseal in. Use one cup per work session or part (for example I use a cup for every rib)
- Lots of MEK! (I have used 3 cannisters until now)
- Lots of paper towels
- Lots of cloth to clean tools
- Small nuts that fit onto your cleco's to keep the parts tight together (see the 4th photo on http://www.rv7factory.com/log/060805.html for an example)
- Respirator (the smell of proseal and MEK is horrible and bad for your health)
Mix up a batch of proseal for every rib separately, because you won't be able to do more in the amount of time you have available before it starts to harden.
Use only one set of clecos to proseal and rivet every rib. That way not all of your clecos get dirty (and they will get dirty and are hard to clean)
- Some pics from someone with an Egg H6: http://picasaweb.google.com/mrblobbyone/RVPhotos?pli=1#
- I need to really start thinking what I will and what parts I won't have to drill/rivet on the firewall as I am going with the Egg H6 engine that already comes with an engine mount!
- Avery sells a rudder gust lock that seems to work very well and is hard to miss in a pre-flight check.
- Interesting post on VAF about an H6 flight.
- Notes from Ken Paser's Speed with Economy.
- Low pressure fuel filters are Purolator F20011. Several vendors sell these.
