There was a question on the Yahoo group RANSflyers recently about a tailwheel that would not swivel freely. I advised the pilot to check the pin within the swivel assembly of the tailwheel. He then contacted Matco who advised him that the tailwheels are not pre-greased prior to delivery. So remember to grease your tailwheels when you get them. Here’s a link to a drawing of the tailwheel.
Author: The Flying Dutchman
I am a man who loves Christ, loves my wife, loves my family, loves my church, and loves aviation. In that order.
Wheel pants ready to mount on gear legs
I’ve finished putting the pressure recover wheel pants together. There’s not much work involved there other than some trimming and installing nutplates. I am hoping to finish up my instrument panel on Friday, and then start on mounting the wheel pants on Saturday.
Days until paint: 31
Instrument panel all cut out
I finished my new instrument panel, now all that remains is to install it in the RV-4 and reinstall all the instruments. I’ll have to re-route on of my fresh-air vents but other than that it should go back in the plane relatively quickly. I’ve also begun working on the wheel pants (covers.) I hope to install these this weekend.
Days until paint: 33
Panel work
Yesterday I removed my instrument panel from the RV-4. Today I drilled out all the “stuff” that was attached to the instrument panel and will now use it as a template to cut out my new instrument panel. Why am I doing all this? I need to fix a gap that was in the old instrument panel, the best way to do it is to create a new panel. I’ll start cutting tomorrow and try to take some pictures.
The following items still need to be accomplished:
Wheel pants
Flaps adjusted
Instrument panel installed
Front deck installed
Canopy installed
Velcro installed on seats
Gear legs strengthened
Some plate nuts repaired
Days until paint: 39
On toward the goal
I made some small steps toward selling the RV-4. I reworked the canopy hinge that connects the canopy to the fuselage. There were some hinge eyes broken off so I drilled out those sections of hinge and replaced them. The next steps are to rework the instrument panel and top deck, install the wheel pants (covers), and finally do some over all clean up on the fiberglass around the plane. It doesn’t sound like much work but I will have to really use my time wisely to get this done by my scheduled appointment with the paint shop.
Days until paint: 41
Help with the harvest
I have to thank God that He has seen fit to bring me help in the form of two additional deacons. I’ve started showing them the ropes the past two Sundays. They both live some distance from the church so that may be a challenge for them. Another challenge will be transitioning from Sunday socializing to Sunday work. They are each gifted differently in this area so they will have differing levels of challenge. Both bring unique gifts to the diaconate which will only make our diaconate better.
I’m looking forward to the day when they are both up to speed on all the duties of deacons in our church so that I can shed some of the load and concentrate on the areas in which I’m gifted and try to develop those areas where I’m not so gifted.
Sunset of the RV Empire
RV as in RV-4, RV-6, RV-7, RV-8, RV-9 and RV-10 aircraft. Quite a community has arisen around these capable little airplanes. People have made small fortunes because of Van’s Aircraft airplanes. An entire community based on these planes has arisen on the Internet. Like any community ours has it’s share of demigods. It’s been enough to drive me from Internet forum to Internet forum. I thought I was just being over sensitive but each day more and more people leave the RV community because of the demigods and aristocrats (as another writer put it.)
I’m selling my RV-4 and I could not be happier. The only thing that will make me even more happy is to sell it. It will be good to be rid of the demigods. I’m not going to walk away from aviation, just walk into a slower, friendlier aviation. Good-bye Van’s, hello Rans.
Happy Valentines Day
Every Valentine’s Day I go out and look for cards and every year they just seem to become more superficial. I don’t know if the cards are changing or I am changing but they don’t say what I want to say. So here is my card…
What can I tell you this day
That I don’t tell you every day?
What special words for a commercial day?
Valentine’s Day means nothing
Your tireless, self-sacrificing love means so much.
Day after day you work within our house,
You teach, you clean, you feed us.
What have you ever asked for in return?Even now I have so many wonderful memories.
How many will I have when my life is spent?
I will remember hearing you breathe softly
As you sleep while I leave for work.
I will remember sandwiches waiting for me,
Or clean towels next to the shower.
I will remember so many changes in my life
And you saying that you had prayed for them.
No matter what the future holdsWhether the sun is shining in joy on us,
Or one of us must walk alone
In misty gray sadness;
Always cling to that which is true
Which is timeless and indestructible.
That God loves us and does what is best.
That each day we loved each other
With deliberate and God-motivated passion.
Happy Valentine’s Day love. In this world, there is no one in my heart aside from you.
The last annual
I’m now doing what I hope is the last annual condition inspection on my RV-4. There have been a few minor squawks but I’ve got them fixed up. My work now turns on rebuilding the instrument panel, replacing the canopy hinge, installing the wheel pants, finishing up the fairings, and getting it painted. About a week’s worth of work for someone who knows what he is doing. It will probably take me months.
I’ve gotten a lot of enjoyment out of this plane. I’ve travelled all over the place in it. Take a look at my Travels Page up top. But now I just want to find something I can put around locally in. Something I can give friends rides in. Something fun and affordable. I’ve been caught up in the fly high, go fast culture for a while now. Time to get back to my roots and what I really enjoy; low and slow fun flying. I want to be able to land on back country strips again.
RV pilots will tell you stories of landing on back country strips. A good RV pilot will need at about 1000 feet of runway to get their plane stopped. Some really good RV pilots can get the planes stopped in about 800 feet. The best can get them stopped in 500 feet. I want to be able to land in places where there is only 200 feet of runway or so. I don’t expect to start out being able to land that short but I think I can work up to it. I also want to be able to fly in to out of the way places and camp beside the plane. I want to be able to take my son and our camping gear with me. We travel pretty light so a Rans Coyote will work perfectly for us. It’s affordable, it will keep me in the air, it will allow me to share my love of aviation with more people. It will allow me to give others a view of the beautiful planet God created for us that they might not otherwise get. You can’t really appreciate the view from the tiny window of an airliner. But cruising along at 80 MPH at 1000 feet MSL, you get an appreciation for what God has created for us.
Can’t wait to sell this RV-4.
One down one to go
The RV-7 is officially gone. A gentleman from southern California bought it and carted it off just yesterday. What a relief. So this officially ends my RV-7 log.
Now all I have to do is invest the money in making the RV-4 presentable and put it up for sale. Then the exercise will be how to keep involved in aviation while staying within the family budget. It’s a challenge but I’ve always been up for a good challenge.
Air Prayer 