WINGS
The RV-3 wings can be purchased as a standard kit or in quickbuild form. The quickbuild option was a big factor in my decision to build the RV-3. For an additional $2,500 you can cut a year off the build time and have the assurance that the wings are built correctly. In my opinion the benefits far outweigh the added cost. I ordered the wings on 2/1/07, which means it should arrive around 10/07. The 8 month lead time is kind of a drag, but I will be building the fuselage while I wait for the wings.
The wings and finish kit came today 11/9/07!! The QB wings are packed in their own box separate from the ailerons, flaps, tips, etc, which are packages in a slightly smaller box. At first glance the quality is outstanding.
4/14/08...its build time!
I started the quickbuild wings by building a jig to hold them. I removed one side of the crate they came in and used it for the base of my jig. A carpet sling holds the outboard side of each wing while the root spar is supported on a table.
Aileron Hinges
The first pieces to assemble on the QB wings are the aileron hinges. These are prepunched which makes them very simple. Positioning them on the wing is not quite so easy. The top edge that contacts the spar flange will have to be trimmed to get the proper height alignment. I build a small wood jig to help me find the proper location of the hinges. If the rear flange of your outboard wing rib is not attached to the rear spar with flush rivets then you will need to shim the outboard hinge until it is square with the rear spar. Some of the rivets had to be drilled out for the hinge to sit flush.
Aileron Installation
Installing the ailerons is tough, but pretty straight forward. Just measure over and over again before you drill anything. I was scratching my head trying to figure out how to install the W-424 aileron gap fairings, when I remembered reading about them on Randy Lervolds site. It turns out that you can replace them with the W-824 RV-7/8 fairings. You wont need to use pop rivets on these fairings. Yet another example of why it is smart to review other build sites or VAF before you tackle a tough job. The aileron push rods are simple aside from one small mistake in the plans. Use AD4-11 rivets to install the threaded rod end instead of AD4-12 rivets. The 12’s will bend over and shear off.
Flaps
more to come...
Fuel Sender
Assembling the fuel sender is just a matter of bending that float attachment wire. Unfortunately, attaching the sender cover to the wing rib is not such an easy job. The fuel sender cover is not match drilled to the platenuts that are already in the fuel tank rib. This makes locating the screw holes a huge pain. More to come...
Outboard Wing Panel
The outboard wing panels must be attached to the quickbuild wing. Be sure to draw the inspection cover location before you drill any rivet holes. Careful attention must be paid to the lap joint that joins the inboard and outboard wing panels. Adequate edge distance can be difficult to attain because the inboard wing panel may not entirely cover the rib flange. I chose to drill the rivet line a little bit closer to the rib web than I normally would. Riveting this panel on can be really tricky if you don't go in the right order. If done properly you wont need to use any pop rivets. I started in the corner nearest to the inboard aileron hinge and moved to the corner nearest to the outboard main spar. Of course its not riveted on until the wing is nearly finished. Take your time and plan ahead.
Inspection Covers
Don't bother making your own inspection covers, you can use the prepunched covers from the RV-7 or 8. Part # W-822PP. With the prepunched covers in hand, trace the cover on the wing panel. I decided to locate the inspection cover behind the main spar. I think it looks better and adds strength to the main spar. It also increases the size of the inspection hole. Take a look at the pictures below for details.
Pitot Tube Bracket
The EFIS I will be using has the ability to display AOA information when paired with a two port pitot tube. I purchased the pitot tube and bracket at this time so I could install the bracket and close up the wing. I decided to go with the chrome pitot tube. My only recommendation is to use a dremmel tool with the 1/4" sanding wheel to shape the hole in the wing skin.
Wingtips
The wingtips look like they should be a painless installation, but don't be fooled. Vans only gives you a half inch of aluminum to work with. Before getting started I would recommend building a soft foam insert exactly the size of the wing rib. In order to get a tight fit you need to sand the tips until three conditions are met.
1. The wingtip must be level (they should not look like winglets)
2. The aluminum overhang must fit tight against the notch built into the wingtip.
3. The wingtip edges must fit tight against the outboard rib, otherwise you will have edge distance problems.
I recommend using #6 screws and platenuts because they look so much cleaner. You also might consider purchasing 90 degree platenuts for screws that dont meet edge distance requirements.
Nav Lights and Mounts
Im using the Whelen 3 in 1 A-600-PR-14 lights with a single HDACF power source. Be sure to purchase the shielded wire installation kit and the vans wire conduit at the same time. The FAA requires the NAV lights to be visible from all kinds of angles that I cant remember as I write this. If you simply screw the lights to the wingtips they will not meet these requirements. Specifically, they will not be visible from above. My solution to this problem was a simple raised mount. I simply carved the mount shape out of foam, taped it to the tip, and glassed over it. I aligned the strobe light with the main spar and positioned the mold about one inch below the top of the tip. I set it just under the tip so the strobe wasn't directly visible from the cockpit. The shell was then removed, trimmed, and epoxied to the tip. Take a look at the pictures below for details.
Landing Lights
I opted for a single Duckworks 100W round light kit LL-DW-02-RV3 mounted in the right wing. Simple, light, and cheap.
Fuel Sender Cover
The fuel sender cover is a real pain in the arse. I wouldn't know however, because my dad assembled and installed the whole thing...as his first task no less! Just try to coat every conceivable leak path with proseal. If you plan on installing a ECI fuel injector you will want to make provisions for the fuel return line at this point. I will be using a fuel injector that doesn't require a return line all the way back to the tank so I didn't bother. Dont forget to pressure test the tank at this point. I pressured up the tank with a balloon and sprayed every possible leak path with soapy water.
Mating the Wings to the Fuselage
If you choose to build the fuselage without the quickbuild wings in hand then you have decided to roll the dice on them fitting correctly in the fuselage. The front to rear spar distance can vary on quickbuild wings, and without measuring them in person you can't be certain they match the dimensions in the plans. I decided to roll the dice, so you can imagine my apprehension when it came time to fit the wings.
Before fitting the wings you will want to fabricate a set of dummy bolts to replace the AN wing bolts. I bought 8 hardware bolts and ground/polished the threads off until they were smooth. With the spar in position, have one person push from the tip while the other person guides the spar in the slot. The initial fit is VERY tight so don't be afraid of WD-40. It took my dad and I about an hour for the first side and about 30 minutes for the second side. In the end we had to shave a little chamfer on the end of the spar to help it slide in. Several bolts needed some "persuation" with the rivet gun.
Aligning the Wings
Take your time on this crucial step. I used the plumb bob method, tip to tail measurements, digital levels, bubble levels, and I averaged the incidence across the span of the wing before drilling and reaming the rear spar. After all of this work I found I violated the rear spar edge distance requirements by 1/16"! As mentioned on the fuselage page, be sure to replace the rear spar with a 2" wide piece. Vans gives you no margin of error on this crucial part, its poor design in my opinion.
Flaps
The flap hinge pins are pretty long and can be tough to install the first few times. A drill can make things much easier. After installing the flaps and pushrods the flap fairings can be fitted. I took Randy Lervolds advice and used the RV-8 flap fairings. Solid rivets can be used for the entire fairing. The bottom of the flaps will likely not pull tight against the bottom of the fuselage. I bent the bottom edge of the flap until it pulled tight.
The flap lever cover is fabricated from a sheet of 0.040 aluminum. It is anchored to the side longeron with a hinge pin and to the baggage compartment floor with two screws and platenuts.
