11 Feb 2004 Rudder Cables
I'm not finished with the wings, but I've done as much as I can until I can get some stuff primed. I've decided to start on the fuselage, and if I understand the rather cryptic...
Welcome to rv8.ch
This little site will document the progress on the building and flying of a Van’s RV-8 experimental aircraft. You will find images, tips, tricks and techniques that I have learned and from others on the net.
HB-YMM Experimental Homebuilt Van’s Aircraft RV-8
08 Feb 2004 Working on the wings
The first step in the QB is to finish up the wings. 90+% has been done by our team in the Philippines, but they left us a few things to finish up. The belcranks, pushrods,...
27 Jan 2004 Stuff needed from US
I constantly need stuff that I either can't get here in Switzerland, or I can't find the right supplier, or I don't know what the thing is called in either German or French. It's usually...
17 Jan 2004 QB Kit Arrival
Finally, after 4 months of waiting, the kit arrived today, Friday, January 16, 2004. I've been preparing the shop during all this time, and of course had already finished the empennage in October of 2003....
09 Jan 2004 PreKote Environment-Friendly Metal Preparation
Promising new replacement for Alumiprep/Alodine metal preparation. From their web site: "PreKote™ is a non-chromated metal preparation chemical utilizing a safe, hazard-free process. PreKote offers off-the-chart adhesion, improved paint flexibility, and superior corrosion protection on...
18 Dec 2003 Stern Technologies Pulsar Engine Monitor
I have not seen it in person, but this looks like a very nice engine monitor. From the web site: "Step into the future of sport aviation engine monitoring. The Pulsar combines monitoring for over 30...
12 Nov 2003 Accusump pre-oiler for aerobatics
Update: 20210918 I ended up removing the Eggenfellner Subaru engine and replacing it with a Lycoming. Any post that references the Eggenfellner or the Subaru should be there only as an example of what not...
10 Nov 2003 How to use alumiprep
From: Dukeav8r@aol.com Date: Jan 31, 1998 Subject: Re: How to use alumiprep?? I prefer Metalprep over Alumiprep for the reason that you can use it on steel also. I believe they cost the same. To...
09 Nov 2003 invisible hinge oil door
From Dan Checkoway, some part numbers for an invisible hinge oil door. Really slick, and I wanted to make sure I could remember the trick, and the part numbers from http://www.mcmaster.com/. Dan has nice photos...
06 Nov 2003 More about Subaru engines
Update 20210918: I didn't install the Eggenfellner Subaru engine, so any post that references that can be ignored or used as a cautionary tale about how to avoid wasting many years and $50k. I was recently...
31 Oct 2003 Alexander Technical Center
I just finished a week of training and building my RV8 empennage kit at the Alexander Technical Center in Griffin, Georgia. I flew here from Switzerland to attend, and I can say it was worth...
31 Oct 2003 Priming and Preparation tips from ANAC
"The simplest way to prep the aluminum is to wet abrade with scotch brite and water, followed by solvent cleaning with acetone, or MEK, or toluene. The alternative is alumiprep 33 acid plus alodine 1201...
24 Oct 2003 Left Elevator and trim tab – 9 hrs
Preparing the left elevator was very similar to the rudder and the right elevator. Cutting stiffners, clecoing parts together, drilling out holes using either #30 or #40 drill bits, deburring, scuffinging, and dimpling all the...
23 Oct 2003 Rudder Preparation – 9 hrs
Preparing the rudder added a new dimension to the process, the "stiffner". The rest is pretty much as before, clecos, drilling, deburring, dimpling, and scuffing. A closeup of some high quality dimpling on one of the...
23 Oct 2003 Right Elevator – 6 hrs
Preparing the right elevator was very similar to the rudder. Cutting stiffners, clecoing parts together, drilling out holes using either #30 or #40 drill bits, deburring, scuffinging, and dimpling all the parts and the skin. I...
22 Oct 2003 Vertical Stabilizer Prep. – 6 hrs
The vertical stabiizer is very similar to the horizontal stabilizer, only much simpler. Essentially it is a lot of clecoing, drilling, deburring, dimpling, and scuffing. After all that is done, then the parts can get primed. You...
21 Oct 2003 Empennage Parts Inventory – 1 hr
First step was to open the boxes, and inventory all the parts. The kit comes in only two small boxes, and believe it or not, all the stuff needed to make a kit was in...
21 Oct 2003 Horizontal Stabilizer Preparation – 10hrs
The first major part that I worked on was the horizontal stabilizer. With each subassembly of the empennage, there are three major steps: 1) preparation; 2) priming; 3) assembly/riveting. Since the kit is all "pre-drilled", or...
17 Oct 2003 Interior Paint Tricks
IMO, one of the best posts to the list regarding this is by Dan Ward 8/15/02. ref: list archives Keywords Ward, Krylon, cockpit color, Faux Granite...
15 Oct 2003 Geeklog Upgraded
Just upgraded Geeklog to 1.3.8-1sr2. I would hate to be a "regular" user of GL and have to be able to figure this out. Of course, someone with almost 20 years of unix experience, like...
09 Oct 2003 XCOM 760 Radio
The latest release from the X-Air stable, suitable for Ultralight, Homebuilt and non IFR Aircraft. The smallest and lightest VHF panelmount radio in the world...
09 Oct 2003 Dynon EFIS vs. Cheap instruments
I asked Dynon if they had a comparison between their product and cheap, traditional instruments and I didn't get anything back. Therefore, I'll give it a go. Being the efficient guy that I am (meaning...
05 Oct 2003 Workshop Photos
You can find lots of photos of the workshop here: http://www.rv8.ch/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=workshop...
05 Oct 2003 Why an RV8?
There are thousands of different homebuilt aircraft out on the market, so I thought I might explain how I came to choose an RV8. As is often the case, exposure to someone else's airplane is the...
04 Oct 2003 Aviation engine blows up in Canada – no injuries
Another example of an aviation engine blowing up. I am sure this can happen to a car engine, but have you ever heard of this happening? I have not. I believe the major problem with...