Fall 2024 Update:

 Since the last update I have gotten a lot of small final detail items done. The RV-7 is now ready for its first flight! 

The weight and balance measurements are done and now I’m in the process of scheduling the airworthiness inspection and making sure that the aircraft, engine and propellor logbooks are up to date and correct.

The only parts I’m working on are the wheel pants but I don’t need or want them for the first flight because more drag is better for breaking in the engine.

I have run the engine several times and adjusted the idle speed and mixture. I also did a short taxi test,  adahrs vibration test, magnetometer interference test and initial magnetometer calibration. All results were positive so I’m looking forward to getting the inspection done.

Database updates in progress on G3X:

Fuel tank quantity sensor calibration:

Weighing in progress:

A lot of back and forth to find the best way to level the fuselage using the lift table:

The scales from EAA chapter 1016 worked great. I’m happy with the 1177 lb weight considering that the BRS parachute system is around 39lbs and that I have a backup alternator and a nice interior. (These scales are designed for cars and the unused sensor had a 1 lb indication on it which I deducted from the total!)

The electronic level made it easy:

Marking points for the datum:

Avionics ground power plug in place. (This makes it easy to update and configure everything with the cowl on.)

Engine sump heater plug and cowl flap installed:

The hinged lower cowl holder is a huge help for working solo with the lower cowl. 

Cowl heat plug and cowl flap. Also cowling heat insulation seems to be working well.

The Classic Aero Designs interior adds a little weight but it looks great. Not bad to install. 

BRS parachute rocket is hooked up and armed. 

More interior work:

Right wing tip installed:

Magnetometer in right wing tip. (This location passed the Garmin interference test with no problems.)

Left wingtip installed and lights working great. 

Terminals for the Archer nav antenna in the left wingtip. 

Working on the gear leg fairings:

Nav / Strobe light connector:

Wingtips primed and ready to be installed. 

Wing root seal fitted on both sides.

Working on wingtips:

Summer 2024 update:

The wingtips are done aside from getting a little more filler and primer. I consider them to be the last “big hassle” parts on the plane. There are still a number of small items in the cabin to do and I’m hoping that the interior parts will not be a big hassle to install … but I’m often proven wrong with this!

GMU-22 magnetometer installed. Connector wiring next. 

Left wing tip with half the plate nuts installed.

Right wing fairing strip and rubber seal took a lot of work. Thanks to Paul for all the filing for the 3/16” gap!

A lot of filing in the hot weather!

Checking avionics during the engine run.

Getting ready for engine run. After this run we found that we may need to adjust idle speed and mixture. 

Looking more flyable with the cowling on!

Data plate installed. 

The wing tips were a lot of work. Both trailing edges had to be split, aligned with the ailerons and epoxied back together. Here the tip is hanging to cure so the epoxy / flox will mostly stay in the trailing edge. The wing tips also needed filler on the leading edge. More low quality fiberglass parts from Vans. Hopefully they have higher quality on their current kits!

Propped up temporarily to get some wet flox to flow to the outboard end of the tip. 

Tip has been split, getting ready to line up with aileron. 

Britt helping in the cold weather. 

Cowling has been primed and reached “good enough” stage until the plane goes to a paint shop after it flies. 

The Classic Aero Designs pushrod boots were not too hard to install.

Working on filling pin holes. The top and bottom cowl were pretty much one big pin hole!

I added some fiberglass reinforcements to help stiffen the back half of the wing tips. 

Very happy with new tow bar and the extended adapter bolts from flyboy accessories. 

Also happy with this harbor freight lift table. Great for raising the tail, installing bottom cowling, wing tips etc. 

Working on the fiberglass reinforcements for inside the wing tips. 

Attaching metal reinforcement strips for plate nuts. 

Checking cowl fit with skybolts.