Bryan's RV7 : Bryan's RV-7 Project

Bryans RV7a Project

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· Contact Info:

Bryan Fillman

Click to Email Me at

bkfillman@sbcglobal.net

Here is where I Turned this:

INTO THIS:

Unfortunately, I sold my plane in September of 2006. I hope to build another RV7A or a RV10 within the next few years.

2006 RV7A

Current Status of Aircraft:

- 80 hours on all but engine

- 800 hours on engine - Runs very well (smooth), Good Compression, Crank dialed, No Leaks, Clean, Chrome Valve Covers.

- Nice workmanship

- Paint the color of your choice - Just about ready for paint. Just needs to be scuffed. Fiber glass is ready too. It will just need a light sanding.

- Since I have not painted it yet, my workmanship can be inspected and you can choose your personalized paint scheme.

Panel:

- SL30 Nav / Com 1 (dual VOR)

- SL40 Com 2

- Garmin GTX 327 Mode C transponder

- G Meter

- PMA 8000 Audio panel

- Tru Trak Digiflight II VSVG Auto Pilot

- Backup electric gyro turn coordinator, altimeter, air speed indicator

- GRT – Grand Rapids Technologies Equipped panel – This makes for Great VFR or IFR flying. I am a VFR pilot but this adds a whole new dimension to VFR flight / situational awareness, location awareness, ease of flight, and safety. All the information that you need is at the touch of a button and or the turn of a dial.

- Grand Rapids Technologies TRIPLE EFIS SYSTEM including outside air temp, x4 CHT, x4 EGT, Carb temp, Oil temp, Oil PSI, RPM, Fuel Flow Monitor, Fuel Remaning, Fuel Level, Volt Meter, Warnings, Sunlight readable displays, % power calculation, Wind speed/direction/cross wind component, estimated time in route, Flight planner, set up to control autopilot (auto pilot not included). Additional options from GRT include Traffic and Satallite weather and more!!!

- Moving Map GPS with all airport info (also tunes your radio to selected airpor freq.)

- XM SATILITE WEATHER on EFIS Screens

- Grand Rapids Technologies EIS Engine monitor including outside air temp, x4 CHT, x4 EGT, Carb temp, Oil temp, Oil PSI, RPM, Fuel Flow Monitor, Volt Meter, Warnings, Fuel Level

Engine:

- O360A4M 180 HP lycoming engine with dual Slick magnetos

- 800 hours on engine - Runs very well (smooth), Good Compression, Crank dialed, No Leaks, Clean, Chrome Valve Covers.

- Oddysey Light Weight Battery

- Fuel Flow

- SkyTec Light Weight Starter.

Airframe:

- No Drag wing tip VOR antenna

- AOA (angle of attack / stall indicator)

- FPS (flap positioning system with elevator trim compensatiion, automatically drives elevator trim to pre programmed position for each flap position))

- Flap control on sticks with FPS override on panel

- Landing / taxi lights

- Wig Wag (taxi / landing lts) on sticks

- PTT on sticks

- Radio flip flop on sticks

- Center console with arm rest, storage compartment, throttle Quadrant, & fuel valve (if you do not want the console set up, it can be removed and be set up with a conventional throttle/mixture control and fuel valve very easily)

- Andair Latching 4 position fuel valve with extension (Off/ Left/ Both/ Right)

- Infinity Stick Grips

- Full Nice upholstery with baggage compartment cover

- Vinyl covers dash/panel visor

- Oregon aero seats (very comfortable)

- Hooker Harness Seat belts

- All metal eyeball air vents (they close completely with no air leakage , unlike the plastic ones)

- Oveerhead eyeball lights for panel lighting (on dimmer)

- Voltage regulator

- Capacitive fuel level sensors (no moving parts of things to fall apart in the fuel tank)

- Lockable , highpolished fuel caps

- Flop tube in Right tank for possible aerobatic maneuvers

- Day/ night VFR/IFR ready

- 3 blade Catto Fixed pitch prop (smooth/quiet/high climb rate/fast/low maintenance)

- Delux black anodised prop extension

- Powder coated black wrinkle on panel, seat backs, and roll bar.

- All Canopy parts powder coated / black wrinkle

- Dual Step option - Powder coated steps for corrosion proofing

- Soundproofing on aft baggage compartment bulkhead

- Well fit & sealing canopy

- Copilot stick disable switch

- FPS bypass switch

- Nice clean electrical wiring with drawings included

- Head set hangers

- Fully equipped copilot seat (Dual sticks, Dual rudder pedals, Dual Brakes)

- Electric Primer

- Oil Quick Drain

- Cabin Heat

- Sump Pre-Heat

- Elec Flaps

- Elec Ail and Elev Trim with speed control

- Whelen Strobes/ Position lites

- Always hangered

- Dual Brake Option

- Matching Booster Seats

- Parking Brake

- Aileron Push rod wind breaker boots (blocks air from coming in through the aileron pushrod openings in the side of the fuselage)

- Delux Baggage tie downs

Performance is pretty much inline with vans chart for the RV7A except the speed is maybe about 4 MPH slower but the climb even with a fixed pitch is comparable with the Constant Speed that they used.

If I missed anything please ask, or I will let you know when I think of it.

UPDATE APRIL 2006

It took 26 months and around 1350 hours to complete. I flew the first flight on March 26^th 2006 about 5 hours after the DAR gave me

the airworthiness Certificate. It flies beautifully. The O360 180HP with the 3 Blade Catto Prop is giving me around 200 MPH on the top and it

climbs like a rocket. I hope to get some paint on it sometime this summer, but right now the flying is too fun!!!

I have the most recent pictures at the bottom of this page.

JAN/2006

Just a quick update. I have not been able to work on the plane much over the past several months. I have missed about all of my goals. However, I have managed to get to about 90% of the “Other 90%” done. I just have to finish glass on my wheel pants, cal fuel sensors, adjust control surfaces and a few other odds and ends. By the way, I went ahead with the Grand Rapids dual screen EFIS system with the GPS add on. I looks like it is going to work great. I really hope to have the rest done and be flying within a month or two. February will mark the 2 year mark since I started the kit. The “Slow Build” is going slow.

AUG/2005

Well, I have not updated the site in quite a while. I have been busy with life the kids and of coarse the plane project. I missed my goal of an early summer completion. I am currently working on my new revised goal of flying some time before the snow does. I have the cabin almost complete. I have a small amount of wiring left to do but is done for the most part. I did pre wire for the Grand Rapids dual screen EFIS and engine monitor system but I am afraid that it will have to wait since I have pretty much depleted the plane building fund and the other funds such as kids school clothes, sports and classes are first in line now.

I have the Canopy completely done other than paint. Most of the fiber glass work is done. The engine will be ready to start once I make a decision on what gages to go with. Realistically it could be in the air quite soon, but then I have been thinking that for a while now!!!!! J

See the most recent pics at the bottom of this page.

Jan/15/05 (NOTE: AUG 2005, These drawings have changed quit a bit. I will get new one up soon)

Currently I am working on the Canopy and the electrical. Below are my electrical drawings if you wish to view them. The thumb nail resolution stinks so click on the drawings to open a bigger picture of them. They are best viewed in Volo-View. If you would like the DWG file, let me know.