First kit arrives!

I picked up my empennage kit from Fedex on April 22, and I'm really looking forward to getting started.  If anyone at the Fedex office saw me taking pictures of the boxes in the parking lot, they probably thought I was a bit unusual. Both packages were in good condition - I loaded them up in the car and went straight to the office.  I was able to open the small box during lunch and go over the documentation that was included - inventory sheets, and some other miscellaneous paperwork.  Vans was very meticulous when they packed the various parts.  Everything was well organized and protected.  Woohoo - I have a part of an airplane to build!

Empennage kit ordered

I took the plunge on April 15 and ordered the empennage kit from Vans.  I was told the kit would ship out the following Monday or Tuesday, and that's exactly what happened.  I missed the Fedex delivery when it arrived on Thursday, so I asked them to hold the packages at the depot.  I was able to pick them up before work on Friday, April 22.

Primer

I'm sure I've put way more thought into primers than necessary, but when you're getting ready to spend many thousands of dollars on an aircraft, you kind of want it to last a while.  After reading an article in Sport Aviation magazine (Aug. 2009) on Rick Gray and his award winning F1 Rocket, I decided to send him a message and see what type of primer he used on his aircraft.  He said he uses Duplicolor self etching primer and nothing else, as it's very durable and easy to apply.  It's usually available at Autozone or Advance Auto Parts.  Unfortunately this primer does not come in quarts or gallons (only aerosol cans), so it can't be used in an HVLP spray gun.

I read on Vans Air Force Forums that several people have had good luck with SEM self etching primer, which is available in aerosol cans, quart and gallon containers.  If it's as durable as Duplicolor, I'll consider using it, as I would like to have the option of running it through a sprayer for larger jobs if necessary.  I'll give both primers a try on my practice kit, and see which one I'll use on my plane.

Construction Prep

I have been thinking about building a homebuilt aircraft for quite some time, but have just started to pursue it seriously.  I attended a SportAir Workshop for RV construction in February (highly recommended), which was the first time I had ever driven solid rivets.  We built a small airfoil section, and aside from a ding in one of the skins from a slipped bucking bar, I was fairly pleased with the results.  I have two more practice projects to work on after my workshop is complete, one airfoil and one toolbox from Van's, which are sure to help improve my riveting skills. I've also been reviewing the preview plans for the RV-7, which contain some very important information (Section 3 and 5) on the procedures used during the construction process.

Intro

Hello.  The intent of this site is to provide a log of my construction of a Van's Aircraft RV-7a homebuilt aircraft.  I will provide as much detail as is practical, however this will not be a comprehensive description of everything done in the building process.  I am working through this project just like every other homebuilder, so please don't take my view as the "right" way to do something.  Speak with an EAA technical counselor, an experienced builder, or A&P mechanic if you need assistance with your project.  I will try to be as concise and accurate as possible with the information I post.  Perhaps you will find something in these pages to assist you in your building journey.