Primed the VS skeleton

Jig changed

Changed the jig for skinning the VS. Repositioned hinges and temporary vertical member. Need to prime the skeleton and rivet together before skinning. Wires are in the mail.

Changing the jig, ordered wires

Started changing the jig for skinning the VS. I ordered the standard wiring kit, the only one avaiilable for the -4.

Wires

Have to order wires for the lighting (needed before skinning of the VS). I will go with the standard Van's wires kit. I want simplicity, so I will probably go with LED for marking, but LEDs are very expensive compared with ordinary flash. Light power (candela??) per dollar for LED must be way down compared with flash, but simplicity and weight also adds in here... Landing/Taxi lights is also something I want, but I'm not sure I really need it. That decision has to wait.

I have had a break in the building process, but I am by no means giving up. The reason for the break is a new job, fixing up my software in the evenings (a simulation program, more or less in relation to the new job) + some more personal happenings. Altogether the available spare time and the mental surplus capacity has just been too low to think about building. But - things are looking better.

VS Skeleton ready for deburring/priming

After measuring and measuring again and ... the skeleton is ready for deburring and priming. The main spar must be installed in the jig.

Found another error in the manual/drawings, or at least something that is very easy to misinterpret and get wrong. In the drawings, the angles for the ribs are measured from the main spar. The hinge line on the VS is NOT parallel to the main spar, so when installed in the jig, repositioning the temporary hinges from the HS (as per the manual), the 5/8 inch offset of the HS-406 tip measured with a "water bulb thing" (as per fig 6.12 in the manual), cannot be correct. It has to be MORE than 5/8 to compensate for the offset hinge line, or the 93 degree angle will only be 90-91 degree. It looks like this has caused some confusion earlier, because the manual states that the drawings have been checked and rechecked and ARE correct. So this means that the manual is wrong. At least it mentions nowhere the importance of installing the spar in the jig so it is absolutely horizontal, or to compensate for the unparallel hinge line when using the hinges with no shimming on the jig.

Skeleton on the VS

Continuing with the skeleton on the VS. Lots of measuring and odd angles. Have to order some wires for lights. I think I will use LED instead of bulbs.

The HS is finished

The first piece of the RV-4 is finished.