Friday, January 9, 2009
Thursday, January 8, 2009
So You Want My Job: Air Force Pilot
Read the fabulous interview with an impressive young Air Force pilot, Cameron Schaefer.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
PT-40 Model Time
By Wendy Haught
Herb has decided not to do any more work on the RV-6 until he gets a set of the latest plans. The ones he is using are from the early '90s. He doesn't want to keep working and then find that there are design updates that he needs to incorporate. So last night he and Nathaniel worked on Nathaniel's PT-40 trainer.
The wings are just set on in the picture below, but it reminded me of the Space Shuttle being piggybacked. Emma asked the other day whether Nathaniel could fly his model plane from inside the RV-6 when the RV-6 is flying. Herb thought that he could. It's an interesting idea.
Herb has decided not to do any more work on the RV-6 until he gets a set of the latest plans. The ones he is using are from the early '90s. He doesn't want to keep working and then find that there are design updates that he needs to incorporate. So last night he and Nathaniel worked on Nathaniel's PT-40 trainer.
The wings are just set on in the picture below, but it reminded me of the Space Shuttle being piggybacked. Emma asked the other day whether Nathaniel could fly his model plane from inside the RV-6 when the RV-6 is flying. Herb thought that he could. It's an interesting idea.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Three Down, One to Go
By Wendy Haught
Herb and Nathaniel built this worktable yesterday afternoon. They had just finished when my dad came to visit and see what was going on with the plane. Dad's dog, Cherokee, is standing on the table. Dad never goes anywhere without him. 
Herb practiced his drilling-out rivets technique until late in the evening.
Nathaniel couldn't stand that bare expanse of table, so he got his plane building project out of the guest room closet and resumed work on it after a hiatus of several years. He got the aileron bellcranks complete and installed. He also finished the wingtip trailing edges.
Herb and Nathaniel built this worktable yesterday afternoon. They had just finished when my dad came to visit and see what was going on with the plane. Dad's dog, Cherokee, is standing on the table. Dad never goes anywhere without him. 
Herb practiced his drilling-out rivets technique until late in the evening.
Nathaniel couldn't stand that bare expanse of table, so he got his plane building project out of the guest room closet and resumed work on it after a hiatus of several years. He got the aileron bellcranks complete and installed. He also finished the wingtip trailing edges.Sunday, January 4, 2009
Meeting the EAA Group
By Wendy Haught
Saturday morning Herb, Nathaniel, Emma, and I paid our first visit to the local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). We met a friendly group of airplane folks, signed up for a family membership, learned several new jokes, and got to see a completed RV-6A. The "A" designation indicates a tricycle gear. Herb's will be a tail dragger.
The RV-6A was down for a fuel tank leak, so Herb got to be involved in its repair. He recognized right away that it had been modified because he has spent a lot of time studying the fuel tank plans to see what he will need to do to the tanks to be able to fly upside down, something that is critical to his happiness. He got to see Pro-seal, a sealer with a wicked reputation for being messy, being applied.
Pro-seal comes in a tube like a caulk gun. Since Pro-seal can not be saved for later use once it's been catalyzed, Henry, the owner of the hangar, suggested cutting off the applicator nozzle when finished and saving it. After 24 hours, the nozzle contents can be checked to see if the sealer set up properly.
The RV-6A owner, Steve, said that it only takes him about seven minutes longer to get to the annual Oskhosh airshow in the RV than it did in his Cessna 210. His RV has a 150 horsepower engine. Herb will be installing a 180 horsepower engine, so he is expecting to fly even faster.
After a couple of hours I suggested to Herb that Emma and I take the car and go home. He could call me for a ride when he and Nathaniel got ready. At that point I feared it might be sundown. Reluctantly, he decided to go then, but he let me know that the next time Emma and I would have to stay home if we couldn't stay until he was done having fun. My solution: Emma and I will will ride our bicycles.
Saturday morning Herb, Nathaniel, Emma, and I paid our first visit to the local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). We met a friendly group of airplane folks, signed up for a family membership, learned several new jokes, and got to see a completed RV-6A. The "A" designation indicates a tricycle gear. Herb's will be a tail dragger.
The RV-6A was down for a fuel tank leak, so Herb got to be involved in its repair. He recognized right away that it had been modified because he has spent a lot of time studying the fuel tank plans to see what he will need to do to the tanks to be able to fly upside down, something that is critical to his happiness. He got to see Pro-seal, a sealer with a wicked reputation for being messy, being applied.
Pro-seal comes in a tube like a caulk gun. Since Pro-seal can not be saved for later use once it's been catalyzed, Henry, the owner of the hangar, suggested cutting off the applicator nozzle when finished and saving it. After 24 hours, the nozzle contents can be checked to see if the sealer set up properly.
The RV-6A owner, Steve, said that it only takes him about seven minutes longer to get to the annual Oskhosh airshow in the RV than it did in his Cessna 210. His RV has a 150 horsepower engine. Herb will be installing a 180 horsepower engine, so he is expecting to fly even faster.
After a couple of hours I suggested to Herb that Emma and I take the car and go home. He could call me for a ride when he and Nathaniel got ready. At that point I feared it might be sundown. Reluctantly, he decided to go then, but he let me know that the next time Emma and I would have to stay home if we couldn't stay until he was done having fun. My solution: Emma and I will will ride our bicycles.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Cutting and Shimming the Jig
By Herb Haught
Enlarge the picture to see the laser beam on top of each of the fuselage supports
I decided to go ahead and start from scratch on the leveling of the jig. So I removed the fuselage and then cut the legs and shimmed to get level both directions. I also went ahead and glued the jig to the floor with epoxy.
After the epoxy exercise I went back and checked for level again, used three different levels and all agreed. So I went ahead and started positioning the fuselage back on the jig. At this point I have everything back on but only the firewall bulkhead and the instrument panel bulkhead in their final positions.
Enlarge the picture to see the laser beam on top of each of the fuselage supportsI decided to go ahead and start from scratch on the leveling of the jig. So I removed the fuselage and then cut the legs and shimmed to get level both directions. I also went ahead and glued the jig to the floor with epoxy.
After the epoxy exercise I went back and checked for level again, used three different levels and all agreed. So I went ahead and started positioning the fuselage back on the jig. At this point I have everything back on but only the firewall bulkhead and the instrument panel bulkhead in their final positions.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
On the Level
by Herb Haught
From left to right the floor rises two inches. Photo by Nathaniel Haught
I used a laser this evening to see what it will take to level the fuselage jig prior to beginning work. I discovered our garage floor has a slope of 2-inches from the driveway entrance to the back. I verified the laser with the transit; both agree. I also began my list of parts I need to order from Van's. I'm still occupied with plans review to see where Dad left off. It's a pretty daunting task to see what's complete and what's not. Trips back and forth from plans to jig to video and back to verfiy on the jig. Lots of fun.
I'm considering taking the fuselage frame off the jig so that I can modify it and get it level.
From left to right the floor rises two inches. Photo by Nathaniel HaughtI used a laser this evening to see what it will take to level the fuselage jig prior to beginning work. I discovered our garage floor has a slope of 2-inches from the driveway entrance to the back. I verified the laser with the transit; both agree. I also began my list of parts I need to order from Van's. I'm still occupied with plans review to see where Dad left off. It's a pretty daunting task to see what's complete and what's not. Trips back and forth from plans to jig to video and back to verfiy on the jig. Lots of fun.
I'm considering taking the fuselage frame off the jig so that I can modify it and get it level.
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