Vans Aircraft RV-12 Airplane Build: Final Assembly (part 6) & Dynon Skyview Setup

Reference: Pages 47-07, 47-05, SB 14-05-22, 46-14 53-10; 6.0 hours

Today was a big work day for the RV-12. Van's has come up with a new gauge for pitching the prop and it is really cool! Most of the other projects centered around the Skyview EFIS system.

First came the pitching of the prop. To start with the RV-12 needs to be level from front to back and the prop need to be level from side to side. The new instructions for this are listed on page 47-07 ( the page says revision 0.) Then each blade is pitch to 71.4 degrees. Making sure to check pitch through the torquing of the prop bolts. Next was job was to installed the spinner using page 47-05 as a reference.











Reference: SB 14-05-22

Having previously installed the canopy safety switch, I wanted to check the operation of it at least with the engine not running. There is also a check that will be done after the first engine startup.





Reference: page 46-14 With the EFIS up and running it was a good time to complete step 4 on page 46-14. It calls for checking the Oil Sensor is set to the Rotax 456180 sensor. Mine was set to a different sensor, but was an easy change in the SETUP MENU.



Next I wanted to check that the EGT sensors had not ben swapped on my RV-12. So I heated the left sensor up using a 100 watt light bulb and looked for the increase on the left read out. My plane is set up correctly. I can't remember which Notification discussed this from Van's.



Next came registering the map license on the Skyview. It requires going to Dynon's website and using the certificate that came with the Dynon and registering it. They then send a code back to be entered into the EFIS system. Note: it does take a couple of days to get the code from Dynon.





Reference: Page 53-10 set up of A-DSB

I had installed the A-DSB receiver earlier in the building process. It is now time to set it up. After rolling the RV-12 outside so it could sense the GPS network. I went through the process as outlined by Dynon. And check it's operation.









So that finishes this work session on the RV-12 airplane.

Vans Aircraft RV-12 Airplane Build, Section 47: Spinner & Propeller (part 3)

Reference for this entry: page 47-05, 47-06; 4.0 hours

Today will basically finish the assembly and fabrication of the spinner for the RV-12 airplane.

Step 4: Make two Gap Fillers out of the pieces trimmed from the Spinner. Start by placing the pieces on the Template with the outer surface towards you. Trace the curved line visible through the fiberglass then trim to the line. Test the gap fillers and trim as needed to clear the prop by 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch.

Builder's note: I did the above step wrong the first time and had to build on the edges of the fiberglass piece. Remember curve side up from template!










Step 5: Make a mark on the Spinner and Spinner Plate so that they can be aligned later. Remove the spinner and make an alignment mark on the inside. Make an alignment mark on the Front Spinner Bulkhead. Remove the front spinner bulkhead, forward hub half and prop blades. Reinstall the spinner.





Step 6: Clamp the Gap Fillers to the Spinner Plate and drill #40, cleco as you drill each of the four rivet holes. Remove clecos and gap fillers.



This completes page 47-05.

Reference: 47-06

Step 1: From the 032 aluminum sheet, make four Back Plates. Bend the aluminum sheet around a curved object so that the material conforms to the curve of the Spinner prior to cutting.





Position the back pates on the Gap fillers. Clamp the parts together and match-drill #40 then cleco the rivet holes



Step 2: Use a felt pen to trace the propeller clearence in the gap fillers onto the Back Plates. Seperate the parts and trim the back plates to the traced line. Radius corners and deburr the back plates.



Step 3: Cleco the Gap Back Plates to the Gap Fillers, then cleco the gap fillers to the Sipper Plate. Drill a #30 pilot hole in the Spinner and gap back plate for the screw that will secure the two parts together.



Step 4: Final drill #19 all the holes common to the Spinner and the Front Spinner Bulkhead, common to the spinner and Spinner back plate, and common to the spinner and the Gap backplates.



Step 5: Remove the spinner back plate, Spinner, Front Spinner Bulkhead, hub mount hlf and Spinner Plate. Drill #40 holes in the spinner plate, the front spinner bulkhead, and the back plates for the rivets used to attach the nutplates called out on page 47-05.



Step 6: Machine countersink all #40 holes in the Spinner plate, Gap Back Plates and Front Spinner Bulkhead for the heads of AN426AD# rivets.



Step 7: Deburr all holes drilled, then rivet the nutplates called out by Van's Aircraft.



Step 8: Rivet the Gap Back Plates to the Gap Fillers, then rivet the Gap fillers to the Spinner back plate.



This completes this entry on the spinner all that is left is final mounting of the prop and spinner after painting the RV-12 airplane.

Vans Aircraft RV-12 Airplane Build, Section 47: Spinner & Propeller (part 2)

Reference for this entry: page 47-02, 47-03, 47-04, 47-05; 5.0 hours

Today I will continue on the the Pitot tube and spinner assembly for the RV-12 airplane.

Step 6: Insert the locking screw to "tap the #36 hole in the Pitot Block. Remove the screw and insert the Pitot Tube through the prop shaft and into the pitot block. Turn the pitot tube until the marks on the pitot tube and the block align. Insert the locking screw and tighten by hand until it just bottoms on the pitot tube. Check the front of the tube for proper orientation. The head of the locking screw will not be in contact with the pitot block.



Step 7: Route the Pitot Line to the pitot tube. Cut a one inch piece of .062X3/8 104-0375062 TUBE to make the Pitot interconnect and slip in over the end of the pitot line and Pitot tube. The pitot line and pitot tube should butt against each other.



Step 8: Double wrap safety wire around the Pitot Interconnect.



This completes page 47-02.

Reference Page 47-03.

Before starting this page read the documentation for propeller installation included with the prop and engine.

Step 1: Copy the lines marked around the perimeter of the Spinner onto the inside of the spinner with a fine point pen. Trim and sand the lower portion of the spinner to the scribe line.



Step 2: Carefully remove the area on the sides of the Spinner for the propeller cutouts. Start by drilling holes with a step drill about 1/116 inch inside the radius at the top of the cutout area. Use a fine tooth saw to cut slits up to the curved portion of each tracing. Save the lower portion of the removed section in make the Gap Fillers later.





Step 3: Sand the tip of the Spinner until the outer diameter matches the outer diameter of the Pitot Bushing. Make sure it remain parallel to the back of the spinner. Using sand paper, create a small radius on th inside edge of the spinner opening to allow the bushing to mate properly with the spinner.



Step 4: Roughen the surface of the Bushing with a course sand paper where it contacts the spinner. Apply blue Loctite to the bushing and insert in to the spinner.

Builder's note: My spinner had cracks in the epoxy near the tip on the inside. As can be seen below. So I used a Dremel to remove the cracked material.





Step 5: Using a fine point pen draw a screw centerline on the flange of the Spinner Plate.



Step 6: Attach the Spinner Plate, Hub Mount Half to the prop shaft usign the hardware provided with the prop.

Step 7: Attach the propeller blades, Hub Clamp Half, and Front Spinner Bulkhead with the remaining hardware and Spacers. Pitch the propeller blades to "high pitch" (with the leading edge of the prop in the most forward position.)



Step 8: Tape around the base of the prop blades to prevent scratching the blades. Slide the spinner over the assembly with the pitot tube extending through the spinner bushing. Seat the spinner firmly and clamp the spinner to the spinner plate.



This completes page 47-03.

Reference: Page 47-04

Step 1: Attach a striaght edge to astand to the corner of the ruller is centered at the center of the pitot tube.



Step 2: Remove the lower spark plugs from each cylinder to allow the propeller to turn easily.

Step 3: The pitot tube should remain within 1/16 of an inch from the corner of the ruler as the propellor turns through its entire rotation. Adjust the Spinner and repeat the process until it is within that tolerance.

This completes page 47-04.

Reference: Page 47-05

Step 1: Using a #30 bit match drill the pilot holes for the four screws in the Front Spinner Bulkhead. Cleco after drilling each hole.



Step 2: Locate the screw holes in the Spinner and Spinner back plate. These should intersect the line on the flange and the lines marked previously on the spinner. Drill #30 and cleco as you go. To prevent pillowing of the spinner between screws, start drill midway between the prop blades and work out towards the blade cutouts in the spinner.



Step 3: Trim any overhang of the Spinner beyond the spinner backplate with a sanding block.



This completes this entry in the RV-12 airplane build.