Day 37 - October 9, 2010

We had 5 Team Members at the start of our work session this week. We made some good progress toward completing the finish kit portion of the RV-12 project.

The fuselage wiring harness installation is finally competed except for the last couple of steps, which shouldn't take very long next week. This will allow us to get to work on the control system installation and initial fitting of the wings.

Additional progress was made on the canopy installation. We are wrapping up the final prep. work to be ready to do the fiberglass lay-up installation at the front of the canopy.

Day 36 - October 2, 2010

We had five team members at our work session this week.  Our work goal was to concentrate on completing the fuselage wiring harness installation so that we can begin making progress on installing the control system and fitting the wings.  Other than a couple of minor items, we reached that goal.  We also made progress on finishing the canopy installation. 

Day 35 - September 25, 2010

We had six Team Members at our work session this week. We completed the cowl installation and made more good progress on the canopy installation. We also made some additional progress on the fuselage wiring harness installation.  Stay tuned for photos!

WE'RE BACK!!! Day 34 - September 18, 2010

Our first work session after a summer break and we got off to a slow but steady start.

We only had two Team Members in attendance but we made some good progress on the engine cowling and the canopy installation.

The Avionics and Power Plant kits will be put on order during this next week in anticipation of us completing the finish kit work in the next few weeks.

Day 33 - June 5, 2010

This was our final work session before taking some time off for a summer break. We had four Team Members in attendance. We made additional progress on the engine cowl installation, the fuselage wiring harness, and finished a bit of work that remained on the tailcone fairing.

Keep watching our blog...We will post new photos, videos soon and will provide updates on when we plan to start back up.

Day 32 - May 22, 2010

We had another work session with 6 team members present. We were visited by KGW TV news, channel 8, which ran a story on their 5 PM and 5:30 PM news programs. A written version of the KGW story can be viewed at:
http://www.kgw.com/lifestyle/Local-Teens-Build-Airplane-94673834.html

It is a very positive story, and we are thankful to them for taking the time to do this and give our program a little local exposure. 

We made good progress on the canopy on Saturday. It is now drilled to the frame and the fit looks very good. The cowling installation is also well along and looking good. The vertical stabilizer and rudder got their tip fairings finished, sanded, and installed.  The vertical stabilizer is now permanently installed on the fuselage.

Day 31 - May 21, 2010

This week was a little different from our usual schedule. We held a mid week work session on Friday because Dave Salesky from KATU News, Channel 2, came to do a story on the TeenFlight program. The TeenFlight news story is going to air locally on KATU, Channel 2 on Friday, June 11th, most likely during one or all of the evening news programs.

We had six of our team members present and we made great progress on the cowling and canopy installations, and the installation of the tail cone fairing was nearly completed.

Day 30 - 15 May, 2010

We had 5 team members present for our work session this week. We made progress on the engine cowling and tailcone fairing installations. Work was also started on installation of the main fuselage wiring harness and we finished up mounting the tires on the wheels.

This coming Friday we have a special work session scheduled for a visit from one of our local TV news stations. After that, we have two more Saturday work sessions scheduled (we will not have a work session on Memorial day weekend) and then we will be taking a badly needed summer break.

Day 29 - May 8, 2010

Our current level of progress has brought us to a point where it has become difficult for 12 people to be working at the same time, because of the required work being focused in two or three confined areas. Because of this, we are now working on a rotating schedule with two teams working one week and then the other two teams working the next.

This week we had five Team Members at our work session. We made progress on completing the rear tail cone fairing installation, and trimming the engine cowling in preparation for it's installation.

We also completed the installation of the forward upper fuselage and began the installation of the canopy.

Day 28 - May 1, 2010

We had 8 team members at this week's work session. The fuel tank assembly is now finished except installing the cover plate and fuel level sensor. The fuel system is now mostly finished. We have preparation work underway for canopy installation, rear tail fairing installation, and landing gear installation. Work on the forward upper fuselage is nearly completed.

Day 27 - April 24, 2010

We had eleven Team Members present this week. Because we have mostly completed the major airframe construction, we now have work progressing in many different areas.

The fuel tank got fitted to the fuselage this week and is now ready for the top to be installed. Work for the rear window installation also got completed. The forward portion of the fuel system got installed in the fuselage and the remaining assembly work on control system components was finished so they are now ready for installation.

They also worked on assembling tires and wheels, and some initial preparation work planning for the canopy installation that will hopefully begin next week.

Day 26 - April 17, 2010

We had 6 of our team members present for this weeks work session.

We reached another major mile stone during this work session...the previously constructed tailcone got mated and riveted to the forward fuselage. We now have a mostly completed fuselage with the cockpit
painted so we are ready to start the installation of systems.

More progress was made on the fuel tank assembly, and all of the fuel lines have been made.

Day 25 - April 10, 2010

We had 7 team members at our work session this week.
One of our teams worked on assembling and sealing the fuel tank and they got it about halfway completed.

The rest of our team members concentrated on finishing assembly work on the fwd fuselage. It is now completed with the exception of the fwd upper portion and attaching the tail cone.

They prepared the interior for painting, and that will take place during this next week so that there is no interruption in work progress during the next work session. This is the first (and probably only) construction task that has not been completed by the team members themselves.

Next week we will install the fwd upper portion of the fuselage and then begin work on the cowling and canopy.

Day 24 - April 3, 2010

This was our 20th week working on actual construction of the RV-12. We had all our team members present for this weeks work session.

The side skins were riveted onto the forward fuselage and we expect to finish assembly next week to the point of being able to paint the cockpit interior.

Another team began construction of the fuel tank while a third team began work on some of the control system components. We should be also joining the tail cone to the forward fuselage very soon.

Day 23 - March 27, 2010

Due to spring break we only had 7 team members present for our work session this week.  With fewer members present, we didn't complete all of the fuselage skin installation as expected, but we will be wrapping it up at our next work session. We should also have at least a couple of the teams beginning work on portions of the finish kit.

Day 22- March 20, 2010

Eleven of our twelve team members were present this week. All of the fuselage sub assembly work is now completed.

We will be joining all of them together during our next work session to make a mostly complete fuselage.

We have also taken delivery of our finish kit and completed the inventory.

Details of the EAA Young Eagles program and future scheduled Young Eagles flight days being held by EAA Chapter 105 (found at http://www.eaa105.org/) were presented to our team members. Many of them are excited at the prospect of  free access to the private pilot online ground school compliments of Sporty's Pilot Shop when completing a free Young Eagle flight.

Day 21 - March 13, 2010

This week marked our 17th Saturday work session on the RV-12. We had 10 team members present.

Good progress was made on the 5 forward fuselage sub-assemblies, and we completed the bending of the longerons so I think there is a good chance we will be bringing them all together during our next session to form the complete forward part of the fuselage.

One of our teams got a chance to experience fuel tank sealant (and everyone else got to smell it) in one of their work steps on the firewall. I wonder if that has anything to do with no team members volunteering to build the fuel tank.......

Day 20 - March 6, 2010

We had 9 team members present this week. The rudder pedal, and roll bar assemblies have been completed.  We finished the day with all four teams doing work preparing parts or assembling small sub assemblys so that we can get the fuselage skinned and get the tail cone portion attached. We should be taking delivery of our finish kit before our next work session. This will allow us to get a jump start on the fuel tank construction and some of the aircrafts systems.

Day 19 - February 27, 2010

This week we, once again, had nine team members present for our work session.  All four teams are now working on some portion of the fuselage which is requiring everyone to keep co-ordinated with everyone else as to how they are progressing.

One team is concentrating on the rudder pedal assemblies.

Another team is concentrating on the roll bar assembly.

The remaining two teams worked on the mid fuselage and the lower firewall.

Day 18 - February 20, 2010

This week we had nine of our team members in attendance.

The two teams working on the wings got them completed this week and they are now in a storage rack for safe keeping until we need them for the fit check to the fuselage. They then started working on two of the sub assembly portions of the forward fuselage.

Another one of our four teams completed the construction of the two seat backs; and the last team made more progress on the mid fuselage section.

Starting with next week's session, we will have all four teams working on the forward fuselage. We expect to begin on portions of the finish kit in just a couple of weeks.

Day 17 - February 13, 2010

We had ten of our team members in attendance this week.

One of our teams completed both flaperons and began working on the seat back assemblies.

The two teams working on the wings got close to completing the installation of the wing tips. This work should be competed in the first hour or two of our next work session.

Our forth team continued to make progress on the forward fuselage.

By the end of our next work session we will have all four teams working on a portion of the forward fuselage so construction progress should move along quickly.

Day 16 - February 6, 2010

This week we had all 12 Team Members present for our work session so we made some good progress.

Both of the wings are now fully skinned with all riveting completed. The only work left on them to complete is the wing tips. I think we should be able to finish this work at our next work session.

After a little set back with some redo work on the flaperons they are now completed to the point of all skins being clecoed on and ready for final riveting. I think they will also be completed during our next work session.

Our fourth team continued to make progress on the fuselage. Within the next couple weeks we should have all four teams working on one of the subassemblies for the fuselage.

With only 12 Saturday work sessions (ones which we have actually done work on the airplane) behind us, we are fast approaching the half way point on the RV-12 project!

Day 15 - January 29, 2010

This week's session included an Open House for the team's friends/families, our financial donors, and the program organizers.
We had a good turnout and everyone seemed to enjoy viewing the progress we have made in only 10 Saturday work sessions of actual airplane construction.

Also popular was viewing the RV-12 and other airplanes in the hangar; and watching one of the CNC punch machines that one of the operators came in to demo for us (Thanks Ben!).

We continued to make progress with riveting the skin on the wings. They are both about ready for the aft top skins to be installed.

Progress continued on the fusealage with the installation of baggage floor ribs and skins.

We had a slight setback with the flaperons because of a discovered error with the hinge brackets, but replacements have already been made (experience always helps make something go much faster the second time) so the flaperons should be getting close to completion after our next session.

Day 14- January 16, 2010

We had 9 Team Members present for our work session this week. Work continued on the Fuselage, Flaperons and both Wings.

Both Flaperons are now very close to having the skins installed on them. Assembly of the fuselage centersection was completed. Skins were clecoed onto the left and right Wing substructures and riveting has begun.

Because our TeenFlight Leader will be out of town next weekend our next work session wont be until January 30.

Day 13 - January 9, 2010 - FULL SPEED AHEAD!

After taking a break for two Saturdays during the holidays we had 9 team members at this weeks work session and they jumped right back into work.

The two teams working on the wings jumped right in and took both wings from a pile of parts, to being just about ready to begin installing skins.

A third team is working on the flaperons and now has all parts prepared and deburred and the few parts that need to be made from raw stock are completed. Assembly should be well under way by the end of our next session.

Assembly work has begun on the fuselage by the forth team. They completed the drilling work on the main center section bulkhead.

Day 12 - December 19, 2009

This weeks work session was our last for 2009.

We have now completed eight 5.5 hour Saturday work sessions which we did actual construction on the RV-12 kit.

At this weeks session we began construction of both flaperons, made more progress on both wings, and completed the inventory of our fuselage kit (a major project...there are about as many parts in the fuselage kit as there is in the wing and emp./tail cone kits combined).

The emp. tail cone kit work was finalized with the completion of the pitch trim mechanism, and bolting the last control horn onto the stabilator. After completing the kit inventory, some initial work was started on the fuselage construction.

Both teams building the wings finished (finally...they were getting a little tired of deburring and fluting) with all of the part preparation and they will be starting next time with the steps that install ribs on the wing spars.

We discovered the danger of working with a construction manual that was written in the context of one person doing the work by themself.  Some of the wing nose ribs need to have some trimming completed on them...with two teams (three members each team) working separately on the two wings, we ended up with five too many ribs getting modified for one of the wings...fortunately we knew where to find more.

We are taking a two week break for the Christmas and New Years holidays but we will be back to work on Saturday Jan 9, 2010

Day 11 - December 12, 2009

Not all that unusual for this time of year in Oregon...the weather forecast for the day of our work session was for a strong chance of a major ice storm in our area. Consequently the decision was made to postpone the project open house day that we had scheduled.

We still held this weeks work session for anyone that braved the bad weather, and in case the forecast conditions didn't happen (which for the most part they did not).

Eight of our twelve team members made it to the work session and most of our mentors as well.

More progress was made on both of the wings with all part preparation now completed and the teams are ready to start attaching ribs to the spars.

We also had another major milestone with one of our teams completing the Stabilator (other than the attachment of one of the control arms). This team will be starting on our fuselage kit next week.

We have one more work session scheduled for 2010 and then we will be taking two weeks off for the Christmas and New Years Holidays, but we will be back to work on Jan 9th 2010.

Day 10 - December 5, 2009

This week we saw the completion of another major subassembly.

The Tail cone is finished!

All of the team members got a chance to see how torsionally stiff a large structure such as this can be, but still be so light in weight.

One skin has now been installed on the stabilator so it should be completed at our next session.. The other two teams made good progress on preparation of the fwd and aft wing spars so we should see main wing structure assembly begin during our next work session.

At our next session we are holding a project open house to allow Team Members family and friends, organizers of the Teen Flight program, and financial donors to come and view the progress that has been made so far.

Day 9 - November 21, 2009

This session begins our third month since we started the program at the end of September (How time fly's).

There is a short article written by Richard Vangrunsven (where the 'RV 'in the model name comes from) published recently in the Van's Aircraft, Inc. newsletter, "The RVator".  The article can be found at http://www.vansaircraft.com/RVator/2009/5-2009-RVator.pdf

In our work session this week the inventory of the wing kit was completed and all of the hardware organized.

Two of our four teams started construction on the left and right wings with the other two teams nearing completion of the Tail Cone and the Stabilator.

We are taking a break on the Saturday following Thanksgiving day but when we come back to work the following week we expect to start doing some work on the fuselage kit.

Day 8 - November 14, 2009

We ended week Eight with the tail cone about half assembled and the Stabilator completed to a point that it is ready for attaching the skins.

The Rudder, Vertical Stabilizer, and both halves of the anti-servo tab are completed. Next week some of the team will be starting on wing assembly.

The Teams are making great strides in their familiarity with the tools and plans. Each week is more and more exciting!

Day 7 - November 7, 2009

This week we hit the the first construction milestone with the completion of the Rudder assembly for the RV-12. The Vertical Stabilizer is very close to being completed, and the Stabilator and Tail Cone aren't far behind that.



This week our lecture time focused on installation of bolt and screw fasteners, different ways of safetying them and installing them with proper torque values.

We took delivery of our wing kit this week and some team members will be doing inventory and starting to deburr and prepare parts at our next session.

Day 6 - October 31, 2009

The Teams are already making good progress on the Empenage kit. They have been at work on it for less than two sessions and the Vertical Stabilizer and Rudder are almost completed.

The tail cone parts have been prepared and they will likely have it nearly riveted together by the end of the work session next week.

The work on the Stabilator is also progressing well. At the current rate of progress we expect to have at least one team starting to work on Wing kit parts at the next work session.

Keep checking back to see how quickly these twelve teenagers turn all of these parts into an RV-12 Experimental Light Sport Aircraft.