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posted 03/03/03
RV-10 PROGRESS
Ken Scott
Well, here it is March 3, 2003. The RV-10 is once again in
pieces in our prototype shop…but that’s a good thing, as it
allows several things to happen simultaneously.
Notice that there are no tail surfaces mounted. That’s
because the stabilizers, elevators and rudder are in the paint
shop! Right. We are painting, which is a sign that the end of
the tunnel is at least faintly visible. You get two guesses as
to what colors the airplane will be. Hint: look at our last few
prototypes.
That big assembly strapped to the
RV-10’s butt is a rocket, but it’s not there to make it go
faster. Quite the opposite. Some intrepid soul is going to take
this brand new airplane and put it in a spin. Lots of spins,
actually, at different loading conditions. If, for some
unforeseen reason, the airplane won’t recover, the rocket will
deploy a parachute, stopping the spin and stabilizing the
airplane in a straight dive. A blade actuated by a manual cable,
much like a glider tow release will cut
the chute away and allow the pilot to recover the airplane, if
not his equanimity.
Click on any
photo to view a larger image.
In the cabin, Miles is slowly and carefully making up all the
wires behind the panel. It’s a big job – this airplane has
lots of radio stuff (MX-20, GX-60, SL-60, 4 seat intercom,
Pegasus Flight Data Recorder, CD player and more) so there are a
lot of wires! At least, in the 4-place airplane, there’s more
room to work.
Scott is tuning up the wings, getting them ready for the paint
shop. Here’s a couple of views and you can see some
differences between the two and four-place wing.  That
torque tube suspended from bearings on the inboard end will take
control inputs from the stick (remember, in the four-place the
sticks are well forward of the main spar) and take them to the
spanwise pushrod tube going out to the aileron. In this view, you can
also see (if you look carefully) that the spar will bolt to the
fuselage outside the fuselage side. This makes mounting the
wings and control system simpler.
Click on any
photo to view a larger image.
In the front view, there are several spanwise stripes on the
inboard edge of the tank. These are wing walk stiffeners riveted
into the top skin…again, feet are going where they don’t on
the two-place airplanes as the front seaters walk up to the
leading edge to get in.
Here’s a shot showing the altitude-hold autopilot servo
mounted behind the baggage compartment. It drives the bellcrank and elevator pushrod with a small
pushrod of its own.
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