Building an Experimental Airplane, The Vans RV-7A | EP1.10 Building the Elevator Part II

Continuation of the elevators on the RV-7A, my homebuilt experimental airplane. These pieces are massively challenging, the metalwork, prep, planning, and assembly are all a bit more challenging than anything yet.

This time we tackle preparing and priming all the metal for both elevators and assembling the right one. We use 3M tank sealant to protect some of the stiffeners inside the structure, and I learn a bit more why it's best to really plan rivet order and final construction.

I typically try to have these up by 7:00 Pacific on Saturdays, but was running late. Apologies!!

The Plane: The Van's RV-7A is a tricycle gear, two-place, aluminum built experimental aircraft that I'm building in my own garage. The plane, when completed, will travel in excess of 200 miles-per-hour, have a range over 700 miles, and can safely fly sport aerobatics. Its prefabricated aluminum sub-kits can be assembled in a well equipped shop or garage.

The Builder: I'm an aircraft enthusiast who has built and flown countless free-flight and radio-control aircraft since childhood. Building an RV was a dream first discussed roughly 20 years ago with my family, but not embarked upon until now. I am in the process of becoming a private pilot, with intentions of adding an IFR rating, and others endorsements.

The Channel: My hopes are that this channel is picked up by aviation enthusiasts and others alike. I'm creating simple, non-technical build videos for people who just want to watch the creation of something fantastic. If you want to learn how to build an airplane, step-by-step, this might not be fore you. If you like woodworking, welding, metalworking, fiberglass, or other mechanical build videos, this series may be great for you!

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