Tech Counselors Check Out Rick Stoffel’s RV-10

Rick Stoffel asked the EAA 430 chapter group of Tech Counselors to visit and look at the work he has done on his RV-10 project. Harry Cook, Ernie Hansen and Rick Vaux and I descended on his Discovery Trail home by the Sequim Valley Airport on Sunday, February 20 and had the chance to also see his beautiful RV-4.

After a social period, we all walked the twenty or so steps to Rick’s hangar. Inside was the horizontal tail and fuselage tailcone for the RV-10, components that are part of the empennage kit Vans Aircraft provides for RV-10 builders. At this point Rick has completed the assembly and riveting of the horizontal tail, and his workmanship is excellent. The tailcone is assembled and partially riveted. The remaining panels are clecoed in place, allowing access for controls and wiring to be added later. Vaux busied himself examining rivets before all of us walked over to see the RV-4.

This airplane was finished about ten years ago and again, work-manship is excellent. The polished aluminum finish doesn’t allow for mistakes to be covered up.

Another short walk back to the house took us to the garage where Rick has the vertical tail and is working on the fuselage structure ahead of the tailcone. The two halves of the fuselage will later be combined using bolts and rivets. At this point a majority of the structure has been assembled, but most skins have not been riveted in place. Again, this allows access for additional fuselage work to be performed. As with the earlier pieces we looked at, all have been primed and workmanship is first rate. Rick is currently working on the rudder pedal assembly and aircraft entry steps. Vaux had a suggestion regarding the master cylinder attachment, and we were all impressed with the attention to detail of Rick’s work. Rick asked us a question about the washers used in part of the fuselage assembly, managing to stump us all. Looks like a call to Van’s is coming up!

While in the garage, we all took notice of the Lycoming IO-540 sitting there. Rick has a small pump that circulates air throughout the engine from a desiccant filled chamber to reduce rust and corrosion by keeping humidity low.

All in all, we had an enjoyable afternoon and Rick got a Tech Counsellor report for his builder’s log. Rick said the next day that he had slept well that night!