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GlaStar & Sportsman

Redesigned Sportsman float struts

Float Rigging Design & Maintenance, Part 1

I learned a lot about my Carbon Fiber Glasair Sportsman by building it in the factory two-weeks-to-taxi (TWTT) program, where it was initially put...
Van's cowl air scoop on GlaStar

RV Air Intake Adaption for GlaStar

Here is a pictorial report of using the cowl air scoop from Van's and adapting it to the GlaStar cowling.  
O-360, fixed pitch, Van's induction system and baffling. Photo: Martin Baumer

GlaStar Baffling Tips

Baffling: I used the Vans's RV-6 intake, carb air box, and baffling. I find them to work well and efficiently. I did have a...
trimming wing skin

Trimming a Wing Skin in 5 Minutes or Less

Here is how we trim wing skins at R&D Technical Services. Get your work table ready: Purchase a 1-1/4” x 1-1/4” x 1/8” piece of...
Spray Zolatone (or equv.) in shaded area prior to fuselage assembly.

Weight Conscious GlaStar Assembly

In the beginning stages of developing the GlaStar we set goals for performance, weight, build time (don’t laugh—the industry’s come a long way from...
rivet gun

Riveting Tips

Dimples: Those cute little depressions around the rivet heads that occur when riveting light skins are almost impossible to avoid. They are caused by...
Glastar baggage door latch mechanism

GlaStar Baggage Door Installation Tip

The pull rivets end up so close to the door seal flange that the only pull rivet tool I have found to work resides...

Ventral Fin for Yaw Stability

Most components added to a plane forward of the center of lift usually have a negative effect on directional stability (other than canards perhaps)....
nutplate

Nutplate Installation

Dimpling nut plates: It can be difficult to dimple the nut plates. One of our A&Ps came up with a trick for not dimpling the...
Muffler shroud

Easy Muffler Shroud

This is an easy way to make a mold for a muffler shroud layup. I pegged a board which I clamped to the table of...