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#4 / 2008: Jeff Taylor RV-8A
 
RV-8A QUICK BUILD KIT NUMBER 82471 BECAME N97JT APRIL 2007 AFTER 15 MONTHS OF FULL TIME CONSTRUCTION. SHE IS EQUIPPED WITH A 180 H.P. O-360-A1A AND A CONSTANT SPEED PROP. THE PANEL HAS A DYNON D-180 EFIS/EMS SYSTEM, SL 40 COM, GARMIN GTX 327 TRANSPONDER, GARMIN 396, DAVID CLARK INTERCOM, AND A SET OF BACK UP STEAM FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS.
  AFTER 100 HOURS OF TROUBLE FREE FLYING AND MANY GREAT TRIPS SHE MADE HER FIRST SUN-N-FUN ARRIVAL AND OVERNIGHT THIS YEAR.
JEFF TAYLOR
JUPITER, FL.
FD15 (cessna402 'at' bellsouth 'dot' net)

#3 / 2008: Bob McNeese RV-8
RV-8 N194PT 'Captain Eddie' first flew in March 2006 after 4 years of pounding rivets. 94PT for 94th Pursuit Squadron, 'Hat-in-the Ring.' Flew for a year unpainted while I worked out the bugs. Paint by Gene Kear at Meadowlake Airport (Colorado Springs), graphics by Aerographics. 200 HP IO-360, Hartzell C/S prop, 'vintage' light IFR panel, custom leather seats, built-in oxygen system, twin 30cal gun ports in cowl, folding gunsight on glareshield. Performs as advertised......180kts TAS at 8000ft.
Bob McNeese



#2 / 2008: Ron Grover RV-10
Photos taken 2/1/08 out in front of Grady's GLO Paint Shop (web).  Ron and his wife live at nearby Propwash (16X) airfield and also have a RV-8 named 'Hot Stuff'.  He has posted in the forums a few times under the name 'rv8grover'.
  related: The RV-10 Forum






 


#1 / 2008: Ron Davis
"N320AD took flight in October of 2007, and has just completed Phase 1. After 3.5 years of slow building a quick build, it has proven to a wonderful machine. Equipped with an ECI O-360 (9:1), Hartzel Blended Airfoil C/S Prop, Classic Aero Design Interior, Dual Dynon Set-up, SL30, 496 GPS, PS8000B ACP, Tru Trak ADI II, and the Alpha Systems AOA it is quite the versatile aircraft.

The attached in flight photo was taken my first day after Phase I. Jim Gray who is very near completion of an RV8 is in the right seat. The photo of the panel gives you an idea of how to fill a panel inexpensively, yet maintain all the functionality necessary for light IFR.

Thanks to all who helped me achieve this goal!!!!!

Ron Davis (rjdinsurance at aol dot com)
N320AD
Evergreen, Colorado

#16 / 2007: Dave Hirschman
"Here are a few photos of my RV-3, N2626Y.  It was built by Joe Duffey in Salt Lake City, Utah, and I've owned it about one year. (I wrote a story about it for the EAA's Sport Aviation last summer).  It has the "B" spar, Sensenich fixed-pitch prop and a 150-hp 0-320. It's a joy to fly, and I've been learning a lot and having a great time chasing around my TeamRV friends here in the Atlanta area. I think formation flying has a lot to do with the resurgence of the Three.  Flying a single-seat plane isn't a drawback if you're only a wing span or so from the rest of your buds . . .
Best,

Dave Hirschman
dave 'at' hirschman.com

#15 / 2007: Joel McMillian N880JM
"Van's Luftwaffe is here! It's an actual paint job from an Fw-190. I just thought it was time for a bad guy to chase around with all the P-51 look-a-likes out there. Based at KPLR.
Joel McMillian
N880JM."

(4) photos below courtesy Joel McMillian


#14 / 2007: Gene Wilkie

"...attached are three pictures of my RV-3, which lives in Hawaii. I bought the project from a fellow who had to leave the island. It was bad looking, but we stripped the paint off and I finished it as you see here. It is basic basic basic, and I have less than $5,000 in the whole plane. I looked at the 3-views and decided that whatever the sacrifice, it had to be open cockpit. It's not windy, but you can hear the wind noise. It's most comfortable at about 130 kts, which with the 0-235 gives me around 5 gph. Hope you enjoy the pics. Gene "
Gene Wilkie
1448 Wilder Ave #6
Honolulu, Hi. 96822
Ph (808) 381-0800
gwilkie0527 at msn dot com

Update 09/10/07
...attached are the pictures of the interior. At this point I want to clarify some things. I look at all the pictures of the planes guys build, and most of the craftsmanship is beyond belief. Everything fits perfectly, the radios are sophisticated and superbly mounted, the paint is flawless, sheet metal work is beyond reproach, etc ad nauseum. That's great, inspirational, and I wish I had the time and money (and ability) to build a showpiece. My plane is not like that. It was a project that was mediocre to begin with, one I picked up for $1,000 and decided to make flyable. I am very happy with it, but there are lots of zits that just can't be overlooked, and I am satisfied to live with it and enjoy it the way it is. Some RVs are like a world class beauty, perfect figure, form, designer clothes and makeup, and beneath that, depth, refinement, education and poise. My plane is a trailer park cutie, decent bod with some good makeup and a cheap but sexy summer dress. Not much depth, but it will show you an exciting time. Plus, VERY low maintenance. As I said, total cash outlay is around $4,800.
So when folks look at the pictures, they will see some flaws. The tank is visible still in chromate green. The radios are stuck to the side, the transponder is top to bottom so the knobs don't block out the numbers. Wires are exposed, it's airworthy, but not particularly "see-worthy". Except from around 50', then it's cute as hell. I'm not making excuses, if I'd tried to make a show plane out of it, I'd have had to rebuild almost everything and it STILL wouldn't be done. What you see is what you get. It kicks butt just the way it is.

So there it is. Enjoy. I'm happy to answer any questions.

PS, the stick grip is my own design, I flew helicopters for years and my hand just kind of fell into place with two fingers and a thumb at the base of the grip, so I designed the stick handle to fit. It's quite comfortable, my friend tells me it's very similar to the stick on Czech aerobatic aircraft.






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