Pre deployment fun - looking for flight in Nor Cal (thread moved to 'CA' sect. by dr)

Hi There! I'm a US Air Force pilot getting ready to deploy to Afghanistan for a long while and when I get back in the spring I'll have some money saved up. With that cash I hope to then join the Vans Air Force! My dream is an RV-7 with the slider canopy... nothing is more sexy than taxing in with your canopy slid open! Reminds me of 10 years ago earning my wings in the mighty T-37 Tweet

I've ridden in an RV-8 and would like to see what a RV-6 or RV-7 feels like. I'm new to this forum but my buddy Matt who owned an RV-8 said that the folks from VAF are some of the most helpful and friendliest folks on the planet.

I'll be in the Roseville / Sacramento / Nor Cal area until the 6th or 7th of June. I fly Wed, Thur, Fri so weekend or Monday works great. Would anyone be willing to take me up for a ride? I'll buy gas and help wash her down after the flight. I know this is dangerous to ask... not because of the flying but because of the addiction and longing to be in an RV while flying laps over the rugged Hindu Kush... the many hours in the base library looking at RVs and jealously reviewing your posts on the VAF forum.

The best way to contact me is via PM and I'll write back.

If we can't fly then just meeting up and taking a closer look at the RV and discussing options sounds like a great idea too!

Blue Skies,
Steve

Golden West Fly In

steve,

The West Coast RaVens will be performing that weekend and we'll find somebody with a -6 or -7 to give you a hop if you have time to make it to the Golden West Fly In at Marysville.

Tim
(559)352-6145

Welcome, Steve.

Welcome to the VAF family, Steve.

Mainly though, I'd like to thank you and all the other service men and women for serving our beautiful USA!

If you ever make it near, or thru' Atlanta, call me and you can fly my -10 left seat!

Best,

tcone1 said:

steve,

The West Coast RaVens will be performing that weekend and we'll find somebody with a -6 or -7 to give you a hop if you have time to make it to the Golden West Fly In at Marysville.

Tim
(559)352-6145

Click to expand...

Hi Tim,
I just looked the Golden West fly-in up!! It looks like a lot of fun. I'll give you a call and we can chat a bit about RV's and hopefully meeting up at KYMV.

I just looked at the West Coast RaVens site and there is some quite impressive flying and formations on there!

I'll be off this weekend (2-3 June) and [working] flying on Mon & Tues, then probably relaxing till I fly out on the 9th or 10th. Hopefully I can meet up with a fellow RV'er before heading oversees.

pierre smith said:

Welcome to the VAF family, Steve.

Mainly though, I'd like to thank you and all the other service men and women for serving our beautiful USA!

If you ever make it near, or thru' Atlanta, call me and you can fly my -10 left seat!

Best,

Click to expand...

Hi Pierre, I just missed you in ATL! I went to Flight Safety International for the King Air 350 Type Rating and FAA ATP checkride. When I go back for my annual training I'll look you up next spring.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!! It means a lot to me and all of us who serve.

Look at a RV7 build

Steve,

I am in Petaluma if you want to look at a 7 in progress. Love to give you a ride, but that will be awhile. But you can look at one in progress. I have been deployed a couple of time since I started it.

You can call me at 707-695-3151.

I will also be at Golden West, if you want to try getting together and talking RV's.

I will be spending a lot of time at the Vans tent, with the RV 1.

My cell is 530-417-1124.

See you hopefully.

Steve,

Van's will also be at GW with one of the factory aircraft. It may be possible to arrange a ride there. Swing by the booth if nothing else is working out.

Steve,
I am in Sac area and have a RV7A TU that would love to give you a ride. I also have a friend with a slider which I am sure he wouldn?t mind to give you a ride in his, if slider is a MUST 

Feel free to PM me when you are in town and like to go. I am hangered in PVF.

RV GRIN

Good news!!

I got an amazing ride in a beautiful RV-7A... It had some of the finest craftsmanship and attention to detail that I?ve ever seen in an RV. Now I know what I want: 180 HP, GRT synthetic vision, Garmin 430W, and an AP. (Still deciding to build, buy, slider, tip uo, tailwheel, nosewheel). But more importantly I know what the RV grin is all about... a smooth flying ship, capable, comfy, and terrific visibility to enjoy touching the wind swept skies. The avionics setup of this RV7A made me a bit jealous and right now I even fly behind the ProLine 21.

My friends are getting annoyed at me because I can't stop talking about what an amazing aircraft the RV is and how much fun it was. We flew to Half Moon Bay for lunch and got to see a view of the SF Bay, Golden Gate, and Coast that only those of us who slip the surley bonds get to enjoy.

I have other good news I completed my Air Force checkride (Q1 with no downgrades); qualified in my 6th Air Force aircraft and will be full up ready to deploy soon. I'm really glad that I got to ride in the RV before deploying. Northern California has been a lot of fun from skiing, white water rafting, working on my glider rating, hiking, you name it... I've had a blast while TDY and the icing on the cake was 2.0 in an RV.

Another bit of good news I'll be around this weekend and heading to the Golden West Fly In. I hope to meet a few of you there and to see the West Coast RaVens!

Back to the OP... My buddy Matt was right... the VAF community is awesome!

Blue skies,
Steve