RV-7 N821RV Dave Chapdelaine
 

Well after 5 years of building and no airplane to call my own, I am once again a Pilot. and an aircraft owner :) My flight training began last April, flying with Joe Gauthier in a Piper Super Cub. It was pretty ugly at first, but we got it. Then came some transition training in some local RV's- Dave Pepe's RV-6. Andy's RV-7. I am forever grateful.

I built pretty much to plans, getting the engine/prop from Vans. Lots of challenges, a few funks, came close to selling out twice. Boy am I glad I didn't!!

I now have about 22 hours in her, and she is one fine flying machine. I love this plane!






By chappyd at 2011-09-19




By chappyd at 2011-09-19

Test pilot, Instructor, Mentor , and friend Joe Gauthier preps for flight #2


By chappyd at 2011-09-19

Thanks VAF :)

Congratulations
 

She is gorgeous! Dave bring her to one of Turbo's Monday breakfasts. How big is your Phase One box?

VERY nice job there Dave. Looks like Van's RV-12 paint scheme, which is simply awesome.

When you say you started your flight training last April, does that mean you had no previous certificate?

Beautiful!
 

Dave,
She is a thing of beauty! Good show!
LOVE the polish!

Gorgeous
 

Congratulations, glad you did not sell out!

Vlad - I'd love to make one of those breakfasts, but Mondays are out for a while. Started a new job about 5 months ago, and time off is scarce at the moment. I'm confined to a 35NM radius of KIJD, Windham, CT.

Diamond - I should have said training to get current again. I had about 500 hours when I sold my Mooney, and didn't fly for 4 years while building. The tailwheel was all new though!

Thanks for the kind words about the plane. I'm very glad I didn't sell :)

dave, how about southbridge? close and good food. we have a group that flys in every thur evening about 5:30. lookn forward to seeing your new plane.

That I can definitely do! Weather looks iffy for this week, but I will come up the next nice thursday evening!

Thanks for the heads up

I love the paint job. The combination of the red and polished aluminum looks great.

Well Done!
 

Congrats on your beautiful plane. I'm enjoying the build, but I also am not flying while building and it's hard to do so. I live directly under a popular GA flight path, which is also used by the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs to go back and forth up the Front Range, near Denver. It's rough, when I'm working in the garage and I hear a plane flying overhead. I step out of the garage to see "fill in the blank" (F-22s, Cessnas, RVs, Aluminum Overcast, Pitts, etc.). It KILLS me, but at the same time, it gives me motivation to keep building. You pictures have certainly helped. Thanks for posting.