15 Year Anniversary of N66AP

Greetings all -

Yesterday, September 9th, 2016, was the 15th anniversary of the first flight of N66AP! It continues to be a dream come true each time I fly it. For obvious reasons, we were grounded for some time two days after this first flight, so that connection will never be lost on me.

The plane has been flying about exactly twice as many calendar years as it took to build, and at 1540 hobbs hours, it has flown about half as many hours as it took to build! For those still in the building stage, I hope this puts some perspective on the potential ?enjoyment investment? you are making!

While over the past 5 years or so I have not been flying as many hours per year as the first 10 years were, it is not due to reduced enjoyment. Rather, it has been due to dividing my time into other enjoyable interests. I?ve also taken a lot more ?Pete Howell? or ?Doug Reeves? flights (meaning 15 to 30 minute local hops). Most flying has been on weekdays, as we are typically out of town on the weekends. Sometimes these weekend commutes are in the plane, mostly not.

I will be starting a panel upgrade at about the end of October, which will put me back into building mode. I?m expecting about 150 hours? work to do this. Hopefully it will be complete in about 3 months. The hangar is 25 minutes from home, so a fair bit of driving will be involved.

Keep pounding those rivets, it will be worth it!

Second 15 year mark

My 8 also made its maiden voyage 15 years ago. I purchased 81324 11 years ago with 442 hours on the tach.

In those 11 years I've gone through 4 prop swaps, one top overhaul, one new engine, another teardown due to an accessory drive gear failure, one off field landing due to said gear failure, a complete rewiring and new electrical system, 2 panel upgrades abd 2200 hours of priceless fun and adventures. 9 years of airshows and travel that my previous 40 years of flying just barely prepared me for. I've learned wiring, metal skills and turned lots of wrenches and learned EFIS instrument flying intimately.

More new friends than I deserve and enough fond memories for two life times. Thanks to Van and this wonderful venue for allowing me to participate in this in some small way.

N66AP

During one of my first long cross countries I land on a desolate grass strip somewhere in Midwest and enter the airport shack. I see pictures framed on the wall. One picture with your RV Alex was probably 10 years old the colors were fading. You traveled a lot during your first years, didn't you? I will find that picture and that airport it's all in the archives. Congratulations on a milestone. Now double it!

Vlad said:

During one of my first long cross countries I land on a desolate grass strip somewhere in Midwest and enter the airport shack. I see pictures framed on the wall. One picture with your RV Alex was probably 10 years old the colors were fading. You traveled a lot during your first years, didn't you? I will find that picture and that airport it's all in the archives. Congratulations on a milestone. Now double it!

Click to expand...

Vlad, somewhere in the cobwebs of my memory I recall you mentioning this picture in a post... I do not recall which airport it was.

Happy Anniversary!

Hey Alex,
Congrats on your recent fifteen year milestone! You have a great plane and I hope to see her once your panel upgrade is complete.
Best regards,
Chris

Another milestone

Alex's post reminds me that I hit a milestone in my airplane recently on Sep 4th. That day marks the day that I have been flying my RV-8, N84JE longer than it took me to build, 9 years & 7 months. My kit number is #80383 and I started building July 1997. First flight was Feb 4th 2007.

Since then I've put 1180 glorious hours on it! We have enjoyed the airplane on many great trips, Oshkosh and Sun-n-Fun x 8 each, visiting family in Florida and Arkansas, Mackinac Island, Old Rhinebeck, Bahamas, and Johnson Creek, ID to name a few. We've gone peach picking, strawberry picking, to the beach, participated in Young Eagles flights, and facilitated the Aviation Merit Badge for Boy Scouts. Aerobatics, formation flying, pancake breakfasts, and $100 BBQ runs are a staple.

I have enjoyed the airplane with my wife, my son, family, friends, and strangers. We've made life-long friends in Texas, Georgia, various other states, and even other countries due to N84JE. This airplane has certainly enriched our lives:









Keep pounding them rivets and enjoy the process!!!

Nicely done Alex. It's is one of many such inspirations for me. I hope to have my RV-7A flying next summer. By the way, in no small part because of Alex coming to the rescue with his welding equipment and know how to help me get the canopy done. Such is the group of RVers here in Minnesota, who are always ready to help.





Frank Huber
RV-7A under construction
dues paid for 2016