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The Eagle Has Landed!

macintron

Active Member
Today I went out with a dream and came back with papers. However those papers are my receipt for the RV-10 Empenage kit!!!!!

After many years of dreaming and "preparing" today my wife and I took a tour of VANS factory and also did a demo flight on their RV-10. Although I had a few hours in a 7A I have never flown in a 10. I was pleasantly surprised with the handling characteristics of this bigger airplane.

I am really looking forward to start inventorying and actually building. Which is what I had plan for the next couple of days. BUT the kit did not fit in the mini van that I had brought to carry it home. Lucky for us we live about 10 minutes away, so is just a matter of finding a car big enough and the time off of work to get it home.

On a side note. What was everyone's experience when they told friends and family that you are going to build an airplane in the garage? Mine has been mostly positively "there is something wrong with this guy, but that is really cool" usually followed by How are you paying for that??
 
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Congrats Marcos from another programmer and newish builder. Making the jump from lurker to builder is such a thrill. It's like you've moved from passenger to crew (if perhaps still in the right seat instead of the left). I wish I had started two decades earlier in my life as you did. You'll have a whole lifetime to enjoy this hobby.

Enjoy every moment of your build!

--
Stephen
 
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envy

I envy you being able to put your kit # on your profile! I have until Friday to make my mind up. My mind is really already made up, Im just getting the courage to actually make the call to Vans. (and when my wife is skiing on Friday)
Good luck with your kit.
 
Congratulations

Van's has averaged 13+ emp kits/mo since I bought mine. We have over 25% of the RV-10's flying. There worth every dollar too.
 
Congrats! Every time someone finds out we're building a plane in our garage they ask how it fits and how we're going to get it to the airport. I think most people assume when you say its in your garage they expect a tiny little kite with a rubber band motor but for the people who ask more questions like how far can it go, how fast, etc, they are impressed :)

You will have a great time with the build. At first I thought it would just be a means to the end but the building experience is pretty rewarding in itself.
 
Welcome!

Congrats on your decision to "leap" into the world of RV building. My wife and I (mostly I, since she just recently had our first child) have been building our RV10 for the last 6 months or so, and it has been a blast. My advice is to involve everyone that you can in your build (neighbors, friends and family). #1) educating others is the best way to make sure you know the material - my mom was a teacher and always said this.. #2) more people equals more fun and a faster build.. and #3) they won't ask so many questions about "when will it be done" because they'll know what kind of effort it takes!
 
Congrats! Every time someone finds out we're building a plane in our garage they ask how it fits and how we're going to get it to the airport. I think most people assume when you say its in your garage they expect a tiny little kite with a rubber band motor but for the people who ask more questions like how far can it go, how fast, etc, they are impressed :)

You will have a great time with the build. At first I thought it would just be a means to the end but the building experience is pretty rewarding in itself.

Yes, I have gotten a few of the, so how big is this model airplane?


Congrats on your decision to "leap" into the world of RV building. My wife and I (mostly I, since she just recently had our first child) have been building our RV10 for the last 6 months or so, and it has been a blast. My advice is to involve everyone that you can in your build (neighbors, friends and family). #1) educating others is the best way to make sure you know the material - my mom was a teacher and always said this.. #2) more people equals more fun and a faster build.. and #3) they won't ask so many questions about "when will it be done" because they'll know what kind of effort it takes!

That was my original plan!!! But the response I got from my mom and my mother in-law has bee, well that's great you got an airplane but why aren't you having kids instead??? Hopefully they'll understand that it is a family airplane it is just one step at a time.
I have been trying to get more people involved in the project but am at a point where I am learning things myself. Though I like the idea of involving my neighbors except that most of my neighbors are 80+, which is great because they won't be able to hear the air compressor going on :]
 
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On a side note. What was everyone's experience when they told friends and family that you are going to build an airplane in the garage? Mine has been mostly positively "there is something wrong with this guy, but that is really cool" usually followed by How are you paying for that??

I am building in the basement. Everyone asks me how I'm going to get it out. One one hand people are generally impressed that I am building an airplane but deep down they think I might be dumb enough to build a ship in a bottle.

I really hope they are wrong :D
 
Class act.

If you are here in the Willamette Valley, you might want to consider taking the empenage class from Synergy Air in Eugene.
I did, and it saved me time, money and hassle big time!
With Wally's help and guidance I completed my emp in five days....
and learned proper sheet metal techniques in the process.
Jim
 
If you are here in the Willamette Valley, you might want to consider taking the empenage class from Synergy Air in Eugene.
I did, and it saved me time, money and hassle big time!
With Wally's help and guidance I completed my emp in five days....
and learned proper sheet metal techniques in the process.
Jim

You are the 3rd or 4th person who has recommended Synergy. Perhaps I will check it out. In the other hand I am in no rush to finish this project mostly because the budget won't allow it.
 
Congrats!!
There is a saying: Every man should have a son and plant a tree.
Maybe it should read: Every man should have a son, plant a tree and build an RV :)
I have done three and is itching badly again ;)
 
Marcos,

Congrats again! It was great to meet you and Anita too. This will be a life changing experience for you to say the least. Take advantage of the benefits of the RV community to help your project succeed. VAF, EAA105, Synergy Air are all great resources. It will be like drinking from an information firehose for a while, but it's a great education and a very positive experience.

Blue skies!
 
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