Pre-build Intimidation

[RScott]

What Don said is right on. Find a local EAA chapter at http://eaa.org/chapters/locator/

Check out the RV White Pages on this site and see if there are any builders listed for your area. I haven't met a builder yet who wouldn't let me visit his project. Offer to help & you'll get more from it than the guy you help.

The RV White Pages only lists people who posted their info--there are a lot more builders than you find there. If you ask, Van's might send you a list of nearby builders sorted by zip code, so be ready to supply a list of local zip codes.

Years ago I bought an RV-6A tail kit that someone else had abandoned--lost his medical. Like you, I was intimidated. I didn't do a thing with it. Over the next few years I did some soul searching and when Van's brought out the RV-9 and SynergyAir started giving classes, I switched to an RV-9A & took the class. Although I am slow, I am half way thru the project and intimidation is not a problem.

Anyone want an RV-6A tail kit?

[llavalle]

I know there are a lot of reasons to start building now instead of later but here's my reason.

I'm 25, obviously not retired . I don't really have to money to operate the plane right now (hangar, insurance, maintenance, fuel) so I did not want to start now. Then I read a posting, something like 8 months ago, about a guy that was saying "I wish I started when I was younger. Now I can't even see if the rivet's hole is dimpled or not, my back hurt for 2 weeks because I bend over for 5min for 1 or 2 rivets, I can't work late at night because I get tired, etc etc".

That was it for me : why wait? what's the point? It will be a couple of months or even years before I can afford the engine and panel but there is plenty of work to do on the airframe. And if for some reasons I don't have money for the engine and it's the only thing left, I'll just set aside the project for a while. It's not costing anything while it's sitting in my garage! This is why I'm going slow-build and not building a RV-12. Don't get me wrong, I love the RV-12, but it's too fast a build for me : I'll run out of money before running out of work!

It's actually a good "perspective giving" project. You remember you paid $2400 to get leather in your car.. wow that would have bought a lot of tools or a small EFIS.

Not having the skills is not really an issue : I'm a software developer, I'm not that much of a "work with your hands" type. I learned a lot and there is nothing like the feeling you get when you hold your HS, all riveted and shiny!

You also meet great people, you deal with great companies (why can't car dealers have the same level of customer service as the peoples involved in the RV world : Avery, Cleaveland, Plane Tools, Van's and Stein to name a few.)

I'm just back from Oshkosh : if you can go there, do it! It was my first Oshkosh, my first RV ride... what a thrill.

For me, it just started as a joke between me and my brother : "hey, we could build a plane... nan.. no way!". 8 months later and I'm working on my first wing kit. I "wasted" 4 years (bought the plans back in 2004) before starting up. I also "wasted" a lot of money on stupid stuff like a new LCD tv, a new car, a new computer, a motorcycle... that would have paid for the engine and more!

Take it one step at a time, don't look at the whole thing, it'll scare you (wings, tanks, fuse, engine, finish kit, paint, fiberglass, paperwork, insurance, hangar, fuel).

Dive in, I'm pretty sure you won't regret it... and if, for some reasons, you do.. just sell the tail kit and the tools! You won't loose a lot of money.

[thinkn9a]

Hey, I was "fairly confident" I could handle and wanted to work a build project,... however,.... Marietta has a picture of me standing next to the project we bought to finish out.

Hey,... the eyes WERE SMALLER than saucers,.. ok,.. not by much,.. but they were smaller... really,... it did kinda hit home...

But WE worked through it,... good times and good work some days,... time to stop and do other things other days, when tired and frustrated. When it got real hard, time to check in on the web (VAF) and get, near instant, great support, or give a call to someone who could help. It was kinda interesting when some days you could see progress... others you would go for a while and not see much,.. and then it would come together. (ok I'm kinda ADD so I would jump around sometimes due to resource or inspiration limitations)

We enjoyed working together on the project... and the grins at the end were BIGGER than saucers,... so it all worked out.

Good luck and let us know. We are over on Mississippi coast, and Marietta is ready with pics and sales pitch if you need it.

[ericwolf]

As others have probably told you already and will tell you - don't look at the project in its entirety, but rather many smaller projects. There were times throughout my project that I became intimidated by upcoming steps. For example, I was intimidated by fiberglass work when working on the metal fuselage. Then I was concerned about the canopy when I was working on the fiberglass fairings. As I got close to finishing the airplane, I was intimidated by things like maintenance, engine operation, proper book keeping, etc. The best way to deal with this intimidation is to focus on the task at hand. Much of building an airplane is learning how to do it - and that is what you will do.

[larrynew]

"You should never fail to start a project because you don't know how to do some aspect of the work. Start anyway. That forces you to learn." Cory Bird (of Burt Rutan fame)

I'm still a newbie but the "learning something new" has been my favorite part so far...

From Rosie: And may I add, "If you don't start, you'll never finish."

[DanH]

Michael,

Having seen too many butchered, unfinished examples, I'm absolutely sure some guys should not try to build an airplane. At this point nobody, including me, has the slightest idea if you're one of them, a future grand champion, or somewhere in between. Heck, even you don't know.

Build the practice kits. That's why they exist.

[llavalle]

Originally Posted by DanH

...sip...
Build the practice kits. That's why they exist.

Yep, both of them. I build the toolbox : it was fun but the airfoil will give you a better idea of what to expect.

[rbibb]

The only way to get over the fear is to get started. I used to be afraid I would not be able to fly a higher performance airplane as I learned in a Champ. Then I realized that if some 600,000 19 year olds right off the farm could do it in WWII so could I.

Same with building - most of us who have built had little to no experience doing the type of sheet metal fabrication required. That is what is so great about the empennage kit. By the time you finish it you will have gained the knowledge that few mistakes are fatal to the project, those that are are easily repaired, replacement parts are readily available if necessary, and you who literally don't know which end of a rivet gun to aim with will have become as competent as all the "Rosie the Riveters" who won the air war in WWII.

I hate the ad campaign but the phase "just do it" seem appropriate.

[CNEJR]

Originally Posted by DanH

Michael,

Having seen too many butchered, unfinished examples, I'm absolutely sure some guys should not try to build an airplane. At this point nobody, including me, has the slightest idea if you're one of them, a future grand champion, or somewhere in between. Heck, even you don't know.

Build the practice kits. That's why they exist.

I agree with Dan. I built 30% scale RC for years, some of which took longer than my RV6. After just finishing my 6, I'm not real keen on jumping on another project. There were many times, I wanted to quit, looking back at all the time, effort & money, I can't understand why I didn't. You do the absolute best you can, one day you look up and there's nothing left to do, if you worked steady and did your best, you probably will wind up with a really good airplane. Worked for me, but building is not for everyone, only you can make that decision.

Now I have to tell you, flying your "own airplane" soothes all the pain.

[MJarreau]

Ron B.: I have been carefully watching a handful of websites for several years, watching progress, so, while your observations are welcome, I think I would enjoy the build part.

fstringham7a: Loved the Boogyman!

Jeff R: I, too, have felt that there were things I was ready to start after completing them... ..usually intimidating things

Flytoboat: I belong to EAA-1209 (2R5) - joined 2 years ago. Also just met another building less than 2 miles from my house.

thinkn9a: Wallace, sent pm.

DanH: Bought the practice kits... ..I guess they won't build themselves.


All: Thanks for your wisdom and incites. As with other posts I have read, this is inspirational.

I'll keep you posted!
Michael