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  #1  
Old 01-24-2011, 10:23 AM
jimpilot56 jimpilot56 is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Franklin County, VA
Posts: 5
Default 7a Quickbuild time estimate

Im very new to this forum, so please forgive me if this topic has been covered.
Im very interested in building the 7, and would like some idea of how much time the quickbuild kit saves, and approximately how many hours does the
QB kit require to complete. Thanks !
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  #2  
Old 01-24-2011, 11:04 AM
HowardGMac HowardGMac is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Spokane Valley, WA
Posts: 7
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Hello Jim,

I would definitely recommend looking over all of the information available on the Vans website in the Introduction, Building an RV, and Making the Decision sections. In particular the Building an RV, and Quickbuild Kits sections.
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  #3  
Old 01-24-2011, 11:04 AM
larrynew's Avatar
larrynew larrynew is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: In New Braunfels, ist das Leben schön!
Posts: 871
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Quote:
Spending 1800-2000 hours in the shop is going to be difficult. How would you like to hire a team of experienced experts, with over a thousand completed RV airframes on their resume, for twenty-five weeks, eight hours a day? They will build the first half of your kit, jigging and riveting about 75% of your metal airframe. They will do all the messy jobs, like sealing the fuel tanks and priming to protect against corrosion. They never leave a mess, make no noise, don?t need insurance and never want to use your bathroom. When they leave, you will have only 800-1200 hours of work to finish the airplane.
I'm not building a quickbuild but I have built a lot of trust in what Van says about anything to do with building his aircraft. Everything has been spot-on thorough the wings. The above is the quote from Van's website at this page: http://www.vansaircraft.com/public/kit-qb.htm
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Larry New
RV-7A - Built, flying 900+ hrs
RV-10 - Built, flying 2.9 hrs
??? - RV-12, Subsonex
48 States in 7 Days!
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  #4  
Old 01-24-2011, 11:10 AM
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tomwebster tomwebster is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 373
Default

We built a RV7AQB in 4.5 years.
I was retired but don't think I
worked over 2-3 hours a day
on week days only.

The following items changed the time
to build the RV:
I had another plane to fly
through out the build.
More important was the fact we
did not deviate from the plans
where time might be added to
finish the plane. If Vans/vendors had a
time saving kit we bought it.
We also have the basic round
instruments, CHT/EGT, one radio/Xponder,
intercom and a portable GPS.

Although I wish I had incorporated
some after-market items, a time
estimate might go off the charts
when you deviate from the plans.

Our attitude was that I was too old
to slow build our RV,
Tom
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VAF-134
Columbus, Ohio
Luscombe 8A/E (sold after 35 years)
RV-7A N462TW (315 hours)
CX4 (under construction)
Friends of the RV-1 http://www.rv-1.org/
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  #5  
Old 01-24-2011, 11:16 AM
Bavafa Bavafa is offline
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 3,351
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It will partly depend on the experience level, how focused one is in building, how complex of a plane and the finishing quality, my guess is about 1200-1500 hours.
I never kept a good track of my building time but a good guess is around 1500 hours. This is on a bit more complex type panel and a rather professional paint job. It took me 14 months from start to the first flight.
Good luck, it can be a wonderful and a life time experience
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N825SM RV7A - IO360M1B - SOLD
N825MS RV14A - IO390 - Flying
Dues paid
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  #6  
Old 01-24-2011, 11:29 AM
jimpilot56 jimpilot56 is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Franklin County, VA
Posts: 5
Default Thanks

Tom,

I did a little guestimate math and 2 hours a day, 5 days a week is
520 hours a year....times 4.5 years....is 2340 hours....

Im hoping that you were in fact taking this at relaxed pace, or the
Van's estimate of 800 to 1200 for a QB is way off. I do gather from your
post that you werent in a huge rush, given you had an aircraft to fly in the meantime.

Based on the extra cost of the quickbuild kit, and the approximate time it appears to cost roughly 10-12 bucks an hour for the saved hours....cheap in
my opinion. I love to build and fly.....but I like to fly more than I like to
build....and the RV7aQB seems the ideal candidate for this endeavor If I can
pull this off in the time that Bavafa did (14 months) then I up to the task !
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  #7  
Old 01-24-2011, 12:26 PM
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tomwebster tomwebster is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 373
Default

I had never done the math and agree that
my hours were most likely less than 2000.
Family vacations, etc., also kept me from
the project some as well as some waiting
for shipment of kits and parts.
The RV was my first homebuilt project.

EDIT: The early kits weren't completely
prepunched and some jigging was needed
for the tail feathers. The lowest realistic
build time for me would still be 1500 hours.

I might add it was important to keep my
project at home as long as possible.
I moved to my hangar about 2 months
before inspection and first flight.
I had to assemble at the airport because
I built the RV in a single car garage.

Bottom line: I missed the building and am
about a year into another plane.
This one is a plans only, Thatcher CX4,
Tom
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Tom Webster (Chox)
VAF-134
Columbus, Ohio
Luscombe 8A/E (sold after 35 years)
RV-7A N462TW (315 hours)
CX4 (under construction)
Friends of the RV-1 http://www.rv-1.org/

Last edited by tomwebster : 01-24-2011 at 12:54 PM. Reason: add text
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  #8  
Old 01-24-2011, 01:27 PM
jimpilot56 jimpilot56 is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Franklin County, VA
Posts: 5
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Tom,

Makes sense and I appreciate the input...

Ive owned 4 aircraft (C150, Cherokee 140, Arrow and currently a Beech B95 money pit...) The RV would be my first build, but Ive done lots of signed off
work on my other aircraft, so Im not jumping in cold turkey.

Im quite impressed with the forum and am certain it will be a major source of information, inspiration and solace from time to time.

Thanks !

Jim
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  #9  
Old 01-24-2011, 03:09 PM
John Courte John Courte is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 634
Default

Been working on mine for 4.5 years so far. 5 if you count the empennage. If I'm lucky and I don't make a complete hash of it, I should be flying by August.
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  #10  
Old 01-25-2011, 06:13 AM
robertahegy's Avatar
robertahegy robertahegy is offline
Moderator/Tech Counselor
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: East Troy, WI
Posts: 1,983
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I built my QB RV-7A in 1300 hrs over 18 months. That included painting, interior, and avionics. I did have the radio harness made for me by an avionics shop and I had an upholsterer do the seat cushions. I did not count my husband's help which I estimate at about 3-400 hrs. He bucked rivets, cleaned up the shop after me, mixed paint and helped with some of the interior. This is actual working time on the plane. Planning, designing, building a spray booth, and shopping for parts and accessories was also extra time. I worked a full time job during the build. I am a skilled, technically minded person. This was my second airplane build. The first was a SeaRey two place amphibian. I have extensive experience as a hobbyist and wood worker. I had no prior experience with building solid flush riveted aluminum aircraft.

Skill levels, skill sets, organizational skills, your work space, the quality of your tools and your ambition level all play important roles in how quickly you build and the level of quality in your build. While mine was not show quality, it is certainly well above the average.

Hope this helps,

Roberta

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Built/Flew an RV-7A
Air Troy Estates, East Troy, WI
Ford Expedition and TRICE "Q"
Built Glen L "ZIP" Classic Outboard Runabout and Super Spartan Hydroplane
Glen L Torpedo
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