Thinking about starting a RV-8

[Jetspud]

Hello,

My name is David Elizondo, currently located in Shreveport La. I am a mechanic for the airlines with all my pilot ratings. Maintance wise I have done it all except sheet metal or composites. I was wanting to start a Rv-8 and was looking for some input on my ideas that I had.

First I was thinking of starting to buy the most expensive part of the kit, the fuse, and working my way down price wise. I was going to start with the tail but figure I rather buy the more expensive parts and work down. What did yall do when it came to decideing what to get first

Second, The only sheet metal experiance I have is when i was in A&P school and a few little jobs around work that I have volenteered to do. I have alot of sheet metal friends that want to help but you know how that goes everyone wants to help untell it comes time to actually doing it.. What kind of experiance did you guys have

Im going to schedual a tour at the factory in april to fiind out more about the projetct and mabey get a ride in the 8..

Thanks for your input..

David Elizondo

[Adam Oke]

Originally Posted by Jetspud

What kind of experience did you guys have

Zero.

Van's Instructions, Builder Web Sites, VAF, YouTube, and EAA Videos are apart of my ongoing training. It has been more than sufficient so far for sheet metal work ... I just worry about the FWF stage . I'm sure with your mechanical background you will have no issue jumping right in.

[Mike S]

Originally Posted by Jetspud

Hello,

My name is David Elizondo, currently located in Shreveport La.

David Elizondo

David, welcome to VAF

Good to have you as part of the family.

[scsmith]

Van's will recommend, and most everyone will agree, it is best to start with the tail, then wings, then fuselage.

Several reasons:
1) The tail parts are inexpensive, so as you are learning sheet metal work, if you goof, its not very expensive to do something over again

2) the tail parts are inexpensive, so if you get into it and change your mind and decide that home building is not for you, you have relatively small investment.

3) Think about storage of the completed parts as you go. If you build the tail, then the wings, then the fuselage, you don't need very much storage space to store the tail and wings while you are working on the fuselage (which takes the longest). If you were to do the fuselage first, then you would have to store it while you build the wings and tail.

4) the instructions have been written assuming that you learn as you go. So, the tail kit instructions are very detailed, step-by-step, with lots of tips and help on developing basic sheet metal skills. The wing kit instructions are less detailed, but still thorough. The fuselage instructions are more big picture procedures and to a greater extent, assume that you know how to read the drawings and make parts and assemble them.

As far as the actual sheet metal work, with the matched-hole kits, it really is kind of a "put tab A into slot B" kind of thing. You need to drill, deburr, dimple and rivet a lot of parts, but everything fits together very well. It doesn't take long to develop riveting technique, and there's lots of tips on the finer points here on the forum.

Good Luck!

[Andy Hill]

David...

Little I'd disagree with in the above posts, and wholeheartedly agree "start with the tail"

1st thing to do is pay the ~$55 and get the "Preview Plans" which is the Build Manual as well, from "how to rivet..." to "how to test fly". You'll then see the above points about the level of instruction for each kit.

One other aspect is the Wings and Fuselage kits tend to have long lead times, especially if you go Quickbuild, whereas if you decide to go with the Empennage Kit first, order on Monday, you'll have it before Friday

[Bastien]

Welcome David,

I also agree with Andy on this point. Building the tail is a way to know if you will be technically able to complete the plane (even if I think in your case and with the experience you have there is no reason to worry about). The tail is the part of the plane in which you will learn all the tips for riveting, dimpling, bending, etc..

Moreover, the parts in this section are not very expensive and shipping cost for new ones are acceptable. In the fuselage if you make an error( for example on a longeron) it could be expensive as shipping costs could become very high.

This is just my opinion and maybe because I live on the other side of the atlantic ocean.

You can't go wrong with the 8

Have a good day

[DaAV8R]

for all the reasons listed above.

I didn't have any metal experience when I started. My tail and wings are done. I just unboxed the fuse (slow build) and it is a lot of stuff. I don't think the fuse would be the place to start.

If you like projects though, it is a great project.

Just my $.02.

[Sid Lambert]

Originally Posted by scsmith

4) the instructions have been written assuming that you learn as you go. So, the tail kit instructions are very detailed, step-by-step, with lots of tips and help on developing basic sheet metal skills. The wing kit instructions are less detailed, but still thorough. The fuselage instructions are more big picture procedures and to a greater extent, assume that you know how to read the drawings and make parts and assemble them.

This is dead on for the -7 and -4 at least. The emp kit tells you to hold you hand this way and stick your tongue out in that way and the wing tells you to hold you hand that way. The fuselage just says 'build it'...

Good luck in whatever you decide.

[msturgis]

Originally Posted by Jetspud

Hello,

My name is David Elizondo, currently located in Shreveport La. I am a mechanic for the airlines with all my pilot ratings. Maintance wise I have done it all except sheet metal or composites. I was wanting to start a Rv-8 and was looking for some input on my ideas that I had.

First I was thinking of starting to buy the most expensive part of the kit, the fuse, and working my way down price wise. I was going to start with the tail but figure I rather buy the more expensive parts and work down. What did yall do when it came to decideing what to get first

Second, The only sheet metal experiance I have is when i was in A&P school and a few little jobs around work that I have volenteered to do. I have alot of sheet metal friends that want to help but you know how that goes everyone wants to help untell it comes time to actually doing it.. What kind of experiance did you guys have

Im going to schedual a tour at the factory in april to fiind out more about the projetct and mabey get a ride in the 8..

Thanks for your input..

David Elizondo

Hey David. You a Jetlinker like my self? I've been doing a bunch of test flights out in SHV lately since they are only letting us Managment types do the tests. In fact I was talking about the -8 to some of the guys just before I took one up after C check. (rudder sys 1 kept failing in flight case you remember it)

Feel free to give me a call, or if you make it to IAH I'd be glad to show you my build.

Matt Sturgis. 832-969-2138

[zspivey]

Jetspud, you might try to make a trip to Farmerville in Union Parish. The airport is F87. We have an RV6A, 4 RV7A's 2 RV8's and an RV9A stationed there. Seems like there is always another RV under construction.
F87 is closed for the installation of runway lights. It should re-open by mid April. When it is open there is always some one flying on any Saturday