|
-
POSTING RULES

-
Donate yearly (please).
-
Advertise in here!
-
Today's Posts
|
Insert Pics
|

09-15-2012, 05:20 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 37
|
|
My 2 cents
I was in a similar situation with my -4 at times - long, frequent deployments and expensive hangar space. So here are two simple truths I learned:
1. If you can't afford to hangar an airplane, then you can't afford an airplane.
2. If you won't be flying it regularly, then you shouldn't be buying an airplane.
Even when you're not deployed there will be other more important things that compete for your free time. The rain and salt will wither your airplane outside and it will depreciate fast.
If you wait a few years until your life is more stable, the whole experience we'll be much more enjoyable.
Anyway, just a heavy dose of reality you probably had no desire to hear :-p
Mike
|

09-15-2012, 06:26 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Marysville, WA
Posts: 521
|
|
Jake,
There are a couple of other options, but it would require getting to know some people. You might want to take a trip down to Arlington (KAWO), there are a lot of RV's there. I know of a few people who haved shared hangars, there are some of the hangars that will hold 2 or 3 RVs. I had a friend who had an RV-4 who shared a hangar with 2 other RV-4s. They were also comfortable sharing each others airplanes and so such an arrangement could result in an airplane getting exercised regularly.
Skagit (KBVS) also has some larger hangars that would likely have room to share. The drawback here is that phone and email isn't going to get you in the right door, you need to spend time hanging out at the airport and meet the right people.
If you would like to come down to Arlington some Saturday I could probable introduce you to some people who may (or may not) be able to help.
I just bought an RV-4 and am learning about its care and feeding. In fact, I even think I am going to be totally masochistic and build one.
__________________
Steve Rush
Arlington, WA
ArlingtonRV on YouTube
RV-8 (Bought Flying)
Glasair Sportsman (Sold)
RV-8 Tail, QB Fuselage (Sold)
RV-4 (Bought Flying) (Sold)
RV-9 Tail
RV-12 120018 Flying (Sold)
RV-7 Tail, Wings, Started Fuse (Sold)
|

09-15-2012, 06:28 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: George West, TX
Posts: 567
|
|
Uuuh Ouch!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikkee1
I was in a similar situation with my -4 at times - long, frequent deployments and expensive hangar space. So here are two simple truths I learned:
1. If you can't afford to hangar an airplane, then you can't afford an airplane.
2. If you won't be flying it regularly, then you shouldn't be buying an airplane.
Even when you're not deployed there will be other more important things that compete for your free time. The rain and salt will wither your airplane outside and it will depreciate fast.
If you wait a few years until your life is more stable, the whole experience we'll be much more enjoyable.
Anyway, just a heavy dose of reality you probably had no desire to hear :-p
Mike
|
Oh man, the truth really hurts! Some good advice there Jake. You can rent a really nice aircraft & be ahead of the game. That will save you $$ and stress from worrying about your bird.
Good luck & thank you & your crew for your service.
Cheers,
__________________
Deal Fair
RV-4 (N34CB)
George West, TX (8T6)
|

09-15-2012, 06:51 PM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Posts: 55
|
|
Thank you guys again for the tips,
Mikkee1- you are 100% accurate in the truth, however, I really do not have any other commitments other than work. I am single, no children, and enjoy fixing and working on many projects in my abundant homecycle free time. (restored a couple cars, build R/C planes, refurbished a sailboat and learned to sail... )
I have, for the past two years, done nothing but work, go to school, and fly. I have spent quite a bit on rentals and flying clubs and do not often fly with passenger, tho there are a few occasions where I do and if I owned a plane it would happen more often.
I feel that I am in a good a point as any to start a flying project or buy an RV.
-I have, since this thread was published, found a couple good hanger deals and decided to Not leave a plane outside, the $230 a month is well worth it.-
I would like to acquire an airplane before the wife and kids come along, a little easier decision to make being single
@ArlingtonRV - I will be home in December and will come see you on a nice Saturday for sure! I have considered a co-op hanger deal- and it may prove to be even more cost effective in the end. Plus a few good guys to shoot the breeze with on deck.
I grew up flying in to the Arlington EAA Fly In every summer with my friend and his Cardinal (I washed the airplane for my ticket) and once I was old enough to drive I drove myself to stay even longer oogling at all the fancy homebuilt airplanes. I even got a few rides, unfortunately No RVs tho... I was too shy to ask I suppose. In awe of the 'celebrity' pilots who could build their own airplane.
At any rate- I will be in the Navy another 4 years now in WA and much longer if they let me (they will have to kick me out someday- Im not going anywhere...Except up maybe) and I have been very fortunate to get an amazing job and work with lots of good people.
Flying has always been my passion and I think now is a good time to get into my own airplane. Whether I build or fly, or both (see masochistic* haha).
Affordability is relative. I can always cut out things I do not need (weekend parties with the guys/car payment/ fancy clothes/ cool cell phones) and in turn save a load of money and fund what really drives me.
It will be an interesting journey.
__________________
Jake Frantz
Constantly Moving...
Lumbering around in a King Air 90 wishing I was flying an RV 
Waiting to pull the trigger on an RV-14
Last edited by NavyIBNFE : 09-15-2012 at 06:56 PM.
|

09-15-2012, 10:26 PM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Wichita Falls, TX
Posts: 2,182
|
|
Exxon Elite 20/50 oil helps a bit to fight internal corrosion in an engine that isn't flown frequently. I used in in my Cherokee when it was only getting flown about once a month, and for the last year I owned it, only put 16 hours on it. Its engine was still shiny clean inside when I sold it, so there is some truth to their advertising hype that it's good to use in infrequently-flown engines. Still, the engine really needs to be run up to full operating temps for at least 15-20 minutes every few weeks... probably more frequently in a humid climate.
IMHO, storing an RV outdoors is not very good, it will undoubtedly suffer damage from that. For storage, an RV needs to be cared for much like a rag & tube aircraft if you don't want it to deteriorate from the elements.
__________________
Neal Howard
Airplaneless once again...
Last edited by Neal@F14 : 09-15-2012 at 10:30 PM.
|

09-17-2012, 03:37 PM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: TX32
Posts: 1,891
|
|
Get out!
Hi again Jake,
When I built my RV4 in 97' I was living in DC and on a tight budget. I couldn't afford to paint or hangar my RV4. The answer was to treat it with corrosion-X and have a cover made. A full-body cover that is...
Bruce of Bruce's custom covers made me a RV4 cover that literally covered the entire airframe, stem to stern. It took about 15 minutes to install and 5 to remove. I had my RV4 outside for 2 years in rain, heat, cold and Nor-Easters with nary a scratch. Later I would sell the cover to my best bro and his RV4 had it on in Tucson for 4 more years!
There are always options!
V/R
Smokey
|

10-08-2012, 11:51 AM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Seattle
Posts: 104
|
|
keeping your RV outside
I parked my RV3 outside on the ramp at PAE (Everett WA) for seven years. This area is 600feet up from the Puget Sound waterways, and that seemed to eliminate the salt corrosion problem. I monitored the airframe and borescoped the engine regularly - no problems at all. The brake discs will rust, but flying once a week will keep them from pitting. I had an old primer-only coat of paint on it (Dupont Variprime), which faded in the sun and washed off in the rain, but I got it properly painted about 18 months ago and the crew reported no corrosion problems at all on the outer skins. My inner skins are all primered with the same stuff used on float-planes, so no problem internally. I did everything out there on the ramp - oil changes, propeller swaps, carburator changes, new exhaust pipes, annuals - I even took the plane apart for painting and put it back together afterwards, all out there on the ramp! You get to know weather patterns intimately - when you can do maintenance and when to stay home. I got a big umbrella to put up over the engine area when changing oil and whatnot in the hot summer sun. That doesn't work in windy conditions, however, but you stay home when it's too windy anyway.
Fly it at least once a week and change oil regularly (I used Exxon Elite), and it should be fine. Lots of airplanes park out there - why not an RV??
- Steven
700+ RV3 hours
(another hour yesterday!)
P.S. I recently got a hanger at PAE and love it! But I'll never forget life on the ramp, and how tuned into the weather and outdoor environment you can get!
P.P.S. I used covers for the canopy, engine and prop. A good local cover vendor is:
Aviation Covers, Inc.
18712 59th. Dr. NE
Arlington, WA 98223
Ph# 1-800-940-0342
Ph# 1-360-435-0342
Fax# 1-360-435-7405
http://www.aviationcovers.com/
|

10-08-2012, 12:02 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Seattle
Posts: 104
|
|
keeping your RV outside ...
... and oh, btw, use two covers on the canopy. If you use just one, condensation will form under the cover and the canopy will get drippy wet. Also, a single cover will beat against the canopy in the wind and can scuff it (which I found out the hard way). Two covers keeps everything dry and pristine.
-Steven
|

10-25-2012, 01:00 PM
|
 |
|
|
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Mead, WA
Posts: 198
|
|
Have you considered outside tiedown when you're at home and maybe, since you're out of town anyway, hangar out-of-town while deployed. Since you're gone for months anyway what about hangarspace somewhere like Moses Lake, Wenatchee or even Spokane. Yes, a thousand miles away from Whidbey but a much drier climate and maybe even cheaper hangar fees.
Just curious, where do you plan on parking the RV outside? Whidbey's aero club or is there another location close by?
__________________
Stitch
MSgt, USAF, Ret.
RV-8 Dreamer
|
| Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
|
| Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:57 AM.
|