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04-04-2015, 06:39 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 114
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What else did you consider
Hello everyone, I have been lurking for a while and finally decided to post. Depending on the outcome of some news I am set to hear about in 2 weeks, i could start my first build. So I am in the very (pre) early stages of this, but I wanted to get your insight. What other home built airplanes did you consider to fulfill the mission you get with the 7 (other than other vans models)? I am looking forward to getting to know everyone and want to thank you in advanced for all the help.
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-Hawk
Last edited by thoma015 : 04-04-2015 at 07:10 PM.
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04-04-2015, 06:52 PM
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Moderator, Asst. Line Boy
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Flower Mound, TX
Posts: 1,473
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Hi Hawk,
First off (on Mike Starkey's behalf), welcome to the good ship VAF.
I started wanting to build a Titan T-51...still do. However, I want my bride to fly with me, and she does NOT want to fly in the back seat of anything. She wants to sit beside me.
I then looked at the RV-7 and the Mustang II. I actually like the looks of the Mustang II more, particularly the wing's shape. Performance is close. However, I reasoned that I should pick an aircraft kit whose chances of successful completion are highest. Like all Van's kits, the RV-7 construction is well proven and, in my case, achievable. In addition, RV's have huge amounts of support. Therefore, I selected the RV.
The more I build, the more I've come to truly love this design, particularly with the options I selected (tipper, tricycle, etc). I believe when we finally get "Kelli Girl" airborne on our future XC flights, we'll find that traveling in the RV is more comfortable than the Mustang II.
On a side note, I thought briefly about a Glassair. Fiberglass kicks my butt, so I took less time thinking about it than it took to type this paragraph.
Hope that helps.
__________________
Scroll
Sid "Scroll" Mayeux, Col, USAF (ret)
52F NW Regional/Aero Valley Airport, Roanoke TX (home of DR's Van Cave)
"KELLI GIRL" N260KM RV-7A tipper
Catch her on YouTube's "Because I Fly!" channel
Exemption waived.
Proud and grateful 2020 -=VAF=- Contributor
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04-04-2015, 07:03 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Estes Park, CO
Posts: 3,947
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Welcome
Welcome Hawk
Like Scroll said...
Pre-punched & proven with lots of builder support= greatest possibility of success.
__________________
Larry Larson
Estes Park, CO
http://wirejockrv7a.blogspot.com
wirejock at yahoo dot com
Donated 12/03/2019, plus a little extra.
RV-7A #73391, N511RV reserved (2,000+ hours)
HS SB, empennage, tanks, wings, fuse, working finishing kit
Disclaimer
I cannot be, nor will I be, held responsible if you try to do the same things I do and it does not work and/or causes you loss, injury, or even death in the process.
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04-04-2015, 08:56 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Edmonton, AB
Posts: 216
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Reasearch!!
The big factor for me was that I only can have one plane (for now), so it had to be one that could be good at everything. Short trips, Long trips, aerobatics, etc... I had my eye on the glassair ii, iii and the Vans.
Then I had to factor in build method. Aluminum suited my build situation much better. I only had short blocks of time (sometimes only an hour a night) and I wanted to work in my garage for as much as I could. Fiberglass often requires you to commit a few more hours in a given work period. I also wanted a splashy paint job. So that ruled out fiberglass (Fiberglass planes can only be primarily white)
I also liked the thought of Aluminum. There is just something to it that I was attracted to. I think it is the material of the golden age of flying and I wanted to experience what those plane builders where doing. So then Vans was it for me.
I looked at all the other models, and for me I settled on side by side just because I like the idea of having someone sit beside me on long flights. (Although tandem models are a bit faster...darn).
Had I not be set on a side by side or pre-punched, I might have looked into a Harmon Rocket II (Which is a modification of a Van's Kit) ....Wow that plane gives me goosebumps!!!!
Inline with Wirejocks comments about great support...The 7 is very popular so they is a ton of build logs and aftermarket parts, engine choices, props, etc. for the plane which is always a bonus!!
The toughest decision for me was either the 7 or the 7A. I'm still agonizing if I made the right choice.
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04-05-2015, 06:44 AM
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Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 2,692
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My selection process lasted 30+ years. Dad wanted a T-18. When Polen's Mustang was on the cover, I wanted one of those. The six cylinder Glasairs stole my heart in the 80's but I could not afford one so I came really close to ordering a Q-200 kit. Life changed, flying on hold, raised kids. Got back into flying and was flipping a coin between a Cozy and an RV. I wanted a glass bird but my shop was a full basement in the northeast. I knew my wife would not like the epoxy fumes in the winter, plus all the sanding dust. So..metal it was and is.
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Bill Pendergrass
ME/AE '82
RV-7A: Flying since April 15, 2012. 850 hrs
YIO-360-M1B, mags, CS, GRT EX and WS H1s & A/P, Navworx
Unpainted, polished....kinda'... Eyeballin' vinyl really hard.
Yeah. The boss got a Silhouette Cameo 4 Xmas 2019.
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04-05-2015, 06:57 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 56
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It might also be helpful to look at resale values of various planes. Not that you build with the intent of selling, but I think it's a pretty fair measure of a plane's value.
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Bud Newhouse
RV8
Lunken Airport
Cincinnati
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04-05-2015, 07:14 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Omaha, NE (KMLE)
Posts: 2,247
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I looked at the Velocity. They're pretty cool, but they seem to need more (and better) runway than I thought I'd have everywhere I wanted to fly. I didn't like the landing speed/distance or climb performance as much as the RV. I also am not a big fiberglass fan, and the baggage space seemed to be very limited.
I looked at the Glasair Sportsman. I REALLY like the 1000# useful load, and I might even be willing to give up the cruise speed to get it. But honestly I like the look of a low wing airplane better... and they are certainly not cheap to build. Cavernous area for packing bags though. If I couldn't have an RV it would probably be my second choice.
More recently, when I was thinking of going LSA, I looked at the Bearcat LSA. The kit offered is kind of bare bones - buy the kit, then figure out all the hardware and parts you need that you don't have, then go buy all that, rinse, repeat.
Nothing that I looked at was going to cost less in terms of cash or time or work than the RV7. And none of them would do what the RV7 will.
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Dale
Omaha, NE
RV-12 # 222 N980KM "Screamin' Canary" (bought flying)
Fisher Celebrity (under construction)
Previous RV-7 project (sold)
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04-05-2015, 07:36 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Delta, CO/Atlin, BC
Posts: 2,391
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aero_Octaveus
(Fiberglass planes can only be primarily white)
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Why is this?
Greg
__________________
Greg Arehart
RV-9B (Big tires) Tipup @AJZ or CYSQ
N 7965A
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04-05-2015, 08:00 AM
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Harrisburg, Pa
Posts: 759
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aero_Octaveus
(Fiberglass planes can only be primarily white)
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Is this accurate? Isn't the Cirrus fiberglass? Perhaps they use some sort of process - always thought they were painted. I've always really liked their schemes on the newer planes.

Last edited by 60av8tor : 04-05-2015 at 08:03 AM.
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04-05-2015, 08:11 AM
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 4,218
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Greg Arehart
Why is this?
Greg
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Temperatures. If glass airplanes get hot, the structure weakens. So you paint them white so they stay cooler sitting out on the ramp in a sunny/warm climate. There is a very large temperature difference between a white airplane and a dark airplane in those circumstances.
__________________
Kyle Boatright
Marietta, GA
2001 RV-6 N46KB
2019(?) RV-10
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