OMG! My first flight in the RV-3B

I really hate reading these posts. Here I am with a brand new 3 in my hangar and I can't get insurance to fly it! It's ok though, these posts will give me motivation to build up my tail wheel time when I get to frisco.

Regarding the non Pre punched kit difficulty; remember the 3 is benefitted by being a small plane with low parts count and qb wings. If you can build the tail straight then the rest is smooth sailing.

Take a gander....

Since the QB wing is there for the -3, how much money would it take to get people to build the fuselage to the QB point? That way... it still falls under the rules and it's a win win for everybody! Anybody want to take a gander at what that would cost? I know there are a few mechanics looking for jobs here in the states..... The -3 is 14,810 plus another 4500.00 for the qb wing option. With a few misc charges... you are looking at about 20,000 for the -3 kit and the qb wing. I'm guessing it's about 11,000 for the quickbuild option for the other aircraft. That leaves a guess of about 25k for the "quickbuild kit" That leaves 5k for fuselage labor. Anybody think that's worth the effort? My guess is that with enough practice, the right tools and all the right jigs premade, 2 guys can build a fuselage to the qb stage in less than a month. I hear the quickest a -6 was built from a slow build kit was 6 months. Anybody want to wager that the same two guys could put out 2 fuselages in a month? 5k each for a months worth of work sounds pretty good to a mechanic that does not have a job to feed his family. Bang for the buck.... The RV-3 is the best thing going.... Every time I hop in mine, it's a huge reality check on spam cans. They see me go by at twice their speed and they always say... I wish I had one.... I chuckle and do 3 or 4 barrel rolls and say.... wish you did too.... then we could dogfight!!!!! I let a friend of mine fly mine.. he just finished his -8 and asked to fly mine again. I slyly asked him why and he replied that he wanted to build a -3... he was speechless after flying my -3. MORE DETAILS PLEASE! It's so nice to hear about a 3 being flown since there are so few of them!
Best
Brian

Factory upgrades to the -3B kit!

oceanbird said:

<snip> Is so difficult to retool a few bulkheads? Or cut a skin a bit longer? <snip>

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The factory is already at work making the -3B an easier kit (at least for the factory)...

The bulkheads and aileron bell cranks shipped in the -3 kits today are -4 parts. The bulkheads of course don't fit... but after you cut them in two and rivet in spacers, or you choose to remove the flange entirely and fit a new one like Paul & Louise did on Junior, your get a PERFECT fit!... Waaahooo!!... And although the geometry of the supplied -4 aileron bell crank is slightly different from the original -3, it's REALLY great to hear Paul & Louise's reports that control balance remains harmonious.

I apologize for the thread drift... getting old and the short term memory is failing. I'm back now...

Louise, YOU ROCK!

I am a modern builder, (have done 4 matched hole RV's so far) i like the modern kits, I will not try a RV3 until is has been updated. But I wish it was!

I don't understand it, if you know you have a good airplane, you own all the plans, you have the capability inhouse to update it, then sure it makes sense update the RV3 or in time the RV3 will wither away to the modern kits and that will be a real shame.

Those engineers at vans needs to be kept busy, the RV12 is long done, so what are they risking their time on then, will it be success? By a lot of accounts the RV3 is unique, so at least it warrants some effort to get updated to modern manufacturing.

Wishfull thinking...

Louise (and Paul), congrats on completing the -3 and your successful first flights. On reading your comments about how the -3 compares to your -6 and -8, I can't help but think I've ruined myself for other Van's models by starting out with a -3 (poor me!) It's great reading your thoughts as they echo mine very closely: this is a fantastic aircraft with outstanding handling characteristics.

oceanbird said:

The RV-3 is Van´s best plane and they don´t love it

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The RV-3 is not Van's best plane if you want to carry a passenger.

The RV-3 is not Van's best plane if you want a modern kit.

The RV-3 is not Van's best plane if you want three passengers.

The RV-3 is not Van's best plane if you want a kit that will sell enough units to keep the company in business.

The RV-3 is a really cool little airplane for a very narrow niche. I'm sure Vans thinks highly of it but fortunately the company has made a lot of good business decisions and is still around even though many of their contemporaries aren't.

Sam Buchanan said:

The RV-3 is a really cool little airplane for a very narrow niche.

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Really...? I guess that is why about 700 ++ Onex single place kits have been ordered so far from around the WORLD. I would like to own a piece of that "narrow niche".

Sam Buchanan said:

The RV-3 is a really cool little airplane for a very narrow niche. I'm sure Vans thinks highly of it but fortunately the company has made a lot of good business decisions and is still around even though many of their contemporaries aren't.

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I think this statement should be in red and the letters 3x. Not only is Vans engineering exceptional, the Vans business model is laser focused on viability via profitability. Many business leaders and politicians would be well served to study it.

OMG! II

I just got back from my first flight in Junior without gusty and/or cross-winds. The delight just grows! I can not believe the difference between this puppy and the other, wonderful RV models. I was just doing sawtooth performance climbs and a few practice stop-and-goes, yet it may have been my most fun flight ever. Finished the flight with a near perfect landing on our narrow (21'). Without the winds, it's a delight to land!

Sorry, Sam, but I'm convinced that the -3 IS the best airplane of the fleet. The other models are compromises for non-flight performance reasons. For Paul and me, if we could only have one airplane, it probably wouldn't be the -3. We like traveling together too much. However, if we have two or more planes (and our current health), I don't think we'll be without the -3 as a member of the fleet.

And, remember folks, we built this plane in about 2000 person-hours and one of us was a nearly complete neophyte with metal work, fiberglass, or anything in the shop. Paul must have spent 10% of his shop time mentoring and teaching me. I'm pretty sure we could build a second one in 1700 person-hours or less. The trail has been blazed and pretty well documented. It just isn't that hard for a repeat offender to build. (Yep, hats off to first time builders that complete a -3!)

RudiGreyling said:

Those engineers at vans needs to be kept busy, the RV12 is long done, so what are they risking their time on then, will it be success? By a lot of accounts the RV3 is unique, so at least it warrants some effort to get updated to modern manufacturing.

Wishfull thinking...

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No, it won't. The reality is there is a very limited market for single seat airplanes, and most buyers make the decision to go with something they can take a friend in. Especially in these times, people are most likely saying to themselves that if they have to purchase a Lycoming and avionics, then they might as well build the plane that can take two instead of one.

Market for QB RV-3?

If someone wants to investigate the matter in a business way, they can buy some fuselage kits and take them to a quick-build stage, with further hole locating and drilling as appropriate, and see if they sell.

Figure on the first one as a prototype for jib-building and learning. Might be a fun business once you get the process repeatable.

Dave

LifeofReiley said:

Really...? I guess that is why about 700 ++ Onex single place kits have been ordered so far from around the WORLD. I would like to own a piece of that "narrow niche".

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Affirm! I was on that Onex list but pulled out

Thanks Louis for this quote - "It just isn't that hard for a repeat offender to build. (Yep, hats off to first time builders that complete a -3!)".

Sadly, it is why I could not be an RV-3B builder. I might, just might, have one plane build in me and it would be a solo build. For now, I enjoy (with great appreciation and respect) the fruits of another builder's labor. I'll find other ways to contribute to this great community !

Ironflight said:

Uh...I had to change it BACK to "Track Up" when I got in...... I think we're going to need a hot-key to toggle it back and forth, right on the main screen. Or maybe a button on the stick....

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Ugh.

My day job airplanes all have track up on the EHSI. Never understood why anybody would've designed an instrument like that. For the first couple of years, I'd have to glance over at the RMI during single engine work to make sure I was maintaining my heading tolerances.

Enjoyed meeting you and your airplane, Paul. (Last summer at Bruce's. I was the guy with the J-3.)

PS- I looked at Louise's pictures of your first flight sequence. You dressed for the jump and not for the flight. Smart man. Kudos for taking it seriously.