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Van's Recommended Books

Which have you read and thought were useful?

  • AIRCRAFT SHEET METAL CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR

    Votes: 5 15.6%
  • SHEET METAL, Vol. #1

    Votes: 4 12.5%
  • THE SPORTPLANE BUILDER

    Votes: 5 15.6%
  • FIREWALL FORWARD

    Votes: 15 46.9%
  • SPORTPLANE CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES

    Votes: 7 21.9%
  • THE AEROELECTRIC CONNECTION

    Votes: 29 90.6%
  • BUILDING THE METAL AIRPLANE

    Votes: 3 9.4%
  • LIGHT AIRPLANE CONSTRUCTION

    Votes: 4 12.5%

  • Total voters
    32
  • Poll closed .

gregfuess

Well Known Member
Van's recommends eight books in the RV-14 introduction page. Who's read them, and who recommends them? I am having trouble finding them. Avery Enterprises for example, closed in 2020 when Judy Avery died. I can't find many at the EAA website, either.

Any help?

AIRCRAFT SHEET METAL CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR

SHEET METAL, Vol. #1

THE SPORTPLANE BUILDER

FIREWALL FORWARD

SPORTPLANE CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES

THE AEROELECTRIC CONNECTION
(A great source for wiring information)

BUILDING THE METAL AIRPLANE

LIGHT AIRPLANE CONSTRUCTION
 
The FAA-H-8083 series handbooks are also good.

They are recently published and available online, with plenty of good pictures and descriptions which are often easier to understand than the corresponding sections of AC43-13.
 
FAA

Another not on the list is AC43-13b!

Bingo! That's numero uno.
Actually, I haven't read a single one on the list. I have read 43.13.
I'm not a reading learner. I have to do it or see it to learn it. I prefer classes, videos and above all Mentorship. I learned more in the few hours with my Mentor than any book. Thanks Dave.
Maybe that's why I make so many mistakes. I have to mess up to see how it's done.:D
 
I just finished reading an old loose leaf copy of the Aeroelectric Connection that came with the build materials of my purchased RV6. I really wish I had read it a long time ago instead of waiting until now. In a way, it should almost be part of private pilot ground school.

The website is here http://www.aeroelectric.com/

You can purchase a bound copy at the link above, or download a PDF version here http://www.aeroelectric.com/Books/

I'm going over the current version now, as well as reading many posts in the electrical systems sub-forum.
 
Mile High Relic; post #6 said:
… download a PDF version here http://www.aeroelectric.com/Books/

I'm going over the current version now, as well as reading many posts in the electrical systems sub-forum.

Note the Z schematic templates in the Aeroelectric Connection book are not the latest. Latest ones are in the “Adobe…” folder here.

Also, there’s an Aeroelectric-List forum hosted by Matronics. Bob Nuckolls and other knowledgeable folks hang out there.
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I'm not a reading learner. I have to do it or see it to learn it. I prefer classes, videos and above all Mentorship. I learned more in the few hours with my Mentor than any book.

I also learn best by watching. I have several of those books but never read them, all good books I a sure. Back in the old days before prepunched and YouTube I watched the George and Becky Orndorff videos on my VCR (remember those?). I watched those over and over. They give you confidence which is not something you get from a book.
 
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I think it's easy to argue that building an airplane is a real learning experience. I can't begin to count the number of hours I've spent reading, watching videos, and trying things. And I've learned a lot.

I'm really thankful that we have the opportunity to be amateur aircraft builders. I am lucky that I can digest information in many forms, but I agree that "doing" with an experienced person is very valuable.

All the books on the list are helpful, and I have to say that the steepest learning curve was with Aeroelectric Connection - it's a treasure.
 
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