Repeat Offenders

I got to wondering today, how many "repeat offenders" are there among the RV builders? Of these, what is the goal... to sell the older one and have a change? Or to maintain and operate two RV's simultaneously? One for each mission?
Owning and operating TWO RVs probably takes us into a whole different category of life financially, and not sure if I'll ever get there!

I plan to keep both. Too much blood sweat and tears to part with one. I'll use the -6 for local fly ins and doing some racing, the -10 for long trips with gear.

Repeat offenders?

What do you call two guys building two RV9A's at the same time side by side? (Besides crazy). We do not have room or we would be building his RV7 now also (actually, he has started his empennage but doesn't want to let me know it is in his basement). So, to answer your question, one will be for sale when it is done to help divert some of the cost of the 9A for me and the 7 for Todd. Besides, we like to build AND fly.
I think we are crazy. And the closer we get to finishing this first 9A, the less I like the idea of putting her up for sale. She is a beauty.

Pat Garboden
Ozark, MO
Todd Wiechman
Wichita, KS
RV9A 942WG (reserved) paint stage (Could be yours)
RV9A 942PT (reserved) wiring stage (Pat's)
RV7 empennage (Todd's)

prkaye said:

I got to wondering today, how many "repeat offenders" are there among the RV builders? Of these, what is the goal... to sell the older one and have a change? Or to maintain and operate two RV's simultaneously? One for each mission?
Owning and operating TWO RVs probably takes us into a whole different category of life financially, and not sure if I'll ever get there!

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Main goal for me on the second build was:
1. Get in a tandem
2. Improve my product quality
3. Go faster, improve range
4. Itch the building bug
5. DO the stuff I should have done on the first but did not know any better at the time.
6. Ditch the sissy wheel

No way Im owning 2 unless its a 10 and tandem.
So far there is nothing I would change about my second try. After a couple years flying it, its still perfect and I cant find anything Id do different. Course, I could always use a few more extra knots somehow
Best,

Repeat Builder

I am finishing up my 4th RV a RV 8
I build because it is fun for me and I like having a new airplane every few years.
First RV6 sold after 500 hours TT, and 3 years of fun.
First RV8 sold after 62 hours TT, one of the first to fly in Texas.
Second RV6 sold after 900 hours TT, and 7 years of fun.
Second RV8 getting wings today, weigh in, in a couple of days Certifi in a few more.
I built a Bush Plane like a Super Cub 180 HP. Motivation was need for this type of plane and I built it for under $85K and a new Cub Crafters Super Cub is north of $185,000.
All of my homebuilts are night VFR, nothing fancy in the panels except Digitrak II in the 6 and 8.
I hope I am finished building. But I always see something I want to build at OSH. So little time!!

WOW! Well I guess you get better and faster at it with each one!

I could see myself flying the -9A for a few years, getting some extra training on it (maybe an IFR rating), maybe my wife doing some flight training, and then maybe getting back into the shop and building an 8. Maybe eventually sell the -9A to finance the engine for the -8. Part of me likes the idea of building again after having learned on a "practice plane"!

But, I really should focus on getting my current project finished before I start daydreaming about my second !!!

Repeat offenders

I lost my first RV-6A when a storm in St. Charles, MO blew the hangar it was in down and totaled it. I built another 6A with the insurance proceeds. When I couldn't out climb icing conditions one day, I built a 7A with a 185 HP and C/S prop for more power to climb. I sold the 6A. I then had a stroke and did not renew my medical and sold the 7A. I have RV-12 kit number one reserved. I will be a 4-peat offender. Can't live without an RV.

What about non-RV's?

It may be all the plexiglass dust I've been snorting, but lately I've been having daydreams about having something else parked next to the RV-7 in the hangar when it's finished... something with high wings, tandem seats, and big doors that you can leave open when you're flying around low and slow waving at people. Something that would complement the RV like yin and yang. Then I start thinking, I could probably start the tail kit while I'm wrapping up the finish kit on the RV... just look at all these tools in my garage, gotta use them for something...

Then I wake up and realize that I still need to get this airplane done, if for no other reason than that my wife would kill me. Still, a guy can dream...

mcb

Matt, maybe YOU are the voice in my head that talks about building that low and slow airplane to compliment the RV-7 I'm building.

I am a repeat offender, I built and RV-4 and still haven't painted it. Now I'm building an RV-7. I have no illusions about being able to keep them both. I will have to sell the RV-4 to afford the engine, prop, and avionics for the RV-7. So no, won't be keeping both of them.

A lot of it has to do with scratching the building itch. Building is a lot of fun, and having a shop full of tools, plus all these neat new skills, it just seems like a waste to let the tools rust and the skills atrophy.

Plus, when you finish the first plane, you'll find yourself doing a lot of "I wish I had done XYZ differently." Well, here's your chance to do it differently.

Some people finish one, then find that it doesn't match their mission parameters as well as they thought. Some may finish a 6/7/8 and find that it is a handful and a 9 might match better to their flying style. Or vice-versa. Me, I built a 6 because a previous Ms. didn't like the idea of tandem seating. Now I'm married to a girl who rides motorcycles and doesn't mind staring at the back of my head. Plus, I've gotten heavily involved in formation flying, and an 8 just makes a better formation platform. And 90% of my flying is solo anyway.

Plus, with all the new panel goodies coming out, you're going to want to redo your panel in a few years anyway. Why not build a new plane to go with it? don't laugh; that was the thought process that I started with, that ended me up with an 8 tail kit and a repeat offender status.

Me too....

Yep, builder's withdrawal set in really quickly after we started flying the Sojourner. However, one of my buddies got the itch while coming by and seeing us build, so he bought a -4 on its gear with most of the wings built. It's in the back of my hangar and I help him finish up in my off periods. We've aligned the fairings and he's wired the D-180 and it has really been fun and relieved a lot of the builder's withdrawal.

So consider offering a portion of your hangar to someone in need....for the sake of benevolence and you won't spend any money but you can still build. I was also told that I could fly his -4 anytime I wanted since he's grateful for the place to build. It has turned out to be a win-win situation for both of us. I help keep him limbered up by giving him occasional free dual in my -6A.

Regards,
Pierre

It's a Sickness

sprucemoose said:

A lot of it has to do with scratching the building itch....

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Building an airplane was a lifelong dream. After four and one half years of construction, my RV-6A is everything promised and much more. Most of my flying experience was in the C-150 I owned for 18 plus years and for the first time, it was a real thrill and novelty to catch and pass other airplanes for a change, including the locally based Mooney and Bonanza.

Without exception, and I'm sure many others can second this....spam can drivers whom you have given their first RV ride to are entirely impressed with its uncommon handling and responsiveness. At first, they cannot believe those stubby little wings can offer such superb handling through its wide range of speeds...until they experience it firsthand. These planes simply do not fly like production airplanes meant for the masses.

It doesn't take very long to get used to it all and predictably, I sold my longtime and lovingly owned C-150 soon after. I just lost interest.

Still, the ink on "Darla's!" airworthiness certificate was barely dry when I suffered profound withdrawal from the construction process. I truly enjoy building as much as flying. I guess you can take the man out of the production factory but you can't take the production factory out of the man.

I received the -8 wing kit shortly after Thanksgiving past and the standard fuselage kit arrived in mid March. Working almost entirely alone, I started trimming its canopy 'glass yesterday. I just had to take advantage of the day's 90 degree heat. The frenetic pace will soon come to an end though because finish work is not my strong suit, Lycoming will not ship the engine for a few months and I am not going to make an EFIS decision until at least Fall.

I know how lucky I am.

slower the 2nd time...

Another thought I had is that if you already have one RV flying, there isn't quite as much of a sense of urgency or impatience to finish quickly. This could mean one might be more inclined to take one's time, and be a real perfectionist with the second.

prkaye said:

Another thought I had is that if you already have one RV flying, there isn't quite as much of a sense of urgency or impatience to finish quickly. This could mean one might be more inclined to take one's time, and be a real perfectionist with the second.

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Phil, you're getting ahead of yourself again. Just concentrate on finishing the first one so that you do not end up selling an incomplete project (at a loss) like so many others. I highly recommend that, instead of day-dreaming about building a second plane so that you can take your time and be a perfectionist....you take your time and be a perfectionist on the FIRST plane.

Phil, you're getting ahead of yourself again.

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Sure, but what's wrong with daydreaming? RV's are fun things to daydream about.

Just concentrate on finishing the first one so that you do not end up selling an incomplete project (at a loss) like so many others.

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Unless something unexpected gets in the way financially, I can't imagine that happening... I've got a fuse kit on the way!

instead of... ...you take your time and be a perfectionist on the FIRST plane.

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Don't worry, I'm doing the best work I can on this plane. But, like all things in life, practice makes perfect, and as a first-time builder I'm still getting my practice! Anyway, I'm not at all disinterested in this project (quite the opposite... I'm *very* excited about getting my fuse kit), I was just wondering about the repeat-builders culture out there, and wondering whether I will ever join them.