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Thinking about starting a RV-8

Jetspud

Member
Hello,

My name is David Elizondo, currently located in Shreveport La. I am a mechanic for the airlines with all my pilot ratings. Maintance wise I have done it all except sheet metal or composites. I was wanting to start a Rv-8 and was looking for some input on my ideas that I had.

First I was thinking of starting to buy the most expensive part of the kit, the fuse, and working my way down price wise. I was going to start with the tail but figure I rather buy the more expensive parts and work down. What did yall do when it came to decideing what to get first

Second, The only sheet metal experiance I have is when i was in A&P school and a few little jobs around work that I have volenteered to do. I have alot of sheet metal friends that want to help but you know how that goes everyone wants to help untell it comes time to actually doing it.. What kind of experiance did you guys have

Im going to schedual a tour at the factory in april to fiind out more about the projetct and mabey get a ride in the 8..

Thanks for your input..

David Elizondo
 
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What kind of experience did you guys have

Zero.

Van's Instructions, Builder Web Sites, VAF, YouTube, and EAA Videos are apart of my ongoing training. It has been more than sufficient so far for sheet metal work ... I just worry about the FWF stage :eek: . I'm sure with your mechanical background you will have no issue jumping right in.
 
start with the lower cost kits first

Van's will recommend, and most everyone will agree, it is best to start with the tail, then wings, then fuselage.

Several reasons:
1) The tail parts are inexpensive, so as you are learning sheet metal work, if you goof, its not very expensive to do something over again

2) the tail parts are inexpensive, so if you get into it and change your mind and decide that home building is not for you, you have relatively small investment.

3) Think about storage of the completed parts as you go. If you build the tail, then the wings, then the fuselage, you don't need very much storage space to store the tail and wings while you are working on the fuselage (which takes the longest). If you were to do the fuselage first, then you would have to store it while you build the wings and tail.

4) the instructions have been written assuming that you learn as you go. So, the tail kit instructions are very detailed, step-by-step, with lots of tips and help on developing basic sheet metal skills. The wing kit instructions are less detailed, but still thorough. The fuselage instructions are more big picture procedures and to a greater extent, assume that you know how to read the drawings and make parts and assemble them.

As far as the actual sheet metal work, with the matched-hole kits, it really is kind of a "put tab A into slot B" kind of thing. You need to drill, deburr, dimple and rivet a lot of parts, but everything fits together very well. It doesn't take long to develop riveting technique, and there's lots of tips on the finer points here on the forum.

Good Luck!
 
David...

Little I'd disagree with in the above posts, and wholeheartedly agree "start with the tail" ;)

1st thing to do is pay the ~$55 and get the "Preview Plans" which is the Build Manual as well, from "how to rivet..." to "how to test fly". You'll then see the above points about the level of instruction for each kit.

One other aspect is the Wings and Fuselage kits tend to have long lead times, especially if you go Quickbuild, whereas if you decide to go with the Empennage Kit first, order on Monday, you'll have it before Friday :eek:
 
Sharing Andy's opinion

Welcome David,

I also agree with Andy on this point. Building the tail is a way to know if you will be technically able to complete the plane (even if I think in your case and with the experience you have there is no reason to worry about). The tail is the part of the plane in which you will learn all the tips for riveting, dimpling, bending, etc..

Moreover, the parts in this section are not very expensive and shipping cost for new ones are acceptable. In the fuselage if you make an error( for example on a longeron) it could be expensive as shipping costs could become very high.

This is just my opinion and maybe because I live on the other side of the atlantic ocean.

You can't go wrong with the 8

Have a good day
 
Yep, tail first

for all the reasons listed above.

I didn't have any metal experience when I started. My tail and wings are done. I just unboxed the fuse (slow build) and it is a lot of stuff. I don't think the fuse would be the place to start.

If you like projects though, it is a great project.

Just my $.02.
 
4) the instructions have been written assuming that you learn as you go. So, the tail kit instructions are very detailed, step-by-step, with lots of tips and help on developing basic sheet metal skills. The wing kit instructions are less detailed, but still thorough. The fuselage instructions are more big picture procedures and to a greater extent, assume that you know how to read the drawings and make parts and assemble them.

This is dead on for the -7 and -4 at least. The emp kit tells you to hold you hand this way and stick your tongue out in that way and the wing tells you to hold you hand that way. The fuselage just says 'build it'...

Good luck in whatever you decide.
 
Hello,

My name is David Elizondo, currently located in Shreveport La. I am a mechanic for the airlines with all my pilot ratings. Maintance wise I have done it all except sheet metal or composites. I was wanting to start a Rv-8 and was looking for some input on my ideas that I had.

First I was thinking of starting to buy the most expensive part of the kit, the fuse, and working my way down price wise. I was going to start with the tail but figure I rather buy the more expensive parts and work down. What did yall do when it came to decideing what to get first

Second, The only sheet metal experiance I have is when i was in A&P school and a few little jobs around work that I have volenteered to do. I have alot of sheet metal friends that want to help but you know how that goes everyone wants to help untell it comes time to actually doing it.. What kind of experiance did you guys have

Im going to schedual a tour at the factory in april to fiind out more about the projetct and mabey get a ride in the 8..

Thanks for your input..

David Elizondo

Hey David. You a Jetlinker like my self? I've been doing a bunch of test flights out in SHV lately since they are only letting us Managment types do the tests. In fact I was talking about the -8 to some of the guys just before I took one up after C check. (rudder sys 1 kept failing in flight case you remember it)

Feel free to give me a call, or if you make it to IAH I'd be glad to show you my build.

Matt Sturgis. 832-969-2138
 
Jetspud, you might try to make a trip to Farmerville in Union Parish. The airport is F87. We have an RV6A, 4 RV7A's 2 RV8's and an RV9A stationed there. Seems like there is always another RV under construction.
F87 is closed for the installation of runway lights. It should re-open by mid April. When it is open there is always some one flying on any Saturday
 
Thanks guys for your input. Ordered my plans for the 8 today, so the adventure begins.

Matt and Zack ill will come by and look at what yall are building. If yall need avionics help I am you man i have done many wire mods on the Emb 145 this is the part of the build im looking foward to.

Matt let me know when your going to do a test flight again so we can talk. Im there day shift mon - thur.

David
 
Flying the 8

David,
Welcome.
You don't have to go all the way to Arora OR to fly an 8. I'm based at 52F just north of Fort Worth. Let me know if you make it over this way, and we can go for a ride in the Doll.
Danny
 
Welcome

You will enjoy this site and find it very helpful too. I am in Lake Charles, La. and building a -8 also. Lotsa fun

bird
 
Thanks guys for your input. Ordered my plans for the 8 today, so the adventure begins.

Matt and Zack ill will come by and look at what yall are building. If yall need avionics help I am you man i have done many wire mods on the Emb 145 this is the part of the build im looking foward to.

Matt let me know when your going to do a test flight again so we can talk. Im there day shift mon - thur.

David

Sounds great David. I'll defiantly hit you up for some avionics advise. I'll let you know next time I head out for a test flight. Do you ever do the ridealongs? I think I scared the last guy sitting in the jumpseat.
 
Welcome David!!!

Hi David,
First, welcome here, it's a fantastic source of info and the people are the best !!!
I just ordered and received my 8 emp kit and I'm pretty exited in starting and completing this project.
I'm still waiting for my tools so I haven't done anything except unpack the kit and make the inventory...
One thing you might want to consider is to order the practice kit from Vans.
It's a small project to help learn the basics of RV building.
I just ordered that myself and will go through it first.

Good luck with everything !!!
 
New Builder too!

Hi David

All of the comments above are great. I would also highly recommend a weekend spent in EAA's RV builders class. I can't imagine starting this project with out that training. I came back ready and able to start my emp. Ed, the instructor, was very good at keeping it simple with great results. I was real comfortably with the skills acquired and knew what tools were needed and how to use them.

RV-8
Tail done
Wings (getting ready to seal tanks)

Good luck

Steve Cannon
 
I'm finishing an RV-8.
I would like to welcome you to a fine group.
Understand that you will be building an airplane kit.
It takes time. Sometimes you will be discouraged.
Eventually you should be able to put the "I want an RV-8" aside enough to enjoy the building. That will carry you thru.
I'm in final assembly at the airport now. It's like a dream come true.
I'm setting up controls, pulling wires, etc.
Pure fun!!
Then I get to fly it!!:D
Lots of folks here talk about modifications. Bear in mind that they all add a lot of time to building. If you follow VAN's plans and keep at it you will get done much sooner.
Once you get in the air and get your base line performance, you might not care about mods....
 
RV8

As Scott mentioned above, there are many mods. It would be worth review of them as well as review of what builders and RV pilots think of the mods prior to any decisions. Things always seem better on paper. Some of the mods are attractive. You also have the famous never ending choices of things like: nose wheel vs tail wheel; fixed pitch prop vs C/S prop; sliding vs tip up canopy; etc... Luckily there are many guys on this site with all kinds of excellent knowlege. Enjoy and Welcome aboard.
 
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