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Saying Thanks to Van!

Ironflight

VAF Moderator / Line Boy
Mentor
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A couple of years ago, when I was first shown the RV-1 sitting in a dusty corner of a quiet hangar, I thought to myself ?you know, I bet we could find twenty-five or thirty experienced RV folks that have built a few airplanes and have the wherewithal to write a four-figure check to buy this thing and give it back to Dick!? Let?s face it ? while many, many builders struggle and scrimp to build their RV?s as inexpensively as possible, there is also a large number who are easily spending north of six figures to complete their glass-equipped traveling dreams. With a single SL-40 costing $1400, was it that out of line to figure we could pool some money to say ?Thanks? to Van for all he has done?

A year ago, purchasing the RV-1 became a reality due primarily to the generous donation of an anonymous donor who also thinks that Dick should be recognized by the community. I received many notes congratulating Louise and I on the purchase. Let me be very clear ? Louise and I did not purchase, and have never owned the RV-1! It was purchased and paid for by the non-profit ?Friends of the RV-1?. My dream and vision is shared by others ? I was simply the person who bubbled it up to a visible surface.

Through the generous initial donation of the aircraft, we were able to get started on the restoration, and the overall goal of reconnecting the airplane to its creator, then putting it on permanent display at Oshkosh is well on its way. Most of the hardware needed to get it flying has been generously donated by the vendors who support our avocation. Most of the labor required to this point has also been provided free of charge by builders who wanted to contribute ? heck, the ?Friends? doesn?t even supply lunch on the work days (Jay Pratt has done that)! But there are still expenses with the restoration that need to be covered, and the cost of bringing the entire dream to reality are still up ahead ? costs for operating and displaying the airplane will rise as we get it airworthy. We have been very quiet on the fund-raising front to this point, but it is time to think about the future ? the fly-in season of 2012, and taking the airplane around the country to it?s finish at Oshkosh.

Friends of the RV-1 is a non-profit, 501 C(3) organization. All contributions are tax deductible. Keep that in mind as the year comes to a close. Those twenty-five or thirty folks I thought about have yet to materialize, but I can tell you that Louise and I have each written one for those four-figure checks. With three RV?s in our stable, I consider it nothing more than a ?tip? to honor the man who made those airplanes possible. We?d love to see lots of names in the RV-1 logbook when it gets to the museum. Would you like yours there? Say thanks to Van - Tax deductible donations can be mailed directly to Friends of the RV-1 at PO Box 1064, League City TX 77574-1064, or visit the website www.RV-1.org for PayPal and credit card donations.

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Many of us donate to Doug here at VAF as an annual birthday present to ourselves. Similarly, donating to the RV-1 would be a great Christmas present!

Paul, for those of us who can't write one big check but could muster up several, smaller recurring ones, does Friends of the RV-1 prefer those donations via PayPal (with its small fees but easy accounting) or as paper checks (no fees, more hassle)?

--
Stephen
 
RV1

Hi Paul.

I think you guys are doing a great job restoring the RV1. I look forward to seeing it at Oshkosh next year. I will be donating to the "Friends of the RV1" shortly through PayPal.

Is there any chance that you guys could make up "Friends of the RV1" pins and send them to the people that donate. I would like to wear mine on my RV4 hat at Oshkosh next year.

Just a thought to help push people to donate, maybe like a minimun of 30 dollars donation.

Brian Eisner
Halifax Nova Scotia
Canada
RV4 C-GRJT
 
Or possibly a patch. But in any case, I am in for $500. At last a way I can contribute from so far away!
 
thanks for the response folks! Donations can and are accepted any way you wish....heck, drop them from your RV if you can figure out a way! ;)

I know that a patch/pin/T-shirt or other swag are in the works folks - I am busy just trying manage the process of getting the airplane flying again, so I am not always in tune with those deals, but I can think of nothing cooler than thousands of RV folks walking around Oshkosh next year wearing a "Friends of the RV-1" T-shirt!

And Patrick - that is MOST generous!!

Paul
 
Count me in. I wish I was closer to Dallas to actually help, but what a great cause!

I'd be more than happy to buy a T-shirt once they come out as well.

Donation will be on the way once I get to my personal computer this evening.

Paul, can I sign you up for fund raising at my church-you are kind of irresistible :)

cheers everybody starting to feel a lot like Christmas!!
 
Hi Paul.

Is there any chance that you guys could make up "Friends of the RV1" pins and send them to the people that donate. I would like to wear mine on my RV4 hat at Oshkosh next year.

Brian Eisner
Halifax Nova Scotia
Canada
RV4 C-GRJT

Some great responses so far... and if these are any indication of what's to come, it examples well the character of our community and its sincere appreciation of Van, his accomplishments, and his generosity. I'm proud to be associated with the RV community!

I work closely with Paul, Louise, and the many volunteers that support Friends of the RV-1 and its projects. As with any organization, someone has to keep the books and record donations. Lucky for me, I'm retired and the opportunity to serve Friends of the RV-1 in this capacity came before me - I thought about it long and hard (at least one second) and was honored to accept the the position of Secretary-Treasurer. That said, I'm just one of the many volunteers and supporters that share the spirit of the "VanGrunsven RV-1" and all it represents.

Great question Brian - Yes, Friends of the RV-1 is currently working on several designs for pins, patches, t-shirts and the like. I also expect that pins and patches will be provided free of charge to all supporters of the project. We expect these items to be available mid to late February and we'll have a traveling inventory with the RV-1 while it's on Summer Tour.

Another great question, Stephen - Send a check directly or use PayPal-CreditCard on the website? It doesn't matter... just show your support and say thanks to Van! Paul included the mailing address because some individuals and all charitable institutions prefer to send checks. BTW: If anyone is working with a Foundation or Charitable Trust and needs additional information or documents, please let us know.

Become a part of Aviation History - This is indeed a rare opportunity for you to become a part of aviation history and to have your name permanently recorded in the "VanGrunsven RV-1" Airframe Log Book. For a donation of $100 or more in goods, services, or cash, Friends of the RV-1 will record your name in the RV-1 Airframe Log Book prior to presenting the aircraft and Log Books to the EAA Museum, and therein give recognition to these individuals and businesses for their support in bringing the RV-1 to its rightful place in aviation history.

Progress Report - RV-1 Restoration
We're ahead of schedule for debut at Sun-n-Fun!
Thanks to the generosity and efforts of Airplane Plastics, Bob Avery, Jay Pratt, Danny King, Gary Hunter, and a host of other volunteers, the canopy is now complete and sports a new bubble, frame, and fiberglass skirt. It fits like a glove and latches with precision.

The engine, a complete rebuild of the original that was generously donated by Aero Sport Power, arrived at RV-Central last Wednesday. Danny, Jay, Walt, and several other volunteers will soon have the engine mounted and systems installed - a giant milestone to getting the RV-1 back in the air and on its journey to AirVenture-2012.
 
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While a 4 figure donation is beyond my means. I figure you will be incurring cost while traveling around the country, So, I can swing a place to stay overnight in the deluxe hangar home complete with dinner and a fill up of 100LL.
 
While a 4 figure donation is beyond my means. I figure you will be incurring cost while traveling around the country, So, I can swing a place to stay overnight in the deluxe hangar home complete with dinner and a fill up of 100LL.

Brian,

Saying thanks to Van is more about the heart than the pocket book! While the RV-1 project absolutely needs capital to accomplish its goals, what I enjoy most about our RV community is that we're all on the same level, we don't keep score, and we're measured by our character and not our bank account. Thank you for your generous "from the heart" donation! Whomever is fortunate enough to use your "deluxe" hangar home complete with dinner is going to be one very lucky individual.

Have a great day!
 
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Ernie, I know this is early in the whole "RV-1 Tour" planning, But I have hangar space for 2 or 3 RV's with places to sleep. so if there is a need for additional accomodations I have them.
Also I would love to host RV-1 and would coordinate a EAA chapter meeting or Montana Pilots Association meeting or newspaper interview or quiet "don't tell anyone" RON.

The Rans and Glasair are gone, so lately my -7 is all alone and will be most all of next year.
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In cleaning up my hangar recently, I found some instrument lights that others here were kind enough to take off my hands and put to good use. I thought about just sending the money from the lights to DR, but I don't want him to retire too well or too early. :D

So, I think I'll make a donation to the Friends of RV-1 instead! It's not much, but every little bit helps.

I think I might scrounge around the hangar and see if I can find other goodies to liquidate to say thanks to Van ...
 
Work Day?

Hi Ernie & Paul,

Is there enough work left to be done on the plane for another work day? We got this RV8 now, and need a place to go with it... ;) Any menial dirty job will do. We even like fiberglass. And my offer still stands for writing/design/brochures/whatever you might need that I can do!
 
Hi Ernie & Paul,

Is there enough work left to be done on the plane for another work day? We got this RV8 now, and need a place to go with it... ;) Any menial dirty job will do. We even like fiberglass. And my offer still stands for writing/design/brochures/whatever you might need that I can do!

Now that you mention it Katie.....I am not sure when we'll schedule another "big" workday, with the holidays coming up and all, and with the engine now on hand, some of the locals are going to start re-integrating that and the new electrical stuff. But the re-manufactured belly pan needs to be fitted, and a "bump" built in to it (out of glass) to accommodate the bottom end of the stick. After seeing the sheet metal work that you are doing on the Tony Boy repair, I would think you'd be an excellent candidate for getting teat belly fit and installed - and you could do it whenever you can arrange a time to meet at Jay's. PM me if you'd like to set this up!

We should have wheel pant blanks soon as well (they are being laid up right now BY THE MAN HIMSELF!), and those will need to be fitted and have mounting hardware built up - another good "small group" task.

The big work days have been a blast, and we'll continue them, but there is lots that can be done by individuals working alone or in small groups.
 
Many of you have generously responded to Paul’s note about “Saying Thanks to Van”, and from the notes we’ve received many more will be saying thank you very soon. From all of us at Friends of the RV-1, we extend our sincere Thank You for your generosity and support! For most of us, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to become a part of aviation history and Van’s legacy. Make plans now to attend AirVenture on opening day. EAA has partnered with our efforts and reserved opening day to honor Van, the RV-1 will be on display at ConocoPhillips Square where it will be presented to the EAA Museum, and in the evening we’ll host a program at Theater in the Woods honoring Van. Thank you Van!

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A couple of years ago, when I was first shown the RV-1 sitting in a dusty corner of a quiet hangar, I thought to myself “you know, I bet we could find twenty-five or thirty experienced RV folks that have built a few airplanes and have the wherewithal to write a four-figure check to buy this thing and give it back to Dick!” Let’s face it – while many, many builders struggle and scrimp to build their RV’s as inexpensively as possible, there is also a large number who are easily spending north of six figures to complete their glass-equipped traveling dreams. With a single SL-40 costing $1400, was it that out of line to figure we could pool some money to say “Thanks” to Van for all he has done?

A year ago, purchasing the RV-1 became a reality due primarily to the generous donation of an anonymous donor who also thinks that Dick should be recognized by the community. I received many notes congratulating Louise and I on the purchase. Let me be very clear – Louise and I did not purchase, and have never owned the RV-1! It was purchased and paid for by the non-profit “Friends of the RV-1”. My dream and vision is shared by others – I was simply the person who bubbled it up to a visible surface.

Through the generous initial donation of the aircraft, we were able to get started on the restoration, and the overall goal of reconnecting the airplane to its creator, then putting it on permanent display at Oshkosh is well on its way. Most of the hardware needed to get it flying has been generously donated by the vendors who support our avocation. Most of the labor required to this point has also been provided free of charge by builders who wanted to contribute – heck, the “Friends” doesn’t even supply lunch on the work days (Jay Pratt has done that)! But there are still expenses with the restoration that need to be covered, and the cost of bringing the entire dream to reality are still up ahead – costs for operating and displaying the airplane will rise as we get it airworthy. We have been very quiet on the fund-raising front to this point, but it is time to think about the future – the fly-in season of 2012, and taking the airplane around the country to it’s finish at Oshkosh.

Friends of the RV-1 is a non-profit, 501 C(3) organization. All contributions are tax deductible. Keep that in mind as the year comes to a close. Those twenty-five or thirty folks I thought about have yet to materialize, but I can tell you that Louise and I have each written one for those four-figure checks. With three RV’s in our stable, I consider it nothing more than a “tip” to honor the man who made those airplanes possible. We’d love to see lots of names in the RV-1 logbook when it gets to the museum. Would you like yours there? Say thanks to Van - Tax deductible donations can be mailed directly to Friends of the RV-1 at PO Box 1064, League City TX 77574-1064, or visit the website www.RV-1.org for PayPal and credit card donations.

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Ernie,

I'll be in shortly as a supporter (have the sticker I received from Paul and Louise at the R-cubed BBQ displayed proudly!). Nice work organizing support!

Paul,

I can't make the trip for workdays normally, but are there any bits or pieces or dirty lil' jobs that could be farmed out to us here at Stead. I know Greg and I and others would welcome the chance to roll up our sleeves and get a little RV-1 dirt under our fingernails. Please let us know if we can help!

You guys are purty fair cat-herders! :)

Cheers,
Bob
 
But the re-manufactured belly pan needs to be fitted, and a "bump" built in to it (out of glass) to accommodate the bottom end of the stick.

Send dimensions for the bump (or whatever is left of the old one) and I'll fabricate a new one ready to install in the belly metal.
 
Send dimensions for the bump (or whatever is left of the old one) and I'll fabricate a new one ready to install in the belly metal.

I'll see if someone can get a good picture and dimensions for you Dan - thanks!

Bob and Greg and the "Guys at Stead" - we'll see what we can find! We're hoping to have a new lower cowl soon....but I think that's going to have to be fitted at Hicks. Might well be something down the road....
 
Just wanted let everyone know that we have received a good number of donations in response to Paul's post about "Saying Thanks to Van". The VAF community is very special indeed, and I'm proud to be a small part of the collective efforts in this historic event. I'm also looking forward to next year - 2012, the year that will be recorded in aviation history when the world said "Thanks to Van"!

img423.jpg


A couple of years ago, when I was first shown the RV-1 sitting in a dusty corner of a quiet hangar, I thought to myself “you know, I bet we could find twenty-five or thirty experienced RV folks that have built a few airplanes and have the wherewithal to write a four-figure check to buy this thing and give it back to Dick!” Let’s face it – while many, many builders struggle and scrimp to build their RV’s as inexpensively as possible, there is also a large number who are easily spending north of six figures to complete their glass-equipped traveling dreams. With a single SL-40 costing $1400, was it that out of line to figure we could pool some money to say “Thanks” to Van for all he has done?

A year ago, purchasing the RV-1 became a reality due primarily to the generous donation of an anonymous donor who also thinks that Dick should be recognized by the community. I received many notes congratulating Louise and I on the purchase. Let me be very clear – Louise and I did not purchase, and have never owned the RV-1! It was purchased and paid for by the non-profit “Friends of the RV-1”. My dream and vision is shared by others – I was simply the person who bubbled it up to a visible surface.

Through the generous initial donation of the aircraft, we were able to get started on the restoration, and the overall goal of reconnecting the airplane to its creator, then putting it on permanent display at Oshkosh is well on its way. Most of the hardware needed to get it flying has been generously donated by the vendors who support our avocation. Most of the labor required to this point has also been provided free of charge by builders who wanted to contribute – heck, the “Friends” doesn’t even supply lunch on the work days (Jay Pratt has done that)! But there are still expenses with the restoration that need to be covered, and the cost of bringing the entire dream to reality are still up ahead – costs for operating and displaying the airplane will rise as we get it airworthy. We have been very quiet on the fund-raising front to this point, but it is time to think about the future – the fly-in season of 2012, and taking the airplane around the country to it’s finish at Oshkosh.

Friends of the RV-1 is a non-profit, 501 C(3) organization. All contributions are tax deductible. Keep that in mind as the year comes to a close. Those twenty-five or thirty folks I thought about have yet to materialize, but I can tell you that Louise and I have each written one for those four-figure checks. With three RV’s in our stable, I consider it nothing more than a “tip” to honor the man who made those airplanes possible. We’d love to see lots of names in the RV-1 logbook when it gets to the museum. Would you like yours there? Say thanks to Van - Tax deductible donations can be mailed directly to Friends of the RV-1 at PO Box 1064, League City TX 77574-1064, or visit the website www.RV-1.org for PayPal and credit card donations.

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