Van's Air Force
Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.
RV Demographics
- Thread starter Tom Maxwell
- Start date
RBD
Well Known Member
Good job on reviving this thread, jmartinez. I also took the time to read every post, and it's very motivating to read that, if prioritized properly, you don't have to make a ton of $$$ to build/own/fly a RV.
I'm a 25 year old IT auditor/consultant for one of the "big 4" accounting firms. I married my girlfriend of six years in April, and we bought a house together in January. Her father introduced me to aviation back when we first started dating and I've been flying with him ever since. I began taking flight lessons while in college and got my private ticket in 2003 to the tune of $3,600. I've been out of school/working full-time for a little over a year. My wife recently took a new position as a corporate tax accountant, and our combined income is right at $100,000.
We lived together while going through school, during which time she saw my obsession with these little planes develop. It got to the point where she would periodically ask me what Dan Checkoway (rest assured Dan, you'll be getting another Van's "finder's fee" one of these days) got accomplished on any given day. She is not as excited about building/owning an airplane as some of your wives, but she knows how passionate I am and is onboard. It's more of a "when" thing.
Her car, '05 Scion TC, is paid off. My car, '05 Subaru WRX STi, is not paid off, but I'm selling it any day, and should be able to buy a used car with the equity I have in it. Our mortgage payment is around $1,500, and other than my car payment ($330), is the only debt we have. We contribute to our 401k's and also have a nice little chunk in our savings.
Ding...light bulb when off. It's time to start building NOW!
I guess I should tile the kitchen before having the "it's time" conversation with her. Any tips on removing linoleum? It's going to be a long weekend.
I'm a 25 year old IT auditor/consultant for one of the "big 4" accounting firms. I married my girlfriend of six years in April, and we bought a house together in January. Her father introduced me to aviation back when we first started dating and I've been flying with him ever since. I began taking flight lessons while in college and got my private ticket in 2003 to the tune of $3,600. I've been out of school/working full-time for a little over a year. My wife recently took a new position as a corporate tax accountant, and our combined income is right at $100,000.
We lived together while going through school, during which time she saw my obsession with these little planes develop. It got to the point where she would periodically ask me what Dan Checkoway (rest assured Dan, you'll be getting another Van's "finder's fee" one of these days) got accomplished on any given day. She is not as excited about building/owning an airplane as some of your wives, but she knows how passionate I am and is onboard. It's more of a "when" thing.
Her car, '05 Scion TC, is paid off. My car, '05 Subaru WRX STi, is not paid off, but I'm selling it any day, and should be able to buy a used car with the equity I have in it. Our mortgage payment is around $1,500, and other than my car payment ($330), is the only debt we have. We contribute to our 401k's and also have a nice little chunk in our savings.
Ding...light bulb when off. It's time to start building NOW!
I guess I should tile the kitchen before having the "it's time" conversation with her. Any tips on removing linoleum? It's going to be a long weekend.
Rainmaker
Member
Great thread
My story is simliar.
I'm 37 and married. I work as a creative director at a motion design firm. Income busted the 100k level a couple of years ago. Wife is a college professor and has own income. We have beautiful 16 month old boy who I can't wait to share this project with. At my current build rate (1 year in and I'm just finishing the rudder) he should get to buck some rivets before it's done.
I got my PPL in 2000 and my IFR in 2002. Been member of a couple of flying clubs ever since. One of the clubs was run by a bunch of A&P and IAs so we did the annuals and maintenance ourselves. The airplanes and their upkeep became very demystified after that for me.
About the same time my son was born I finally decided to act on the building-my-own-airplane pipe dream that my uncle planted in my head when I was a kid. He never acted on it but was always enthralled with the RV-4. I never really considered any other kits besides the VANS family. Love the Lancair lines but I don't have the proper space to do a composite project.
My 7 project is pay-as-you-go. Our cars are almost paid off and we won't be getting new ones any time soon. My 10-year-old 50K student loan is almost done as well which will be huge relief. House is the big expense I can't get rid of As it is I am squirreling away about $500/month into an RV savings account.
I don't want to finance any of the project and am a firm believer in the KISS principle for my airplane. But those EFISs and Garmin 430s are really begging to be put in my panel. Luckily I have plenty of time to figure that part out. Maybe EFIS/GPS costs will continue to come down.
Overall the project has become much more than just building an airplane. It's really stoked my imagination and gumption to tackle anything else that comes my way. And you can't beat the perplexed and somewhat disapproving look you get from the busy-body neighbor across the street
My story is simliar.
I'm 37 and married. I work as a creative director at a motion design firm. Income busted the 100k level a couple of years ago. Wife is a college professor and has own income. We have beautiful 16 month old boy who I can't wait to share this project with. At my current build rate (1 year in and I'm just finishing the rudder) he should get to buck some rivets before it's done.
I got my PPL in 2000 and my IFR in 2002. Been member of a couple of flying clubs ever since. One of the clubs was run by a bunch of A&P and IAs so we did the annuals and maintenance ourselves. The airplanes and their upkeep became very demystified after that for me.
About the same time my son was born I finally decided to act on the building-my-own-airplane pipe dream that my uncle planted in my head when I was a kid. He never acted on it but was always enthralled with the RV-4. I never really considered any other kits besides the VANS family. Love the Lancair lines but I don't have the proper space to do a composite project.
My 7 project is pay-as-you-go. Our cars are almost paid off and we won't be getting new ones any time soon. My 10-year-old 50K student loan is almost done as well which will be huge relief. House is the big expense I can't get rid of
As it is I am squirreling away about $500/month into an RV savings account.I don't want to finance any of the project and am a firm believer in the KISS principle for my airplane. But those EFISs and Garmin 430s are really begging to be put in my panel. Luckily I have plenty of time to figure that part out. Maybe EFIS/GPS costs will continue to come down.
Overall the project has become much more than just building an airplane. It's really stoked my imagination and gumption to tackle anything else that comes my way. And you can't beat the perplexed and somewhat disapproving look you get from the busy-body neighbor across the street
Last edited:
Dgamble
Well Known Member
Mike, I dropped you a PM w/ contact info. Let's do lunch and size up the chances of getting you into my -6.Mike_ExpressCT said:
My RV story starts way back in the 70's when I was a teenager dreaming about flying an RV-4. You'll note that I said 'flying,' not 'building.' Back then, I had been working after school jobs since I was 15, and most of that money went into RC airplanes. Even then, I was a far better flyer than I was a builder. Note that those are relative - I was such a horrible builder that even average flying skills rated as "far better." I was also a computer geek - I owned one of (if not the) first TRS-80 Model I in Cincinnati. Despite the 15 - 20 minute load time (from cassette) and 5 FPS framerate, my favorite program was SubLogic Flight Sim. Today, it's progeny go by the name of Microsoft Flight Sim.
The love of all things aviation got me into the Air Force at age 19, where I spent a couple of years working on the SR-71, specializing in the maintenance of the CAPRE Side Looking Radar system, followed by a few years overseas (Korea and Germany) working on the RF-4C. That, and six years in the Ohio Air National Guard, earned me enough college benefits to get most of the way through Ohio State, but I had to go to work fulltime to finish my senior year, which ended up being about 4 years. All in all, it took 9 years to score the degree. I had confused "tenure" with "ten-year," or so it seemed.
The computer geek thing paid off pretty well, and I went through six jobs (five, if you count both stints at Compuserve as a single job) including a couple of years at NetJets working on the flight scheduling system. The internet boom came along and I rode that wave to a six-figure (barely) VP position at an internet consulting company.
The tea leaves pointed to an imminent meltdown in the internet industry, so I jumped back into a corporate IT job, where they matched my hyper-inflated internet-boom salary. Reluctant to see me leave, they've never adjusted back down to a more reasonable rate, so I'm still doing pretty well financially. Well enough, that is, that I was able to finally, after all those years, buy an already-built RV-6. And a good camera. And I learned to write. All of those combine into the blog that I use to diary my flights in the 6. The link is down there in my signature block.
DaX
Well Known Member
Young one here - 25 years old, been out of college 1 year, and have been married 1 year. I work for Chromalloy Gas Turbine Corporation as an engineer. The Georgia branch of the company is primarily focused on HPC static components (stators, cases, airseals, vanes, etc) - particularly, I oversee everything related to the PW4000 series engines (Airbus A300, A310, A330, Boeing 747, 767, 777, MD11). My wife and I will probably gross around $75K this year.
tangocharlie
Active Member
Not a builder, just a flyer
Interesting thread with such a wide variety of backgrounds...
I bought my -6 in Feb from a builder in FL (he sold it because he also built a 10). My Dad has a -6 he built a number of years back, so he was invaluable in helping me find the right (well built) airplane.
I'm a laid off, AA (ex-TWA) pilot, single mom to a great, "almost" 11 year old son. We lost my husband to cancer in 2005, and live on SS, which amounts to about 30k (bought the plane with a small insurance policy, it was my husband's wish for us!) Never lived the airline pilot lifestyle, paid off the house 6 years ago, no cable, no malls (Goodwill works for me!) I homeschool my son, spends lots of time at the airport, love to travel (took a great trip to Israel in March)... again, we live pretty frugally in the day to day stuff... so we can save for the fun stuff (airplanes!)
Tammy
Interesting thread with such a wide variety of backgrounds...
I bought my -6 in Feb from a builder in FL (he sold it because he also built a 10). My Dad has a -6 he built a number of years back, so he was invaluable in helping me find the right (well built) airplane.
I'm a laid off, AA (ex-TWA) pilot, single mom to a great, "almost" 11 year old son. We lost my husband to cancer in 2005, and live on SS, which amounts to about 30k (bought the plane with a small insurance policy, it was my husband's wish for us!) Never lived the airline pilot lifestyle, paid off the house 6 years ago, no cable, no malls (Goodwill works for me!) I homeschool my son, spends lots of time at the airport, love to travel (took a great trip to Israel in March)... again, we live pretty frugally in the day to day stuff... so we can save for the fun stuff (airplanes!)
Tammy
Gary Bricker
Well Known Member
Gary Bricker
I am a auto parts manufacture rep. Like all auto parts folks I don't make the big bucks. My better half is in the oil and gas business selling tubular products. We are 60 years old and love airplanes. We have a empty nest and live in area if you are not a builder, you feel like you need to be one. The best thing is the other builders that give so much help and support. A great thing about the RV kits is they can be bought as funds warrant so income can be managed by most.
I am a auto parts manufacture rep. Like all auto parts folks I don't make the big bucks. My better half is in the oil and gas business selling tubular products. We are 60 years old and love airplanes. We have a empty nest and live in area if you are not a builder, you feel like you need to be one. The best thing is the other builders that give so much help and support. A great thing about the RV kits is they can be bought as funds warrant so income can be managed by most.
flytoboat
Well Known Member
I have a plan...
I am an Air Force Civil Service employee and have about 3.5 years left to retirement (at age 55). Annual salary about $80k. Got my PPL in 1987 and logged about 500 hours (mostly PA28-140 and C-152) and obtained my instrument rating and 90% of commercial training before taking a leave of absence from flying in 1994. Got into boating and now own a weekend home near a lake in north central Arkansas and 4 boats (houseboat, ski boat, pontoon, & PWC). Boats are all paid for and two vehicles (99 car and 95 pickup) are paid for. I had owned rental properties that I sold in 2004 to finance a divorce (money well spent ) and finish pay off boats and cars. Only debt is mortgages on each house. To help control costs, I use an antena for TV, and only use a cell phone and cellular internet. I buy used cars and tend to keep them a long time. Last fall I happened across a web site for Vans Aircraft and started researching building a plane. This spring I sold my main home in Illinois to buy a much smaller home so I could afford to build a plane . I am finishing remodeling the smaller home and completing a workshop in the walk-out basement and plan to order the empenage before Christmas (if I can ever decide between a -7A or -9A). I plan to pay as I go for the airplane kit (standard build) and then finance the engine/avionics which will be paid off via IRA's when I retire. My spendable money from my retirement plan should be about the same when I retire, so I plan to use income from my 401K plan to finance my flying expenses when I finish building. I estimate that it will cost around $1000.00 per month to hanger, insure, maintain, and fly . I expect to use my RV for a lot of cross country and travel all over the US. It will reduce my travel time to my lake house from 5.5 hours to 1.5 hours and I'll even look forward to the trip home!
I am an Air Force Civil Service employee and have about 3.5 years left to retirement (at age 55). Annual salary about $80k. Got my PPL in 1987 and logged about 500 hours (mostly PA28-140 and C-152) and obtained my instrument rating and 90% of commercial training before taking a leave of absence from flying in 1994. Got into boating and now own a weekend home near a lake in north central Arkansas and 4 boats (houseboat, ski boat, pontoon, & PWC). Boats are all paid for and two vehicles (99 car and 95 pickup) are paid for. I had owned rental properties that I sold in 2004 to finance a divorce (money well spent
) and finish pay off boats and cars. Only debt is mortgages on each house. To help control costs, I use an antena for TV, and only use a cell phone and cellular internet. I buy used cars and tend to keep them a long time. Last fall I happened across a web site for Vans Aircraft and started researching building a plane. This spring I sold my main home in Illinois to buy a much smaller home so I could afford to build a plane . I am finishing remodeling the smaller home and completing a workshop in the walk-out basement and plan to order the empenage before Christmas (if I can ever decide between a -7A or -9A). I plan to pay as I go for the airplane kit (standard build) and then finance the engine/avionics which will be paid off via IRA's when I retire. My spendable money from my retirement plan should be about the same when I retire, so I plan to use income from my 401K plan to finance my flying expenses when I finish building. I estimate that it will cost around $1000.00 per month to hanger, insure, maintain, and fly . I expect to use my RV for a lot of cross country and travel all over the US. It will reduce my travel time to my lake house from 5.5 hours to 1.5 hours and I'll even look forward to the trip home!
Last edited:
Demographic
Think I'll chime in on this one.
Being a 49 year old Captain for a major airline I'm able to provide up to now anyway a comfortable lifestyle for my family and I.
Having said that most of it goes to the house, kids and saving for retirement.
Right now we still have our full retirement at AA, however I could loose some if it through corporate greed as many other have experienced in the recent past.
So approaching 50 in a couple of months It just seems like something is missing. There are no more ratings to obtain, we have everything we need the kids (girls) are older now are doing thier own thing.
Just doesn't seem to be any goal that I'm working towards that I'm interested in doing.
Then came the RV's for the past year I have spent a considerable amount of time learning everything I can about them (VAF fourm, talking to people and going to Sun N Fun) I took a good look at other aircraft but always come back to the RV!!
The only reason I'm writing this "long" post is to coment on the people I have meet that are into the RV's. Yes, they have been the most pleasent and helpful group of folks I would ever care to meet. I live in N. Texas so I had breakfest with Doug Reeves and some other RV guys the other day and like I said "what a great group of guys. Just being around them makes me feel like I did when I was flying GA as a young man and how it really felt to enjoy flying again!!!! So in closing, all the things I stated above and knowing there are people like Jay Pratt, Danny King, Grady O'neil, Delta Romeo himself and others close by has helped make the decision go forward. It will be a slow build paying as I go. Presently, the garage is being coverted into a aircraft manufacturing plant. Once that is complete I will order looks like the -8 kit. Now I have seeem to have a purpose and It feels great! Let's see where this adventure takes me!
Alan
Think I'll chime in on this one.
Being a 49 year old Captain for a major airline I'm able to provide up to now anyway a comfortable lifestyle for my family and I.
Having said that most of it goes to the house, kids and saving for retirement.
Right now we still have our full retirement at AA, however I could loose some if it through corporate greed as many other have experienced in the recent past.
So approaching 50 in a couple of months It just seems like something is missing. There are no more ratings to obtain, we have everything we need the kids (girls) are older now are doing thier own thing.
Just doesn't seem to be any goal that I'm working towards that I'm interested in doing.
Then came the RV's for the past year I have spent a considerable amount of time learning everything I can about them (VAF fourm, talking to people and going to Sun N Fun) I took a good look at other aircraft but always come back to the RV!!
The only reason I'm writing this "long" post is to coment on the people I have meet that are into the RV's. Yes, they have been the most pleasent and helpful group of folks I would ever care to meet. I live in N. Texas so I had breakfest with Doug Reeves and some other RV guys the other day and like I said "what a great group of guys. Just being around them makes me feel like I did when I was flying GA as a young man and how it really felt to enjoy flying again!!!! So in closing, all the things I stated above and knowing there are people like Jay Pratt, Danny King, Grady O'neil, Delta Romeo himself and others close by has helped make the decision go forward. It will be a slow build paying as I go. Presently, the garage is being coverted into a aircraft manufacturing plant. Once that is complete I will order looks like the -8 kit. Now I have seeem to have a purpose and It feels great! Let's see where this adventure takes me!
Alan
Demographic
Think I'll chime in on this one.
Being a 49 year old Captain for a major airline I'm able to provide up to now anyway a comfortable lifestyle for my family and I.
Having said that most of it goes to the house, kids and saving for retirement.
Right now we still have our full retirement at AA, however I could loose some if it through corporate greed as many other have experienced in the recent past.
So approaching 50 in a couple of months It just seems like something is missing. There are no more ratings to obtain, we have everything we need the kids (girls) are older now are doing thier own thing.
Just doesn't seem to be any goal that I'm working towards that I'm interested in doing.
Then came the RV's for the past year I have spent a considerable amount of time learning everything I can about them (VAF fourm, talking to people and going to Sun N Fun) I took a good look at other aircraft but always come back to the RV!!
The only reason I'm writing this "long" post is to coment on the people I have meet that are into the RV's. Yes, they have been the most pleasent and helpful group of folks I would ever care to meet. I live in N. Texas so I had breakfest with Doug Reeves and some other RV guys the other day and like I said "what a great group of guys. Just being around them makes me feel like I did when I was flying GA as a young man and how it really felt to enjoy flying again!!!! So in closing, all the things I stated above and knowing there are people like Jay Pratt, Danny King, Grady O'neil, Delta Romeo himself and others close by has helped make the decision go forward. It will be a slow build paying as I go. Presently, the garage is being coverted into a aircraft manufacturing plant. Once that is complete I will order looks like the -8 kit. Now I have seeem to have a purpose and It feels great! Let's see where this adventure takes me!
Alan
Think I'll chime in on this one.
Being a 49 year old Captain for a major airline I'm able to provide up to now anyway a comfortable lifestyle for my family and I.
Having said that most of it goes to the house, kids and saving for retirement.
Right now we still have our full retirement at AA, however I could loose some if it through corporate greed as many other have experienced in the recent past.
So approaching 50 in a couple of months It just seems like something is missing. There are no more ratings to obtain, we have everything we need the kids (girls) are older now are doing thier own thing.
Just doesn't seem to be any goal that I'm working towards that I'm interested in doing.
Then came the RV's for the past year I have spent a considerable amount of time learning everything I can about them (VAF fourm, talking to people and going to Sun N Fun) I took a good look at other aircraft but always come back to the RV!!
The only reason I'm writing this "long" post is to coment on the people I have meet that are into the RV's. Yes, they have been the most pleasent and helpful group of folks I would ever care to meet. I live in N. Texas so I had breakfest with Doug Reeves and some other RV guys the other day and like I said "what a great group of guys. Just being around them makes me feel like I did when I was flying GA as a young man and how it really felt to enjoy flying again!!!! So in closing, all the things I stated above and knowing there are people like Jay Pratt, Danny King, Grady O'neil, Delta Romeo himself and others close by has helped make the decision go forward. It will be a slow build paying as I go. Presently, the garage is being coverted into a aircraft manufacturing plant. Once that is complete I will order looks like the -8 kit. Now I have seeem to have a purpose and It feels great! Let's see where this adventure takes me!
Alan
pierre smith
Well Known Member
Wise move
Alan,
About ten years ago I was so burned out in my Ag business after 27 years that I almost folded it. I know where you're coming from. I decided to either quit or go big time so I bought a Turbine powered Air Tractor 502 with a/c. A smooth PT-6 with 680SHP and man, was flying fun again! We also built our 6A and flying is great....aerobatics, fast xc with the wife or friends to the $100 hamburger joint...woohoo!!
Congratulations,
Pierre
Alan,
About ten years ago I was so burned out in my Ag business after 27 years that I almost folded it. I know where you're coming from. I decided to either quit or go big time so I bought a Turbine powered Air Tractor 502 with a/c. A smooth PT-6 with 680SHP and man, was flying fun again! We also built our 6A and flying is great....aerobatics, fast xc with the wife or friends to the $100 hamburger joint...woohoo!!
Congratulations,
Pierre
craigvince
Well Known Member
Me
I drive a water truck for a construction company. Total household income about $60k before taxes. I'm building an RV-9A QB. I have the emp done, the QB fuse almost done and the QB wings waiting in the wings to be worked on. I have no clue how I'm going to pay for the rest of the plane.
I drive a water truck for a construction company. Total household income about $60k before taxes. I'm building an RV-9A QB. I have the emp done, the QB fuse almost done and the QB wings waiting in the wings to be worked on. I have no clue how I'm going to pay for the rest of the plane.
vlittle
Well Known Member
Professional Engineer (electrical), hi-tech entrepreneur (a founder of PMC-Sierra), a bunch of patents on ATM and Gigabit-Ethernet technology, ran a technical conference for 10 years, worked in corporate acquisitions, airplane builder, sort of retired once and now a Realtor near Vancouver BC. Biggest (non personal) accomplishment? My RV-9A. Started in my 40's, now in my 50's. Married, with children (comparisons to Al Bundy not accepted).
Fly formation with the Snow*Flakes team.
Looking to acquire land and develop a residential air park at some point- so all of my friends and I can live near each other!
The two big questions I get: Are you going to build another one?, and "Why did you go into Real Estate?"
Answers: One is about creating things, the other about relationships with people. In my opinion, you need both to be truly successful.
Fly formation with the Snow*Flakes team.
Looking to acquire land and develop a residential air park at some point- so all of my friends and I can live near each other!
The two big questions I get: Are you going to build another one?, and "Why did you go into Real Estate?"
Answers: One is about creating things, the other about relationships with people. In my opinion, you need both to be truly successful.
roadrunner20
Well Known Member
I'm a systems analyst for the county clerk's office. My wife is an RN.
Total income around 175K. We have 16 year old twins getting ready to drive.
In my previously life, I was a national class ultramarathon runner on 2 national teams. I still own several records from the late 80's, early 90's.
I believe this developed the patience to be consistant and persistant in the persuit of my goals to build and fly my own airplane.
Total income around 175K. We have 16 year old twins getting ready to drive.
In my previously life, I was a national class ultramarathon runner on 2 national teams. I still own several records from the late 80's, early 90's.
I believe this developed the patience to be consistant and persistant in the persuit of my goals to build and fly my own airplane.
Retired forester, USFS. Early retirement at age 49.
Also retired from Oregon Air Guard, where I did non-destructive testing on F-4's & F-15's. Oil analysis, dye penetrant inspection, magnetic particle testing, ultrasonic, eddy current testing. That was a great gig and the Oregon Air Guard is a great organization, well run, lots of fun, great deployments. Kicked me out for turning 60. I'm 64 now.
Helped my wife run our (her) business for 10 years.
Many of you folks make a lot more $$ than I did, but the last time we made a car payment was in 1969, we never charge stuff on credit cards and managing our cash well gave us a tax free boost to our income. Thus, I can afford to fly.
I have a '41 Interstate Cadet, restored in '92 by a guy who's work wins awards at Oshkosh.
Building an RV-9A, but it won't win any awards, except maybe for the most parts made twice.
Also retired from Oregon Air Guard, where I did non-destructive testing on F-4's & F-15's. Oil analysis, dye penetrant inspection, magnetic particle testing, ultrasonic, eddy current testing. That was a great gig and the Oregon Air Guard is a great organization, well run, lots of fun, great deployments. Kicked me out for turning 60. I'm 64 now.
Helped my wife run our (her) business for 10 years.
Many of you folks make a lot more $$ than I did, but the last time we made a car payment was in 1969, we never charge stuff on credit cards and managing our cash well gave us a tax free boost to our income. Thus, I can afford to fly.
I have a '41 Interstate Cadet, restored in '92 by a guy who's work wins awards at Oshkosh.
Building an RV-9A, but it won't win any awards, except maybe for the most parts made twice.
Life is Good!
52 year old airline pilot having more fun than the law allows. Being paid way more than I am worth, hoping it will last another 8 years till retirement. I don't want to go past 60, just want to build and fly RV's. Daughter going away to college in DC next month. Loving the RV-9 build, got a new building partner, looking forward to flying it in another year or so.
52 year old airline pilot having more fun than the law allows. Being paid way more than I am worth, hoping it will last another 8 years till retirement. I don't want to go past 60, just want to build and fly RV's. Daughter going away to college in DC next month. Loving the RV-9 build, got a new building partner, looking forward to flying it in another year or so.
Last edited:
lorne green
Well Known Member
Just a few more years to retirement
My turn. 51, married to my business partner for 27 years, we share the same office. Thank goodness I'm only stuck there a few hours a month. 30 years in the Building material buisiness...contractor, retail. 25 years here in sleepy little Oliver, B.C. Population (trading area) 15,000. Just be came a grandparent, first time . Two kids, Adam 26, Robynne 25 both left home years ago...one to follow her boyfriend (they're married now) the other to Australia 4 years with YWAM, Newcastle NSW. He's back in Canada now finishing off his degree at bible college. I've been flying for 10 years...renting Cessnas, Ooooh, lookit 120 mph straight and level. All RVs Rock!! Started my 7a about 1 1/2 years ago, the wife is OK with the build.
She's not super keen on aviation (but she secretly reads everthing that comes into the house ) I paid cash for the emp last year and the same for the QB fuse/wings and finish kits before the yearly increase in December..saved a few bucks. Engine, avionics and paint will likely require dipping into savings. I recently wound down a desktop publishing company that I ran after hours for thirteen years (very lucritive). We live in a very comfortable home in the middle of 5.5 acres planted in cherries over looking the town and the airport. No debt, new vehicles. But it wasn't always like that. It took over twenty years and I know that I am blessed beyond belief! Wasn't going to build untill after I retired but
I decided to start early after a good friend died in his SNJ. So, I am enjoying the project... just finishing the wings, moving on to the fuse! Now, if I could just concentrate more and stop screwin' up parts!
My turn. 51, married to my business partner for 27 years, we share the same office. Thank goodness I'm only stuck there a few hours a month. 30 years in the Building material buisiness...contractor, retail. 25 years here in sleepy little Oliver, B.C. Population (trading area) 15,000. Just be came a grandparent, first time
. Two kids, Adam 26, Robynne 25 both left home years ago...one to follow her boyfriend (they're married now) the other to Australia 4 years with YWAM, Newcastle NSW. He's back in Canada now finishing off his degree at bible college. I've been flying for 10 years...renting Cessnas, Ooooh, lookit 120 mph straight and level. All RVs Rock!! Started my 7a about 1 1/2 years ago, the wife is OK with the build. She's not super keen on aviation (but she secretly reads everthing that comes into the house
) I paid cash for the emp last year and the same for the QB fuse/wings and finish kits before the yearly increase in December..saved a few bucks. Engine, avionics and paint will likely require dipping into savings. I recently wound down a desktop publishing company that I ran after hours for thirteen years (very lucritive). We live in a very comfortable home in the middle of 5.5 acres planted in cherries over looking the town and the airport. No debt, new vehicles. But it wasn't always like that. It took over twenty years and I know that I am blessed beyond belief! Wasn't going to build untill after I retired butI decided to start early after a good friend died in his SNJ.
So, I am enjoying the project... just finishing the wings, moving on to the fuse! Now, if I could just concentrate more and stop screwin' up parts!
Last edited:
Auburntsts
Well Known Member
I'm a 41 yr old Lt Colonel in the Air Force stationed at the Pentagon. Started my career as an ICBM Launch Officer and after finishing my 4-yr crew tour, cross trained into Logistics Plans. Now I'm on the HQ Air Force staff where I work deployment issues and as a Team Chief for the Combat Supoort Center portion of the Air Force Crisis Action Team. I hit 19 yrs this Nov and plan on dropping my paperwork to retire at 20 in 2008. Anybody need a private pilot, static-line qualitifed parachutist with a TS-SCI clearance and extensive logistics experience?
Anyway, I'm married with 2 kids (boy 7 and a girl 10) and am plodding away at a slow-build 10. I gross around $118K, but although I don't much in the way of debt, my family still finds a way to leave me with very little to show for it.
Anyway, I'm married with 2 kids (boy 7 and a girl 10) and am plodding away at a slow-build 10. I gross around $118K, but although I don't much in the way of debt, my family still finds a way to leave me with very little to show for it.
Last edited:
Stogie 6
Well Known Member
Demographic Survey...
Long story short...
I maintain two professions - licensed architect and US Army Reserve Officer(LTC, EN, 19 years and counting). Household maintains a rough pre-tax income of around $85K. Raising two kids (14 and 10). No car debt, no credit card debt, just the house. If anybody listens to Dave Ramsey (daveramsey.com), you know the drill. I am paying as I go for my RV6-A. Always looking for a fire sale on a kit that somebody has just run out of steam on. Bought my tail for $500 way back in 1999. I work on it when I can as it is in a hanger in Lockhart, TX and I am in Germantown, TN. My lovely wife has recently begun her "Global Warming" and is melting to the idea of flying with me. I shared Scott Schmidt's travel story with her last night...She liked the idea. Thanks Scott . Had a dream last night on how to purchase the remainder of my kit. I dreamt that I was re-deployed back to Iraq (did my time for OIF 2) for the tax-free cash. Would be worth it but there is a catch...
Thank you Doug Reeves for keeping my dream alive - Love the site.
Long story short...
I maintain two professions - licensed architect and US Army Reserve Officer(LTC, EN, 19 years and counting). Household maintains a rough pre-tax income of around $85K. Raising two kids (14 and 10). No car debt, no credit card debt, just the house. If anybody listens to Dave Ramsey (daveramsey.com), you know the drill. I am paying as I go for my RV6-A. Always looking for a fire sale on a kit that somebody has just run out of steam on. Bought my tail for $500 way back in 1999. I work on it when I can as it is in a hanger in Lockhart, TX and I am in Germantown, TN. My lovely wife has recently begun her "Global Warming" and is melting to the idea of flying with me. I shared Scott Schmidt's travel story with her last night...She liked the idea. Thanks Scott
. Had a dream last night on how to purchase the remainder of my kit. I dreamt that I was re-deployed back to Iraq (did my time for OIF 2) for the tax-free cash. Would be worth it but there is a catch... Thank you Doug Reeves for keeping my dream alive - Love the site.
Last edited:
logansc
Well Known Member
This is a great thread! After all these great stories, I won?t bore anyone with the mundane details of mine, but did want to say this all reads like an American novel. So many variations on the same dream?and so many different ways to get there. Is this a great country or what?? Thanks to all for one of the more entertaining hours I?ve ever spent at my computer!
Regards,
Lee?
Regards,
Lee?
Tom Martin
Well Known Member
I am a 52 year old, married for 30 years, old farmer. I have three sons who will all be well educated from the funds generated by agriculture but none of whom will be returning to the farm. I live on the same farm my great grandfather lived on. My life started with dairy cattle and hogs but progressed through the seed industry and back to the my farming roots and cash crops. This leaves my winters open. Fifteen years ago, while in the seed business, I needed a stress reliever, so I built a RV4. That was good for a year but I needed more speed, more room, so I built a HRII. Then I built another HRII. Then I built a F1 and helped another gentleman build one at the same time. Then another builder need help with his F1, and last year I first flew my own EVO F1. That makes seven planes in 14 years while farming during the summer months. Next winter I am going to finish another F1 and a RV7 that the owners have worked hard on, but just want to get flying. Agricuture and aviation are a great mix and I have my own grass runway from which I can check out the neighbours crops on a daily basis!
I'm a 30 year old software engineer, inching towards a six figure income, with a wife of 6 years and two sons ages 2 and 9. My wife is a former teacher's aid turned homemaker (we wanted her to be home with the baby instead of putting him in day care). The 9 year old lives with his mother and step-father in Benbrook (South Fort Worth) and because of that my finances are instantly attacked each month by the AG's office. I can sympathize with you guys that are finding it difficult to account for the substantial budget discrepencies that occur every month. Once the government is paid, the "necessary" bills are satisfied, groceries are bought, and doctors have been fed, there's not much left is there? Sometimes I can almost hear the poof sound when I check my balance.
I have an uncle who has been flying all my life, and although I didn't see him much when I was younger, it was always a treat to see his plane at reunions and sometimes get a quick ride. This year we all went to Osh for the first time, and of course I loved it. My uncle rode in the factory 7, something he had wanted to do for years, and came back grinning from ear to ear with the infamous RV Grin.
I'm not a pilot, but am gathering the courage and willpower to embark on the adventure, and every story I read on here pushes me that much closer. My wife is very supportive of my dreams, and is even willing to take lessons herself so that when we fly as a family, I have a true backup in the right seat. Being able to take my family anywhere in the country on a whim is the ultimate freedom in my mind. To me we are made up of memories and experiences, and I can't wait to stop living vicariously through you guys.
Currently I am riding a 6 month plan to get the credit card down and start my training. When that's over, it's all about the 10. I just hope Jay is still willing to help an overeducated mechanical neophite by then. Keep this thread going. It's very inspiring.
I have an uncle who has been flying all my life, and although I didn't see him much when I was younger, it was always a treat to see his plane at reunions and sometimes get a quick ride. This year we all went to Osh for the first time, and of course I loved it. My uncle rode in the factory 7, something he had wanted to do for years, and came back grinning from ear to ear with the infamous RV Grin.
I'm not a pilot, but am gathering the courage and willpower to embark on the adventure, and every story I read on here pushes me that much closer. My wife is very supportive of my dreams, and is even willing to take lessons herself so that when we fly as a family, I have a true backup in the right seat. Being able to take my family anywhere in the country on a whim is the ultimate freedom in my mind. To me we are made up of memories and experiences, and I can't wait to stop living vicariously through you guys.
Currently I am riding a 6 month plan to get the credit card down and start my training. When that's over, it's all about the 10. I just hope Jay is still willing to help an overeducated mechanical neophite by then. Keep this thread going. It's very inspiring.
Last edited:
Steve A
Well Known Member
What I do for a living
I am a geologist/geophysicist working in Lafayette, La. I grew up in Colorado and received a geop. engineering degree from Colorado Mines. I grew up skiing and racing 10 speed bikes in the mountains so flying her in Louisiana was a natural transition. Geologists/geophysicists make money when the price of oil goes up and all get laid off when it falls as it has after each boom. Since I am independent and own my own consulting business, I do well in good times and have NO income when times aren't as robust. I am a risk taker as I and a partner put the leases together, acquire the seismic data and promote the well. If it is a dry hole, I get nothing, of course .
My RV 7A is a lot like what I do in my day job. It is very risky if you don't take care to look at all the angles. I too am a cash-only type person, I paid off my modest house (the house across the river and next door are mansions) but my house has a fraction of the square footage. I have paid off my cars and drive them until either the wheels fall off or one of my teenagers have a fender bender. I owned a Cherokee 180 and Arrow and sold them when we started having kids. Two of my three kids graduate in May from college, and the deal is they pay for grad school/med school themselves. So I am free to spend a little(more than I thought) on the plane.
I am almost finished, trying to paint the plane myself. This weekend I took some transition training with Dave Austin in Denton Tx. My favorite part, now that I am back on the ground, is "have you every been inverted in an RV". Good instructor and a good person, I learned a ton.
Steve Anderson
Lafayette, La.
RV 7A
I am a geologist/geophysicist working in Lafayette, La. I grew up in Colorado and received a geop. engineering degree from Colorado Mines. I grew up skiing and racing 10 speed bikes in the mountains so flying her in Louisiana was a natural transition. Geologists/geophysicists make money when the price of oil goes up and all get laid off when it falls as it has after each boom. Since I am independent and own my own consulting business, I do well in good times and have NO income when times aren't as robust. I am a risk taker as I and a partner put the leases together, acquire the seismic data and promote the well. If it is a dry hole, I get nothing, of course .
My RV 7A is a lot like what I do in my day job. It is very risky if you don't take care to look at all the angles. I too am a cash-only type person, I paid off my modest house (the house across the river and next door are mansions) but my house has a fraction of the square footage. I have paid off my cars and drive them until either the wheels fall off or one of my teenagers have a fender bender. I owned a Cherokee 180 and Arrow and sold them when we started having kids. Two of my three kids graduate in May from college, and the deal is they pay for grad school/med school themselves. So I am free to spend a little(more than I thought) on the plane.
I am almost finished, trying to paint the plane myself. This weekend I took some transition training with Dave Austin in Denton Tx. My favorite part, now that I am back on the ground, is "have you every been inverted in an RV". Good instructor and a good person, I learned a ton.
Steve Anderson
Lafayette, La.
RV 7A
I turn 50 on the 21st, eek, where has time gone. I went most of my life wanting to fly but couldn't. No money. Now with the kids grown up I can do for myself. At age 45 I learned to fly, bought a kitfox, now have 1000 hrs. Way cool. I've been maried 30 years as of January 9. The wife loves to fly so I'm blessed with this as well. I have a transmission shop that does rather well. I put the whole flying thing on business expenses. I did hear that last month our fuel bill was something like $1200, but that includes gas for all vehicles. I fly every day, sometimes twice. I started on my RV last year around August and now am putting the finishing kit to her, it's a slow build. I will say that in my younger years I got into remote airplanes and that helped when it came time to build and learn to fly the real thing.
Why the RV? one real reason why, the company is very stable. At one point I was going to build an Europa, but found the company to wishy washy, so I bailed, glad I did, the RV is a much better choice.
Why the RV? one real reason why, the company is very stable. At one point I was going to build an Europa, but found the company to wishy washy, so I bailed, glad I did, the RV is a much better choice.
mandm1516
Well Known Member
I'm a 36 years old, been with my wife for almost 10 years. We have 3 kids (5, 3 and 2 aye carumba!).
I got my private licence while stationed in Las Vegas flying C-152s trying to make myself more competitive for a pilot slot in the Air Force. It worked, I got picked up and then medically DQ'd 3 weeks before my class date. I got the slot in May with a class start date for the following April--during that time I was allowed to fly in whatever had an open seat (at Nellis, there were a lot of open seats). I was grouchy after being DQ'd so I separated from active duty and started a career in real estate. My wife is a registered nurse who treats cancer patients.
C-152s just weren't that exciting to me anymore, plus the pressure and stress of a new career and young family have kept me out of the sky (almost 10 years now). I've been waiting for the right time to justify buying something a little more sporty.
My wife doesn't really like to fly and hasn't been very enthusiastic about my desires to buy an airplane but a few months ago in a moment of weakness she broke down (or gave up) and gave me the green light--I had an offer on a partially completed RV-8 about 3 minutes later. Something I never saw coming happened about 2 weeks ago--having the -8 in the garage,talking about it, working on it, etc has made it more real to her. She told me she wanted to get her private license so she would know more about the plane and be able to fly it when finished. Awesome.
One thing that really excites & motivates me is the opportunity to share this with my kids. My favorite pictures on this site are of people taking their kids flying--in the -8 it will be special 1 on 1 time with me and them whether it's a trip to LOE or just a few laps around the pattern.
Mike
I got my private licence while stationed in Las Vegas flying C-152s trying to make myself more competitive for a pilot slot in the Air Force. It worked, I got picked up and then medically DQ'd 3 weeks before my class date. I got the slot in May with a class start date for the following April--during that time I was allowed to fly in whatever had an open seat (at Nellis, there were a lot of open seats). I was grouchy after being DQ'd so I separated from active duty and started a career in real estate. My wife is a registered nurse who treats cancer patients.
C-152s just weren't that exciting to me anymore, plus the pressure and stress of a new career and young family have kept me out of the sky (almost 10 years now). I've been waiting for the right time to justify buying something a little more sporty.
My wife doesn't really like to fly and hasn't been very enthusiastic about my desires to buy an airplane but a few months ago in a moment of weakness she broke down (or gave up) and gave me the green light--I had an offer on a partially completed RV-8 about 3 minutes later. Something I never saw coming happened about 2 weeks ago--having the -8 in the garage,talking about it, working on it, etc has made it more real to her. She told me she wanted to get her private license so she would know more about the plane and be able to fly it when finished. Awesome.
One thing that really excites & motivates me is the opportunity to share this with my kids. My favorite pictures on this site are of people taking their kids flying--in the -8 it will be special 1 on 1 time with me and them whether it's a trip to LOE or just a few laps around the pattern.
Mike
I?m 35, married, and child free. I used to be a mechanical engineer. Now, I mostly do software for the manufacturing sector. I gave up my passion of skydiving about 4 years ago for flying lessons, with the intention of building an RV someday - Dan C?s website changed my life.
After completing my private ticket, I placed a priority on flying ?something?. So, most of my aviation dollars get sucked down the black hole of a 1968 Mooney, of which I am 1/3 owner. I recently completed my instrument rating, and now my flying goals are to take trips and build.
Last fall, after lurking on VAF for years, and slowly acquiring tools, I got a ride in Kahuna?s Super-8. I bought my empennage the next week.
I?ve been approaching it frugally. I am lucky to have a supportive wife, but I have funded most of the project so far by doing consulting work (anyone need a database hired gun?). Both the empennage and wing kits have been purchased used, but untouched. At some point we?ll sell the Mooney, and my proceeds will probably buy me a transponder or something.
My goal is to have the RV completed by the time I am 40. I would like to beat that estimate?but building is going slowly. I have to build my elevators still, and the wing parts are stashed in the guest bedroom. I hope to start them in earnest within a few months. Hopefully the pace will pick up now that I am finished with my instrument rating.
So far the RV community is everything it is advertised to be- I?ve gotten great help from local Rv?ers Kahuna and Jamie Painter. I can?t wait to fly with them someday!
After completing my private ticket, I placed a priority on flying ?something?. So, most of my aviation dollars get sucked down the black hole of a 1968 Mooney, of which I am 1/3 owner. I recently completed my instrument rating, and now my flying goals are to take trips and build.
Last fall, after lurking on VAF for years, and slowly acquiring tools, I got a ride in Kahuna?s Super-8. I bought my empennage the next week.
I?ve been approaching it frugally. I am lucky to have a supportive wife, but I have funded most of the project so far by doing consulting work (anyone need a database hired gun?). Both the empennage and wing kits have been purchased used, but untouched. At some point we?ll sell the Mooney, and my proceeds will probably buy me a transponder or something.
My goal is to have the RV completed by the time I am 40. I would like to beat that estimate?but building is going slowly. I have to build my elevators still, and the wing parts are stashed in the guest bedroom. I hope to start them in earnest within a few months. Hopefully the pace will pick up now that I am finished with my instrument rating.
So far the RV community is everything it is advertised to be- I?ve gotten great help from local Rv?ers Kahuna and Jamie Painter. I can?t wait to fly with them someday!
N941WR
Legacy Member
I just realized I had never responded to this thread.
I'm the CTO for a high end and successful furniture company located in North Carolina. My beautiful wife Nora is a Vet, the DVM kind, not the military kind. No kids, just a house full of cats and our English Bull Dog named Torque, which she brought home from work one day. I'm 46 and Nora is 34 and we will have our third wedding anniversary next month. (I ordered the fuselage kit the week before the wedding and I have pictures of her working on the plane three days before, and in the week following our return from the honeymoon.)
As president of the Charlotte EAA chapter 309 I had to write a brief summery of my flying background. So, rather than reinventing the wheel, I?ll just copy it into this thread.
I'm the CTO for a high end and successful furniture company located in North Carolina. My beautiful wife Nora is a Vet, the DVM kind, not the military kind. No kids, just a house full of cats and our English Bull Dog named Torque, which she brought home from work one day. I'm 46 and Nora is 34 and we will have our third wedding anniversary next month. (I ordered the fuselage kit the week before the wedding and I have pictures of her working on the plane three days before, and in the week following our return from the honeymoon.)
As president of the Charlotte EAA chapter 309 I had to write a brief summery of my flying background. So, rather than reinventing the wheel, I?ll just copy it into this thread.
jcmcdowell
Well Known Member
Ughhh...such a long and winding road...
I am a gypsy, a wanderer, a vagabond.
Actually, I currently am a real state broker/builder/developer in Atlanta. I've worked in some form or fashion in real estate since the Olympics hit Atlanta.
I became interested in flying when I found out a lawyer partner (beware of lawyers partners- they are really good at telling YOU what YOU should do.) in a redevelopment project was a pilot and flew a twin cessna. I thought, "If HE can fly an airplane, then surely I can fly an airplane".
Almost simultaneously of this epiphany, my "now wife" and I were having dinner with one of her girlfriends- whose husband was an ASA pilot and an instructor. After a few glasses of wine, he offered to teach me to fly and I offered to teach him to sail. Well I held him to it (he never took me up on my offer...).
After a year of "on again"/"off again" training and a brutal check ride- I had my private pilots license.
I joined a partnership in a Warrior. We (my now wife) thought that was "IT", cruising along at 100kn- what fun. We went up to Conn, down to South FLA.- we loved it. That particular plane happened to fall short of land by about 5 or 6 miles coming back from the Bahamas (not with me or my "now wife" in the plane). Fast forward a bit, I was speaking with one of the partners about either buying a 50's vintage Bonanza or a ragged out Tiger (for the speed). He said, "heck no, I'm building a Vans RV9a".
Once again I thought, "If HE can build an airplane, surely I can build an airplane" (you might see how this line of reasoning has gotten me into trouble before, If HE can build a house, surely I can build a house...).
In real estate, I typically make "chunks" of cash from sales, commissions, etc...I would buy a kit, and pay it off when a chunk came in. That was working great until 2 things happened. The first being the purchase of the engine ($$ouch) and the second being this unspoken real estate recession/crash (ouch ouch). Luckily I was pretty far along.
As far as annual income, some years are good and some years not so good.
The big suprise came when my "now wife" became my "now I'm pregnant wife"! That threw a twist into my magnificent grand plan. After much deliberation and support we sold "my baby" (the RV9a kit- not the actual baby) in order to have a flying plane by the time "our baby" was around. Thankfully, my wife was the one who suggested buying a flying RV and building a "bigger one" later (remember honey when you said "we" should build a bigger plane...). My wife loves to sail, loves to fly, and most importantly has the patience of a saint to put up with the likes of me. For that, I try to provide and support a woman who thinks I'm an ok kinda guy (still surprises me, frankly- I'm dreading the day when she wakes up).
Anyways, that's my story and I'm sticking to it...
JC McDowell
I am a gypsy, a wanderer, a vagabond.
Actually, I currently am a real state broker/builder/developer in Atlanta. I've worked in some form or fashion in real estate since the Olympics hit Atlanta.
I became interested in flying when I found out a lawyer partner (beware of lawyers partners- they are really good at telling YOU what YOU should do.
) in a redevelopment project was a pilot and flew a twin cessna. I thought, "If HE can fly an airplane, then surely I can fly an airplane". Almost simultaneously of this epiphany, my "now wife" and I were having dinner with one of her girlfriends- whose husband was an ASA pilot and an instructor. After a few glasses of wine, he offered to teach me to fly and I offered to teach him to sail. Well I held him to it (he never took me up on my offer...).
After a year of "on again"/"off again" training and a brutal check ride- I had my private pilots license.
I joined a partnership in a Warrior. We (my now wife) thought that was "IT", cruising along at 100kn- what fun. We went up to Conn, down to South FLA.- we loved it. That particular plane happened to fall short of land by about 5 or 6 miles coming back from the Bahamas (not with me or my "now wife" in the plane). Fast forward a bit, I was speaking with one of the partners about either buying a 50's vintage Bonanza or a ragged out Tiger (for the speed). He said, "heck no, I'm building a Vans RV9a".
Once again I thought, "If HE can build an airplane, surely I can build an airplane" (you might see how this line of reasoning has gotten me into trouble before, If HE can build a house, surely I can build a house...).
In real estate, I typically make "chunks" of cash from sales, commissions, etc...I would buy a kit, and pay it off when a chunk came in. That was working great until 2 things happened. The first being the purchase of the engine ($$ouch) and the second being this unspoken real estate recession/crash (ouch ouch). Luckily I was pretty far along.
As far as annual income, some years are good and some years not so good.
The big suprise came when my "now wife" became my "now I'm pregnant wife"! That threw a twist into my magnificent grand plan. After much deliberation and support we sold "my baby" (the RV9a kit- not the actual baby) in order to have a flying plane by the time "our baby" was around. Thankfully, my wife was the one who suggested buying a flying RV and building a "bigger one" later (remember honey when you said "we" should build a bigger plane...). My wife loves to sail, loves to fly, and most importantly has the patience of a saint to put up with the likes of me. For that, I try to provide and support a woman who thinks I'm an ok kinda guy (still surprises me, frankly- I'm dreading the day when she wakes up).
Anyways, that's my story and I'm sticking to it...
JC McDowell
Poorer than churchmouse
Have been a teacher for many years but decided that I would make an attempt to build the rv7. Have been planning and saving for a few years. Sold my Cherokee 140 and have told myself that I can't take my retirement with me when I die, but maybe the RV7. So far things look promising. Have started the empennage.
Have been a teacher for many years but decided that I would make an attempt to build the rv7. Have been planning and saving for a few years. Sold my Cherokee 140 and have told myself that I can't take my retirement with me when I die, but maybe the RV7. So far things look promising. Have started the empennage.
I'm a 59 year old, soon-to-retire engineer/administrator at a "major midwestern research university". Came from a long line of Air Force relatives ... my dad was in the 14th Air Force Flying Tigers in WWII, my uncle a career military and Eastern Airlines pilot, and two cousins who retired from the USAF as a Brigadier General and bird Colonel respectively. Ended up being around pilots and aviation people all my life . ALWAYS wanted to get my pilot's license and fly. In the late 70's I realized I had only the $$ to either ski a lot, or fly; but not both. I chose the former, since THAT wife (now ex) was a skier and racer.
Now cut to 2004. Been happily married to Spousal Unit #2 since '85, a lovely daughter in high school, and a 30yr+ career in higher education winding to a close. I realized I had the time AND the money to finally get a pilot's license. Time to either DO IT or give up the dream. Went to ground school at the community college in Fall '04, started instruction in Spring '05 flying twice a week (at 6:15am) until I passed my checkride in November '05. In the meantime, had begun going to OSH and S&F and totally fell in love with those gorgeous homebuilts. Also in Spring of '05 I joined the local EAA chapter (Ch129, Bloomington) where I met Jack Holland who had just finished this spectacular yellow and white 7A. He let me fly it soon after my checkride and I was head-over-heels (with the 7A, not Jack ;o) On my birthday that December I ordered the tail kit for my now-morphing 9A ... kit arrived on my porch on 12/31/05. More recently my QB fuse and wings arrived 11/25/06.
And I've been riveting and deburring ever since. I'm so lucky to have the family and friends and good fortune I do, that I must pinch myself once a week. As so many of you guys like to say ... I'm "livin' the dream".
Rupester
Mahomet, IL
RV-9A QB fuse
Now cut to 2004. Been happily married to Spousal Unit #2 since '85, a lovely daughter in high school, and a 30yr+ career in higher education winding to a close. I realized I had the time AND the money to finally get a pilot's license. Time to either DO IT or give up the dream. Went to ground school at the community college in Fall '04, started instruction in Spring '05 flying twice a week (at 6:15am) until I passed my checkride in November '05. In the meantime, had begun going to OSH and S&F and totally fell in love with those gorgeous homebuilts. Also in Spring of '05 I joined the local EAA chapter (Ch129, Bloomington) where I met Jack Holland who had just finished this spectacular yellow and white 7A. He let me fly it soon after my checkride and I was head-over-heels (with the 7A, not Jack ;o) On my birthday that December I ordered the tail kit for my now-morphing 9A ... kit arrived on my porch on 12/31/05. More recently my QB fuse and wings arrived 11/25/06.
And I've been riveting and deburring ever since. I'm so lucky to have the family and friends and good fortune I do, that I must pinch myself once a week. As so many of you guys like to say ... I'm "livin' the dream".
Rupester
Mahomet, IL
RV-9A QB fuse
G'day
Been lurking on these forums for ages now, this thread and the imminent arrival of my 10 empannage (next week agw) dictated I get myself into gear and sign up.
I'm 32, single and an ex merchant marine chief officer. I came ashore for good 8 years ago and then worked for shipowners and charterers around the world. I use to earn GREAT money. 2 Years ago I decided working for other poeple sucked the big one so I took a huge risk and ditched the job (and the secure dosh) to start my own ship chartering business. Well here we are 2 years down the track and the biz has 8 large bulk carriers on her books with offices in Geneva, Melbourne and Shanghai. Financially it has been sensational. However, I'm a simple guy and still the same person I was when I ran off to sea at the age of 17. This is why RV's appeal to me so much, I look at em and they just say ''I'm honest and what you see is what you get".
Anyhow, the parking garage has been converted into "John Doe's Skunkworks" (apologies to the receptionist who now parks outside) and its ready to rock n roll. I have a server terminal outlet in there as well as a second telephone extension from the office so I plan to work on the plane full time, 5-6 days a week whilst still being able to do 'normal' work when required. Kind of a "sort of" semi sabatical for a while if you get my drift. Needless to say there is a roster in the office kitchen of jobs on the plane assigned to everyone, just small ones, but I like the idea of getting the gang involved in something like this, that way they can all play a small part in the plume of smoke at the end of the runway when the boss takes the first flight, "yep, reckon we got tomorrow off then huh?"...hehe
At the end of the day, what I actually wanted to say, before the mad raving above took a hold of me, is that I've come to realise that sometimes what feels like a risk is just your minds way of telling you to go for it...it is oh so sweet when you pull it off. However, it doesn't always work out (most times it fails dismally), but if it fails, then you're just closer to when you can have another crack and next time might be the one. That dictum I use for everything in life. I get so impressed with poeple who pull things off that, in modern society's eyes, they have no right to pull off...this thread has identified many of those types of poeple...
All the best
JD
Been lurking on these forums for ages now, this thread and the imminent arrival of my 10 empannage (next week agw) dictated I get myself into gear and sign up.
I'm 32, single and an ex merchant marine chief officer. I came ashore for good 8 years ago and then worked for shipowners and charterers around the world. I use to earn GREAT money. 2 Years ago I decided working for other poeple sucked the big one so I took a huge risk and ditched the job (and the secure dosh) to start my own ship chartering business. Well here we are 2 years down the track and the biz has 8 large bulk carriers on her books with offices in Geneva, Melbourne and Shanghai. Financially it has been sensational. However, I'm a simple guy and still the same person I was when I ran off to sea at the age of 17. This is why RV's appeal to me so much, I look at em and they just say ''I'm honest and what you see is what you get".
Anyhow, the parking garage has been converted into "John Doe's Skunkworks" (apologies to the receptionist who now parks outside) and its ready to rock n roll. I have a server terminal outlet in there as well as a second telephone extension from the office so I plan to work on the plane full time, 5-6 days a week whilst still being able to do 'normal' work when required. Kind of a "sort of" semi sabatical for a while if you get my drift. Needless to say there is a roster in the office kitchen of jobs on the plane assigned to everyone, just small ones, but I like the idea of getting the gang involved in something like this, that way they can all play a small part in the plume of smoke at the end of the runway when the boss takes the first flight, "yep, reckon we got tomorrow off then huh?"...hehe
At the end of the day, what I actually wanted to say, before the mad raving above took a hold of me, is that I've come to realise that sometimes what feels like a risk is just your minds way of telling you to go for it...it is oh so sweet when you pull it off. However, it doesn't always work out (most times it fails dismally), but if it fails, then you're just closer to when you can have another crack and next time might be the one. That dictum I use for everything in life. I get so impressed with poeple who pull things off that, in modern society's eyes, they have no right to pull off...this thread has identified many of those types of poeple...
All the best
JD
Dreams and schemes
My turn!
As I type this, I'm 4 weeks shy of my 48th birthday. We (the wife and I) are 10 days shy of our 25th anniversary. Our children are grown (23 and 21) but the son is still living at home. The wife is a software configuration manager for a government contractor building trucks for the Army. I am a maintenance quality control inspector for a regional carrier based here in Houston.
Our backgrounds though both start in the USAF as Aircraft Weapons systems technicians. That's the air force's colorful title for us Bomb Loaders. Momma took the Clinton era reduction in forces buy out and went back to school. I stuck with it but went ahead and worked on my A+P license in my last years of active duty. The timing was perfect, I earned my license just as my time in service group was offered early retirement. I took the money and ran! That was in 1995. But all told man and boy I've been in the aircraft maintenance business in one form or another for 30+ years now.
Flying and building my own aircraft has been a life-long dream of mine. My flying though has been on hold for a long time now. It stopped just about the time the son was born. You all know the drill, 2 cars, 2 kids, mortgage and/or rents for 18+ years. College tuitions and loans etc.. But the loans are caught up now. We still have 2 car payments for another 3 years. The credit cards are paid off except for the one we had to put some emergency car repairs on recently. The rent is manageable so.. its our turn!
Why the RV's? I've always loved how they look. I actually bought the info pack way back when the -6 first came out. back then I had actually thought of modifying the 6 to carry 4, but Momma that time said no. So the dream was still on hold. It all changed finally back in June of this year. What changed it? Hondo. Momma decided she missed the life of hanging around the flight line
We made the run down to Hondo and the SWRFI on Saturday and only stayed 3 hours, but it was enough. It was the first time I had ever been up close and personal with any RV model. Working at bigger airports I hardly ever get to see any little planes up close! While momma and I like the fighter like looks of the -4 and the -8 she said she'd rather sit next to me on them long cross countries. So I took her over to where the Vans factory -9A was parked and showed it to her. She said yes!!
So now the -9 pre-plans are sitting over my head as I type this. The savings account has been opened and is growing steadily. I have been editing all the tool stores kits to remove the tools I already own and add the ones I want. (either way, being a professional A+P the tools are gonna be a tax deduction...) I hope to have a tail kit under my tree come Christmas!
By the way, if anyone in the Houston area knows a cheap place to start over getting the PPL drop me a line!
My turn!
As I type this, I'm 4 weeks shy of my 48th birthday. We (the wife and I) are 10 days shy of our 25th anniversary. Our children are grown (23 and 21) but the son is still living at home. The wife is a software configuration manager for a government contractor building trucks for the Army. I am a maintenance quality control inspector for a regional carrier based here in Houston.
Our backgrounds though both start in the USAF as Aircraft Weapons systems technicians. That's the air force's colorful title for us Bomb Loaders. Momma took the Clinton era reduction in forces buy out and went back to school. I stuck with it but went ahead and worked on my A+P license in my last years of active duty. The timing was perfect, I earned my license just as my time in service group was offered early retirement. I took the money and ran! That was in 1995. But all told man and boy I've been in the aircraft maintenance business in one form or another for 30+ years now.
Flying and building my own aircraft has been a life-long dream of mine. My flying though has been on hold for a long time now. It stopped just about the time the son was born. You all know the drill, 2 cars, 2 kids, mortgage and/or rents for 18+ years. College tuitions and loans etc.. But the loans are caught up now. We still have 2 car payments for another 3 years. The credit cards are paid off except for the one we had to put some emergency car repairs on recently. The rent is manageable so.. its our turn!
Why the RV's? I've always loved how they look. I actually bought the info pack way back when the -6 first came out. back then I had actually thought of modifying the 6 to carry 4, but Momma that time said no.
So the dream was still on hold. It all changed finally back in June of this year. What changed it? Hondo. Momma decided she missed the life of hanging around the flight lineWe made the run down to Hondo and the SWRFI on Saturday and only stayed 3 hours, but it was enough. It was the first time I had ever been up close and personal with any RV model. Working at bigger airports I hardly ever get to see any little planes up close! While momma and I like the fighter like looks of the -4 and the -8 she said she'd rather sit next to me on them long cross countries. So I took her over to where the Vans factory -9A was parked and showed it to her. She said yes!!
So now the -9 pre-plans are sitting over my head as I type this. The savings account has been opened and is growing steadily. I have been editing all the tool stores kits to remove the tools I already own and add the ones I want. (either way, being a professional A+P the tools are gonna be a tax deduction...) I hope to have a tail kit under my tree come Christmas!
By the way, if anyone in the Houston area knows a cheap place to start over getting the PPL drop me a line!
pierre smith
Well Known Member
Teddy said it best
Hi JD,
Teddy Roosevelt said it best when he made this speech in Paris, 1910:
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
I'm an import from South Africa and was schooled in Rhodesia. After a three year stint at Uncle Sam's request, I moved back to Georgia and started my crop-dusting career and currently use an Air Tractor 502 with a thirsty PT -6 turbine at 47 GPH Yes, on a good day I can burn 400 gallons. I built a Cassutt F-1 racer in 1973 and my -6A in 2005 and it has been a heckuva ride. Building an airplane is in reality, just a bunch of small jobs and the day you run out of things to do, it'll really surprise you! Yes, it is all very worthwhile. Back to the cotton pests....
Regards,
Pierre
John Doe said:
Hi JD,
Teddy Roosevelt said it best when he made this speech in Paris, 1910:
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
I'm an import from South Africa and was schooled in Rhodesia. After a three year stint at Uncle Sam's request, I moved back to Georgia and started my crop-dusting career and currently use an Air Tractor 502 with a thirsty PT -6 turbine at 47 GPH
Yes, on a good day I can burn 400 gallons. I built a Cassutt F-1 racer in 1973 and my -6A in 2005 and it has been a heckuva ride. Building an airplane is in reality, just a bunch of small jobs and the day you run out of things to do, it'll really surprise you! Yes, it is all very worthwhile. Back to the cotton pests.... Regards,
Pierre
pierre smith
Well Known Member
Test..
Testing the allyoucanupload.com site:
Me and the hungry Air Tractor.
[/URL][/IMG] It really is much easier.
Pierre
Testing the allyoucanupload.com site:
Me and the hungry Air Tractor.
Pierre
java
Well Known Member
or...
"Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."
Or Calvin Coolidge...pierre smith said:
"Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."
John,
I'm a rebel. Really tho, I like the looks of a nose wheel 7. I'm tired of trying to see when doing the taxi thing, I fly into class c airports all the time, wife is constantly telling me to look out for those blue lights. Want to show those nose wheel guys how to land. I like the looks, ooops, said that already. I'm keeping the fox. I have no ego problem. people can call me a sissy, i don't care. finally, it's my choice.
I'm a rebel. Really tho, I like the looks of a nose wheel 7. I'm tired of trying to see when doing the taxi thing, I fly into class c airports all the time, wife is constantly telling me to look out for those blue lights. Want to show those nose wheel guys how to land. I like the looks, ooops, said that already. I'm keeping the fox. I have no ego problem. people can call me a sissy, i don't care. finally, it's my choice.
Might as well chime in here. I am a 25 year old IT Project Manager for a Fortune 100 company in Southern New Hampshire. I have about 105k in pre-tax income with no debt except for my mortgage. No wife or kids, just a girlfriend who is surpisingly interested in the prospect of this RV-7 Project.
I have always been interested in things that go fast (hence the interest in the RV). I have been racing a '87 Porsche 944 Turbo for the last 4 years in my spare time and about 3 years ago started racing a J/24 sailboat in various local / regional series. I have always been interested in aviation and took my first lesson back in 1996. Unfortunately, I have only logged about 9 hrs of total student pilot time stretched pretty evenly over those 11 years, so I will be getting my PPL while I am building. I am hoping accrue about 125 hours time including the Mike Seiger transition, an unusual attitude course, and intro to acro course before the project is finished.
As for building... I have been snooping around VAF for about two years now and finally bought the condo w/ 2 car garage last winter so that I could begin the project. I picked up the preview plans at Oshkosh last month and am currently buying tools. The emp will be ordered next month.
I have always been interested in things that go fast (hence the interest in the RV). I have been racing a '87 Porsche 944 Turbo for the last 4 years in my spare time and about 3 years ago started racing a J/24 sailboat in various local / regional series. I have always been interested in aviation and took my first lesson back in 1996. Unfortunately, I have only logged about 9 hrs of total student pilot time stretched pretty evenly over those 11 years, so I will be getting my PPL while I am building. I am hoping accrue about 125 hours time including the Mike Seiger transition, an unusual attitude course, and intro to acro course before the project is finished.
As for building... I have been snooping around VAF for about two years now and finally bought the condo w/ 2 car garage last winter so that I could begin the project. I picked up the preview plans at Oshkosh last month and am currently buying tools. The emp will be ordered next month.
Harland E. [n.m. u.s.a.]
Well Known Member
Big Nutshell
I like these threads, i'ts fun to find out what I have,or do not have in common with the rest of you wingnuts.I have been in the film industry since I was 17 years old and I'm now 39.The rates for my craft have fluctuated from year to year but have ,on average,steadily increased.If I were to NOT turn down work and were able to physically manage to work an entire year (pretty much impossible considering 60-70-80 hour work weeks,ya just gotta take time off to recoop) then I would make around 100k ,but I would be too crippled to enjoy it!! I am a newlywed and managed to hook a bride who makes more money than I do.We keep seperate bank accounts and split the morgtage and most of the household expenses down the middle.All my money goes to the kids(from an earlier relationship) then the mortgage and then the plane last. She's all for the build and I hope to tap her for some funds in the future.Afterall, she comes from a Navy aviation family,father was an F-4 driver and brother is currently getting ready to go back to ******** for another tour in his*******.I was lucky enough also to get a building partner who is in the same business and lives down the road!! George is a Godsend and has been able to keep our project moving forward monitarily while I was out of work for 7 months with a blown disc in my back(SAINT GEORGE).I wonder why most builders dont go into partnerships---split EVERYTHING down the middle ,costs,buildtime,two brains!!Yeah,even flying time will be split but from what I understand planes mostly sit on the ground, even in partnerships.BTW....I do everything myself..I dont pay anyone to do anything that I'm capable of doing.I work on all my own cars.I do my own plumbing.I do my own carpentry.I mow my own lawn.Ive turned into one of those cheap crotchety old dudes that I used to make fun of!!But every penny I save moves us closer to the dream.I really believe in PIERRE'S quote about having the WILL to be an aircraft builder being the most key ingredient ,and some sacrifice.And some good friends.
I like these threads, i'ts fun to find out what I have,or do not have in common with the rest of you wingnuts.I have been in the film industry since I was 17 years old and I'm now 39.The rates for my craft have fluctuated from year to year but have ,on average,steadily increased.If I were to NOT turn down work and were able to physically manage to work an entire year (pretty much impossible considering 60-70-80 hour work weeks,ya just gotta take time off to recoop) then I would make around 100k ,but I would be too crippled to enjoy it!! I am a newlywed and managed to hook a bride who makes more money than I do.We keep seperate bank accounts and split the morgtage and most of the household expenses down the middle.All my money goes to the kids(from an earlier relationship) then the mortgage and then the plane last. She's all for the build and I hope to tap her for some funds in the future.Afterall, she comes from a Navy aviation family,father was an F-4 driver and brother is currently getting ready to go back to ******** for another tour in his*******.I was lucky enough also to get a building partner who is in the same business and lives down the road!! George is a Godsend and has been able to keep our project moving forward monitarily while I was out of work for 7 months with a blown disc in my back(SAINT GEORGE).I wonder why most builders dont go into partnerships---split EVERYTHING down the middle ,costs,buildtime,two brains!!Yeah,even flying time will be split but from what I understand planes mostly sit on the ground, even in partnerships.BTW....I do everything myself..I dont pay anyone to do anything that I'm capable of doing.I work on all my own cars.I do my own plumbing.I do my own carpentry.I mow my own lawn.Ive turned into one of those cheap crotchety old dudes that I used to make fun of!!But every penny I save moves us closer to the dream.I really believe in PIERRE'S quote about having the WILL to be an aircraft builder being the most key ingredient ,and some sacrifice.And some good friends.
Last edited:
Hello all,
I am a deckhand/captain for a tug and barge company on the Columbia/Snake River. I have been doing this for 4 years and make a good living. I am newly married and my wife is a receptionist. So far I have finished the tail kit on my 8A, I am going to do a slow build fuselage and a quickbuild wing. I work week on week off so, my week off is pretty well filled up with working in the garage.
Randy
I am a deckhand/captain for a tug and barge company on the Columbia/Snake River. I have been doing this for 4 years and make a good living. I am newly married and my wife is a receptionist. So far I have finished the tail kit on my 8A, I am going to do a slow build fuselage and a quickbuild wing. I work week on week off so, my week off is pretty well filled up with working in the garage.
Randy
jjconstant
Well Known Member
I'm a long time lurker but this thread is a terrific opportunity to post and introduce myself. I'm a very fortunate musician, able to make a low 100k income by playing classical violin in a major symphony orchestra, freelancing and recording. I've always been interested in flying and finally put the time and money together at the same time and got my PPL in 1996. I bought an Aircoupe and met a man who became my mentor in maintaining it. A little later on I too became interested in building a Europa and also got disillusioned with the company and what I realized was an immature kit (built the rudder correctly...3 times! )
While playing a music festival in Sun Valley ID I became friends with a LongEZ builder/flyer and we had a very frank talk about what the best kit for me was and it was hands down a Vans ANYTHING! I went with the 7A and have been building at the airport to have access to the incredible wealth of current and past builders who are, for some reason, interested in keeping me alive! My Aircoupe mentor is also partnering on the plane, but still with touring and the trip to the airport to work, it's been 4 1/2 years. I just lit up the panel for the first time but the airport friends still remind me that I'm giving "Quick Build" a bad name !
Jeremy
)While playing a music festival in Sun Valley ID I became friends with a LongEZ builder/flyer and we had a very frank talk about what the best kit for me was and it was hands down a Vans ANYTHING! I went with the 7A and have been building at the airport to have access to the incredible wealth of current and past builders who are, for some reason, interested in keeping me alive! My Aircoupe mentor is also partnering on the plane, but still with touring and the trip to the airport to work, it's been 4 1/2 years. I just lit up the panel for the first time but the airport friends still remind me that I'm giving "Quick Build" a bad name
!Jeremy
Caummisar
Well Known Member
Small world and a long post
Talking about oneself is easier than finding money for tools, so here goes. The willingness by the other posters in this thread to be so open about who they are, salaries and family motivated me to write my first post.
Other posters information in this thread is VERY encouraging to me. I got the flying bug relatively late in life, probably because I've moved so much. When people ask, "Where are you from?" I just answer, "It?s easier to tell you where I'm NOT from!" Because of my expensive gypsy lifestyle, I?m sure I?d be flying my RV 7a by now, if I?d of just stayed put. Like many, I?ve chased the almighty dollar by changing jobs a lot. Currently, I'm a Safety Engineer with the National Nuclear Security Administration, a sub agency of the Department of Energy. (Yikes, it?s a scary small world, I just saw another DOE Safety Engineer in the VAForum) I work at a facility that maintains/dismantles nuclear weapons. (Since I?ve started my tail kit, I?ve notice and started critiquing and appreciating rivets and other hardware on weapons!) See NNSA I also noticed another ?weapons technician/bomb loader? in this tread; small world.
My 27-year professional safety career, with 4 different companies, has been quite a ride. I?ve done heavy construction in oil refineries, paper mills, commercial nuke plants, built nuke subs and carriers, baby-sat nuclear waste, and now help the world to be a safer place by dismantling and reducing the nuclear stockpile. Clean/safe work like selling cars or banking doesn?t have a need for safety engineers. Therefore, I?ve always commuted to a god-forsaken facility way out to somewhere ?away from everyone.? I?m surprised I haven?t worked in a chemical weapons plant yet! Oh well, I?m still not retired yet. Right now, I'm a civil Federal Employee with about 10 -12 years to retirement and have a joint household income below $140K. Married, w/3 married daughters. Remember, bride?s dad pays for the weddings! The last wedding delayed my ordering my 7a tail kit by about a year. I wish I could say the house is paid for but?.. I got my PPL in 1998. I'm a low time spam-can renter right now. Except for my retired fighter pilot brother in law, I?m the only pilot in my immediate family. I lurked on one of the other Forums for years and joined this one this year. It is encouraging to see there are other OLDER-than-me builders (I?m just about 52) just beginning their planes. I watched some of Jay Pratts' videos on YouTube and his comment that those older than 50 should by the quick-build empennage gave me pause. (Can I get it done before retirement?! Yikes!!! ?? Sure, just work until you die!) Being an empty-nester and driving one 15 y/o paid-for car and another paid for 7 y/o truck, I was hoping that more money and time would be available for the plane. As one poster put it, ?Where is that leak in my bank account?? I have thought of the budget cutting techniques Tom Maxwell listed in 2005, but haven?t really instituted any. Luckily, I did start a college fund long ago for the last of the three daughters and it should see her through to the sheepskin.
I spent about 7 or 8 years ?tooling up? by initially buying the Avery RV tool kit while slowing buying other tools such as a band saw, drill press, air compressor, you?ve all been there. I lurked and dreamed. Now with all the excuses gone, (have to get a workshop, have to get the workshop ready [plumb for air, more elec outlets, more lighting, oh A/C too], marry off the last daughter, [cha-ching], gotta learn/practice riveting, can I really do this? have to go to my mom?s funeral?.) Now I?m working slowing on the tail kit wondering how I can afford the 5K (no, I?ve waited so long, its 6K now) for the wing kit.!! Initially, I was to build a 6a, but luckily [the 7a is improved] now it?s a 7a. I?m sure that all that shade tree mechanic-ing over the years has given me the skills needed to finish. I?ve successfully pulled auto motors, rebuilt and re-installed them into about 4 vehicles (yes, I?m too cheap to pay someone to do it.) I?ve put in numerous clutches, worked on many other car systems such as A/C, water pumps, gas systems and ALWAYS do my own brakes, etc?.even at my age!! Again, much like one poster, I have done a lot of repairs on my vehicles and houses to scare that buffalo off the nickel.
The numerous RV websites have been both a rich source of information (this comment is for LegalEagle) and a great motivator. When I fall off my building, I surf the websites and get re-motivated. Finally, for those low-lifes that might be surfing forums for marks to burgle, be forewarned, I?m insured by GLOCK.
Talking about oneself is easier than finding money for tools, so here goes. The willingness by the other posters in this thread to be so open about who they are, salaries and family motivated me to write my first post.
Other posters information in this thread is VERY encouraging to me. I got the flying bug relatively late in life, probably because I've moved so much. When people ask, "Where are you from?" I just answer, "It?s easier to tell you where I'm NOT from!" Because of my expensive gypsy lifestyle, I?m sure I?d be flying my RV 7a by now, if I?d of just stayed put. Like many, I?ve chased the almighty dollar by changing jobs a lot. Currently, I'm a Safety Engineer with the National Nuclear Security Administration, a sub agency of the Department of Energy. (Yikes, it?s a scary small world, I just saw another DOE Safety Engineer in the VAForum) I work at a facility that maintains/dismantles nuclear weapons. (Since I?ve started my tail kit, I?ve notice and started critiquing and appreciating rivets and other hardware on weapons!) See NNSA I also noticed another ?weapons technician/bomb loader? in this tread; small world.
My 27-year professional safety career, with 4 different companies, has been quite a ride. I?ve done heavy construction in oil refineries, paper mills, commercial nuke plants, built nuke subs and carriers, baby-sat nuclear waste, and now help the world to be a safer place by dismantling and reducing the nuclear stockpile. Clean/safe work like selling cars or banking doesn?t have a need for safety engineers. Therefore, I?ve always commuted to a god-forsaken facility way out to somewhere ?away from everyone.? I?m surprised I haven?t worked in a chemical weapons plant yet! Oh well, I?m still not retired yet. Right now, I'm a civil Federal Employee with about 10 -12 years to retirement and have a joint household income below $140K. Married, w/3 married daughters. Remember, bride?s dad pays for the weddings! The last wedding delayed my ordering my 7a tail kit by about a year. I wish I could say the house is paid for but?.. I got my PPL in 1998. I'm a low time spam-can renter right now. Except for my retired fighter pilot brother in law, I?m the only pilot in my immediate family. I lurked on one of the other Forums for years and joined this one this year. It is encouraging to see there are other OLDER-than-me builders (I?m just about 52) just beginning their planes. I watched some of Jay Pratts' videos on YouTube and his comment that those older than 50 should by the quick-build empennage gave me pause.
(Can I get it done before retirement?! Yikes!!! ?? Sure, just work until you die!) Being an empty-nester and driving one 15 y/o paid-for car and another paid for 7 y/o truck, I was hoping that more money and time would be available for the plane. As one poster put it, ?Where is that leak in my bank account?? I have thought of the budget cutting techniques Tom Maxwell listed in 2005, but haven?t really instituted any. Luckily, I did start a college fund long ago for the last of the three daughters and it should see her through to the sheepskin. I spent about 7 or 8 years ?tooling up? by initially buying the Avery RV tool kit while slowing buying other tools such as a band saw, drill press, air compressor, you?ve all been there. I lurked and dreamed. Now with all the excuses gone, (have to get a workshop, have to get the workshop ready [plumb for air, more elec outlets, more lighting, oh A/C too], marry off the last daughter, [cha-ching], gotta learn/practice riveting, can I really do this? have to go to my mom?s funeral?.) Now I?m working slowing on the tail kit wondering how I can afford the 5K (no, I?ve waited so long, its 6K now) for the wing kit.!! Initially, I was to build a 6a, but luckily [the 7a is improved] now it?s a 7a. I?m sure that all that shade tree mechanic-ing over the years has given me the skills needed to finish. I?ve successfully pulled auto motors, rebuilt and re-installed them into about 4 vehicles (yes, I?m too cheap to pay someone to do it.) I?ve put in numerous clutches, worked on many other car systems such as A/C, water pumps, gas systems and ALWAYS do my own brakes, etc?.even at my age!! Again, much like one poster, I have done a lot of repairs on my vehicles and houses to scare that buffalo off the nickel.
The numerous RV websites have been both a rich source of information (this comment is for LegalEagle) and a great motivator. When I fall off my building, I surf the websites and get re-motivated. Finally, for those low-lifes that might be surfing forums for marks to burgle, be forewarned, I?m insured by GLOCK.
Another lurker/dreamer....
Hello, My name is Eric and I have an aviation addiction......
I am a long time lurker and am finally getting close to ordering. Close being a relative term as we are building a new house that will be done by spring that has a three car garage and a large corner of the walk out basement set up as a shop. Hope to have the shop done by summer and parts coming by fall.
My dad is an A&P. Grew up at airports. Amazed I still have not learned to fly but my lovely wife has given full authorization to proceed. Built many RC planes. Love to tinker and play with tools.
By training I am a pharmacist (four year chem/biol undergrad major and four year doctoral degree in pharmacy). By profession I am a regional director of a team of medical liaisons. Big fancy name for a logistics and relationship management team. We act as the conduit for work streams coming into and going out of a large pharmaceutical company with regard to research and development. Making a good salary north of $130 gross. Wife is a Physical Therapist but stays home with our four kids aged 2-9.
We save in a manner that is near fanatical and plan to retire or be able to retire from "real" work by 50-55 (35 now) totally debt free. No debt other than home and an insanely low interest rate ed loan from my undergrad studies.
Dreaming about a 9A. Intrigued by the 12 and the LSA pilot cert. Continually amazed at what the RV community puts out as far as finished AC and the true sense of community they foster.
Hoping someday to amuse you all with my building and hopefully cruise next to you in the air.
Eric
Hello, My name is Eric and I have an aviation addiction......
I am a long time lurker and am finally getting close to ordering. Close being a relative term as we are building a new house that will be done by spring that has a three car garage and a large corner of the walk out basement set up as a shop. Hope to have the shop done by summer and parts coming by fall.
My dad is an A&P. Grew up at airports. Amazed I still have not learned to fly but my lovely wife has given full authorization to proceed. Built many RC planes. Love to tinker and play with tools.
By training I am a pharmacist (four year chem/biol undergrad major and four year doctoral degree in pharmacy). By profession I am a regional director of a team of medical liaisons. Big fancy name for a logistics and relationship management team. We act as the conduit for work streams coming into and going out of a large pharmaceutical company with regard to research and development. Making a good salary north of $130 gross. Wife is a Physical Therapist but stays home with our four kids aged 2-9.
We save in a manner that is near fanatical and plan to retire or be able to retire from "real" work by 50-55 (35 now) totally debt free. No debt other than home and an insanely low interest rate ed loan from my undergrad studies.
Dreaming about a 9A. Intrigued by the 12 and the LSA pilot cert. Continually amazed at what the RV community puts out as far as finished AC and the true sense of community they foster.
Hoping someday to amuse you all with my building and hopefully cruise next to you in the air.
Eric
tim.randles
Active Member
Quick hello
I'm YALD (yet another lurker/dreamer) that's about to make the plunge and order a 7 empennage kit. I got my PPL when I was 17 and went off to uni. That effectively put a hold on flying for the duration of school (5 years.) Post-uni I got a 50-hour/week job that effectively put a hold on flying. Just as I was about to throttle back the work-week and start flying again I met a wonderful woman and married her. That effectively put a hold on flying. We bought a house...so on and so forth. See the pattern here? Unless you make flying part of your life, life will take over and flying won't happen. I'm preaching to the choir, lol.
ANYWAY, long story short, it's been 16 years since I've flown regularly and I've been dreaming of building an RV for about 9 of them. Enough is enough. Do I have all the money I need to do this? No. Do I care? Not really. I figure I'll find the money when I need the money. I've found more than enough inspiration browsing the VAF site over the past few years and I'm taking the plunge. Wish me luck. You're sure to hear more from me.
Tim
I'm YALD (yet another lurker/dreamer) that's about to make the plunge and order a 7 empennage kit. I got my PPL when I was 17 and went off to uni. That effectively put a hold on flying for the duration of school (5 years.) Post-uni I got a 50-hour/week job that effectively put a hold on flying. Just as I was about to throttle back the work-week and start flying again I met a wonderful woman and married her. That effectively put a hold on flying. We bought a house...so on and so forth. See the pattern here? Unless you make flying part of your life, life will take over and flying won't happen.
I'm preaching to the choir, lol.ANYWAY, long story short, it's been 16 years since I've flown regularly and I've been dreaming of building an RV for about 9 of them. Enough is enough. Do I have all the money I need to do this? No. Do I care? Not really. I figure I'll find the money when I need the money. I've found more than enough inspiration browsing the VAF site over the past few years and I'm taking the plunge. Wish me luck. You're sure to hear more from me.
Tim
I fly LHS in an Airbus 330 for a living but have fun in a Citabria and anything else in my spare time. My Bro and I are about 3/4 through a QB RV7 with Mattituck IO-360, dual Dynon's, dual P Mag, Digitrak, Garmin stack.
My Doris understands that flying is a passion and she lets me do as I please most of the time.
I coach and do BFR's, skydive in Florida when on trips - only at Zephyrhills, the best DZ in Florida
Enjoy barbeques, steam engines (friend has a 1903 Foden road engine), love my 2 dogs, Eddie and Moose (they are Jack Russells - figure the connection).
Want to fly a round engine - thinking about the radial Skybolt as a next project - gas is $10 a gallon in the UK so anything above 250 h.p. is out - suggestions welcome.
Live in the countryside outside Harrogate UK, 2 acres of paddock and a pub opposite - hic
My Doris understands that flying is a passion and she lets me do as I please most of the time.
I coach and do BFR's, skydive in Florida when on trips - only at Zephyrhills, the best DZ in Florida
Enjoy barbeques, steam engines (friend has a 1903 Foden road engine), love my 2 dogs, Eddie and Moose (they are Jack Russells - figure the connection).
Want to fly a round engine - thinking about the radial Skybolt as a next project - gas is $10 a gallon in the UK so anything above 250 h.p. is out - suggestions welcome.
Live in the countryside outside Harrogate UK, 2 acres of paddock and a pub opposite - hic
Top of the class my friend
