New builders thoughts

So I have been lurking the site for about five years waiting for the day when I can start my own build and I think the day has come well maybe. A little background on myself, I'm 22 I have been flying since I was 15, and am a senior at embry riddle in Daytona and will be commissioning in the army as a transportation officer in may.(not my choice I wanted aviation) so Now onto my plan, my thoughts were to get a start now so that when my service is up in 4 years I have incentive to continue building instead of convincing myself to start from scratch. I have decided on a 7 as my favorite part of flying is being able to share the experience with others and sitting next as aposed to infront of them better suites that. I was thinking of collecting tools and starting my tail kit in the very near future and then ordering my wings in January or febuary so they would arrive right as I get outa school. This leaves about 6 months to finish the tail/ learn and only 2 or 3 months for the wings before I would leave for training and my duty station, I forsee little building time after that for a few years. Am I being unrealistic for giving 2 months of solid work to complete slow build wings? Am I being unrealistic in this whole idea? Should I just wait till I'm out to start? Thanks for the input!!

-David

If you can work pretty much full time on the wings, you should be able to pull it off. If you can also manage to store everything and you have the funds, you may as well go for it. Who knows, you might find a GF/wife who, unless you have already started, won't agree to your starting otherwise.

If it weren't Vans, I would be worred about support in 4 years, but they will be around and while they might come out with something better than the 7, I don't see how it could be much better, and they will still be supporting it.

Have fun!

New Builder Thoughts

It is never to soon to start on your build. Even after you go active duty, as long as you are not shipped overseas you will find that you can devote 10-20 hours each week on the building project. You are much better off staying after the project even if you spend only one hour each day working. If you lay off a couple of weeks and then go back to spend 1/2 to a whole day working on the project it will be less productive than doing a little bit each day because after one to two weeks away from the project it takes a little while to get up and going. Daily involvement with the plans and parts makes things go lots better.

Reserve Aviation

Have you checked the Army Reserves for Aviation positions? We just bought some more UH-60's and have an on going fixed wing commitment in the sandbox. Just something to think about if you really want aviation. Of course if you went Warrant Officer you could definitely have Aviation.

Wish I did have a choice but I went the ROTC route and was selected for active duty, my oml score turned out not so great so I fell into the needs of the army group. When I turn captain I can apply for a branch transfer but right now I see myself in for four years then doing something else. But you never know. Well see.


Another question now ... Besides a tool kit what other tools are needed?? Band saw, drill press?? Anything else

- David

Tools

First off, thanks for your service.

Regarding tools, there are must-haves and nice-to-haves and the line between the two can be debated endlessly on this forum. I would recommend a good drill press and a solid bench vise for the must-have category. A shop vac is also pretty handy and will get used all the time to clean up metal shavings from the shop and the plane. You don't need a giant one; just get a small one that won't take up much floor space. You're not sucking up bricks or anything.

You can get by with a hacksaw, but I have a good Sears 14" bandsaw that a buddy "loaned" to me years ago. It has been very handy, and it gets used more than I thought it would. If you get one, don't get a cheap-o version. Having the blade flex around and stall out on a cut is frustrating.

Most people get a bench grinder for the Scotchbrite wheel, but I've just used the arbor that came with it and put it in my drill press when needed. Another builder joked that I may be the first builder to ever complete an RV without a bench grinder...but I've done fine without it.

My last bench tool is a 1" sander, the kind with a belt and a disc. It's been handy, but it's not a must-have tool. It can be a time saver, but aluminum gets hot very quickly on a sander. Hand filing works fine...it's just a little slower. But hey, you're young and should have lots of energy. So you could save a few bucks on power tools if you want.

This is just what works for me. Your mileage may vary. Hope this helps, and good luck!

Most important thing....

David,

If you have a wife or girlfriend, make sure they are on board with the kit building thing.

If you do not have a wife or girlfriend, make sure you work in the kit plane into the minimum dating requirements and/or wedding vows.... :0)

Haha my current girlfriend is actually an army aviator and is all on board and wants to help!!

WOW

If she's rich and good-looking, she's THE PERFECT WOMAN!

Oh, wait...no. That would be superficial of me to even think that. Hope you two have fun building!

Building Timeline

If it helps, I just hit my 6 month building anniversary from the day I got my Emp Kit. I spent a few weeks before that setting up the shop and getting tools together etc.. With a full Time Job, no kids, a very understanding wife, I have been able to average about 15-20 hours a week.

6 months later I am just about ready to start my tanks. Not sure exactly how much time I have left in the wings, but would love to finish them up early next calendar year so I can start the fuse this spring.

http://www.704ch.com/

My plans were thinking in the 4 months of school I should be able to have the emp finished. Then have the wings delivered to my parents house where I will b living until I leave for training. In those 2-3 months I will b jobless and also will have my dad there to help everynight and weekends.
-David

Well the nice thing aboit the kits is if you can stop at any point, mothball the project, and pick right back up years later. When I was an LT, I wished I had started a project but I never had a good place to build--living mostly in apartments at the time. Just understand that you will go through periods where building will not be an option.

When I recieved my tail kit in Sep of 2006 it wasn't 2 weeks later that I got notification of deployment to Iraq in early 2007. I got to building and knocked out my rudder, VS, and HS by mid-Jan 2007. I deployed and didn't pick it back up for almost a year. Then over the first 6 months of 2008 I completed the elevators and tailcone. Then life intervened once again and the project was mothballed from Aug 2008 basically to now as I retired from the Air Force and started a new job as a contractor. Over the past year I have piddled around and have my emp fairings about 99% done, but that's it. I finally ordered my wings in Sep and I'm just waiting for them to be shipped. So long story short, over the past 3 calendar years I have logged less then 12 months actually building. But I will reach the finish line eventually.

Wow this process is going quick and I'm loving it!! I am pretty set on a 7 but have only flown in an 8 before so I was wondering if someone around Daytona beach would have a 7 they would be willing to take a 22 year old soon to be builder up in. I am in the process of gathering some tools before I order my big tool kit and tail kit.
-david

Flyguytki said:

Haha my current girlfriend is actually an army aviator and is all on board and wants to help!!

Click to expand...

That's today! When you're on two seperate coasts let alone two different countrys it may not be as easy My suggestion is this, and it's only a suggestion...My first 6 years in the military were as a single man...life and duty are much easier in the beginning of your career if all you have to answer to is the military. Just my VERY humble opinion.

I will leave it at I understand.

Well Today was the start of a huge journey, kinda. Today I purchased a Band saw, Drill press and 6'' Grinder. I went to home depot with the intentions of pricing them out and somehow they ended up in the back of my jeep! Now all I need is the big check and a tail kit and tool kit will be on their way to me!!
Still looking for someone around Daytona beach who would let me check out their 7!!!
-david

Go to Spruce Creek....

..just down the road from you and look up Keith Philips...the EAA president, ex-supersonic pilot/Dynon dealer and he'll hook you up. Their meetings are on the third Thursday of every month.

Regards,

Thanks Pierre, Im actually heading out to the creek today with a buddy of mine who has a Laser, said his hanger mate knows a bunch of guys with 7's so we were going to go check them out. I have actually flown in a gaggle flight with keith when he was flying his SX-300.
-david

I am planning my order for in a few days and so Far I have from Vans:
RV-7 Tail kit, Both Practice Kits, and the Electric Trim Servo.

From Cleveland I am ordering the full RV kit

Anyone have any thoughts on anything else I might need??
-david