Honestly, do you think I can build a 10?

I have wanted to build my own airplane for over 30 years & finally feel like the timing is right. I'd like to pull the trigger soon to buy a 10 QB kit & try to complete the Emp during the upcoming winter months, but I still have concerns about my abilities & would like your honest (gentle, but honest) feedback plz about whether you think someone in my situation can build a quality RV 10.

My doubts as to whether I can gain the skills & follow the instructions well enough to build a quality plane of this scope stem from 2 things primarily:

1) throughout my life, I have never been mechanically or handyman inclined. I'm not like many men I know who are always fixing or building things, have lots of tools, etc. That said, when I think back on my past experiences with building/fixing stuff, I believe those projects that have not gone well were more the cause of a lack of interest on my part than a lack of skills or inability to learn the skills (and get the right tools) necessary to do the job well. For those few projects (woodworking & metalworking in school, building a custom-designed maple armoire, finishing my basement, etc) where I cared about what I was doing, I got the right tools, mentors, knowledge, skills, & took the necessary care and patience to do it right & do it well. Still, I've usually avoided fixer/handyman types of activities whenever possible - preferring to hire someone else & spend my work hours in my line of expertise (online marketing) instead

2) During the last several months, as I've read in this and on other forums, and last Saturday as I talked with my local EAA chapter members (Salt Lake City area), and as I've called around to talk to RV owners (sellers & local Utah owner/builders of RVs) ... I've noticed that a very large percentage of RV builders are engineers of some sort, or they work in some field related to aviation or construction and almost all of them describe themselves as the handyman type when asked, etc. I'd guess that nearly 85% or more RV builders I've spoken with fit this description - which scares me. Reading Vans website, they tout how their kits are so easy that even 'regular people' can do it (and many have, apparently). but I seem to never find these regular people ... just those with near-perfect credentials to easily pivot over to a "I should build my own plane" project.

I'm 50 years old, healthy, I have a ton of time on my hands (semi-retired), have an empty 2 car garage I can use exclusively for this, and I feel nearly obsessed with wanting to build my own RV 10. Covid gave me even more time (killing my domestic and intl travel habit & decreasing my hours needed to run my business) & as I age, my body won't take the abuse it could take just a few years ago playing ice hockey, sand volleyball, surfing, skiing moguls, playing soccer & flag football, wakeboarding, etc ... so that's a ton more time I have on my hands these days (too much of which has been spent watching TV & researching planes to buy/build etc). I'm single & have 5 kids but only 2 are minors & they're only w/me about 33% of the time & they're old enough to be pretty self sufficient (and even good helpers ... and they seem, for now at least, excited to help on the build of the 10).

I'm a new PPL (will take my check ride in 2-3 weeks ... all rqmts are finished except my XC night flight), and I now share a Cherokee 140 with a friend. As much as I'd love to do my IFR training in an RV10 asap, I'd rather have a project to enjoy and keep me busy when not flying, and while I build it the next few years, keep flying my cherokee often to build hours, slowly learn how to XC with it, maybe even begin IFR training in it, and be able to build the EXACT 10 I want the way I want it.

But it overwhelms me when I read ppl in this RV10 forum talk about specific problems with their build or other similar posts in the general forum b/c the way they talk is so foreign to me it might as well be in a different language. Its intimidating to see how many builders here have so many times during their build where the instructions from Vans aren't clear. If that happens often even to all the mechanically/construction/engineering-inclined handyman-types here.... then it seems like I'm in way over my head here. I've thought about taking a couple of the classes at Synergy before starting, and buying the complete Tools package from PlaneTools, as well as working with a few local RV (and RV10) builders near me as mentors.

Still (and plz be honest here), should someone who is generally not very handy, not the type of guy who just seems to know how to fix or make stuff with his hands, someone who owns almost no tools, but someone who is 100% motivated & committed to learn & be mentored & coached & video-tutorial'ed lol and who has plenty of time and is super excited to get started & finally fulfill a (near) life-long desire ... do you guys think this is something I can do?

(PS - seems worst case scenario is that I have to sell the Emp and my tools if it doesn't work out)

Thoughts? Is this something a 'normal' guy like me can do? (thx in advance for the feedback)

Yes, you can do it. People give up because:
(1) they find out they don’t like working with their hands, or
(2) they rush too much.
For (1) buy the tail kit and tools, try it out. If you don’t like it, sell it, count it as the price of learning what you do or don’t like.
For (2), take your time, enjoy the process. I took 3.8 years, working about 30-35 hrs/week, on a -10 QB kit. A lot of that time I was re-reading the plans or instructions for the fourth time, or walking around waving my hands in the air and talking to myself, trying to visualize exactly how I was going to do the next step. For me, this was part of the fun! If the tail kit is not fun, stop. Go buy a used -10 instead. But if you do enjoy it, it’s the start of an adventure.
Other: keep flying. Get your instrument rating during the build. You can postpone avionics purchases until near the end. Once you have your rating and some ifr experience, you’ll have a much better idea of how you want to equip your airplane.
PS. I played hockey until 58 (just got too slow), started the -10 at 59. So 50 is certainly not too old. And if you could skate you’re not totally uncoordinated!

I'm working on my second build. Before starting the first one, I wouldn't call myself mechanically inclined, certainly no engineer (strong on science and math but spent my life in the world of healthcare). But I did have a lot of exposure growing up to various types of home and auto repairs (mostly routine stuff like fixing broken pipes, replacing water pumps or alternators). I had done little of this stuff as an adult but did lots of little home repairs, fixing things that I had the skills and tools to do. Normal household tools (Drills, screwdrivers etc) prior to build (for the most part) - many more tools now thanks to building an airplane. Some electronics experience (building home electronics like audio amplifiers from kits/plans for example).

I took the Synergy fundamentals class and relied heavily on this forum, blog posts, and my EAA technical advisor and builder friends. Lots of great help from folks like Don at Airflow, SteinAir, and Tom at TS Flightlines.

The -10 is a big project but the skills are the same no matter what you build. I think the most important attributes are a drive to be successful and complete the project, willingness to learn and be humbled (be prepared to order parts to replace those you mess up and maybe rebuild a part or two along the way - I've built extra flap, rudder, elevator, and trim tab so far: parts I replaced were airworthy but not up to my personal standards), and the self-knowledge to step away and refresh your attitude when you have the inevitable bad days (or weeks).

The answer to your question - unless you are overly ham-handed or can't deal with frustration you can do it. Just be ready for a few bumps on the road.

You laid out a good plan in the last paragraphs of your message. The replies so far are good. A good active EAA chapter is the best resource, or a local RV builder with time on their hands. There is a lot of fiberglass work in a -10, but classes are available. Electronics were a mayor challenge up to a few years ago. Now you can get an almost completely prewired aircraft system from Stein, Dynon or Advanced.

The plans are much better than ever. To start it is like learning a language, not a hard one. Despite some complaints, they are as close to Heathkit (that dates me) as you will ever find.

It's easy enough to find out if you're both willing and able to build.
1. Follow your own advice and take a class or two, whether it be Synergy or some other build class. You'll get some basic exposure to some of the tools and practices involved in building, and also some idea of your skills and limitations.
2. If you decide to pursue building after the class, order the empennage kit and a tool set from one of the venders. The tail kit is roughly $5 grand, and tools will set you back about $3k to start. Tools are an easy sell if you later decide building isn't for you, and assuming you don't totally destroy the tail kit you should net about 50% of your cost back if you decide to sell it.

Worst case scenario, you come to the conclusion that you aren't interested in continuing to build and are out about 3-4000 dollars for the lessons learned. Whatever you do don't start ordering additional kits, options, tools, etc. until you have successfully completed a substantial portion of the empennage kit and have determined that you have the interest. patience, mindset and finances to continue on.

Perhaps

Actually, only you can answer the question. I went to a tail kit workshop and it was really helpful. Strongly recommended to get this kind of hand-on training at the start, if only to answer the nagging questions - "Am I doing this right? Is this what it's supposed to feel and look like?"

Yes you can

The will to complete any project is far more important than the skill. I believe anyone can complete the newer Vans kits if they have enough money, time and most importantly perseverance. I built an RV-4 and I had zero mechanical skills when I started, AND the internet was worthless back then.

These planes can be overwhelming unless you break it down into mini projects. In other words, focus on getting the trim tab finished, not the whole plane. Finish a few hundred tiny projects and before too long you’ll have a flying plane.

I was in somewhat of a similar situation. Growing up, and now in my mid-40s, I never really liked doing projects around the house. I dont think its because I can’t do them, I just don’t like it. I’m at a point in my life where I don’t need to do it - I’d rather pay someone else.

The plane was different. I decided to build a -10 because a) I wanted a plane with the performance, and although I have enough money to pay someone to cut my grass, I don’t have enough money for a Cirrus, and b) having owned a certificated plane, I didnt want to have to rely on A&Ps to do maintenance... I wanted to learn how to take care of it myself.

After 4.5 years of building, somehow I managed to put together something that actually flies. There were plenty of times I thought about throwing in the towel, but I stuck with it and glad I did. There are so many resources available these days, there will always be someone to help you out when you get stuck

The physical skill set isn’t hard to pick up. And it sounds like you’re taking the right approach to acquire the skills. But there’s a mental aspect that a lot of folks I work with (I fly for a part 121 carrier) tell me they don’t have that’s necessary to get thru a project like this, and it’s dealing with the repetitiveness.

How do you handle tedium?

The majority of the project is:

cleco cleco cleco cleco
drill drill drill drill
move cleco move cleco move cleco move cleco
drill drill drill drill
remove cleco remove cleco remove cleco remove cleco
deburr deburr deburr deburr
dimple dimple dimple dimple
cleco cleco cleco cleco
rivet rivet rivet rivet
remove cleco remove cleco remove cleco remove cleco
rivet rivet rivet rivet

Though, now that Van’s has announced they’re going to holes that are final size, a lot of that drill drill drill will no longer be necessary.

Oh, I’d better not leave out the sanding sanding sanding sanding of the fiberglass. Though, I must confess, I haven’t had to deal with that because, fortunately for me, my wife is the fiberglass-meister.

There’s a certain meditative aspect of it (maybe I’ll write a book someday and title it Zen and the Art of Airplane Building), but not everyone is into meditation.

I’ll echo what others have said: get the empennage, get the tools, give it a try. If you like it, GREAT! If not, sell the kit, sell the tools, get back most of your money, and enjoy the new appreciation you have for what goes into building all the wonderful machines that fly.

People tend to focus on mechanical skills as a barrier to building. I’ll take a different tact and say that discipline and problem solving are the key attributes necessary to successfully complete a project. The mechanical skills required to build an RV are pretty easy to learn, even by yourself. Having said that, it’s not for everyone— some folks simply can’t make it happen. As mentioned there are things you can do to test the waters like buying/borrowing a few tools and getting a practice kit or attending a workshop before plunking down a bunch of coin on a kit and a full-up tool kit.

Also don’t forget you’ll need to pick up and hone more mechanical skills than what’s required to build the kit, which I’d say are even more technical, in order to maintain the aircraft once it’s flying (assuming you aren’t going to farm maintenance out to an A&P).

Best of luck!

Alternative to 10?

So you are 50, single, and see a couple of your kids 1/3 of the time, and they are already a bit independent, and you are still working on gaining your PPL?
Nothing wrong with any of that, but it is unclear why you need or want to build a 4 seater -10?
This model will take significant resources to complete, versus say a -12, which would still give you the satisfaction of building and owning a very nice airplane and with probably a much greater likelihood of completion. Is that something you might consider? These projects take an extraordinary amount of time and effort and it is hard to comprehend until you are in the thick of it. Just sayin'!

Rick RV-4 said:

The will to complete any project is far more important than the skill. I believe anyone can complete the newer Vans kits if they have enough money, time and most importantly perseverance. I built an RV-4 and I had zero mechanical skills when I started, AND the internet was worthless back then.

These planes can be overwhelming unless you break it down into mini projects. In other words, focus on getting the trim tab finished, not the whole plane. Finish a few hundred tiny projects and before too long you’ll have a flying plane.

Click to expand...

+1

It is my belief that most uncompleted efforts are due to commitment issues over skill issues. Many simply cannot comprehend the shear magnitude of the effort and simply "run out of gas long before the finish line." Others simply find that they do not enjoy the activity enough to overcome the shear volume of that activity required. It is difficult to do something you don't enjoy over and over again for several years. Obviously, with jobs we do it for survival, but this doesn't translate well for hobbys and non-essentials, without a very strong drive for completion. Between VAF and Vans tech support, I can't see any reason that anyone matching your self-description cant finish a 10 in today's world, especially if you have the $ to procure assemblies where allowed. It will take longer, as more learning will be required (reference above), but all the knowledge is out there.

lr172 said:

+1

It is my belief that most uncompleted efforts are due to commitment issues over skill issues. Many simply cannot comprehend the shear magnitude of the effort and simply "run out of gas long before the finish line." Others simply find that they do not enjoy the activity enough to overcome the shear volume of that activity required. It is difficult to do something you don't enjoy over and over again for several years. Obviously, with jobs we do it for survival, but this doesn't translate well for hobbys and non-essentials, without a very strong drive for completion. Between VAF and Vans tech support, I can't see any reason that anyone matching your self-description cant finish a 10 in today's world, especially if you have the $ to procure assemblies where allowed. It will take longer, as more learning will be required (reference above), but all the knowledge is out there.

Click to expand...

+1 again. It's about how much you want it. Did you just decide a month ago you want to build a plane? What are the chances that in a year or two the fun of flying, or the idea of building a plane will wear off? It does for a lot of people. It will be more frustrating, and take more time and money than you think. Will you deal with the setbacks, or decide it isn't worth your frustration? A lot of people don't know the answer until they start, but some people tend to have more stick-to-it-ness than others. Only you know which type of person you are.

Chris

I know a lot of engineer types who have built RVs but also a geologist, a lawyer, a doctor, an english major, a pastor, a lumber broker, an MBA, and many others. I suppose most of these people were "handy" but as others have said, motivation and perseverance is the main thing. That means staying motivated through the tough parts. Will your motivation run out when you get sick of deburring all those holes, or are faced with some task that is simply no fun, or you realize you've just trashed an expensive part and have to pay for a new one and wait for it to arrive? Will you just throw up your hands when something doesn't make sense or will you go seek out a solution no matter what it takes?

Ask yourself if you think you can keep on going when it seems like it will never end. If the answer is yes then you're good to go. If not, well...

Building experience

I think I mentioned this in my build thread, but I had zero metal-working experience prior to starting this. There are so many resources available online when you get confused about a step that you can find the help you need. When they start selling the match drilled kits, it will be even easier in terms of the time commitment.
I would have taken the Synergy class, and I think it's a great idea. I just didn't want to wait a couple of months until one was available. I'm impatient, and that has caused me to make some easily avoidable mistakes.
This forum is a great resources, and one of the few online forums I've come across where people aren't continually criticizing each other. People truly seem to want to help each other.
In terms of what size plane to build, one of the smaller planes would certainly save you time and money. I very rarely take 3 passengers, but I wanted to have the ability to through plenty of luggage in the back when I'm solo or just one passenger. I want to take camping gear, or bicycles, or a fairly heavy telescope in the back.

Yes, you can. If you persevere, search the internet, ask questions here, get mentorship when needed, etc.
There is a lot of good information out on the internet to guide you at just about every step of the process. I didn't know squat about building airplanes before I started. I took the Sport Air workshop and got to smoosh rivets for the first time. Yes, my little airfoil project from that class has a couple of nice smileys from the rivet gun. I did a number of practice projects and got up to speed pretty quick. Get good tools and a mentor, then like others have said, start the tail kit. You'll know pretty soon whether you want to keep doing this project for another several years. If you do, then decide early on everything, and DON'T CHANGE YOUR MIND. Pick an engine/prop/avionics/interior/etc. and just plug along. Some things can wait to decide, but every decision wastes time. Get on the long lead items early like interiors, panels, paint schemes and engines. The hardest part for me (as an engineer who likes to over analyze everything) was just deciding on stuff and then getting off my wallet to buy the darn stuff.
Building an airplane is life changing. Start early!

Excellent feedback from so many of you - thank you all so much for taking the time to write such thoughtful replies. They helped more than I can express - mainly I'm taking this away from reading your replies: that I shouldn't let lack of engineering or mechanical skills or handy-man experience deter me ... those can be overcome. But I definitely should make sure that I am determined and passionate enough about building to overcome the hard parts. So many of you mentioned that ... so I'll take a beat and make sure I really feel like I'll be like that before I begin & then I'll take the class & do the practice kit & then the Emp & see if I'm still enjoying it & still feeling SUPER motivated like I feel now (I feel like I could & will & want to put full time hours into it at this point).

It is a bit weird tho, that these kits & their instructions are supposedly so refined now after so many decades of Vans being THE leading kit plane maker ... yet everyone who builds one of their planes (even the aerospace engineers & the handiest of handymen/women) have times where they have to go outside of the instructions to mentors, youtube, this forum, or to Vans support, etc. Surprises me tbh - I'd think that the instructions would be so complete, so easy to understand, so well illustrated, etc etc, that people who know how to build stuff & work in shops (i.e. who are handy generally) would rarely or never need to seek help & knowledge outside of the plans/instructions.

Finally, in a couple of the replies, ppl suggested that I build a 2 seater instead of the RV10 - in part bc the 2 seaters are easier, and also b/c of my life stage & the fact that my kids are older & I'm single etc. Trust me, I've gone back and forth between a 7/7A and a 10 a ton these last few months. I plan to build both & will if things go well with the 10 & if my financial situation continues on its current path - but if I could only have one plane for the rest of my life, I want the 10. Yes if it takes me more than a couple of years to build (likely even if I work full time and pay for help as much as is allowed) then I won't have a ton of time to use it while my kids are still home with me. Still, I have 5 kids, and one is married already (likely to have kids of her own soon). Besides traveling with the 2-3 that live with me now from whenever I finish until they move out on their own (which doesn't always happen right at 18 yrs old), I plan to fly with more than one of them often even after they are living on their own. I also plan to travel with friends - more than one at a time. My 19 yr old and me have plans to travel with camping gear and other loads that wouldn't fit into a 2 seater, and just b/c I'm single now doesn't mean I will always be single & I want to be able to throw camping gear & climbing gear & mountain bikes etc into a 10 or camping & boating gear to go to lake powell with either my son or a SO (once I have one again) etc. So, as much as I can't wait to begin learning aerobatics flying in a 7, if I could only have 1 plane, I'd want the utility of the 10 and the ability to take more of my family places etc than the aerobatics. Also, if things continue to go as planned, I'll build hundreds of hours in the cherokee (and learn IFR) as I build the 10, then get more experience flying XC with others, and then could get into aerobatics with either buying or (preferably) building a 7 (assuming I enjoy building the 10). That's the plan. But thx for the thoughts .... I still think that if I was to stumble on a 7 project that was fairly far along & if someone couldn't finish it .... if I fell into a good price on something like that before I make the commitment on the 10, I'd do the 7 & then the 10. But the main thing I want to get to as soon as safely possible is flying to see my kids & taking them and SO's (i.e. when I'm dating someone) places with me.

Anyway, thx again for how helpful and encouraging you've all been without sugar coating it. I'm sort of an all or nothing guy, so either I'll finish the Emp relatively fast & will be enjoying it & will be super motivated to push forward with the rest ... or I'll learn early into the Emp build that its not for me & that I'd rather put my time into accelerating the growth of my business or something (just typing that makes me die a little inside lol ... I'm bored with it ...but I get super excited thinking about learning how to build an airplane & feeling the pride of accomplishment & growth of knowledge etc ... and of being able to have a new plane that is better in most ways (for me) than a $750k Cirrus & to make it exactly like I want it to be in terms of interior, avionics, paint, etc. I really think I'll love it, despite that I know there will be many hundreds of hours of repetitive work. As long as I can see progress I can stay motivated .... and also knowing that some ppl have built them in under 3 years .... and knowing I can get help from friends & mentors & builder assist classes, etc, I think I can do it. Thx guys. Plan to go see a couple of finished RV 10's near me here in the Salt Lake City area tomorrow & talk to these guys about possibly helping as mentors for me. Thx again for all the helpful replies.

golfmogul said:

Plan to go see a couple of finished RV 10's near me here in the Salt Lake City area tomorrow & talk to these guys about possibly helping as mentors for me. Thx again for all the helpful replies.

Click to expand...

I just read the thread, and you've gotten some terrific feedback and advice.

Just as important, you sound (at least to me, and I've talked over time with a lot of prospective and successful builders, as well a people who started but gave up) like someone who will thrive and accel at building your own airplane, for all the right reasons. You seem to have thought through your mission, you're asking all the right questions, you seem to be motivated for the very reasons that make people successful, and you're already making personal connections to learn more and see the airplanes, and looking for people to help you learn, as well! That's a winning combination.

You mentioned earlier that you were a bit surprised that people ask questions and seek out other builders as well as our support team even though the work all spelled out in the plans (relatively speaking). What you're going to find out more and more is that one of the biggest benefits of building your own airplane is the amazing group of people you meet and get to know along the way. RV builders are a terrific group of human beings, and the process sharing the mutual passion is something we all live for. Also there may be a few a few places where the plans might not quite cover it all, hah.

Be sure to let us know what you think of the RV's you see (and the people you meet) out there around SLC!

If I can do it, you certainly can do it.

The thing with the Vans aeroplane there is a huge support network and you have already discovered one of them, this website. The EAA Homebuilder videos are also must see viewing.

There is a multitude of online help, but the only other strongly reccomended sugestion I have is to join your local EAA chapter and reach out for the help of a friendly TC.

A few more comments

+1 for all the excellent replies. I just thought a few realistic details might help

Plan on from 2000 (quick build) to 3000 (not too much customization) to as much as 4000 hours of construction. I planned on 10 hrs per week minimum and was able to best that by a substantial amount. I ended up with about 2700 hours NOT including the time spent studying, reading build logs, researching etc. which would likely almost double the number

Plan on 180-220K to complete the plane. You can beat that by slow build and scrounging (read that as used components such as a used engine) It will be spent 1/3 for the first 2/3s of the build and 2/3s in the last 1/3 of the build.

Don't scrimp on tools. Plan on up to 5K for tools over the course of the build with about half of that up front.

Accept that many tasks you will need to begin on sheer faith that you will be able to figure it out as you go along. You will, and you will look back and think, 'that wasn't so hard'.

Good luck, what ever you decide. Just don't delay. The biggest regret you find in this group is that they didn't start earlier.

The "can I do it" type of thread is very common on VansAirforce and always generates a fair bit of response. However, the quality of the responses on this particular thread are the best and most considered I have seen. There have been some excellent suggestions.

OK here's my take on it:

1. Take no notice of suggestions to "just get started" coming from builders who have never completed an aircraft to flying stage (and who might not ever get to that stage). Their enthusiasm for you to join the club and get started is generally inversely proportional to their accomplishments... with builders working in the honeymoon stage on the empennage exhibiting the wildest enthusiasm. For some reason many builders feel inclined to encourage as many people as possible to commit to building, despite their own lack of visible success. I call these people Pied Pipers....because they're happily leading the rats to drown.

2. Statistically speaking only about 30% of builders who start a Vans empennage kit go on to complete the project and get it flying. Most people obviously do not have what it takes to successfully complete an aircraft from scratch. And some of the completions might fly but they might also be of very dubious quality and safety. My best guess is that only about 25% of builders who start a Vans empennage kit go on to finish an aircraft that is truly fit for purpose.

3. The number of incomplete RV projects continuously coming up for sale is just staggering. Six partially built projects have come up for sale on VansAirforce in just the last 3 days....and that's just on VansAirforce.

4. There are many things that will enhance the chances of a builder completing a well built project from scratch. These include, but are not limited to, financial capacity, available time, intelligence, mechanical sense, workshop savvy, the capacity to get enjoyment from learning things...and perseverance. But of all these things, perseverance is king. Without it none of other things will get you home. If you are the type of person who gets very excited about new pursuits but tires of them rapidly as the initial novelty wears off...then building an aircraft is definitely not for you.

5. I see that the OP is currently running his own business. Running a business successfully is like a marathon...once you start to slow down all your competitors start to run past you. Building an RV is very time consuming and the OP will need to seriously weigh up whether he can afford to spend years devoting a lot of time and mental resources to the pursuit and perhaps neglect his business and put himself under pressure. Only the OP can answer that.

You must enjoy building things just as much if not more than flying. If your goal is to fly a RV, it is far,far easier and cheaper to buy a completed one.
Bill
RV-8
Hatz CB-1

golfmogul said:

...throughout my life, I have never been mechanically or handyman inclined.

Click to expand...

The above statement is the one that catches my eye.

Let me offer this analogy of why it would be of concern. I have started multiple small businesses in my career and often people will seek advice on starting their own company. I always start with asking them WHY they want to start their own company.

Usually the answer is the same..."I want to be my own boss and create something where I can hire others to do the work so I can slow down. I also want more free time and the ability to make better income." What this answer tells me is that this person is in love with the RESULT of many, many years of hard, hard work and sacrifice. That's the wrong motivation.

What they need to be in love with is the PROCESS of building a business. This means much harder work, for years to create something from scratch. This means understanding that everyone is your boss, from each employee you try to motivate into doing a good job, to every customer you have to satisfy. You won't have 1 boss, you will have hundreds!!! It'll mean that you may earn more money some day, but only after you don't pay yourself anything for months, or even years while you build the business up. And free time, FORGET IT!!! You will be working more than any employer is legally allowed to work you. This is all simply a part of the process.

It's easy to see the result of all that effort and fall in love with the outcomes. It's much harder to truly understand the sacrifice, tenacity and resilience it takes to get there while on the journey.

Building my RV-10 has been the same. I fell in love with the result! I would look online and see those beautiful planes that others had built and thought about hey they got a "cirrus like" $700k plane for $225-$250k. Best of avionics and large comfortable cabin, it's all an attractive result. But the journey....that's another story!

I LOVE building! I love being a handyman and doing things with my hands. I love the process of building, not just the result. And yet, even at times, the 10 got overwhelming to me. Unlike others, I don't think building the emp kit will tell you anything. To me, that's like telling someone to go run a 100 yard dash to test the waters on whether to sign up for the Boston Marathon. The emp kit was easy!!! The fiberglass work on cabin top, doors, wheel pants, gear leg fairings, now that's hard work! The wiring of the panel, the set up of the engine, the installation of the windows, they are all hard work. I can also say, that the 1st flight was one of the most rewarding accomplishments in my life.

It's not to say you can't do it. It's just another data point to challenge you with what I think is the most important question, "Am I in love with the result, or am I in love with the process?" If you never got to fly it, would you still want to build it? That should tell you whether to move forward or not.