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RV-7 Building Skills

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PilotRPI

Active Member
I'm thinking about jumping into an RV7 kit. I really wanted to do the EAA RV class, but just missed the one in Boston. They seem to come around every 18 months or so. I'd rather not wait that long before starting.

So my choices are:

1) Get both of the RV practice projects, and try and make as many mistakes there as possible. Learn by reading the manual, watching youtube and EAA videos, etc.

2) Fly somewhere to take the EAA class

Almost all these skills would be new to me. I consider myself handy and technical. I can teach myself how to do jobs on my car, I have an aero and mechanical engineering degree, I've done some shop work, pulled an airplane engine apart, etc, but never done things like parts prep and aluminum construction.

I know the EAA class if worth it if it is local, but do you think its worth taking a small vacation to do it?

Also, has anyone on here done a poll of how old people are when they complete their first RV?

Thanks!

Jesse
 
Jesse,

I lived in NY and flew down to Lakeland via Orlando to attend the EAA sheet metal class. Cheap flight, used points for the local Hilton.

Met a bunch of people which was equally important since we all had the same questions and concerns.

Later, after I built the Emp I drove to New Hampshire to attend the EAA Electrical course.

I highly recommend those classes to give you the confidence. Even if you had some experience these classes open up a good network of people and get you back in the swing of building.

Good luck!
 
Getting Started

I recommend buying your tail kit and get someone to help you get started.

I have had a number of people have Vans ship their kits here and then come here to get started. After a few days they take their parts home and build their airplane. Less wasted time!
 
jump in!

Jesse
I was in the same boat as you and now I'm about to finish closing up my fuel tanks. I bought 2 or 3 practice kits http://www.vansaircraft.com/cgi-bin...-504-456&browse=misc&product=training-project and also built the toolbox http://www.vansaircraft.com/cgi-bin/store.cgi?ident=1388933975-504-456&browse=misc&product=toolbox After making those, I felt confident enough to order the tail kit. There were no building techniques in the tail kit that weren't addressed in the practice wing kit and/or tool box kit. As they say, just jump in!
 
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I was talking to a prospective builder in my hangar earlier in the week and he said he was going to a builder class in Frederick Md very very soon. Maybe you could check to see if there is an open seat?

There are three skills required.

1) Dogged stubborn determination
2) Willingness to learn
3) See number 1
 
Mentor

Welcome Jesse.

I know the classes are amazing but for me the real learning happened when I found a local mentor. I learned more in a few hours than all the classes, videos and fumbling with practice pieces. Find someone and take your practice piece. If they are like most, they will gladly share knowledge. I know I would.

Then when you get back to your shop, get some scraps and practice driving and drilling rivets.
 
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I recommend this as well. All the learning you can get is valuable, lbut it seems that doing it with a fellow builder hands on is the most valuable to most. Don't be afraid to ask, most of us delight in demonstrating how it all works.
wirejock said:
Welcome Jesse.

I know the classes are amazing but for me the real learning happened when I found a local mentor. I learned more in a few hours than all the classes, videos and fumbling with practice pieces. Find someone and take your practice piece. If they are like most, they will gladly share knowledge. I know I would.

Then when you get back to your shop, get some scraps and practice driving and drilling rivets.
Click to expand...
 
rzbill said:
There are three skills required.

1) Dogged stubborn determination
2) Willingness to learn
3) See number 1
Click to expand...

To this I would add:
Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right.:eek:
A quote that I think is attributed to Henry Ford

Once started, do something constructive toward your project every day. This comes under the same law as exercise machines and jogging; skip one day and it's easier to skip the next day. Some projects have been inactive for weeks, months, even years. See rule number one above.
 
different answer

You must buy the preview plans from Van's. If you read their good instructions on tools, preparation, riveting and then can follow their directions you will have few problems. Van's directions for the empennage kit are very good and complete; do this, then this, then this, this and this, then rivet. Do the reading, try some assembly, then get someone to come by and ask them questions. The toughest part of the job is getting started.
 
A local RV builder gave us an afternoon, on scrap Aluminium bits, demonstrating and practicing the various techniques from the Vans Manual / what you need. Was excellent ;)

Whilst a class might be ideal, a decent local coach should be as good, and also useful if you get stuck as you start.
 
getting started

My 12 yr old son and I went to Oshkosh (10 yr ago), attended the "metal working 101 class' multiple days, swung by Avery and bought the RV kit, headed home and placed the order for the empennage. Eight years later, we were the proud owner of a flying 7A. We had NO building experience going into this project and NO hands-on experience (other than the Oshkosh builders seminar). Take your time, understand the plans, think before you perform a task, and all will go well. Also, I stole shamelessly from the many builders logs that provided invaluable resources. And, of course, this site was utilized nearly every day. One downside we experienced was not having any other builders in this part of Pa. Countless hours would have been saved if I had a completed RV to look when questions arose.

Jim Diehl 7A
Lock Haven, Pa.
 
PilotRPI said:
I'm thinking about jumping into an RV7 kit. I really wanted to do the EAA RV class, but just missed the one in Boston. They seem to come around every 18 months or so. I'd rather not wait that long before starting.

So my choices are:

1) Get both of the RV practice projects, and try and make as many mistakes there as possible. Learn by reading the manual, watching youtube and EAA videos, etc.

2) Fly somewhere to take the EAA class

Almost all these skills would be new to me. I consider myself handy and technical. I can teach myself how to do jobs on my car, I have an aero and mechanical engineering degree, I've done some shop work, pulled an airplane engine apart, etc, but never done things like parts prep and aluminum construction.

I know the EAA class if worth it if it is local, but do you think its worth taking a small vacation to do it?

Also, has anyone on here done a poll of how old people are when they complete their first RV?

Thanks!

Jesse
Click to expand...

Jesse, Come down to Plymouth and have a look at my project. We can talk about RV's, buck some rivets and what not.

Shoot me a PM and I can give you directions to my house.

:) CJ
 
One thing not mentioned yet, is the comprehension of the plans, the emp kit, you are walked through step by step, when you get to the fuse kit, you need to spend a lot of time looking at the plans. The book O instructions will not say This then that, you need to identify every detail on those drawings and some way of documenting a check off list. Then there's wiring and plumbing:D
 
I flew half way across the country to take the EAA Vans course and am glad I did. The only regret/suggestion I have is that you wait to take the course when you are ready to begin building. When I took it, I wasn't even sure which aircraft I wanted to build and now here I am 3 years after the class just starting to build (life happens). I feel rusty on the skills I learned, but am confident I will hone my skills quickly.
 
rzbill said:
I was talking to a prospective builder in my hangar earlier in the week and he said he was going to a builder class in Frederick Md very very soon. Maybe you could check to see if there is an open seat?
Click to expand...

I'm attending this class - 18-19 Jan. I definitely believe it will be worth the time and $$. I was initially scheduled for the general sheet metal workshop over the same weekend quite a bit closer in Lakeland, FL, but decided to make the drive for the RV specific class. Whether that was necessary - who knows.

Knowing local builders is definitely where it is at, but I believe this will be time well spent. Have the shop ready and tools on the way. The class and a couple practice kits, and then it begins. :D
 
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Thanks everyone. I think I will order the preview plans, then hang out with a few local builders I've met. If I get the hang of things, maybe I'll do the practice kits and order the tail from there.

If I feel a tad overwhelmed, I may try and take one of the classes.

Jesse
 
Learning

Hey Jesse,

I took a class and the best thing that it did for me was show me that it's really not that hard to build a metal airplane. As one of the guys said above, the key isn't learning the skills, particularly if you are already handy, it's sticking to the project until you finish it. That sounds pretty easy to do, but along the way life may throw you a few curve balls that you will need to overcome in order to keep going.

Take CJ up on his invite, and if you feel like trecking north, come visit me. John is quite a bit further along than I am and up to his neck in wiring, so that may seem a little intimidating/overwhelming. The plans too may seem a little overwhelming if you have never worked from a set of blueprints before. Look at it as building a bunch of components that at some point get assembled into a finished plane. If you look at it as manageable smaller projects it is less intimidating.

The keys to success are 1) resources (60-100K depending on equipment), 2) time to build and 3) will to finish.

Antony
 
Go for it

I'm in a similar situation as I have just purchased a partially completed kit. I was not planning on this approach but it was local, good quality and a fair price. My original plan was to build from 'ground zero' after taking a class; either EAA or Synergy.

I are :))) engineer and worked in aerospace my whole career. While I never drilled a hole or pounded any rivets at work, I'm very comfortable around sheet metal and blueprints. I did attend Airventure this year and took the mini sheet metal basics class.

After going back thru the previous builders work to verify completeness and quality I plan on starting where the previous owner left off. I ordered the Vans training project to help learn the tools, but after that I have no issues with starting where he left off.

I say you will be fine, take your time and figure it out.
 
Before you start making anything get the preview plans, then read it from cover to cover carefully. This will give you the big picture of what you will be doing and you will be better able to understand what you are doing. It might even prevent you from riveting yourself into a corner.
 
Deciding to build

So last June, I flew to Portland OR on a cheap Jet Blue flight and spent a day in Aurora at Vans Aircraft.
I had a personal expert assigned to me and we talked specifically about motivations, time, flying ability, planned reasons for flying. Building skills and building facilities.
Although I had not asked for a demo flight, I accepted one in a sliding canopy RV-9 with a IO320 and fixed pitch prop. NICE!!!

Believe it or not, I came away from the trip knowing that I was going to buy a completed aircraft, and not to buid one. Vans offered to do a prepurchase anywhere in the country.($$)

I lurked in the wings looking for RV's. Then one day in November an RV-3 came up at my own field. INSTANT gratification.

I have not looked back. N833RV Vans RV-3 is just a beautiful specimen of what a good build should look like.
 
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