Wanting to take a look at a SoCal RV-7A

[lacofdfireman]

First post on the board here. I have spent the past few days and many hours using the search feature to look at different things and would really like to take a look at a RV 7A somewhere around Lancaster.

I will start out by saying I do not have a pilots license as of yet. I work for LACoFire Dept and have just sold my house and will be moving to Souther Utah next month. Plans are to start working on my PPL soon after we get to Utah. I would like to build up some hours of course and get some experience as a Pilot then build possibly and RV 7A for commuting purposes. I will be driving from St. George to work in So. Cal in the meantime. It's about 300nm from St. George to Lancaster and the drive is about 5-5.5 hrs for the next 20 years. I figure I could fly this in less than 3 easily which would save me alot of hours of road time. I will work my schedule and come to work for 3-4 days then go home for 3-8 days. I have taken a flight back to St. George with a local Chiropractor that works in Lancaster and lives in St. George a couple of times and can I tell you that was sweet. He flies a 1970s Cherokee 6. Seems like the cruise speed was only somewhere around 110 knots or maybe we had a bad headwind.

I have had this dream for along time but the timing was never right or something has always come up. I have wanted to get my PPL for many years but havent done it for one reason or another. Well the time has come. I never really thought about experimentals until meeting a guy on the FD here that flies his RV 6A from Lake Havasu to here in the Antelope Valley to his station. I always figured I would get a Cessna 182 or something. Then after talking to him I have been researching the possibilities of building my own. I would do the quick build kit for sure.

So now the first step is get enrolled in a training program and get my PPL. So I would like to ask the CFI's on this board for some help. Is there anything you would recommed that I get for helping me with becoming a pilot? Books, CD's anything I can get that will help me out with ground school. I will be spending alot of time in a car and was hoping maybe there is something out on CD that talks about stuff I will need to know.

The reason for me wanting to come check out an RV 7A is so maybe I could sit in one and see how I felt. I am 6'4 240lbs. I have done some reasearch here on that already and have found there are a few mods that can be done etc to account for the extra height.

I appreciate all the information here and hope to be a regular here for along time. Maybe one day even be flying my own RV built by myself. That would be awesome.

[pierre smith]

Hi Dave,
Welcome to one of the neatest forums anywhere. You've just scratched the surface of what is bound to be a big, big addition to the quality of your life!!

I'd go to the nearest FBO (Fixed base operator)/ Flight School and see what PPL courses they sell. There are quite a few good ones with books/tapes/CDs and so on, so you can get started on your PPL.

There is absolutely no reason, other than money or space, for you NOT to start building an RV now. BTW, I've had two 6'3' guys in my 6A with no head clearance problems, except having to duck a little as the canopy frame goes past their head but then it fits. I could have a thinner seat bottom and accomodate a 6' 4'' man as well.

The other first step I'd take would be to join the EAA since there are so many chapters all over the country. (Go to EAA.org) then click on "Find a chapter". Visit and join a local/nearby chapter and then you'll meet guys who'd love to have you come by, buck rivets, ask questions, take rides and so on.

If you're going to commute, the RVs can't be beat....the most bang for the buck!! Low fuel consumption and near 200 MPH cruise AND aerobatic!
Welcome,
Pierre