A Record Build ?

Ironflight · #1 03-11-2007, 09:57 PM

Years ago, I remember seeing a film in a management training seminar called "The One Hour House". The purpose of this film was to show what could be done with incredible management and organizational skills - and unlimited manpower and budget! What they did was literally build a single-family tract home, from bare dirt to move-in ready in just one hour - including pouring the slab (with VERY fast-setting concrete). I am sure there are some others out there that have seen it. The point, of course, is that if you have everything organized and planned out so that there was no wasted time, and had as much parallel work going on as possible, that the actual time to build the house could be made incredibly short. The prep and practice time, of course, was incredible, and if I remember correctly, they practiced and rehearsed with several homes before making the actual attempt at an hour. Even if you aren't interested in the management angle, anyone who prowls these forums would be intrigued at the building process itself!

OK, so what is this post doing on an RV forum? Well, this is just a thought experiemnt....lets's say you were to do the same thing with an RV, starting with a truck loaded with a slow-build, match-drilled -8 and every single component that you needed to finish it was on hand. You also had an unlimited number of experienced builders available, and enough tools so that no one would have to slow down for a moment. There is probably a practical maximum number of people before they start getting in each other's way, but if you have sub-assembly areas, it could go like lightning....

How fast do you think we could build the airplane? What would be the limiting factor? Fiberglass curing time? And do you think we could ever talk Van's into donating the materials so that a group could do something like this at, let's say....Oshkosh?

Or, maybe it's been done before....and I don't know it!

Discussion?

szicree · #2 03-11-2007, 10:10 PM

I have gotta see that home building film!!! As for the RV speed building thing, I'm definitely the wrong guy to ask.

flyeyes · #3 03-11-2007, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironflight

a group could do something like this at, let's say....Oshkosh?

Or, maybe it's been done before....and I don't know it!

Discussion?

look here ;-)

TSwezey · #4 03-11-2007, 10:13 PM

I think you could start at the beginning of OSH or Sun-n-Fun and raffle it off at the end. They build three planes in two days on Junkyard Wars. I think you could easily build an 8 in five or six days. The proceeds could go to some charity or Young Eagles.

Phyrcooler · #5 03-11-2007, 10:47 PM

Paul - interesting idea.

From reading build reports (Kitplanes?) - I believe that this is how the "Two weeks to taxi" program works for the Glasair Sportsman. They have one guy working with you while the other guy lays everything out or preps for the next move. As I understand - you just bounce from one "helper" to the next - building your plane.

With their builder assist program, the Lightning also sounds like it is a VERY fast build like the Glasair.

Sounds like fun... fast, but expensive!

You'd need a strong - "Ace Builder"/leader to orchestrate the kind of build you are proposing.

Jekyll · #6 03-11-2007, 11:13 PM

5 experienced RV builders (1-6, 3-7's and an 8 along with several other homebuilts) are discussing building a 10. We think we can do it in about 6 months. We think 1 man on the empanage, 2 on the wings and 2 on the fuse working concurrently could knock it out in short order. We have a 2 bay shop and all the tools for 3 teams.

Anyone want a 10 built, we'll do 2 at once if you supply both kits, we would keep the second kit of course.

Jekyll

G-force · #7 03-12-2007, 12:21 AM

I believe I have heard of a 6 being built in 68 or so days. I bet your idea of doing it with unlimited labor...you could do it in a day or two. If you had experienced builders who have done it before, all the necessary tools and equiptment on hand, and a very basic build (day vfr, steam gauges, FP prop, carb and mags, etc) lets call it 1500 hours. Thats only 15 hours per person for a 100 person team.

pierre smith · #8 03-12-2007, 06:44 AM

Paul,
Since Van claims that it takes between 500-800 manhours for a quickbuild, I figured ten experienced builders working together could do it in 600 manhours. That's ten hours a day for six days. Yep, it could be built in the one Oshkosh week

A slow build, on the other hand, would take three weeks or more with ten guys. I figure that ten guys wouldn't get in each others' way.

Regards,

DeltaRomeo · #9 03-12-2007, 07:10 AM

Wil Ramsey (now deceased) with the help of Jay Pratt built a -8AQB in 54 days several years back. I believe Wil worked on it 7 days a week 10 hours a day (the emp was already done).

b,
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Quote:

Originally Posted by G-force

I believe I have heard of a 6 being built in 68 or so days. ...snip.

Ironflight · #10 03-12-2007, 07:19 AM

I'm imagining something that looks like one of Rudi's videos, but with about a hundred people swarming around it!

I'm going to search for that house video - one of the amazing things was that the place was built "to code", and the inspectors said it wasn't slap-dash and shoddy - that was part of the message - you could do things efficiently and still have a good product....

Paul