Hours Flying when Building

missinggear · #1 06-25-2007, 07:29 PM

Just wondering.......

How much flying time did you get in while you were building your RV?

Radomir · #2 06-25-2007, 07:33 PM

More than before starting on the project... almost all in various RVs... Viva RV community

tonyjohnson · #3 06-25-2007, 07:42 PM

Decisions, decisions. Build or fly. When the weather is good I fly my L2 Taylorcraft little warbird. When the weather is unsuitable for flying, I build. Of course the day job limits both. I am also taking instrument instruction in a span can with a local flying club.

A good weekend day begins with an early morning flight in the L2, followed by an afternoon/evening in my shop working on the RV8A that I am building.

Its all good..building and flying. I would hate to give up flying in order to build. My flying time takes away from my building time, but it is a worthwhile tradeoff.

jcmcdowell · #4 06-25-2007, 08:09 PM

The first year was a lot of work- no flying.
The second year I flew almost 60 hours (this year) in a 1957 Cessna 172- talk about motivation to keep working on the RV!
I also got some time in a RV6a- that's a shocking comparison to the C172

frankh · #5 06-25-2007, 08:15 PM

More like start the engine once a week on my old Zenair to keep it turned over..I was too busy buildin'

Frank

Ironflight · #6 06-25-2007, 08:37 PM

I was fortunate to own a Yankee for 20+ years - the last 18 months of which I was building the -8. I probably flew my normal 150 - 200 hours/year while building....which numbers have greatly increased with the -8!

Paul

jdmunzell · #7 06-25-2007, 10:57 PM

Well.... does being an airline pilot count in this poll?

I used to have a beautiful classic 1960 C-172 up until two Setembers ago that kept me pretty current in general aviation stuff while I have been building. But the old girl had to go with the pay cuts ( and to provide for much needed resources to continue the RV-8 project). But when I owned the Cessna, I used to average still only around 35-40 hours a year. When you have a family with some littles and they all have to be somewhere at a certain time...well, most of you know what I mean.

My job as an airline pilot obviously keeps me current in everything else aviation related. But you know....it just....ain't...the same! Don't get me wrong! I love my job and can't imagine doing anything else, but it's hours and hours of droning along in a straight and level way ....ZZZZZZZZzzzzzz..... Doesn't mean I don't gently push the nose over and skim across the stratus cloud tops to enjoy that sense of speed just a little longer...all while the passengers in back stand in line for the bathrooms none the wiser to my passion!

Nothing quite like going out to the "drome" some early morning with your coffee, and opening up your hangar door to this beautiful creation that I (or you) built, to see the early morning light gleaming off the paint and canopy! BOY, I CAN'T WAIT!!! You ( or I...) strap on this beast to take her up for a nice little joy ride while the air is still silky smooth, and nobody on the planet is mad at anybody yet!

How's that for a little motivation to keep building?!

Other than my job, for now it's getting some stick time in my buddy's Stearman and SNJ about once a year in July.

...gotta get this bird done!

BTW, my littles won't be little for very long!

cbnank · #8 06-26-2007, 04:50 AM

Almost none. I live in western Kentucky and I am jealouse of the Texas guys who have many RV's near them. I did get transition training in a 6 ffrom MR Bussell while I was in Florida this year. What a blast!!

I will need to find some way to get more hours before I fly my 7A, hopefully this fall.

Carl Nank
RV-7A
Canopy (finelly)

dan · #9 06-26-2007, 08:29 AM

I sold an airplane to build my RV-7, and once it was gone I averaged ~22 hours per year. If I hadn't just checked my logbook, I would have estimated about half that. It sure didn't feel like I flew very much.

My focus was on getting the RV in the air. All currencies lapsed quickly. There were times when I wasn't even 90-day passenger current. It was a big lifestyle change, but I would do it again in a heartbeat. I didn't feel the pain of not flying. I had therapy in my garage. A few motivating flights from generous folks like Pop, Rosie, Subie, and Bill Kaiser were all it took to keep me on track.

Transition training with Alex DeDominicis, bam. I was flying. And once my RV-7 was in Phase Two I took care of my currencies quickly. And now there's no looking back!

It's worth it however you can make it happen.

cytoxin · #10 06-26-2007, 09:44 AM

i wasnt even flying yet, then i got to the wings and thought i might better spend some time in the plane before i get to much further. so i did the ppsel thing and thought ok this is cool. but the problem i had was thinking building was to much like work and wanting to "just buy a 182".

well the thought of that was somewhat disheartening with the price/age (read corrosion/woreout)ratio. but i flew with ken harill in his 6 and well, i must say anything less than an rv and i'd rather not waste my time.there was a year taken off for less than desirable reasons. ive still got a ways to go but i'm gettin there.

aug 12 makes 4 years.