it's a sad story....

[hydroguy2]

probably one you've heard before, I was born a poor bl.....oops, wrong story.

Actually I did hear some unsettling news today. A RV-9A builder decided he would never finish and fly his plane, so he loaded it up and sent it to the scrap heap. Yep, you read correctly. turned back into beer cans. Tail and wings were done, fuselage still in the boxes. I understand someone even offered to buy it, but he said No. Sad way to end things.

Anyone else out there thinking this? Contact me or anyone else on this board we'll help.

[RV10Rob]

Seems like such a waste.

That said, I have thought about what I'd do if I decided now (with just the tail kit) to quit the project. I'm not sure the ~$2-3k I'd get for the tail is worth the liability exposure if something happens to the plane it's eventually attached to.
Sounds like this guy threw away much more value than that, though, and I can't see the harm in selling the fuse still in the crate.

-Rob

[Rivethead]

No, no liability exposure. What's a tail about 2% of the total build?

[joeboisselle]

I know exactly what this guy was thinking, some of us are better airplane drivers than airplane builders. My -4 flys, but I think it'd probably be better off being several thousand cans of cold beer. In the more than 2500 hours it took to build it, not once did I leave the shop after finishing a task and say "ah, perfect!" It was " I guess I'll re-do that tomarrow"

[Paul Tuttle]

Sounds to me like he wanted to punish himself for not being perfect.
I'm sure we've all had some frustrating days doing this, and there are times when you wonder if your cut out for this sort of thing or not.

I look at what I'm learning here, and like they say education is seldom cheap.
I feel I will be a repeat offender because I know the next one will have far fewer flaws then this one.

Why after enough builds you'd be another Jay Pratt

[hydroguy2]

I don't know the whole story, just hangar gossip. I think he lost his hangar/build area, hasn't worked on it in several years and just bummed out about the whole GA/economy situation. Frustration or depression can be tough for some to deal with.

It wasn't an issue of build quality.

[Steve A]

Personally, it sounds like an urban legend to me. But now that I am at the airport doing the final things on my RV 7A, I think most about the guy on this forum that said I built three planes and thoughtfully threw the first two away.

I do think we pursure perfection and that is the problem we face. Kids have to all be honor students, making the team isn't good enough, botox, face lifts, living for the perfect paint job. I look at my plane and sometimes I see the flaws but it is a reflection of me, I did a reasonable good job. It is my t'erpy, I would be crazier if I didn't build it.

RV 7A Finishing
Lafayette La.

[allbee]

I don't know about you guys, but I hide my mistakes. Yup, a dent in the floor, way cool the seat covers it.

[FredMagare]

Every creation requires a flaw to allow the gremlins to escape!

[CraigC]

On another forum I read where Richard Collins turned his P210 over to be parted out instead of sold.