Change of Direction

islandmonkey · #1 08-11-2010, 10:16 PM

Well I have my workshop now. Five minutes from where I work and ten minutes from my new apartment, which I move into in October. However, I have a problem. There has never been an RV-3 built in Switzerland, so I have been reliably informed. What does this statement imply? Well, it means that if your project is the "first" of its kind of a particular model, even if it is closely related to other models in the kit producers range, then you are required to work with the EAS group. EAS is the Swiss equivalent of the EAA in the States and the LAA in the UK. I have been told that this can be major pain in the rear since there are no defined requirements/information of what EAS want and when they want it. This means the if I carry on with building the 3 then I will end up being caught up in bureaucracy and having to pay for engineering assessments. Engineering costs have to be carried by a particular model type group. and since it will probably be the only 3 around,
then everything will have to be burdened by me.

So what is the way forward? Well there are a number of RV-4s being built and that are flying on the Swiss experimental register. This means that the trail has already been broken by some intrepid Swiss "Lewis and Clark". The bureaucratic costs will be more managable. The RV-4 has an extra seat and can carry more weight and there is more room for baggage if flying alone. So Vans will be getting an order from me for an RV-4 emp kit within the next few weeks. What will happen to my 3 project? Well it will happen. I will concentrate on the 4 and the 3 will be built as a second project. My workshop is big enough to accomodate both projects.

On the subject of the workshop. I want to thank Bernhard Daenzer for contacting me and for the future use of his tools that he has used to complete his lovely RV-7a, which had its first flight last week.

To celebrate Bernie`s first flight and the aquisition of my workshop my friend and work colleague Phil and I had several of these:

Here was a message from Bernie that I found on one of the tables in the workshop along with a VAF hat from Osh:

EdH · #2 08-12-2010, 06:16 AM

When you land on the Van's website, the bottom left hand photo is of a Swiss registered RV-3 which I understand was built there 10+ years ago, so your info source might be less reliable than hoped.

Might be worth talking to the authorities first, before giving up on the -3

Best of luck, from another Brit.

Louise Hose · #3 08-12-2010, 07:04 AM

I hadn't noticed that beautiful photo was a -3 before. Wow.

Whatever you build, Anthony, I'm sure it will be a joy. If you'll only have one plane, I suspect a -4 will be more flexible, but we'll miss you from the -3 ranks!

rv8ch · #4 08-12-2010, 10:44 AM

I tried to buy that RV3 several years ago, but showed up a day late and a dollar short - it had already been sold by the 2nd owner to someone in Germany. The original builder was a young fellow who tragically perished while hauling freight in Africa - apparently his load had shifted at takeoff I was told. The 2nd owner was really nice guy, but I've forgotten his name. The plane was beautiful, but needed the -B upgrade done to it - there were signs of skin wrinkling that apparently happened when the EAS did the wing loading test.

islandmonkey · #5 08-12-2010, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Louise Hose

Snip

Whatever you build, Anthony, I'm sure it will be a joy. If you'll only have one plane, I suspect a -4 will be more flexible, but we'll miss you from the -3 ranks!

Louise,

Many thanks for the very kind words. I am not lost from the -3 ranks as I will be keeping a very close eye on how "Junior" pans out over the next while. Paul and you are making excellent progress on that project and I look forward to Paul`s excellent posts on progess and problem solving. Save a place for me at next years Osh on the Wright flyer sim.

Best

Tony

islandmonkey · #6 08-12-2010, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rv8ch

I tried to buy that RV3 several years ago, but showed up a day late and a dollar short - it had already been sold by the 2nd owner to someone in Germany. The original builder was a young fellow who tragically perished while hauling freight in Africa - apparently his load had shifted at takeoff I was told. The 2nd owner was really nice guy, but I've forgotten his name. The plane was beautiful, but needed the -B upgrade done to it - there were signs of skin wrinkling that apparently happened when the EAS did the wing loading test.

I think that is the problem Mickey. Because of the new spar, EAS will want to look at the whole re-engineering concept of the -3B spar.

By the way I have sent you a PM.