Nihon_Ni
Well Known Member
I've dreamed of building an airplane for most of my adult life. I?ve spent the last 23 years in the military moving every so often, with the last 7 yrs in Japan; so building hasn?t been a viable option recently. In 2009 I went to the EAA museum while at AirVenture and reflected on how small my aviation life seemed to me in comparison to all the innovation and achievement contained in the museum. I decided on the spot that I was going to make my building dreams a reality and called my wife in Japan to tell her the news. I wasn?t sure what aircraft I would build, but having considered almost every successful design in the previous 15 years I settled on a few likely contenders: RV-7/8/9, Sonex, Xenos, and Titan 51. I bought a ?Dream it, Build it, Fly it? T-shirt from the museum gift shop, and have been working my way through that list since, albeit very slowly.
I visited the Titan factory a few weeks after Oshkosh and flew their latest demonstrator. While it was a ball of fun and the 4-bladed prop was a huge improvement over the previous model, it was cramped inside and very expensive. In my analysis, I could have a full-sized airplane for the price of a VFR ? scale Mustang kit. As much as I love the lines of that plane, I dismissed it from the contenders list. (At least for my first project?)
In Feb 2010 I came to the States on my way to Iraq, and spent a weekend with my best friend while I was awaiting travel arrangements. He and I spent the weekend flying and talking about building and by Sunday I decided I?d purchase a kit by the end of AirVenture 2012. And we pinky swore on the date.
Last summer I spent a week in San Diego and (thanks to the generosity of several VAF members) I had the fortune to talk to a RV-7A, two RV-9A, a Xenos, and three Sonex builders. I even get my first RV grin in a beautiful RV-9A based at Ramona. I had the chance to sit in a couple Sonex cockpits and after some thought about my mission and my stature (I?m 6?2?) I began to drift away from it as an option; although the Xenos motorglider is still on the back burner. Although the -9 was beautiful, when I had my hand on the stick turning circles above the California landscape, a part of me was just begging to roll the plane upside down in an easy aileron roll. After some more reading about the 7 vs 9 debate on VAF and some more refinement of my mission statement, I dismissed the -9 from the contenders. The possible project list then contained RV-7/8, with a distant Xenos in third place.
In the past few months I?ve moved back to the States, and I will retire from the Service in a few more weeks. My wife and I are having a house built for us ? one that includes space to set up my airplane factory in the basement and garage. I?ve joined the local EAA chapter, ordered the Van?s Info Pack & DVD, and spent countless hours reading VAF. I?ve drafted a plan to set up the workshop in the months ahead by building work benches & shelves, partitioning the basement (to separate workshop from storage area), finishing the basement bathroom, and adding electrical power to the workshop.
Sunday my wife and I went to see one of the chapter members who built a RV-8A, and we both fell in love with the plane! We tried out both seats for size (we are both pilots) and were surprised at how roomy they both were. (Before moving to Japan we owned an AA-1B, and we really wanted a bit more cockpit space.) The weather on Sunday wasn?t good enough for a demo ride, but I know I won?t be disappointed with how it flies. After two hours talking with the builder, we?re nearly ready to commit to the -8. But before I pull the trigger on ordering the tail kit I want to have my wife sit in a -7 and fly at least one of them, even though prices are going up tomorrow.
I?ve done a lot of thinking over the past months about what kind of plane I want to build and what my mission is. I feel like I?m really closing in on the decision. It?s been a long time since I stood in the museum and decided I was definitely going to join the ranks of amateur aircraft builders, but I know for sure that the ?Dream it? stage is coming to an end. Thanks, in no small part, to the members of the VAF community who have been so generous with their time to patiently answer questions and allow me to lurk on conversations. All of you have had a hand in helping this fledgling builder into the air, and I thank you for all your input.
I?m looking forward to driving my first rivet in August!
I visited the Titan factory a few weeks after Oshkosh and flew their latest demonstrator. While it was a ball of fun and the 4-bladed prop was a huge improvement over the previous model, it was cramped inside and very expensive. In my analysis, I could have a full-sized airplane for the price of a VFR ? scale Mustang kit. As much as I love the lines of that plane, I dismissed it from the contenders list. (At least for my first project?)
In Feb 2010 I came to the States on my way to Iraq, and spent a weekend with my best friend while I was awaiting travel arrangements. He and I spent the weekend flying and talking about building and by Sunday I decided I?d purchase a kit by the end of AirVenture 2012. And we pinky swore on the date.
Last summer I spent a week in San Diego and (thanks to the generosity of several VAF members) I had the fortune to talk to a RV-7A, two RV-9A, a Xenos, and three Sonex builders. I even get my first RV grin in a beautiful RV-9A based at Ramona. I had the chance to sit in a couple Sonex cockpits and after some thought about my mission and my stature (I?m 6?2?) I began to drift away from it as an option; although the Xenos motorglider is still on the back burner. Although the -9 was beautiful, when I had my hand on the stick turning circles above the California landscape, a part of me was just begging to roll the plane upside down in an easy aileron roll. After some more reading about the 7 vs 9 debate on VAF and some more refinement of my mission statement, I dismissed the -9 from the contenders. The possible project list then contained RV-7/8, with a distant Xenos in third place.
In the past few months I?ve moved back to the States, and I will retire from the Service in a few more weeks. My wife and I are having a house built for us ? one that includes space to set up my airplane factory in the basement and garage. I?ve joined the local EAA chapter, ordered the Van?s Info Pack & DVD, and spent countless hours reading VAF. I?ve drafted a plan to set up the workshop in the months ahead by building work benches & shelves, partitioning the basement (to separate workshop from storage area), finishing the basement bathroom, and adding electrical power to the workshop.
Sunday my wife and I went to see one of the chapter members who built a RV-8A, and we both fell in love with the plane! We tried out both seats for size (we are both pilots) and were surprised at how roomy they both were. (Before moving to Japan we owned an AA-1B, and we really wanted a bit more cockpit space.) The weather on Sunday wasn?t good enough for a demo ride, but I know I won?t be disappointed with how it flies. After two hours talking with the builder, we?re nearly ready to commit to the -8. But before I pull the trigger on ordering the tail kit I want to have my wife sit in a -7 and fly at least one of them, even though prices are going up tomorrow.
I?ve done a lot of thinking over the past months about what kind of plane I want to build and what my mission is. I feel like I?m really closing in on the decision. It?s been a long time since I stood in the museum and decided I was definitely going to join the ranks of amateur aircraft builders, but I know for sure that the ?Dream it? stage is coming to an end. Thanks, in no small part, to the members of the VAF community who have been so generous with their time to patiently answer questions and allow me to lurk on conversations. All of you have had a hand in helping this fledgling builder into the air, and I thank you for all your input.
I?m looking forward to driving my first rivet in August!
I grew up flying tandem taildraggers so I'm sure that has some influence on our decision. good luck and happy building
