Ironflight

Ironflight

VAF Moderator / Line Boy
Mentor
Is this RV community great, or what!?

I dropped the RV-8 off at Glo Custom this morning up in Fort Worth, after a 1h30m flight from Houston (Headwinds! What can ya' do!?). I was met by Grady and Brandon who assured me that they would take great care of my baby as they finish her up over the next month.

I was also met by Doug, who bought me lunch and promised to take a few pictures of the painting process...

And by Ross, who shared his RV-6 with me for the flight back to Houston - what a great ride! Door to door, it was a lot faster (1h10m) than if I flew his airline from Dallas back to Houston - and he even let me keep my pocket knife!

And I finally got to meet Jay Pratt - thanks for coming and joining us for lunch! I'd love to be able to someday say I've helped to build a FRACTION as many RV's as he has!

And can't forget Danny King....what is is that Danny does anyway - he's always at the airport I think? Must be a hard life - driving around in a Corvette... :p

Between these gentlemen, they had something like four ways to get me home to Houston after dropping off the plane - with clear skies, the RV ride back was clearly the way to go!

Thanks again - when you start building an airplane like this, you have no idea that one of the biggest products of the endeavour is going to be a whole new group of friends! :D

Paul
 
Good points all around, Paul.
In my seminars, "So You Think You Want to Build an Airplane?", one of the questions I ask is, "Why do you want to build?". I get all kinds of answers, from save money, self maintenance, education and recreation...etc. Then I tell them that one of the biggest benifits of building is the people you meet. The RV community has got to be the friendliest and most helpful organization in the world.
 
You know, I've asked this question of just about everyone who's ever posted about their paint jobs and never gotten a reply.

but I'll try again, indelicate as the subject may be in polite company.

Ready. Here goes. :p

How much?
 
Jet Ski

Paul, Time to charge up the jet ski batteries! Not much else to do while you're waiting for the paint to dry. :)
 
rv8ch said:
Paul, Time to charge up the jet ski batteries! Not much else to do while you're waiting for the paint to dry. :)
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Yeah...that's a whole 'nuther thread..."What the heck do I do with myself for the next month!?"

By the way...1997 SeaDoo SPX (800 CC, X-4 racing hull)...runs thorugh 9 gallons of gas (and a pint of oil) in 1+15....that's about $30 for an hour of riding. For the first 170 hours of flying the RV-8, fuel costs have been about $23/hour!!! It's cheaper to fly a 200+ mph airplane than to ride a jet ski?! How about that! :eek:

Paul
 
Bob Collins said:
You know, I've asked this question of just about everyone who's ever posted about their paint jobs and never gotten a reply.

but I'll try again, indelicate as the subject may be in polite company.

Ready. Here goes. :p

How much?
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How Much have ya' got?! heh, heh, heh..... :p

You never know for sure until it is finished, but I got several quotes from different shops in th $6K - $7K range. There are numerous puts and takes in the process, and I'll have to let you know when it's all done - all of the shops were quick to give me a base quote, but special stuff can raise the price!

Not being evasive - just telling you what I know now!
 
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Bob Collins said:
You know, I've asked this question of just about everyone who's ever posted about their paint jobs and never gotten a reply.

but I'll try again, indelicate as the subject may be in polite company.

Ready. Here goes. :p

How much?
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$10,300 including striping and repainting the interior. :)
 
I'm almost embarrassed to say. But everyone knows how cheap I am anyway...$1800.....1993.....Still looks pretty good today.
 
$5500 with me doing the disassemble and reassemble.

From this:
N169AK.jpg


to this:
N169AK-Paint.jpg
 
I Gotta Reply

I don't post much in the forum but this demands an answer.

I never did post to say THANKS for showing us around NASA. How cool was that for a bunch of us space junkies. So, when the chance came up to make a quick run to Houston on a perfect RV day, let's just say, it didn't take a lot of arm twisting.

Doug bought you lunch? Dang. With us, he usually tries to skip out without paying. ;)

What does Danny do? His life peaked out when he taught Doug to fly formation. It's been down hill for him ever since. :rolleyes:

Glad you got to meet THE Jay Pratt, he usually gets $20 for an autograph so you should feel honored to get one for free. :D

I'm glad I didn't know you had a pocket knife. I would have spent the entire flight thinking my life was in danger. :eek:

We'll check up on your baby at Grady's and see ya in a month.

Ross
 
The Stick Cover Thingie?!

Thanks Doug - now you've maxed out my privae message counter! (OK, so a couple of people wrote and asked...)

Well, it's liek this...when I was building, I was removing the instrument panel frequently, and the first time, it scratched the top of the stick...so I put on the little "packing sock" that came with the stick grip to protect it. Well, when that wore through, I looked aroudn the shop for a replacement...and there in the corner was my golf bag, with cheap red covers on my woods...well, I figured that I wasn't playing any golf...and the rest is history. The 7-wood has lost out to the airplane.... ;)
 
Good choice

Paul, your comment on the golf club loosing to the plane------------now if only "They" would start paving over golf courses, and making more airports.

I can only wish.

Mike
 
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