S

Sparkles

I'm New Here
Hi, my name is Amber--a recently minted CFI living in the Dallas area (passed MEI ride just a few weeks ago.) I've been lurking on these forums for a while but never registered until now.
Now that I have a bit more free time (relatively speaking) I'm very interested in starting a Van's project (RV-7). I've reviewed all the data on Van's website and I was curious if anyone had any advice that wasn't specifically mentioned? Like, is there a lot of heavy lifting (I'm 110lbs), and how can that be limited to what only is necessary?

I know it may be a little premature (since I don't have anything constructed) but I'm also curious about the avionics available. Has anyone had any experience installing an EFIS like EFIS/One (from BMA) into a Van? It doesn't seem that much more than buying each individual flight instrument and GPS individually and it looks pretty sweet. I definitely don't have 70,000 or whatever the garmin 900x costs, but something like the 17,000 for a PFD + MFD seems doable.

Do most people do most of the construction out of their garages or do they rent space at a hangar?
 
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Welcome Aboard!

Hello Amber - welcome to the addiction! Being that you're in the DFW Metro area, you'll rapidly get sucked into the culture...

I found very few points in the construction of my QB where I needed the assistance of lifting partners - and when you do, it isn't hard to find help. I'll bet that 99% of the time, you're just working with small parts.

As to glass....when I priced out my panel options a couple of years ago, I looked at both a reliable steam gauge option (reliable, for me, meant high quality instruments with an HSI) and an all EFIS panel. The price came out to be the same either way (Steam Gauges had no advantage due to the price of good HSI's). You can look up my airplane in the virtual hangar here on the forums - that is basically a $25K panel at 2004/2005 prices. Choices are going up all the time, and although prices may not come down, features are going up! Installation is also getting easier all the time, and there are lots of folks around that can help.

As I said...welcome to the RV world....from which there is no escape! ;)

Paul
 
Sparkles said:
Do most people do most of the construction out of their garages or do they rent space at a hangar?
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Amber,

The answer to this part of your post is: YES.

People do both. At some point you will need to move it to the hanger to finish it but you can start at home.

My option was to build in my basement, where I can fully assemble the -9, and then move it to the airport for final assembly and flying.

The longer it stays at home, the easier it is to work on. The commute to the shop is just a flight of stairs away. This allows me to put in 20 minutes here and there, as well as the longer sessions. If I had to drive to the hanger to work on it, it would add a LOT of time to the process and I doubt I would have finished it.

Most of those who build from start to finish in a hanger either have the hanger attached to their house or are retired and have the time to spend the entire day at the hanger.

- Just MYHO

PS. Welcome to the gang
 
Garage for sure

Assuming you have a day job, building at home is dramatically more efficient. An airport 15 minutes away is pretty close, but thats still 2x 15 minutes driving, opening up, closing up, etc. You're looking at 40+ minutes per work session, and you haven't even done any work yet!
Order that empannage kit and get going.
 
Welcome to the RV game Amber! You'll love what you're getting in to here! Like those that have said before, building in your garage or basement is the only way to get done, unless your hanger is at your house. I'm building in my garage, even on the coldest days with a propane heater keeping me warm.

Being in Dallas, you have a GREAT group of RV devotees/builders/flyers that will be willing to lend a hand or offer advise whenever needed.

Get going, and welcome aboard!!

:cool:
 
Thanks for all the support, guys! My plan is to order the standard emp kit, as if I can get through that the rest will be cake if I want to go through QB with the rest.
I definitely want to build the RV-7A (I'm biased against conventional gear because I've never flown one.)
I hope I can find a nice used 180-200hp lycoming with low time SMOH :)
 
A couple of suggestions

Dittos on the welcome aboard.

You dont mention if you have ever ridden in a RV, if not, you REALLY should do so. What an incredible motivational thing that is.

If you havent already done so, I strongly recommend joining the EAA. The knowledge and assistance available there is something you will be needing.

Good luck, enjoy the project.

Mike
 
Sparkles said:
I definitely want to build the RV-7A (I'm biased against conventional gear because I've never flown one.)
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Tricycle gear....bleh. Welcome aboard anyway :D

And Chad's idea about the heater is dead on. I installed a Hot Dawg in my garage. Huge difference being able to build year round. You can always sell it when you're done....probably to another homebuilder. Trade it for parts? Make a 20 slice toaster? I dunno.

Use the toaster idea at your own risk...
 
Welcome aboard!

You have picked the most satisfying hobby there is--building an RV. I have built my own house, my own car (even the frame,) and actually made my own bed once, although my wife says I am stretching it there. There is nothing like building your own plane. You will not lack for help and the experience level here is amazing and this is the freindliest group there is. Call Van's tomorrow and start buying tools!

BTW, it turns out that 110 lb is just about the minimum pilot weight to avoid aft CG without baggage on many of these planes. Not many of us have that problem. . .

Bob Kelly
 
Had your RV ride yet?

I'll take you up in my RV-6 when you have time, Amber. I'm in DFW area (plane based 52F).

The Dude abides. Let's coordinate.

Pic of cockpit.

b,
dr
 
Hi Amber,

Welcome to the RV world. A 7A is a fine choice. You'll Love It!! I kept mine simple as I went QB with Van's supplied FWF, 0-360 A1A (180 hp), and a Hartzell BA C/S prop. There are no sub assemblies that are very heavy and I'm sure all those Dallas Cowboys will lend a hand and plenty of advice.

Good Luck,

Roberta
 
cjensen said:
I'm building in my garage, even on the coldest days with a propane heater keeping me warm.
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Also put some type of music system in there. I found that when my 20 year-old collage stereo finally died, I spent less time in the shop. Once I replaced it with a glorified boom box type stereo I was back down there working away.

As for which end the little wheel goes on, build the airplane YOU want and don't let the position of the 3rd wheel influence you. If you like the looks of a tail wheel RV, build that. You can learn to fly one, heck you have already proven you can learn to fly and airplane, get a CFI, etc.

The trick is to buy the tail kit and get started! BTW, if you can find a used set of tools, you are way ahead of the cost game!

I know of one local RV builder who sold all of his tools for $500 after he started flying and in less than a year he started in on a -10 so he had to rebuy all the tools. OUCH But this goes to show, there are deals out there.
 
Amber,
Welcome aboard. Some general thoughts on starting up:
1) Where to build - as much as possible, build in your garage/home if possible. Closer the better. You are much more likely to put in even an hour if you don't have to commute some distance to a hangar.
2) Comfort - You need to have a relatively comfortable work space. I use cheap propane cylinder based heaters (Mr. Heater, $40 from Amazon.com or local home store) in winter, and a couple fans in summer. Regarding the former, I have never had a any carbon monoxide problems, and keep a detector in the garage that can read PPM. Some folks have put in A/C units. Radio is nice.
3) Sources for help - VAF and archives, local EAA chapter, local RV groups, RivetBangers.com (sometimes a little chatty, but very friendly people), Matrionic forums, and bookmark a list of RV-7 builder sites (I'm a -9A builder, but due to similarities, I have dozens of -7 and -9 sites. Start with Dan Checkoway's wonderful site). Van's and VAF have builder site lists. As I start a section, I peruse several of these sites in the relevant sections in advance.
4) Tools - you will see many endorsements. There are the main sources such as Avery, Brown, Cleveland, PlaneTools.com. Most have RV kits that need little add-ons. I've added a few extras, such as a used pneumatic squeezer that I absolutely love. I dealt with Bob Avery in person at Oshkosh and have been very happy. Do get Aircraft Spruce's huge catalog. Go to Oshkosh to meet all these folks, RV builders, etc. You will see all your panel vendors there, though don't really need to worry about it for awhile. Many folks don't recommend buying avionics too early, since product upgrades usually take place in the interim couple years that pass before you start your panel.
5) Starting to build - There are weekend/week classes out there that cater to RV builder newbies - I really didn't feel it is necessary (though folks that have gone have enjoyed them) and was comfortable with a metal working seminar at Oshkosh and building Van's practice kits before starting the empennage. There is such a plethora of help here and on builder's sites that I felt quite comfortable starting. Plus, knowing a couple local builders really is nice - go meet them. Chad Jensen replied to you earlier and lives nearby - he is ahead of me 8 months or so, and has been quite helpful with some great tips. We also share some low use tools to save a few pennies.
6) Get a ride. It is amazing that many folks buy a kit without having ever flown in an RV, but I am guilty of that. The staggering number of testimonials were very evident during my research phase how these RV's outclass the Pipers and Cessnas I have flown. Halfway into the empennage, I finally got my first RV (-9A) flight from a gracious builder in Chicago (Scott Dell'Angelo) - oh yeah, baby, no need to worry about the decision.
Good luck, Amber, and welcome.
 
DeltaRomeo said:
The Dude abides.
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The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh. I sure hope he makes the finals.

The Big Lebowski, great movie!

JB
 
Welcome.
This is not just a hobby. It is a life altering experience. It is a great community to be a part of. As far as the shop heater, check out harbor freight tools. They have many different types and some sale prices that are just plain cheap.
 
So, 22 years old and making a living from flight instructing? There's a chance you are not cursed with an overabundance of discretionary income ;)
I've never had a lot, either, and can tell you from experience two things - 1)It aint gonna get any cheaper and 2)It doesn't matter if the project sits idle for awhile - when you come back to it, it's in virtually the same condition you left it in. I wish I'd started at your age - I might of finished it 10 - 20 or more years ago!
 
Training Wheel

Don't choose a nosewheel just because you've never flown one. I've got nothing against them but the RV series is one of the easiest taildraggers there is to fly. I'll leave the arguments pro and con to the many posts that reside in all the usual internet hangouts (including this one I'd guess) but its safe to say I'm biased. I'm in Rockwall so if you'd like to experience conventional gear taht is easily arranged in my RV-4 or for a more challenging session an AT-6.

Richard
 
Welcome to the obsession...

Sparkles,
Sounds like you are asking the same questions I asked 2 years ago when I started. Turns out, everything you are asking is exactly how I'm doing it over here in Ft Worth. I'm building my RV7A in the garage, paying as I go, and working a full time job for the man. If you want to stop by sometime and see the chaos you are welcome to. I can pass on some of my "gotch yas" before you get there. :p

Mikey
 
Wow, too bad your halfway across the country... See this thread. I'm in much the same situation as you, although money is more of an issue for me. I just got my CFI in August, am 21 and have been building a -7 (Non-A) since december '05. I haven't gotten too far because of budget, but I am building! If your working as a Flight Instructor at the airport a lot, building at a hangar MAY be a better option. That is what I'm doing, also getting co-workers and interested students to help out works well (at least for me). My sister (22) even helped out put together then HS, her and I together knocked that out in the first two weeks, but things started lagging when I went to get my CFI and finish up school. Back on the rudder, as soon as I order some parts I messed up. See my website for updates on my project. If you have any questions, PM or email me. Short story, your in a very active RV area, so you'll have plenty of help whenever you need a build partner, just hope you come around to conventional gear before you finally commit... ok i'm biased :p
 
Thanks for all the support guys and gals. I have been up in a RV-6A (180hp, I believe) thanks to a gentleman I met up north... I wasn't quite able to do an Immelman turn my first try, but it was pretty close for a first attempt. Stalls and extra steep turns were quite fun and I was suprised at how smoothly it landed.

I hope to get started on my project by mid-March as I am going to be out of pocket for a couple of months. How long does it take for the empennage to arrive, does anyone know? Van's site says in stock, so should I expect a fast turn around?
 
Emp delivery took about 10 days for me. But I ordered it a day or two before thanksgiving. So it didn't actually processed until Monday after Turkeyday. Fedex had it for me on Thursday in Montana.

I didn't start on it until this past saturday. Took longer than expected to get my shop in order.

Good luck & Enjoy the process.

p.s. do the VS first.
 
Plan ahead...

Brian is right. I think it took about a 10 days to get mine to Ft Worth. I would recommend you plan ahead by getting your tools and shop ready first, then order your kit. Otherwise you will be tripping over yourself getting tables and jigs built, putting your tools where you want them, etc. And as the others have said, be sure you have your entertainment setup as well (i.e. radios, tv, etc.) Oh one last thing, better plan on where you are going to put your BIG fans. You are going to need them come June. :D
 
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