N

N208ET

Well Known Member
After reading posts about the "more experienced" group of aviators, I thought to myself, how many younger folks are out there in the build process, or flying a RV they built. I am 28 working on an 8A, currently the fuse, slow build, just about to put the tail on. Anybody younger than that out there.

Randy
 
I'm 22, and a work from home dad/web designer/internet guy, and I'll be starting my -8 within 30 days.

Mike
 
46yrs young here, but the wife said I was acting like a 8yr old while bouncing a ball in the store the other day. To prove her wrong, I spun a few donuts in the icy parking lot when we were leaving and said I didn't learn that until I was 14.:D
 
I was 25 when I started my slowbuild 7A, 29 now and hoping to fly before my 30th! Currently putting the last bits of the panel in and completing FWF.

Richard
7A
 
25 when I started my -7, I'll have my fuselage in a month and turning 27 in three months.
 
I'm 25 and not getting any younger. Currently working on the wife portion of the kit. To clarify, we were married last April. It's the convincing her that we need a couple grand worth of tools and aluminum that's taking a while. I'm hoping to hand over an emp kit order form this April at Sun 'n' Fun.
 
36, almost

A couple of weeks off 36 and I started this thing two and a bit years ago. If I could just stop skydiving at the weekends I might actually get some building done; extra money is coming in useful though...
 
we were both 25 when we started...

now 28, just about to fit the canopy, engine is on order, tail and wings done and rigged. guess another 2-3 years and we should be flying at the current pace.

bernie
 
I started my RV-7 tail 7 months ago when I was 25. I'm now 26 and will have wings in a matter of days.

Juicegoose - I hope to be able to move into an airstrip community in about 5 years, I'm jealous!
 
I think I am one of the last of the "airport kids", before tv/internet/media made our society into what it is now. Today most parents fear pedophiles and won't let their kids out of sight. I rode my bike to the airport when I was 15 and washed airplanes in exchange for rides. Soloed at 16 before I could drive, license at 17. Started on my RV-6 when I was in college (21), finished when I was 28. Married and three kids later and along the way a house I built myself on an airpark, been working on my rocket for four years now off and on. I'm 35 now and it should be done late this year. Knock on wood.
 
36

But RealAge.com says I'm 28. :D My 7A QB has been in-work since October of '06. I hope to fly it this summer. Running wires now and need to spend money on instruments/avionics. :eek:
 
Currently 30, started at 26. Have been slowed down by a marriage, lay-off, job change, couple of moves and mostly a lack of funds.
 
slowbuild-4 years already

I started building my RV-7 from slo build when I was 30 years old. Some may think I am slow at building as it is still not flying as I am 34 now. However in the last four years i have acomplished a lot other than just my rv. such as getting married, having kids, building a shop(to build the rv), expanding business, etc, etc, etc. Anyways i am putting in long hours this winter, and hope to have this bird airborne this summer. Should be carving the canopy today. I said my prayers last night.
 
Wow, I am jealous of all you guys in your 20-30's building. I just started this year at 47, I sure don't feel that way. I passed the PP at 18, ended up in the AF, I guess getting to fly AF and Navy toys kept me occupied. Now as an older guy with some disposable income (read as spending retirement $), I felt like this was the right time. I hope I am flying, doing X/C, formation and light BFM in a couple of years.

What is the corner velocity for the RV-8?

It is good to see others starting out early, just wished I had thought of that.

Cheers
 
I started my RV-7 when I was 19 and in college. I'll be 26 next week, and should be flying well before I turn 27. I probably would have finished sooner, but in the time I've been building I finished college and got married, all while working full time managing an engineering firm to pay for school and the plane.

I also started building a second RV (a -7A) for Cal Poly when I was 21. For three quarters I taught an 'airplane construction' lab class where students could get hands on building experience. I figure an engineer can design something a lot more effectively if they understand what it's really gonna take to fabricate it.

So, did I win the youngest builder award?

Paul
 
38

started in 2005, right before my 39th birthday. Maybe to some of you, that ain't young, but according to my wife, I'm still a teenager.
 
Began at 25, now 27 and started on the wings, but the project is on hold with some moves and life events.
 
I was 24 when I started building. I was 25 when I flew my RV-8A for the first time, 14 June 2007! I finished in a year and three months, 1110 hours of building. Now I'm 26 and have 104+ hours flying her. I did my transition training through Alex DeDominicis in his RV-6 and RV-10. My inspection was done by Mel Asberry. My insurance is with Global Aerospace through NationAir. Danny King flew chase on my first flight in his "Beautiful Doll". Doug Reeves snapped a bunch of pictures of my first flight, one of which ended up in the Van's Aircraft 2008 Calander for August...I'm based out of Northwest Regional Airport, 52F, in the Dallas/Fort Worth Texas area.

flight039zd0.jpg
 
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Young at heart

RVG8tor said:
Wow, I am jealous of all you guys in your 20-30's building. I just started this year at 47, I sure don't feel that way.
It is good to see others starting out early, just wished I had thought of that.
Click to expand...

Yeah, Nemo I am jealous of all you guys who started in their 40s! I just turned 52 and am starting my tail kit on a 7A. Oh well, 2 years 10 months and 29 days to retirement! :D
 
Started helping on the Express kit when I was 8, really started pulling my share on it when I was 15. Currently 26 and hoping to have the -12 kit in my garage sometime in the next year (once the kit is available and my stocks start going back up), and would like to have it flying before I'm 30.
 
After lurking around VAF on a daily basis for 2 years, I started my RV-7 in September '07 at the age of 26. QB Wings, Fuse, and Finish are being picked up by Tony Partain either today or tomorrow.
 
Recieved the -3 tail kit at 18, turned 19 a couple months ago, finally got the $$ to buy tools last month, and now i'm ready to start pounding rivets on the weekends when I go home from college!
 
Mike S said:
Hey Brad, was wondering if you would check in.
Click to expand...

Yep, i'm still around. Busy with school, and over christmas I recieved my Avery tool kit. But, due to an ice storm, I never had electricity at the airport to play with my tools :( . I figured I would be started sooner, but dang, tools are expensive! I'm sure many other builders are in the same boat I am.
 
33, gaining experience helping 2 buddies build a 10 and a 9A. Hopefully I can start my own kit this year.

Was around 28 when I came across the EAA and realizing that homebuilts were more than ultralights. Finished the 2nd half of my PPL 3 years ago, did the other half at the ripe old age of 14. :D

Realized a homebuilt would be far easier to build in a house than an apartment, and been stunned at how fast a house can eat up cash. :(
 
Started in September at 24, now 25. Hopefully I'll be done with the 9A at 26! Honey and money allowing...
 
Started when I was 21, now 23. Ill be getting married in 6 months which means I have about 6 months to get the plane out of my living room. Id like to get this thing in the air before I'm 26.
 
25.. and counting

25 now, currently looking at preview plans.. have 2 years left in the Navy.. would love to purchase an EMP kit + tools after next deployment.. my spare cash is currently tied up in getting my PPL

work+school+wife= loooong build, i pray that i can have her flying by 33.
 
I'm 29 now....started my RV-10 when I was 25. I'm about 80% finished with 90% to go. Being in the Marine Corps and moving every 3 years definitely hasn't helped me finish any faster, but it means I count my progress in the number of moves left before I finish. One more move on the trailer from Quantico to North Carolina and hopefully the next move will be by air.

PJ Seipel
RV-10 #40032
 
I just wanted to say that it is a relief to know that there are so many young builders out there. I myself don't even come close to qualifying as one since I'm 47. For a while there I thought most builders where older like myself. At any rate, it sure looks like the experimental side of aviation will be healthy for years to come with all this young blood. That makes me feel better. Whew!!!
 
Late to this thread, but...
24 years old for another month
PPL August '07
-9A started early 2007, emp nearly finished (waiting for warm weather to return!); order wings in March, cash permitting.
 
Does it count?

Hi there,

from which moment on may you call yourself a builder? My fax machine transferred my order for empennage- and wing kit (for an RV-7) a minute ago.

I?m 30, time to start. Finally!!

Kind regards,

Mario (Aachen, Germany)
 
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