[WSBuilder]

Last Thursday that storm system of near-Biblical proportion swept through North Texas. I had the shop TV blaring tornado and hail warnings just to the North and South of my place, the rain was howling by horizontally and the garage shuddered from the grit blasting it was getting from all the tree debris hitting it. My family was scattered all over the Metroplex and out of harm's way so it was only me at home. I gathered up flashlights and the emergency provisions box in case I needed to jump into my little concrete tornado shelter under the back porch..................and resumed preparation of my flap brace for riveting. I was just starting to un-cleco and debur the holes when all the power got knocked out. I pulled out two flashlights and finished that task, then clecoed the bottom, inner wing skin in preparation of riveting it. I thought afterward that that was the most productive I've ever been with the lights out.......not counting my kids.

What malestrom have you ignored to keep building?

 

[Brantel]

The lack of money and time to devote to the project.

 

[MTBehnke]

Tornado warnings and sirens going off.....as I was in the middle of riveting my tanks with all the proseal setting up quickly from the day's heat.

 

[westexflyboy]

Dog Bite

What malestrom have you ignored to keep building?

On Valentine's Day this year I suffered a pretty bad dog bite to my right inner thigh and a shoulder injury when I fell. The bite became infected (go figure) and for a time I had a drain tube hanging out of my leg. I have not slept more than three hours per night for the past 60 days due to shoulder pain. Despite the oozing, bleeding, pain, a 60-hour per week federal law enforcement job, and a part-time flight instruction business, I completed two RV-10 vertical stabilizers and two horizontal stabilizers between February 23 and April 22. Tail cones start today. This June will be surgery to repair the torn rotator cuff in my left shoulder. I am planning to continue the project with one of my "wings" in a sling; doing heavy work now and saving light stuff for the recovery period as much as possible.

 

[Yukon]

Women..........

 

[airguy]

I completed my elevators coughing up blood while recovering from pneumonia, and my entire empennage was done while simultaneously remodeling a master bathroom.

 

[DocThrock]

Getting ripped off over 25 grand and delayed over 10 months by a "custom engine builder".

 

[RV7Factory]

Indecision!

I want to build an -8, maybe a -10, ok a -7!

 

[flion]

Women..........

Yes. I've endured my redhead's glares whenever I'm off working on the project rather than doing what she wants. Also heavy sunglass-penetrating glare when it's time to make out the checks for parts, especially panel, engine, etc. Bring on your piddly weather; it's got nothin'.

 

[AntiGravity]

Lost

I missed the beginning of "Lost" once and decided to carry on anywyay. Never did get back into it (Lost that is, not the project)

 

[RV6_flyer]

Those that were on the Matronic's RV-List 15-years ago already know this.

What did it take to build my RV-6?
Two wives, one girlfriend, two houses, three rental properties and a car.

The airplane is named "My Sanity" because it kept me out of bars from drinking and from chasing wild women during my two divorces.

On father's day 1996 while building, I had a bicycle accident that caused a head injury. (NO HELMET!) I spent 7-days in the hospital. The first four days was in a drug induced coma becasue they said that I would not be able to stand the pain. The first day I remember was the 6th day in the hospital. I was off work for one month. Doctor wanted me to say out 3-months but I insisted on going back. He approve me to work 1/2 time for two weeks. After the next exam, he released me to return to work. The FAA required an evaluation and EEG. I had a letter from the FAA 6 months after the accident stating that I was medically fit to fly. I was handed the Special Airworthiness Certificate 6 September 1997 and made first flight in the airplane that I built 2-weeks later. Wanting to finish the airplane was a major factor in me recovering.

I should post some photos of my head injury but do not wish to scare everyone. There are still several metal plates and 19 screws in my head. I have a photo of X-Rays that was taken several years ago that shows the plates and screws.

There is now 2,082 hobbs hours on my RV-6.

 

[Brian Vickers]

Double edge sword; business failure, then success

For a long time I was hampered by a struggling business. Long hours for minimal return. Finally got tired of always trying to push a bag of rocks uphill and sold it. Now I'm back in my previous profession and I have the opposite problem. Clients are clamoring for my services. Making gobs of money now but too busy to build the bird. Almost done - I'll get there.

 

[Rupester]

What's REALLY important

On December 26, 2007 my 17 yr old daughter was in a serious car accident. Though she suffered only a concussion and 1.5" gash in her scalp, and was released from the hospital less than a day after the accident; the truck driver in the other vehicle (a semi/tanker) was comatose and not expected to live in the days immediately following. He had multiple serious injuries (too many to enumerate here), and his overturned tanker dumped 8500 gal of gasoline onto the road, which seeped into a nearby creek and pond,causing a major environmental incident. My daughter was ticketed for an improper turn, and was emotionally devastated to think she caused another person to be near death. She was not able to function at school (she's a senior this year!), and we had to find professional help for her. Meantime, all of us prayed for the survival and recovery of the truck driver, since his evasive maneuver kept Erin and two friends from being killed even though it totalled our van. (Thanks to God and good medical care, he did in fact recover). My Nine-A project ... the focus of my existence prior to 12/26/07 ... became trivial and inconsequential while we and our friends prayed for both Erin and driver and family. I didn't touch the plane until mid-February, when it became clear everyone was recovering. I'm back on the Nine-A pretty steady now, but not quite with the vigor I had some months ago. I've simply had a refocus on what's really important in life and what's not.

A blessed and thankful RVer,

 

[szicree]

Terry,

That's one jeck of a story and I'm soooooo glad to read that it had a happy ending

 

[pierre smith]

Me too...

Those that were on the Matronic's RV-List 15-years ago already know this.

What did it take to build my RV-6?
Two wives, one girlfriend, two houses, three rental properties and a car.

The airplane is named "My Sanity" because it kept me out of bars from drinking and from chasing wild women during my two divorces.

.

I believe that Gary's story and mine are not the only ones like this.
First, the sex life went TU, then she became cold and after 25 good years...she left. When we were dating, she'd jump in my T-6 in a skinny...that was then....wife's gone but my airplanes remain true.

Ten hour days in the Air Tractor, a pinched nerve and a very loving new Mrs...it all got done anyway. ....The will to get it done...and all that.

Regards,

 

[Jeff R]

Before starting on my 9A, I was building a wood airplane from scratch. I had an "incident" on my table saw cutting wood, in which a major splinter was driven into my finger. The two ends were sticking out either side. Man, did that hurt! A couple of hours later, back from the ER after having some minor surgery and with a stitch or two, I was back in the shop and sucessfully made the cut on the saw. Then the local wore off ..... no more cutting for a few days.

Number two on the list would be building when the SO is very unhappy with you and is busy letting you know why. Putting on hearing protection while that is happening so you can concentrate on your work is not a good idea, BTW.