S

Skyhawk

Member
Hi there!

I just want to type some words down about my "problem"...
Maybe anyone else is recognizing?

Status, after one year: Almost finnished HS, and then nothing more....
Had planned to have the wings here by this time. But I even dont have ordered them yet, despite the VERY favouriable USD vs. SEK situation now...

Sad but true, this projekt will take forever...
I?m searching for a better place to build, and I hope that would solve this, but i?m not sure.
Building in a room in an appartment right now, have to think about neightbors when running compressor etc...

Well... Have a nice day. Love this forum!!!
 
Here's a tip to get out of the doldrums. Do something on the project every single day, even if it's to drill a line of holes, or rivet two pieces together. If all you can spend is 15 minutes, then just spend 15 minutes but the key IMHO is to do something every day.
 
Keep thinking positive Skyhawk! I've had plenty of "down" times on my project, and I never thought I'd be working a finish kit...but I am. I still can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, and have no clue where I'll find money (time is not an issue) to buy an engine, but I work through it, and keep RV "stuff" at the front of my mind. Whether it's the forums, builder sites, emails, whatever...DO SOMETHING related to the airplane each day, and you'll come out of it!

:)
 
Randy said it best....try to do something everyday, even if it is only sweeping the shop or running the shop vac... I also find it incredibly encouraging to watch any videos from "1st flights" that are often posted...In fact, I watch them often....Some are on youtube.....Keep pushing, and don't give up the passion/dream...
 
Like a book...

The folks that recommend 15min a day are right! Many days (dozens) I would just go out to straighten up the shop for 10 minutes before bed. That usually gave me time to reflect on what I needed to do on the next 'real' work session.

10-15 mins a day did me wonders (especially when we had an infant in the house :)). Boy, those were tough!

b,
dr
 
I know this will probably sound like heresy, but if a lack of motivation is your problem as suggested by the title of your thread (and not just a lack of suitable workspace), why not dump the project? Life is too short for time (or $$) to be spent on things that aren't very important to you. Nothing wrong with changing your priorities in life.

Good luck though. I can't imagine what it must be like trying to build in an apartment!
 
Bail out.

Skyhawk said:
Status, after one year: Almost finnished HS, and then nothing more....
Had planned to have the wings here by this time. But I even dont have ordered them yet, despite the VERY favouriable USD vs. SEK situation now...

Sad but true, this projekt will take forever...
Click to expand...

There's no disgrace in tossing it in now....before you waste any more money. It is estimated that less than one-third of people who buy a Vans empennage will ever complete the plane. Even fewer produce a flying plane of reasonable quality.

Building the empennage is the honeymoon period. If you're not in passionate love with the building process at that very early stage then, in my opinion, you will never finish the project. I recommend bailing out.
 
What worked for me was to have small short daily tasks.
Many of my sessions were 2 hours/night while the wife was sleeping on the couch.

You need to look at it in many smaller projects vs the big whole one.
Prior to going into your workshop:
Be prepared to work and not putz around.
Many times you end up getting on a roll and complete several small tasks in one night session.
For example.
Day 1: size, cut, cleanup stiffeners.
Day 2: drill/debur skin
Day 3: rivet...

As I said, at times you'll get on a roll and do all in one session.
That's progress.
 
I just pulled my HS out of the jig after finishing the skins. It's an exciting thing when you finally get to that point! Oh, and I ordered my wings yesterday! Good times!

Go hang out at an airfield and watch some small planes flying around. That always helps me when I feel down about the build time.
 
My project has dragged along too long, also. But I find if I just go out to the shop & do something, anything, I get motivated again.
 
I'm Afraid I would cut my losses

You have touched the metal and created part of the product so it's not like you are without personal knowledge of the process. I started my RV-6A when I was 60. My life simply was not compatible with building an airplane until that time. When I committed to it, quitting was not an option. I took a $20,000 loan against our home just to start. I had a garage to build in and I established a line of credit against the equity in our home to buy exactly what I needed when I needed it to keep the process going. I was working long and irregular hours at work, I had a 4 hour commute each day and I had to travel fairly often for work but when I got home I went to the garage and plodded ahead. If I were faced with the hardships you have and the added problems of international coordination I would never have started. I think you recognize the problems and that is demotivating. RVs are great airplanes but you must have the resources available to do the job or it will grind your spirit into dust. Cut your losses and enjoy life is my recomendation.

Bob Axsom
 
What's the hurry?

I started my -4 in December of 1998 and had barely enough for some tools and the emp. kit. At the time I was trying to also pay for flight training and was only earning about $30,000 a year. After finishing the tail I had no money for wings so I took a break. Eventually I bought the wing kit and got back at it. Right around the time I finished the wings I suffered a loss in the family and fell into a bit of a depression, so again the project got stalled. By the time I got onto the fuse my career had improved greatly and things moved quickly. I moved directly to the finish kit and built a motor as well. At this point, I've got virtually everything done except for the cowl finishing and paint. When I tell neighbors that I've been building it for 10 years, I always make sure to point out that I've done many other things over the decade and have not been locked in the garage the whole time. I've just passed my 46th birthday and am only a few months away from flying this bird so I say if you don't feel motivated, take a break. Maybe you'll come back to it, maybe not. I would not advise you sell it unless you need the cash.

One other nice advantage to taking forever is that I did the whole thing CASH!!! Brand new everything and no debt. :D
 
I agree with Steve here. Maybe it's time to put the project away for awhile until your situation improves. Perhaps instead of putting energy into building put some energy into finding a space to build in.
 
Almost 20 years

My 6 was originally purchased in 1989 by the first owner. I am the second. It might fly this year. I have enjoyed the long process. The good thing about RV's is that they are timeless.
Aaron
 
Suggestions:

Hi.

I've a few suggestions:

Get in contact with the Swedish EAA, (chapter 222 I think?), talk to people, see their projects and above all: get one or more rides in a RV!

If you like, visit me (Fredrikstad is not that far from where you live I think?).

Also, buy QB-kit if you can afford it. That'll save you ALOT of building time!
Or maybe you schould buy a flying RV? Or one which is partly done?
From time to time, there's one for sale, even here in the Nordic countries.

Sunday 25th of May is the annual airshow at Kjeller Airport (close to Oslo).
There you'll see several RV's, among them a couple of RV-8's...
Also, there's a RV-8 under construction (presently wiring) about 1 hr from where I'll live. I'll be happy to take you over there.

If you like, send me a private e-mail: [email protected].

Good luck!

By the way: I guess the next part you'll build, is the VS. That one will go ALOT faster! I'd estimate the VS is 20% of the work required to do the HS....
 
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Motivation

I have been at my project for 15 year. I put the project off about 4 year when each of my two children were born. Then I had to build a shop and that took a year or so. I?m only weeks away from flying now and I?m looking forward to working on my brothers RV10. Just set small goals and don?t get stressed about it. The project is about having fun.:)
 
Only you can decide if you prefer to stop or go on, but one small change you could make since you are working in an apartement, and clearly concerned about your neighbours, is rather than the compressor use an electric drill.

If this is a problem it would let you work later into the night if you want to.

Good luck whatever you do.
 
Recomendations to solve the problem; Play Jimmie Hendrix music real load; drink more beer; cut some nice color photos of you airplane finished out of the Sport Aviation Mag and tape them to the walls: find some guy building a plane like you want and volunteer to go help him. Do all this every day, all day, instead of eveything else but work and sleep, over and over until the "Building Blahs" disappear. Works for me. Good luck, Bill
 
Hi!
Thank you all for your advices!!!
Stop building isnt an alternative. I´m 28 and i want to do this. Maybe i am too stressed, the conclusion of your advices is to let it take the time it needs!
Maybe i´m not prioritating enough...
I like building! I love flying, and my big dream is to have my own RV. But something is missing...

Alf Olav: I send you a mail (på svenska?)! 25th of May a swedish PA28 will be dropping down at Kjeller. :)
Very kind of you, Thanks!!
 
It could be worse. I am on my 3rd set of HS skin now :) I have plenty of space to work in, but not that much time, and waiting for new skins doesn't help. So I have started on the rudder and VS to keep things going. I really don't think that much about the finished product, not yet, it is too far in the future, and there is so many other things I have to do as well. I have to get a tail dragger check, and lots of cool tail dragger time in an old Army Cub I have recently purchased a share in for instance.

For me it is all the little things that I find cool: All the tools, the nice klick of a torque wrench, the smooth feel of a deburred edge, discussing alternative engines and gear boxes, the smell of Strontium Chromate Epoxy primer in the morning :D
 
Get a ride or two!

Do you know other builders in Sweden? RV's flying? Try to get a ride, that'll motivate you for sure. I was fortunate to live here in Oregon, USA aka "RV Heaven", and got a few rides during the course of construction. Just seeing and hearing other RV's kept a fire going, and now I look at my flying -6a and that sense of accomplishment makes it all worthwhile, guaranteed!!

Keep a chuggin', you'll be glad you did...

Jerry
 
A lot of good comments already but I would vote for:

a) get a ride with the RV or actually fly with any plane (works for me) or
b) meet other RV builders.

Next time to do both might be Barkarby Fly-in in Stockholm at the beginning of June or any other near by fly-ins http://www.eaa.se/aktuelltflyin.htm.
 
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