R

rfinch

Well Known Member
On Monday December 3 a buddy and I will each order the kits for the -9A, and of course we must choose between the Quick Build and Standard.

We understand the principle of trading dollars for time, and both of us lean towards saving time. But we wonder what additional items or things might we want to do to the fuselage or wing, that would be difficult to do if starting from the QB? For instance, I might want to extend the fuel tank 4 or 5 gals on each side, and that would be almost impossible to do with the QB wing.

Or again, I am interested in using a combined pitot tube/angle-of-attack. Is this much harder to install with a QB wing?

Also, how long have you taken building the Standard wing?

If this has been asked before just point me to the thread....;)
 
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Ralph -
I seem to recall that you can't get capacitance senders on QB Wings/Tanks.
Something you may want to consider....
Good Luck!
Lorin D
9A Wings SB
N194LD reserved
 
I got a QB fuse and wing. Wing has taken very little time (although I am not completely done yet). It installed (first time) easily and took very little adjustment to get all the alignment right. I am not using AOA so cannot give any insights there, but I did end up putting my pitot in the same bay as the aileron bellcrank (made more sense to me being right where the access plate is rather than in the next bay over). QB fuse seems that it basically saves some time, as I am not aware of any of the "standard" modifications that cannot be done on a QB vs slowbuild.

FWIW, when I build my next RV (if this really ever happens), I would consider going with the slowbuild just to be able to do the modifications (like the capacitance sender, larger tanks, etc.) that you mention, plus I do enjoy the building process. However, for this first one, I think the time saved is worth the money in terms of getting me in the air sooner.

greg
 
DON'T BE A WOOSE! NO QB!

If you want to build an airplane, build an airplane.
If you don't want to build an airplane, buy one.
 
wing slow build

I just finished my wings (slow build).

Took me right at 9 months (about 320 hours).

I've savored every rivet.....I know, I know it sounds kooky but I'm having
the time of my life.

I'm planning on ordering the fuselage kit right after Christmas.

So, for the next 3 months, I've got no rivets to do:(

I'm already worried about what I'm gonna do when this plane is finished.

I can now understand the "repeat offender" syndrome.

Maybe there's a "12 step program" for me somewhere....

Dave
 
go slow!

I'm at the same spot - my slow build fuse comes in the next 2 weeks. The tail was fun, the wings were a lot of fun, and I can't wait for the fuse kit. It's good to know that I worked every single part of the wings. Even the parts people say are hard (Fuel tank, flaps) weren't that bad. I really feel that I built my plane.

For quick build, I think you just put on the bottom skins (or maybe just the outer bottom skin?). That took me only about 4 hours / wing.

With a QB, you could still put an AOA kit in, and landing lights, and even an autopilot servo (in the outer bay - I put mine in the bellcrank bay). A heated pitot tube would be easy also in a QB.

Good luck,
 
QB vs SB

A bit of advice I got at a fly-in before I ordered fuse and wings. "If you're over age 50, go QB .... 'cause you never know how long you'll have your medical. You DO want some reasonable time to fly that plane and have fun dontcha?" Since I plead guilty to the former, I elected for the latter (i.e. QB). I'm glad did and I too am having a blast doing "the building thing."
 
I went slow build and am on the down hill side of the fuselage now. BTW, I'm 56 and am not sure if I will have a medical when the plane is finished. I started in Feb. 2004 and still have at least a year to go. Knowing what I know now I would have bought a QB or a flying RV-9A and just made the payments while flying. I could have been enjoying my plane for the last 4 years. The building process is enjoyable and I have learned many things but I enjoy flying more. Maybe I'm just getting tired at this stage of the project. So, here I go to deburr more fuselage parts so I can prime and reassemble this thing for the last time.
 
I went QB because I had realized building the tail that I'm a real slooooww builder and if I ever want to get this thing in the air the QB was going to be money well spent. Plus my wife was in favor of going the QB route: "It's not that much money and I want to fly". She bucks my rivets too. I'm a lucky man!

This is the first thing I've ever built like this (never was much into models or any of that) and I unexpectedly found that the biggest advantage in having the QB was the confidence boost in having the partially assembled wings/fuselage to build on; less chance of me making a major error.

The AOA pitot installs easily in the QB wings.
 
Great replies...

Gentlemen,
You are the greatest! These replies that are just what I needed to help my decision. What a great forum.

I'm leaning towards my original decision of a few weeks ago: stick with QB for both fuse and wing. My only background in this sort of thing is building R/C models 35 years ago in high school, a semester of metal shop in high school, and owner-assisted annuals on an Aircoupe where the assistance I give is taking panels off and squirting LPS-2 on hinges and bellcranks. And yeah I'm over 50 years old and want to get flying in something that climbs and cruises a wee bit better than my Coupe.

Like others, I have a sense I may get hooked on the building and become a repeat offender...but I'd like to have an RV at the airport if I build another.

Thanks again,
 
Don't let people scare you off if your age is over 50. I know several people over 50 that had no experience with building that have successfully built several RV's and that includes myself. Just because you are an old fart doesn't mean your life is almost over and that you already have one foot in the grave. Live life to the fullest and enjoy the process of whatever you choose to do.
 
Over 50? What?

I'm coming up on 65 within a couple of months and have at least 2 or 3 projects in the planning stage. I don't plan to stop until they pry the rivet squeezer out of my cold hands!
YMMV.
 
I started our RV-7AQB late in 2001.
First flight was in summer of 2006.
I'm 70 years young, and planning on
building a RV-12.
Tom
 
SB or QB

I went with the SB because the money said QB was out of the question and that $8,000 plus can go towards the panel, the engine, or what ever.

It's been said already, QB does not allow capacitance fuel senders. If that's important, get a QB fuse and build the SB wings!?!?!

You don't have to go FULL QB.
 
Age and Health

I realize that what I am about to type will be heresy to some, but for those of us who are 50 somethings and have concerns about losing our 3rd Class Medical Certificate at some point, perhaps an LSA aircraft would be the thing to build? Sure, it's not an RV but at least you could still fly it even without a medical certificate. (Typing those words made me sick to my stomach.)
 
I started my wings last August and am now doing the final wing skinning. I have seen that things go faster the second time you do it, so if it will be you and a friend sharing tasks between your two planes, you will save even more time.

The lead times for the QBs are a bit longer than the SBs, so you won't save as much time as you may think, calander-wise. In short, if you two work on your SBs together, and if you can work on it even 2 hours a day plus even 10 to 12 hours over the weekend, you maynot save as much calendar time as you might think. Also, realize that the shipping cost for the QBs will be thousands more, beyond the thousands more for the kit price itself, and you will be able to devote that much more money to your instruments if you go SB.

If you want to save a little time with the wings, order pre-made fuel tanks. Building the tanks is the worst part of the wing building.
 
revdjd said:
I realize that what I am about to type will be heresy to some, but for those of us who are 50 somethings and have concerns about losing our 3rd Class Medical Certificate at some point, perhaps an LSA aircraft would be the thing to build? Sure, it's not an RV but at least you could still fly it even without a medical certificate. (Typing those words made me sick to my stomach.)
Click to expand...

That's what the -12 is for. Once I'm done with my -9 and have passed it on to my daughter, I'll probably build a -12 for exactly that reason.
 
I started my SB 9A about ten years past the magic 50 and flew at 63. Already (at 64) it has been more than worthwhile. If I had it to do over (and had the money,) I would go QB wings and SB fuselage. At least I would go with QB tanks. To me, the second wing was faster but not the "learning experience" of the first wing. Any other projects will be QB for me, but only for that reason. You can't go wrong either way!

Bob Kelly
 
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