[NCGAPilot]

Hey, for a while now I've been dreaming about building my own RV-8A. However, I am concern about doing this because A. I have almost NO metal work experience. B. The only kit I actually worked on was helping my dad with his Factory Five Cobra, and model airplanes that always got smashed by my cat. Other than that I got no experience in this. However, I want to build an RV-8A because I want an airplane that is "mine" so to speak. I want an aircraft that I can be proud of and that is mine. I've been doing alot of reasearch in equipments, tools, and construction spaces, but I still feel alittle uncomfortable about doing this when I have no experience in aircraft construction. Can anyone help me find a way to overcome this so I can start on this project? I have enough for a tool kit (from Avery tools) and the emprange kit, but that's about it for now. What do yall think?

 

[mdredmond]

Remember "Rosie the Riveter" - the housewife in WW2 that worked at the airplane factory riveting aluminum airplanes for the war? Methinks that the metalwork is the last of your worries. I'm not a builder yet, but from what I gather, the basic skills are easy enough to learn but the hard part is all the prep work, reading Van's plans, staying motivated, etc...

I'm getting ready to build and I'm going to do the 1 week empennage build at Anderson (I hope I got that right - the one in GA). I'll learn all the metalwork junk and finish a 4-month project in one week. Everyone seems to think it's well worth the $$ ($1500).

model airplanes that always got smashed by my cat

Today I found that the hstab of my 1/5 scale Cessna 182 has a cat paw sized hole in it. My (new) wife's cats are going to be living outside if they keep destroying my stuff.

 

[NCGAPilot]

Yea, since this is my first build, I plan on going with the QB kit. It'll cost more, but it's better for a novice like me.

 

[mdredmond]

I was thinking that way (QB) but...

I'm going to do the class ($1500) and have Evan's Aviation build my tanks ($1000). Those two together should cut build time by 200-300 hours and dispense with the 'icky' stuff. The remaining $5000 difference will buy some decent toys.

QB is VERY attractive, and while I can pay it, I just can't justify the cost.

 

[NCGAPilot]

I'll still go with a QB. As for the toys, I plan on going with steam guages, Garmin 430, Kings Nav/Com 2, Garmin GPS, Electronics International MVP-50 Engine Monitor, and TruTrak Sorcerer A/P. The aircraft will also be Tri-gear.

 

[mlwynn]

Diving In

I started this with zero metal working experience. I took the sportair "RV assembly" class and learned all I really needed to know to get going. Dive in. It is more fun than you could imagine and there is a lot of first class help available both through your local EAA chapter and this forum.

Michael Wynn
RV 8 Wings (tanks)

 

[AntiGravity]

Just do it!!

I have a little metal work experience. Milling, turning, grinding, sheetmetal, welding, fitting (filing). That was 15 years ago when I did my apprenticeship. So far, none of that has really been useful. Honestly, these pre-punched kist are the DOGS. From what I gather, a lot of people in the US take these workshops and almost all posts I've seen about it relate a positive experience and significant boost in confidence. Suggest you investigate that path. For what its worth, I know *nothing* about aircraft beyond how they fly and what the main controls do. Heck, I don't even have my license yet (25hrs but on hold while I build). Everything I do is learning, learning, learning. Its frustrating as hell, very satisfying and I feel like a well-known fast food advert (loving it!!). Dude, just get on and do it. If you really want your own plane, you will not regret it. The earlier you start the better...

 

[rv8ch]

Translation request

...Honestly, these pre-punched kist are the DOGS.

Can you translate the DOGS from Newzealandese to Texan for me? Where I grew up calling something "a dog" was considered negative, even though we like the animal commonly called "a dog", but perhaps in the South Pacific, "the dogs" means good. I started getting confused way back when "bad" became "good".

 

[dgrayent]

NCGA Pilot

After 30+ years of building (5) aircraft (all metal, rag and tube, and composite) what is most fundamental about one's choice of project is what is best described as "mechanical ability" (talent?). It is very hard to define in a few sentences, but if one can drill holes relativly perpendicular to a surface, has a feel handling hand tools, can read a ruler accurately, read plans and follow directions, and knows what are acceptable building techniques and practices, one should be able to build and RV.

AFTER that comes the tools, space to build, MONEY, commitment, and time.

I've seen one project in particular in which the builder had everything EXCEPT what is in paragrph 1. The Lancair 235 project had to be scrapped after the complete fuselage and wings were done. The DAR would never approve it and told the owner so, in writing. His words were, "The project is best laid to rest." or something similar to that. The project was pieced out with what was salvagable.

Another guy I know wanted to build an aircraft, but kept coming to me every week for a while, "Can you help me drill a few holes? I just want to make sure they are right." I showed him how to lay them out, drill, etc. Next week, the same question again. After a couple times of this I found he could not read the ruler and had NO concept of quarter inch, eighth inch, or sixteenth inch, and for some reason didn't learn it after I explained. He never finished the project. I ended up buying it from him, finished it and flew it.

Good luck with whatever project you choose. You probably have a good idea of YOUR talent. If it is questionable, maybe a good partner can help?

Don Gray

 

[DeltaRomeo]

If you can change the oil in your car...

...you can probably build a RV. This was told to me before I started (I felt the same as you) and it turned out to be pretty true. There are plenty of roadblocks but you have a lot of help available.

Your confidence will build as you complete little parts in the tail kit. Hardly any of us had aircraft building skills before we started .

Best,
Doug

 

[Mel]

QB easier? Nope!

For you guys considering the QB because "it's easier", sorry, but it just ain't so! The QB is quicker but not easier. You still have to do the same type work throughout the project. If you want the QB to get through faster, then, fine. But don't espect it to be easier. The QB fuselage saves quite a bit of time, but the QB wing doesn't save that much. You aren't doing anything on the wings that you haven't already done on the empennage. It's just easier because you can get your hands inside.
Mel...DAR

 

[13brv3]

I've been doing alot of reasearch in equipments, tools, and construction spaces, but I still feel alittle uncomfortable about doing this when I have no experience in aircraft construction. Can anyone help me find a way to overcome this so I can start on this project? I have enough for a tool kit (from Avery tools) and the emprange kit, but that's about it for now. What do yall think?

The answer to your problem is scrap aluminum

The only way to really learn this stuff is to do it, and you can practice with scrap aluminum until you feel comfortable enough to work on the real thing. Say you learn one task, and all is going well on the empennage, but then you get to a point where you have to do something new. No problem, out comes the scrap aluminum to practice that particular skill. When you're ready, get back to the real parts again.

Another important point is to realize that you WILL make mistakes. Most are not show stoppers, but you will have to find a way to recover from them. That may mean a call to Van's, or question to the group. As you do this more and more, you will eventually get to the point where you will figure out how to correct the problems yourself (and hopefully not make as many mistakes in the first place).

I promise you will not regret the QB kit. They say there are about 14,000 rivets in an RV, and my joke is that after the first few hundred, the thrill is pretty much gone

Good luck,
Rusty

 

[Les Boatright]

NCGAPilot,
Before I started work on my RV-4, I certainly shared your concerns about building an airplane. Like you, I had NO prior sheet-metal experience, NO experience working on real airplanes, and wasn't sure how big this project was going to be. I spent about a year studying the Van's brochure, and trying to add up how much TIME and MONEY this endeavor was gonna set me back. I did have some experience building a couple of RC planes, and grew up on a farm where my father taught me MANY great things about hand tools (mostly while we fixed the well-pump or some other thing that broke in the middle of the night <grin>) But I still wasn't sure if I could tackle a project this big.

I finally decided that I'll NEVER finish it if I don't start it. And I was willing to risk the cost of the tools and Emp. kit just to see if I had the skills to do this. My dream of owning my own plane, that I built myself, was at least worth that much risk.

That was about 10 years ago (just before the RV-8 became available) and I'm still working on that RV-4, but the Empennage, Wings, and most of the Fuselage are now complete, I have a powerplant and most of the instruments! I feel a great sense of accomplishment every time I look at what I've completed so far, and only wish I had started sooner.

I would say that having prior experience isn't nearly as important as having a willingness to learn, humility to admit when you don't know something (and therefore ask that so-called "dumb question"), and finally having the determination to see your dream come to fruition, no matter how long it takes.

Whatever you do, make an informed decision. (You're already on the right track with these forums) Find a nearby EAA chapter and talk to some other builders, ask to look at their projects, go to an EAA fly-in or pancake breakfast and study the finished planes up close. If you're still not sure, I read a great book a few years ago called 'Kitplane Construction' by Ron Wanttaja. I think it's in it's 3rd edition now. In it, he talks honestly about the dreams vs. the realities and many of the details of building your own plane. (Ref: http://www.wanttaja.com)

I really enjoy the building process and find it to be one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had (right up there with my first private pilot solo). I say go for it, you'll never know until you try.

Best Regards,

 

[jcoloccia]

I've seen one project in particular in which the builder had everything EXCEPT what is in paragrph 1. The Lancair 235 project had to be scrapped after the complete fuselage and wings were done. The DAR would never approve it and told the owner so, in writing. His words were, "The project is best laid to rest." or something similar to that. The project was pieced out with what was salvagable.

Holy cow...what the heck was in paragraph 1? Is there anything important in our paragraph 1 I should know about?