LettersFromFlyoverCountry

LettersFromFlyoverCountry

Well Known Member
I'm still not following why Doug's plane isn't in Texas and I've given up trying to figure it out -- it sounds like it's an inside joke of some sort -- but the fragmented messaging got me thinking -- Where's the worst place to build an RV? Where does a builder face the biggest challenge?

I've decided the worst place is Minnesota and/or the upper Midwest.

It's true, of course, that there are hotter places -- the desert southwest and Texas, for example. There might even be colder places.

But I can't imagine a place that has such extremes.

Last night I was out at the hangar working on the false floors, which-- of course -- requires lots of "under the panel" crawling.

false_floors_aug4.jpg


Dewpoints are at record levels here. The temperature is in the 90s and there's no air under that panel. I have to bring three changes of clothing to the hangar every time I go there. The other night I fired up the compressor just to blow air on me to try to dry off between fittings. When I walk into the hangar under the not sun to open the door, I immediately flash back to scenes from Cool Hand Luke. "What we have, heeyuh, is a failyah ta communicate." It's a horrible, horrible experience, not far removed from the 2 minutes you spend in the PortaPotties at Oshkosh.

Meanwhile, in about four months, I'll be dressed in long underway, flannel jeans, sweatshirts, parka, and rabbit hat.... running between the part I'm working on, and the small propane heater in the unheated T-hangar to thaw my fingers out.

We might not be the best builders. But we're the toughest!
:D
Bring on winter!
 
Bob, you know all us Texans are slowly shaking our heads with a chuckle as we read this :). You haven't lived until you've done a condition inspection in mid July in a T-hangar in Texas. Gee, I think I've heard someone say something similar about camping at Oshkosh!
 
Look at the Bright Side

Bob:
I did final assembly of my 9A in an open hangar in Michigan between October and February. One of my "assistants" actually caught himself on fire (he was wearing a snowmobile suit) by standing too close to the salamander. Had to keep telling myself that the real benefit of of this approach was "no bugs". Yup, even an insect has enough brains to stay out of the cold.
Terry, CFI
RV-9A N323TP
 
scard said:
Bob, you know all us Texans are slowly shaking our heads with a chuckle as we read this :). You haven't lived until you've done a condition inspection in mid July in a T-hangar in Texas. Gee, I think I've heard someone say something similar about camping at Oshkosh!
Click to expand...
Unless you've done it in south FL in August :eek:
 
Bob, we do have the technology!

I am building in Ottawa, Canada. Temperature extremes from -30/-40 (pretty much the same in fahrenheit or celsius) to +80/90 fahrenheit and humid.
The challenge was brought home early on when I carefully constructed a perfect jig (remember when those were needed?) to build the horizontal stab, and realized a week later that the 4x4 wooden horizontal beam on which I had carefully drawn a straight line to lay out the spar was no longer straight - a frozen solid 4x4 beam pulled from a snow bank in a lumber yard in January in Ottawa will change shape and dimension as it thaws in a garage. (and global warming is a bad thing?)
I marvel at the capacity of some builders to build in coat and gloves in the winter, and steaming heat in the summer. As passionate as I am about my project, life is too short, and the project too long for that.
Amortize the time and effort of insulation, a window air conditioner (installed through the wall if necesary) and a smallish heater over 2000 hours over a number of years of building, compare the cost to what you will have into the project in the end, and creating a comfortable year round work space becomes easy to justify.
I fellow I know with a large, awkward space to build created his environment with a wood stove and plastic sheeting for walls.
We don't need to suffer!
Bill Brooks
Ottawa, Canada
RV-6A finishing kit
 
I hear ya, Bob, I hear ya ...

Yesterday here in central IL, the temp was 96 and the dewpoint 82F . Never in my entire life in the Midwest do I recall dewpoints over 80F. We all know that DPTs over 70F are uncomfortable, but > 80F ?!?!?! I can't even slough off with simple stuff like priming/painting baffles - the heat and humidity are above mfgr's recommendations. My garage shop is well insulated and holds dry bulb in a decent range, but with this kind of humidity, its THICK out there.
 
Bob Collins said:
I'm still not following why Doug's plane isn't in Texas and I've given up trying to figure it out -- it sounds like it's an inside joke of some sort --
Click to expand...

Nothing more complex than Garmin needing my plane for 8 full days and me only wanting to stay at OSH for 4.

My decision tree:

  • Plan A:
    Paul / Louise deliver Flash to my front door.
  • Plan B:
    I fly to KMSP commercial,
    then wait two hours and get on another flight to Madison,
    then get a rental car and drive 1.5 hours to OSH,
    then stay in a hotel overnight,
    then take the rental car back and find my plane,
    then fly it 5-hours back home.
 
Last edited:
It was 105 in DC area a couple weeks back with 40 some percent humidity. You'd walk outside in teh shade and struggle to breath. Light breeze would kick up and it felt like sitting under a hair dryer.

At least in my time in Dallas it was very dry by comparison. The locals would complain about the humdity and the traffic but I'd say you ain't seen nothing like DC. Must be all the hot air coming from the Capital....the traffic - well that is another story best left untold lest some LA types start playing "mine's bigger".
 
I think the worst place.......

is Crosby, TX Dunham Field. I worked on my 6 everyday in hangar with 12 ft tin ceilings, no breeze, generally was about 100 outside, 110 inside. I had to drive a 100 miles a day to do this. In the winter you had to slop down a mud field a 1000 ft from your car. All this with very little help which was the reason I located there in the first place.

When I moved to Conroe (kcxo) life began a new. Made lots of great friends, finished my plane, lots of help, learned to fly it. I just recently built a new hangar there. Life is good. Moral of this story is "Don't ever stick your project in a H*ll hole, you will probably not finish it.
 
Heat index in N. Alabama has been in the mid 100's the past week. Plus the humidity, as always, is maxed out. Its like trying to breath pea soup.
 
DeltaRomeo said:
Nothing more complex than Garmin needing my plane for 8 full days and me only wanting to stay at OSH for 4.

My decision tree:

  • Plan A:
    Paul / Louise deliver Flash to my front door.
  • Plan B:
    I fly to KMSP commercial,
    then wait two hours and get on another flight to Madison,
    then get a rental car and drive 1.5 hours to OSH,
    then stay in a hotel overnight,
    then take the rental car back and find my plane,
    then fly it 5-hours back home.
Click to expand...

Sure it's simple when you leave out all the other people involved! What about flying Matt around? What about the 4-Runner? What about people taking alternate legs of flying and driving? What about changing the insurance. What about how is the person taking the flying leg going to entertain themselves while they wait for the driver?

I know I'm not getting any sleep for worrying about all this; and you call it not-complex. In some ways life was simpler before message boards.



[ed. Well, more simple for me, I guess. But Paul asked me if they could fly it <g>. dr]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I'm pretty happy with the weather here in Dallas right now. Sure, it is supposed to be 104 with a heat index of 110, but it is only ~40% humidity. Compare that to the weather we had a number of weeks ago with the temp just under 100 and 70% humidity.

Of course my garage faces the afternoon sun so the temperature in there when I get going after work will probably be around 110, cooling to a solid 106.
 
I have no pity on you guys!!!!

Here in the mountains of Colorado the Highs have been in the upper 70,s and a light shower every afternoon..... It is tough, but some one has to make this sacrifice....O, and viz is in the 50 to 100 mile range almost everyday....
 
I don't know how you guys can deal with the extreme cold. Here in sunny SoCal it got down to the low 50's in my garage during the 2 weeks of winter we have here. I had to put on a sweatshirt and long pants! :D

During the summer when it can push triple digits, it just gives me an excuse to drink more cold beer.
 
Weather

mtnflyer said:
Here in the mountains of Colorado the Highs have been in the upper 70,s ....
Click to expand...

Many years ago I was jumpseating into Denver in a 727. During the descent the approach controller offered the latest ATIS, "Wind light and variable, vis more than 100, Temp 21C, (70F) altimeter 29.92. The captain picked up the mike and replied, "You expecting any improvement?" :D

John Clark
In sunny, 73 degree Santa Barbara
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA
 
You guys should quit whining and move someplace more hospitable!:D

Wait, wait, just stay there or it will get too crowded.

greg
 
Come on guys;

Every minute spent whining here could have been three more rivets driven!
 
Mel said:
Every minute spent whining here could have been three more rivets driven!
Click to expand...

Riveted my gear leg fairings this morning instead of surfing or whining.:D Taking a surf break now.

BTW-80*F, partly cloudy, 10mph breeze of out the NW, 75*F in the shop with the big door open. Wheel pants here I come, Life is good!
 
n5lp said:
Sure it's simple when you leave out all the other people involved! What about flying Matt around? What about the 4-Runner? What about people taking alternate legs of flying and driving? What about changing the insurance. What about how is the person taking the flying leg going to entertain themselves while they wait for the driver?
Click to expand...

While it might be a little complex to some, it was easier than trying to figure out how else I was going to get to the Twin Cities at a different time than Louise, with neither of us getting there at midnight. Having two vehicle gives us flexibility. Doug took care of the insurance with one email from us, and a phone call.

Besides - I try never to let society's little obstacles get in the way of a chance to fly something new. Heck, I have a polo shirt from Garmin that says "G3xpert....I figure I better get a little airborne time with it....:p;)

Oh - entertainment along the way? How about a Garmin factory tour?!:D

Paul
 
keep your cold

I can't believe you Texas boys are whining about heat. I thought they grew 'em tough over there. :)

I'll take heat and humidity now. I can squeeze a cleco and sweat at the same time. I doubt I can rivet with mittens on. In about 2 months, Bob will be sweeping snow and ice off his plane.

You folks north of the mason dixon can keep your snow plows. I'll be back up north next July for Osh 2001.
 
Los Angeles/Santa Monica's pretty bad. Not only is the weather great, the distractions from the project are too many to count. Mostly that pesky work thing, though.
 
Bob Collins said:
It's a horrible, horrible experience, not far removed from the 2 minutes you spend in the PortaPotties at Oshkosh.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but when you walk out it feels like you just stepped into airconditioning!
Honestly, I don't know how you guys do it.... and then freeze in winter.

Just a left coast wimp here :D
 
John Courte said:
Los Angeles/Santa Monica's pretty bad. Not only is the weather great, the distractions from the project are too many to count. Mostly that pesky work thing, though.
Click to expand...

NYC is not the best for RV building either. That pesky work too :D Even if you want to take cowling to work and use your lunchtime to fill pinholes, the thing doesn't fit in the subway tourniquet.:D
 
I would say the guys in england who do it in something smaller than a one car garage

in atlanta, I just refuse to build in this summer heat, so I'm waiting on parts to ship and I"ll time my fuselage to ship while next summer's heat is destroying my build time
 
You must log in or register to reply here.