RV8 VH KJS Ken Stanton

[kens_cockpit]

On Sunday 27 April RV8 VH KJS flew for the first time 21 years 3 months and 29 days after I cut and deburred the first rudder ribs!

Great delight after extreme perseverance. Flew straight and true. Couldn’t have been better.

So many people to thank.
Rob Sharman test pilot
Norm Edmunds AP
Tony Jordan TC
Bob Redman TC
Brady Glover build assistance, motivation and friendship
Cameron Rogers the same
Jake Jansen for the electrical and avionics
Piers Findlay for fiberglass magic
Robert Findlay for encouragement
Mick Cuppari for teaching me to rivet, getting me started, pointing me in the right direction
Albert Poon for lending me his rivet gun and clecos and other tools…for a long time
Friends and family for support along the way
Of utmost importance, my wonderful wife Wendy for saying yes to this project and sustaining me through it during decades of struggle
I also perceive a spiritual component to this journey but I won’t burden a public forum with that.
Very happy to be at this end of it.
I thought I was a flyer. Turns out I am a builder too!

 

[PaulvS]

Woohoo! Congratulations mate!!! Nice colour red.

 

[kens_cockpit]

Woohoo! Congratulations mate!!! Nice colour red.

Thanks Paul. You also have extreme perseverance and good taste in paint

 

[storm_pilot]

Congrats! I like your panel setup.

 

[DeltaRomeo]

What a great thing to read after waking up! Many congratulations Ken and wishing you a happy and rewarding phase 1.

v/r,dr

 

[DanH]

Everyone knows the red ones are faster!

 

[Mark Cigal]

On Sunday 27 April RV8 VH KJS flew for the first time 21 years 3 months and 29 days after I cut and deburred the first rudder ribs!

Great delight after extreme perseverance. Flew straight and true. Couldn’t have been better.

View attachment 86639View attachment 86641View attachment 86640View attachment 86637View attachment 86638View attachment 86642So many people to thank.
Rob Sharman test pilot
Norm Edmunds AP
Tony Jordan TC
Bob Redman TC
Brady Glover build assistance, motivation and friendship
Cameron Rogers the same
Jake Jansen for the electrical and avionics
Piers Findlay for fiberglass magic
Robert Findlay for encouragement
Mick Cuppari for teaching me to rivet, getting me started, pointing me in the right direction
Albert Poon for lending me his rivet gun and clecos and other tools…for a long time
Friends and family for support along the way
Of utmost importance, my wonderful wife Wendy for saying yes to this project and sustaining me through it during decades of struggle
I also perceive a spiritual component to this journey but I won’t burden a public forum with that.
Very happy to be at this end of it.
I thought I was a flyer. Turns out I am a builder too!

Congratulations........ I hope you can enjoy it for 21 years, 3 months and 30 days !!! The RV8 is an absolute joy to fly.

Mark Cigal

 

[AlphaCharlieBravo]

Congratulations Ken
Looks like a beauty. I'm partial to the red as well. I hope you have many years of flying and enjoying your new bird. I looked up perseverance in Wikapedia and there was a picture of you......

 

[MJarreau]

Congratulations!

Mike

 

[kens_cockpit]

Everyone knows the red ones are faster!

I hope that is true.
My original plan was an IO360M1B but when I was ready for the engine the COVID supply chain issues and massive price increases would have slowed me down. A great deal came up on an O320 with only 162 hours so I gave up 20 horsepower. I figured I could make that up by painting it red

 

[kens_cockpit]

What a great thing to read after waking up! Many congratulations Ken and wishing you a happy and rewarding phase 1.

v/r,dr

Thanks Doug.
I didn’t list you in the list of people to thank. I figure it goes without saying that your work in sustaining this forum is central to the success of every flying RV. It sustained me for….well, decades. I can’t claim to be a founding member of the forum but I was close and the forum has certainly been a foundation of my eventual success. So to be clear…thanks to you for providing this community.

 

[jakej]

Congrats again Ken - it’s been a pleasure to have been a part of your journey

 

[kens_cockpit]

Congrats again Ken - it’s been a pleasure to have been a part of your journey

Thanks Jake. It believe is fair to say that I would not have finished the plane without your skills and encouragement. Thanks again.

 

[Scott Chastain]

Ken,
That is a very encouraging and inspiring story! Thank you for getting me pumped during a difficult phase in my rebuild!

 

[Warbo]

Hearty congratulations Ken - brilliant effort!! And welcome to the very exclusive Red RV-8 club. (Note the rego )

 

[kens_cockpit]

Hearty congratulations Ken - brilliant effort!! And welcome to the very exclusive Red RV-8 club. (Note the rego )

Hey Warbo. Thanks.
Great paint job.
Brilliant rego.
Canberra for Floriade is on my wife’s list of destinations for the plane. Catch up then!

 

[Warbo]

Hey Warbo. Thanks.
Great paint job.
Brilliant rego.
Canberra for Floriade is on my wife’s list of destinations for the plane. Catch up then!

Excellent. We'll lock in Sep/Oct for photoshoot of the red RV-8 twins.

 

[FlightVector2025]

Huge congrats! That’s an incredible milestone and a true testament to your dedication. Well done….enjoy every flight!