What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

7a Quickbuild time estimate

J

jimpilot56

I'm New Here
Im very new to this forum, so please forgive me if this topic has been covered.
Im very interested in building the 7, and would like some idea of how much time the quickbuild kit saves, and approximately how many hours does the
QB kit require to complete. Thanks !
 
Spending 1800-2000 hours in the shop is going to be difficult. How would you like to hire a team of experienced experts, with over a thousand completed RV airframes on their resume, for twenty-five weeks, eight hours a day? They will build the first half of your kit, jigging and riveting about 75% of your metal airframe. They will do all the messy jobs, like sealing the fuel tanks and priming to protect against corrosion. They never leave a mess, make no noise, don?t need insurance and never want to use your bathroom. When they leave, you will have only 800-1200 hours of work to finish the airplane.
Click to expand...

I'm not building a quickbuild but I have built a lot of trust in what Van says about anything to do with building his aircraft. Everything has been spot-on thorough the wings. The above is the quote from Van's website at this page: http://www.vansaircraft.com/public/kit-qb.htm
 
We built a RV7AQB in 4.5 years.
I was retired but don't think I
worked over 2-3 hours a day
on week days only.

The following items changed the time
to build the RV:
I had another plane to fly
through out the build.
More important was the fact we
did not deviate from the plans
where time might be added to
finish the plane. If Vans/vendors had a
time saving kit we bought it.
We also have the basic round
instruments, CHT/EGT, one radio/Xponder,
intercom and a portable GPS.

Although I wish I had incorporated
some after-market items, a time
estimate might go off the charts
when you deviate from the plans.

Our attitude was that I was too old
to slow build our RV,
Tom
 
It will partly depend on the experience level, how focused one is in building, how complex of a plane and the finishing quality, my guess is about 1200-1500 hours.
I never kept a good track of my building time but a good guess is around 1500 hours. This is on a bit more complex type panel and a rather professional paint job. It took me 14 months from start to the first flight.
Good luck, it can be a wonderful and a life time experience
 
Thanks

Tom,

I did a little guestimate math and 2 hours a day, 5 days a week is
520 hours a year....times 4.5 years....is 2340 hours....

Im hoping that you were in fact taking this at relaxed pace, or the
Van's estimate of 800 to 1200 for a QB is way off. I do gather from your
post that you werent in a huge rush, given you had an aircraft to fly in the meantime.

Based on the extra cost of the quickbuild kit, and the approximate time it appears to cost roughly 10-12 bucks an hour for the saved hours....cheap in
my opinion. I love to build and fly.....but I like to fly more than I like to
build....and the RV7aQB seems the ideal candidate for this endeavor If I can
pull this off in the time that Bavafa did (14 months) then I up to the task !
 
I had never done the math and agree that
my hours were most likely less than 2000.
Family vacations, etc., also kept me from
the project some as well as some waiting
for shipment of kits and parts.
The RV was my first homebuilt project.

EDIT: The early kits weren't completely
prepunched and some jigging was needed
for the tail feathers. The lowest realistic
build time for me would still be 1500 hours.

I might add it was important to keep my
project at home as long as possible.
I moved to my hangar about 2 months
before inspection and first flight.
I had to assemble at the airport because
I built the RV in a single car garage.

Bottom line: I missed the building and am
about a year into another plane.
This one is a plans only, Thatcher CX4,
Tom
 
Last edited:
Tom,

Makes sense and I appreciate the input...

Ive owned 4 aircraft (C150, Cherokee 140, Arrow and currently a Beech B95 money pit...) The RV would be my first build, but Ive done lots of signed off
work on my other aircraft, so Im not jumping in cold turkey.

Im quite impressed with the forum and am certain it will be a major source of information, inspiration and solace from time to time.

Thanks !

Jim
 
Been working on mine for 4.5 years so far. 5 if you count the empennage. If I'm lucky and I don't make a complete hash of it, I should be flying by August.
 
I built my QB RV-7A in 1300 hrs over 18 months. That included painting, interior, and avionics. I did have the radio harness made for me by an avionics shop and I had an upholsterer do the seat cushions. I did not count my husband's help which I estimate at about 3-400 hrs. He bucked rivets, cleaned up the shop after me, mixed paint and helped with some of the interior. This is actual working time on the plane. Planning, designing, building a spray booth, and shopping for parts and accessories was also extra time. I worked a full time job during the build. I am a skilled, technically minded person. This was my second airplane build. The first was a SeaRey two place amphibian. I have extensive experience as a hobbyist and wood worker. I had no prior experience with building solid flush riveted aluminum aircraft.

Skill levels, skill sets, organizational skills, your work space, the quality of your tools and your ambition level all play important roles in how quickly you build and the level of quality in your build. While mine was not show quality, it is certainly well above the average.

Hope this helps,

Roberta

done2r.jpg
 
Pretty legs, Roberta...

We built a QB -6A in one year and ten months to first flight, unpainted and a Classic Aero interior package and overhauled our own 0-360. The -6's usually take a little longer anyway.

I'm in the crop-dusting business and have my own hangar full of all the aviation and woodworking tools you need. I also have a lot of off-season time so I spent every day I could on the airplane.

Best,
 
You must mean the airplane, right, Pierre?? My beat up old legs have seen better days.:eek:;):D:)

And those awfull tennis shoes. They are full of paint from the SeaRey, the RV-7A, and now the boat I am building.

Roberta
 
Last edited:
I built a quickbuild

I too built a RV-7A quickbuild, with a VFR panel and everything pretty much to Vans plans. It is not painted and still needs some fiberglass finishing. It took me 3 years and 10 months with a full time job in which I travel a lot and was gone a lot during the week. Most of my time was put in on the weekends. I probably averaged 8 hours a weekend, which would put me around that 1500 hour mark, but this included cleaning, putting tools aways, and reading the directions a few times:)
 
Looks like it varies

7 to 7 1/2 months for a QB RV7/7a start to finish, ready for the Judges at Oshkosh.

jimpilot56 said:
Im very new to this forum, so please forgive me if this topic has been covered.
Im very interested in building the 7, and would like some idea of how much time the quickbuild kit saves, and approximately how many hours does the
QB kit require to complete. Thanks !
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top