MartinACFactory
Well Known Member
Hello all !
With this post, I'd like to share my personal experience of moving my RV-8 project to the airport hangar, and wonder if other builders have had similar experiences.
I do not have a garage at home. Therefore, back in summer of 2015, I started my project in the garden shed behind my house. Quickly space became limited, and Quebec winter made it impractical to build there. I was lucky to find very affordable rental workspace in a closed Ford dealership garage 5 minutes from home. This is where I built most of my RV in between 2015 and 2021. Early 2021, the building landlord announced his intentions to tear down the former car dealership to replace it with a housing project. In panic mode, I started looking for another nearby affordable location to continue my project.
Back in November 2016, my local GA airport, Mascouche (CSK3) closed (It has become an industrial park since then ). I live 3 km from this former airport. Because of Mascouche closure, I moved all my aviation activities to the next closest GA airport from my home, Joliette (CSG3). Joliette Airport is a 45 minutes drive from my home.
Anyhow, in Fall of 2021 still looking for a location to move my project to, a hangar became available for sale at Joliette Airport. I made a deal with the Seller, and to my great surprise, I became owner of a 2,000 sqft hangar (50 ft wide X 40 ft deep). I was super happy about this acquisition, a dream come true. I moved my RV-8 project just before X-mas 2021. In order to finance the acquisition, I also rented space for two aircraft.
In 2022, I spent numerous hours to improve the hangar and start making in enjoyable. This became a on-going project of its own, competing with the RV-8 project for my time and funds !
Now, after one year+ of hangar ownership, I can confirm that everything you hear about taking your RV project to the hangar is true !
First of all, for me the distance from home is almost a "project demotivator". I realized recently looking back at my project log that the biggest contributor to project were those regular 1-2 hours of work session just showing up at the shop near home. Now, I have to plan my work session to ensure my presence at the hangar is maximized considering the drive to and back from hangar. Currently it is winter, and often the drive to the airport is risky on snowy and icy country roads, therefore I stay home and cancel the RV work session.
Second is the hangar space....By choice and financial "necessity", I decided to share my hangar with other airplanes. Basically, my hangar is larger than my former shop space, but I have less useful and efficient room to work on my project. I work on my RV-8 fuselage electrical system under the shadow of a Cessna 172 wing.
Third is the visitors...Don't get me wrong that the fun part of being on the airport. But occasionally, I politely kick-out visitors to ensure that I work on the RV ! My time at the hangar is premium.
My RV project has been on the backburner for the last two years, mainly because of my involvement in Flight Instructing and the move to the hangar. I still have a long way to go before RV-8 s/n 80414 first flight at CSG3. Meaning a lot of drive or camping nights in the hangar. I am super pumped about owning my hangar, but at same time trying to find motivation to push RV-8 project to first flight. Getting back into the build is proving to be challenging.
I am wondering: Do you have similar experience to share about moving your RV project to the hangar airport ?
Here below is an outside picture of my hangar
[/url]Hangar 1018 Photo by Martin Leroux, on Flickr[/IMG]
Moving the RV-8 fuselage to the hangar, early Dec 2021, and before repainting the hangar walls and floor.
[/url]IMG_0226 by Martin Leroux, on Flickr[/IMG]
Space I have to work on my RV-8, with the fuselage at the back of the hangar and my work table constantly moving around...
[/url]IMG_0762 by Martin Leroux, on Flickr[/IMG]
With this post, I'd like to share my personal experience of moving my RV-8 project to the airport hangar, and wonder if other builders have had similar experiences.
I do not have a garage at home. Therefore, back in summer of 2015, I started my project in the garden shed behind my house. Quickly space became limited, and Quebec winter made it impractical to build there. I was lucky to find very affordable rental workspace in a closed Ford dealership garage 5 minutes from home. This is where I built most of my RV in between 2015 and 2021. Early 2021, the building landlord announced his intentions to tear down the former car dealership to replace it with a housing project. In panic mode, I started looking for another nearby affordable location to continue my project.
Back in November 2016, my local GA airport, Mascouche (CSK3) closed (It has become an industrial park since then ). I live 3 km from this former airport. Because of Mascouche closure, I moved all my aviation activities to the next closest GA airport from my home, Joliette (CSG3). Joliette Airport is a 45 minutes drive from my home.
Anyhow, in Fall of 2021 still looking for a location to move my project to, a hangar became available for sale at Joliette Airport. I made a deal with the Seller, and to my great surprise, I became owner of a 2,000 sqft hangar (50 ft wide X 40 ft deep). I was super happy about this acquisition, a dream come true. I moved my RV-8 project just before X-mas 2021. In order to finance the acquisition, I also rented space for two aircraft.
In 2022, I spent numerous hours to improve the hangar and start making in enjoyable. This became a on-going project of its own, competing with the RV-8 project for my time and funds !
Now, after one year+ of hangar ownership, I can confirm that everything you hear about taking your RV project to the hangar is true !
First of all, for me the distance from home is almost a "project demotivator". I realized recently looking back at my project log that the biggest contributor to project were those regular 1-2 hours of work session just showing up at the shop near home. Now, I have to plan my work session to ensure my presence at the hangar is maximized considering the drive to and back from hangar. Currently it is winter, and often the drive to the airport is risky on snowy and icy country roads, therefore I stay home and cancel the RV work session.
Second is the hangar space....By choice and financial "necessity", I decided to share my hangar with other airplanes. Basically, my hangar is larger than my former shop space, but I have less useful and efficient room to work on my project. I work on my RV-8 fuselage electrical system under the shadow of a Cessna 172 wing.
Third is the visitors...Don't get me wrong that the fun part of being on the airport. But occasionally, I politely kick-out visitors to ensure that I work on the RV ! My time at the hangar is premium.
My RV project has been on the backburner for the last two years, mainly because of my involvement in Flight Instructing and the move to the hangar. I still have a long way to go before RV-8 s/n 80414 first flight at CSG3. Meaning a lot of drive or camping nights in the hangar. I am super pumped about owning my hangar, but at same time trying to find motivation to push RV-8 project to first flight. Getting back into the build is proving to be challenging.
I am wondering: Do you have similar experience to share about moving your RV project to the hangar airport ?
Here below is an outside picture of my hangar
Moving the RV-8 fuselage to the hangar, early Dec 2021, and before repainting the hangar walls and floor.
Space I have to work on my RV-8, with the fuselage at the back of the hangar and my work table constantly moving around...