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The 50,000 hour RV

mburch

mburch

Well Known Member
Patron
Yesterday my RV-7 project received a thorough going-over from Paul Dye, an aviator who I've been proud to call my friend and mentor. Having found no issues with parts or paperwork, he used his newly-granted powers as a DAR to issue my airworthiness certificate, transforming my long-running project into a real airplane at last.

In terms of calendar time, it's been a little over 19 years since I placed the order for my empennage kit. Somehow it doesn't seem that far in the past, even though this project has been a part of my life for a very long time. I did have several multi-year periods where I couldn't work on it at all for various reasons, and there were a lot of cold winters where progress came to a standstill, plus I have a job that keeps me very busy. Still, if you count only the periods where I was actively building, it's probably been at least ten years of low-rate effort and slow, incremental progress.

I haven't kept track of how many hours I've put into it, but I do have a guess. If you consider the fact that I'm a fairly methodical builder, I'm sure I could account for a couple thousand hours of work and planning that went into the construction of the aircraft. However, I also built my own avionics, or at least was partly responsible for the design and engineering of most of the electronic items in my airplane. So if I include, with tongue in cheek, all the years of my engineering career that have gone into my instrument panel, I can claim that I have at least 50,000 hours in my RV project! With that in mind, maybe 19 years isn't so long after all...

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What a great way to start a morning by reading this! Matt, I’m so very happy for you. Really looking forward to talking flying stories with you for the next several decades!

Really really REALLY happy for my friend! Many congratulations!
 
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Matt, congrats and thanks for taking the time to answer our Garmin questions !!
 
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Way to go Matt! I never had any doubt that you would finish! Icing on the cake to have Paul do the honor of blessing the build!

Also thanks for all your hard work and contributions at Garmin as well as your never ending support of the community!
 
Great job! Your scenario echos my build...when a person asks " how long did it take you to build it?".. 3 years, and 19 calendars. Usually takes a minute to figure that out. Now, you will begin the fun chapter!
 
Wow! Reading your build hours and years to completion, I was thinking “He’s my long lost twin brother!” Welcome to the part where you no longer have to make “simulated” engine noise.
 
Bravo Matt !!!
Time now to discover, test and enjoy your bird.
You can be mighty proud of your acheivement.
Go fly !!
 
mburch said:
Yesterday my RV-7 project received a thorough going-over from Paul Dye, an aviator who I've been proud to call my friend and mentor. Having found no issues with parts or paperwork, he used his newly-granted powers as a DAR to issue my airworthiness certificate, transforming my long-running project into a real airplane at last.

In terms of calendar time, it's been a little over 19 years since I placed the order for my empennage kit. Somehow it doesn't seem that far in the past, even though this project has been a part of my life for a very long time. I did have several multi-year periods where I couldn't work on it at all for various reasons, and there were a lot of cold winters where progress came to a standstill, plus I have a job that keeps me very busy. Still, if you count only the periods where I was actively building, it's probably been at least ten years of low-rate effort and slow, incremental progress.

I haven't kept track of how many hours I've put into it, but I do have a guess. If you consider the fact that I'm a fairly methodical builder, I'm sure I could account for a couple thousand hours of work and planning that went into the construction of the aircraft. However, I also built my own avionics, or at least was partly responsible for the design and engineering of most of the electronic items in my airplane. So if I include, with tongue in cheek, all the years of my engineering career that have gone into my instrument panel, I can claim that I have at least 50,000 hours in my RV project! With that in mind, maybe 19 years isn't so long after all...

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Congrats Matt!
 
Congrats on the pink slip :D

And congrats to Paul on his first time ;)
 
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johntwilcox said:
Be honest. you could have been done years ago, but you were waiting for Paul to get his DAR completed :)
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Well, I won't say that there wasn't a point earlier this year where we were talking and realized that the stars might align such that we could make my project Paul's first "solo inspection"...
 
I can claim that I have at least 50,000 hours in my RV project!
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One thing your modesty forgot to mention... the countless hours you spent helping others in installing and/or troubleshooting their avionics, such as myself. Again, thanks for that (y)
Now off you go, head into the blue yonder and enjoy the fruit of your labor, be proud :cool:
 
My plane wouldn't have first flown 12 years ago had it not been for my ability to follow your lead on the first 90% of it, Matt!!! Just goes to show how long the last 10% really can take! 😄
Congrats, for sure! And fly over to Eburg when you have a chance!
 
Can you tell us more about your home -brew avionics?
edit. Okay, I missed the ‘tongue in cheek’ part.
 
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If everyone was meticulous as Matt in both their build quality and the quality of their paperwork, being a DAR would be even more of a pleasure than it already is when you see the “new airplane owner‘s” smile! Matt would rather have it right than “right now”, and I think that is goign to pay off with lots of fun flying in his future. Thanks to Matt for letting me part of the process for him (and an excuse to drop in to Van’s to see how things were going….)
 
There's been a ton of good thinking on the avionics Matt has worked on (Garmin), and my professional engineer side appreciates it.
 
Mel said:
Not one loose jam nut? Not one short bolt? Not one missing cotter pin or safety wire? Come on Paul, ya gotta do better!
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I know!! I tired to find something, but he didn’t even have any dead bugs in the structure that I couLtd recomend being replaced with live ones…..
 
Paul, don't forget you chastised me for failing to provide donuts! A flagrant violation of standard operating procedure...
 
WELL DONE MATT ,
And thank you for the countless hours you spent educating and encouraging your brother builders along the way. Your advice and wisdom has certainly left a fingerprint on my 8A. Your achievement gives me even more rocket fuel to finish construction this year.
Steve (one of your legion of friends).
 
mburch said:
Yesterday my RV-7 project received a thorough going-over from Paul Dye, an aviator who I've been proud to call my friend and mentor. Having found no issues with parts or paperwork, he used his newly-granted powers as a DAR to issue my airworthiness certificate, transforming my long-running project into a real airplane at last.

In terms of calendar time, it's been a little over 19 years since I placed the order for my empennage kit. Somehow it doesn't seem that far in the past, even though this project has been a part of my life for a very long time. I did have several multi-year periods where I couldn't work on it at all for various reasons, and there were a lot of cold winters where progress came to a standstill, plus I have a job that keeps me very busy. Still, if you count only the periods where I was actively building, it's probably been at least ten years of low-rate effort and slow, incremental progress.

I haven't kept track of how many hours I've put into it, but I do have a guess. If you consider the fact that I'm a fairly methodical builder, I'm sure I could account for a couple thousand hours of work and planning that went into the construction of the aircraft. However, I also built my own avionics, or at least was partly responsible for the design and engineering of most of the electronic items in my airplane. So if I include, with tongue in cheek, all the years of my engineering career that have gone into my instrument panel, I can claim that I have at least 50,000 hours in my RV project! With that in mind, maybe 19 years isn't so long after all...

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Fly that 40 off & I'll buy you a Black & Tan @ KOSH in HBC
 
You appear to be younger than the mentor so I think you’re right on time! Congrats. I can’t imagine taking on this project and seeing it through.
 
mburch said:
Yesterday my RV-7 project received a thorough going-over from Paul Dye, an aviator who I've been proud to call my friend and mentor. Having found no issues with parts or paperwork, he used his newly-granted powers as a DAR to issue my airworthiness certificate, transforming my long-running project into a real airplane at last.

In terms of calendar time, it's been a little over 19 years since I placed the order for my empennage kit. Somehow it doesn't seem that far in the past, even though this project has been a part of my life for a very long time. I did have several multi-year periods where I couldn't work on it at all for various reasons, and there were a lot of cold winters where progress came to a standstill, plus I have a job that keeps me very busy. Still, if you count only the periods where I was actively building, it's probably been at least ten years of low-rate effort and slow, incremental progress.

I haven't kept track of how many hours I've put into it, but I do have a guess. If you consider the fact that I'm a fairly methodical builder, I'm sure I could account for a couple thousand hours of work and planning that went into the construction of the aircraft. However, I also built my own avionics, or at least was partly responsible for the design and engineering of most of the electronic items in my airplane. So if I include, with tongue in cheek, all the years of my engineering career that have gone into my instrument panel, I can claim that I have at least 50,000 hours in my RV project! With that in mind, maybe 19 years isn't so long after all...

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What a day.
Congratulations to you.
Looks like Paul is happy as well.
Now the tweaking begins.
Daddyman
 
Congratulations Matt!

(I must admit that at first read of the thread title, I thought this might have been a milestone event for Vlad and his RV9A) :)
 
Matt,
This is great news. I have followed your posts and blog and have learned from both. What a cool thing to have Paul as your DAR.
Best of luck with your phase 1 and all the fun you will have with your plane!
 
Congratulations Matt! I picked up my tail kit in 2007. Lots of starts and stops for various reasons, but I’m still enjoying the process. Have fun!
 
Haha well I noticed my banner says “I’m New Here”. Been a member since 2007. I guess I should post more often!
 
mburch said:
Matt Burch
RV-7 (last 90%) <---------- WTF?!
http://www.rv7blog.com
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You have at least one bit of documentation that needs updating here, Matt.

Congratulations, and also thanks for the tips in these forums over the years. Hopefully we'll see fewer of those because you'll be spending time flying instead of spending it hanging around VAF :)

- mark
 
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