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This is going to be an adventure!

cacflyer

cacflyer

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ok... I've been reading vansairforce.net for what must be three or more years, envious I must say of the both the planes and friendships built within the vans airforce family.

I own, fly and have enjoyed a PA28/140 since Oct 2001. I've also attended Sun-n-Fun for the past 5 years... which I liken to Disneyworld for pilots. At my home base (KCSG), there is one RV9A builder, Lynn Hall who is pretty darn close to completion, but no real homebuilding community as such. So I have been hesitant to jump in... until I flew the Vans RV7A this past Saturday with Scott from Vans Aircraft at Sun-n-Fun...

Now I understand what all the fuss is about !! From take-off to touchdown, what a delight to fly. It makes my PA28 seem like flying a truck. This is going to be expensive, time consuming, BUT FUN !! FOR SALE, 1969 PA28/140 150HP O320, Paint 9+, Interior 9+, approx 1,000 SFRM, Avionics include Garmin audio panel, GNS480, SL30, 2 CDI/GS... etc. I'm pretty sure I will not sell the PA28 here... but you get the idea... Sell, Build, Fly ...

I will be at OSH and would like to meet as many RV builders as possible.
 
Welcome Chris.

It only took me about ten seconds into the demo takeoff before the 'how can I do this too' thoughts started flooding in my brain.

Come on in...the water's fine.

b,
d
 
Welcome Aboard

Hey Chris,
Welcome Aboard.
You might try Doug's White pages at

http://www.vansairforce.net/rvwp.htm

to find some RV builders near you. I know there is at least one, Mike Ballard, in Lanett, Al which is only about 40 miles from you. I would be surprised if there were not more within an hour's drive from Columbus.

Don
 
.....and anytime..

.....you're anywhere near Augusta, call me and we'll arrange some -6A stick time as well:) You'll discover what I consider the best of the RV's, handling-wise.

Regards, and welcome,
 
Chris,

Welcome to the wonderful world of RV's.

You might also wish to join the SERV Matronics mailing list. That is the best source for local builders and local events.

This forum is the best resource to answer building other RV related questions.
 
Both ways

The latest issue of Kitplanes magazine has a story profiling two RV-9A builders. One built his with all latest and greatest new stuff and it cost him over $100k. The other builder built his for just $30k. He bought new kit parts from Vans but used a mid-time engine, new fixed pitch prop, someone else's shop and tools, home brew upholstery, some used avionics, and no paint (yet).
My -9A will come in around $52k with all new parts but without paint. If you build your -7 like that, you can sell the Piper and come out close to even. It can be done cheaper than you think.

Steve
 
If you have to sell...

I owned a 1981 Piper Archer II the whole time I was building our RV-6A (8 years) and I flew regularly. If you can do it that is best I think. If you have to sell it up front to finance the RV then that is what you have to do. I was able to get an equity line of credit loan on our home to finance the building of our plane. The main thing is, if you recognize this is an adventure you have to do what is necessary to make the journey. I had not flown in an RV when I bought my kit. The principal justification for my wife and I to build our RV was the ability to do my own maintenance and be able to afford to continue flying after retirement. Speed, appearance and reliability were the personal requirements that drove us to select the RV-6A. I have been instrument rated since 1984 and we travel as much as we can so I wanted it to be capable of instrument approaches but I thought I could get by without an autopilot and some instrument capability and redundancy - only one NAV receiver (VOR/LOC/GS), a transponder with mode C, no ADF, no DME, a SL-60 GPS/com, and a SL-40 com. From the equipment list in your Cherokee I assume you want IFR capability. When I went to Van's old RV assembly school Ken Scott gave me a ride in the blue RV-6A and I was mildly disappointed that it was stable and no more difficult to fly than our Archer. After flying our RV-6A for a couple of years under IFR I recognized that this beautiful bird flew like a regular airplane VFR but it presented some problems under IFR (not just IMC). It is fast, it is maneuverable and it is quick. Distractions that caused minor corrections in the Archer prompted ATC cautions in the RV-6A. I installed a TruTrac autopilot and altitude hold and IFR operations became MUCH more pleasant. I wish I could afford to replace the SL-40 with an SL-30 and be able to monitor VOR cross checks directly on instrument approaches but I have learned to annotate all of the approach fixes with the sum of the distance numbers to each step down fix and I am not having to mentally add the numbers, remember the sum to the next point of interest, check the GPS and repeat the cycle with the life or death consequences of an early step down until the point is reached and the step down is initiated, then repeat the process with a new sum for the next fix. You should plan on an autopilot if you plan on flying your RV IFR and not skimp on the instruments/avionics that you need for comfortable operations.

It is a wonderful adventure and life will never be the same after you make the commitment.

Bob Axsom
 
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There are others.

Hey Chris,
I'm brand new but been reading the posts for awhile, also signed on to the YAHOO forum.

There are at least two more builders in Columbus(where I live) and MANY in Georgia and near Columbus. I emailed Vans and asked and they sent me a list of all the Georgia builders. I can send it to you if you like.

I am not building yet, but my plans are to sell my helicopter and jump right in.

Horace (gator) Green
Retired Army, Retired AFLAC,,,,,Just plain RETIRED. :)
 
Chris,
I just started building a 7A tail a few months ago, and am about done and ready to order the wings. I have a 1/3 interest in a Grumman Tiger, and plan to keep it until I am ready for the engine, propellor, and such stuff, when I will probably have to sell it to finance these items. Until then, I am hoping to be able to finance the kits as I get ready for them. It is an addictive process, you will get to the point where you can't wait to get into the shop and make stuff come together. The best part is after assembling, drilling, disassembling, deburring, dimpling, etc., when you get to put an assembly together for the final time and see it get more and more rigid and strong as you drive and squeeze the rivets!

Oldsam
RV-7A, tail nearly done, fixin' to order the wings!
 
Great Advice

Dont sell the Cherokee!!! The building process takes a long time, and you need the cherokee to go fly when you have been in the shop to long and need that FIX. Also just to keep current is a great idea. You will miss it. And yes--maybe using it for parts is not all that bad of an idea. Use what you need -- sell the rest.
 
The adventure begins !!

Thank you all for the great advice. Friday I am calling Vans, ordering the tail kit, shipping it to Alexander Tech Center in Griffin GA, and hopefully getting in the May 5 class. Not going to sell the Cherokee for now. Absolutely looking forward to getting started, learning about the tools and getting the garage converted to the RV factory !

Pierre, I am taking you up on the RV6A stick time offer !!

Bob, thanks for the great IFR advice. I want to install an AP because I intend to "go places" in my RV7A, and the AP will be a real workload reducer.

The adventure begins !!
 
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