Hey all,
Been lurking for a while and finally joined to start posting. Recently graduated college with my mechanical engineering degree and have started work. Im working on my private pilots license still so building may seem like a jump to some so let me explain.....I have always had a passion for DIY and building.I have pretty extensive experience restoring cars and building a wide array of things by hand (current project is the renovation of my first home). New and unknown things are a challenge I enjoy diving into and learning. As such I want to build my first plane to have the experience and learn. I am well connected in my local aviation community via my work (in aviation) and have several people who have built many planes to access for help and guidance. I wanted to come here to ask a few questions as I begin to gather and plan to start this project in the coming year or so. Below are my thoughts and points to consider for picking the right RV:
1) My general mission for the plane will be fast cross country, I live in Ohio and have friends in DC, Michigan, New Mexico, and Florida and want to make the time gap between us as small as possible, so speed is a strong desire. Most flights will be solo but I want the ability to take a passenger in relative comfort and still fit a bag for each of us for the weekend.
2) I plan to get my IFR rating after completing my private and I want the plane to be a good IFR platform and am looking for suggestions for avionics.
3)I plan to take 5-6 years to finish the plane
4) Obviously I will probably be pretty low hour when the RV is finished ~200-500 im guessing based on my plans to fly rentals available to me. So the RV I build needs to be friendly to someone without 1000s of hours.
5) I plan to buy the kits in succession, that is I plan to buy one kit and as I build it I will save for the next. So the air frame will be paid for when complete but I need to figure out financing to afford engine, avionics and prop. I am an engineer so I have some means but im not in a position to rock up to lycoming with 37k in cash for an engine.
So I am looking for advice on what RV is right, and then what Avionics, engine, and prop to pair with that RV to best fit my mission as well as advice on how you paid for your project.
Been lurking for a while and finally joined to start posting. Recently graduated college with my mechanical engineering degree and have started work. Im working on my private pilots license still so building may seem like a jump to some so let me explain.....I have always had a passion for DIY and building.I have pretty extensive experience restoring cars and building a wide array of things by hand (current project is the renovation of my first home). New and unknown things are a challenge I enjoy diving into and learning. As such I want to build my first plane to have the experience and learn. I am well connected in my local aviation community via my work (in aviation) and have several people who have built many planes to access for help and guidance. I wanted to come here to ask a few questions as I begin to gather and plan to start this project in the coming year or so. Below are my thoughts and points to consider for picking the right RV:
1) My general mission for the plane will be fast cross country, I live in Ohio and have friends in DC, Michigan, New Mexico, and Florida and want to make the time gap between us as small as possible, so speed is a strong desire. Most flights will be solo but I want the ability to take a passenger in relative comfort and still fit a bag for each of us for the weekend.
2) I plan to get my IFR rating after completing my private and I want the plane to be a good IFR platform and am looking for suggestions for avionics.
3)I plan to take 5-6 years to finish the plane
4) Obviously I will probably be pretty low hour when the RV is finished ~200-500 im guessing based on my plans to fly rentals available to me. So the RV I build needs to be friendly to someone without 1000s of hours.
5) I plan to buy the kits in succession, that is I plan to buy one kit and as I build it I will save for the next. So the air frame will be paid for when complete but I need to figure out financing to afford engine, avionics and prop. I am an engineer so I have some means but im not in a position to rock up to lycoming with 37k in cash for an engine.
So I am looking for advice on what RV is right, and then what Avionics, engine, and prop to pair with that RV to best fit my mission as well as advice on how you paid for your project.