foxhound57
Member
Hello Team Vans;
I am just writing to say Hello as I am new to the Van’s Community and have recently purchased a Van’s QB RV8 kit from an owner whose life circumstances had changed in Florida.
I have had the kit transported up to a friend in Canada (Calgary) who is a Technical Engineer in the Experimental Aircraft Industry.
That might seem a bit odd for someone from Australia who wants to build their own aircraft, however at present it works for me. You see I am a long-haul Pilot from “down-under” and we have the ability to do Extended Layover Patterns (using our annual leave between operational sectors) into KDFW. That allows me a week of leave, a week of uninterrupted building with friends who can guide me if (when!) I get stuck, however well away from family distractions and home interruptions.
Don’t worry (the Boss) my lovely wife Leigh has visited the RV8’s new home (Leigh is also a recreational Pilot) and apart from the -26° (Celsius) temperature gave the “thumbs-up” approval to the building plan. Anyway we will see how it flows over the next few months.
Now I also hold an FAA Commercial in addition to my Australian ATPL so I am deciding whether to build with USA registration or Canadian. I can Hangar the RV8 at Addison airfield in Texas not too far from our crew hotel and a good friend in Dallas who is also a CFI will look after her there and bring my light-aircraft tail wheel skills back to life again – at least that’s the plan!
So why build. Well my career has taken me from GA Pilot and Flight Instructor through to Supplementary Airline into a Major International Airline. On the way I have been a Chief Flight Instructor, Chief Pilot and a Simulator Instructor for Boeing. Today I am a Qualified Secondary School Teacher (casual / part-time) with my major in Aerospace Studies which we teach in some of our Secondary Schools here in Queensland Australia. So building will now complete my love of all things aviation.
I look forward to being a good contributing member of the Vans community however and meanwhile I have a lot to learn.
I am just writing to say Hello as I am new to the Van’s Community and have recently purchased a Van’s QB RV8 kit from an owner whose life circumstances had changed in Florida.
I have had the kit transported up to a friend in Canada (Calgary) who is a Technical Engineer in the Experimental Aircraft Industry.
That might seem a bit odd for someone from Australia who wants to build their own aircraft, however at present it works for me. You see I am a long-haul Pilot from “down-under” and we have the ability to do Extended Layover Patterns (using our annual leave between operational sectors) into KDFW. That allows me a week of leave, a week of uninterrupted building with friends who can guide me if (when!) I get stuck, however well away from family distractions and home interruptions.
Don’t worry (the Boss) my lovely wife Leigh has visited the RV8’s new home (Leigh is also a recreational Pilot) and apart from the -26° (Celsius) temperature gave the “thumbs-up” approval to the building plan. Anyway we will see how it flows over the next few months.
Now I also hold an FAA Commercial in addition to my Australian ATPL so I am deciding whether to build with USA registration or Canadian. I can Hangar the RV8 at Addison airfield in Texas not too far from our crew hotel and a good friend in Dallas who is also a CFI will look after her there and bring my light-aircraft tail wheel skills back to life again – at least that’s the plan!
So why build. Well my career has taken me from GA Pilot and Flight Instructor through to Supplementary Airline into a Major International Airline. On the way I have been a Chief Flight Instructor, Chief Pilot and a Simulator Instructor for Boeing. Today I am a Qualified Secondary School Teacher (casual / part-time) with my major in Aerospace Studies which we teach in some of our Secondary Schools here in Queensland Australia. So building will now complete my love of all things aviation.
I look forward to being a good contributing member of the Vans community however and meanwhile I have a lot to learn.
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