Repeat Offense, ordered my RV-3 Kit.

With the encouragement of a few select friends, my new kit was ordered today. I also edited my Avatar to include my girfriends picture, who was not very excited about my purchase. So, if the Avatar changes, one of them would have to go. That would be kind a shame because I have invested a couple years with her and I kind of like her I am trying to convince her to become an airplane builders helper. We'll see how that goes.
Anyway, I can not totally understand my decision to build a 3. I love my 6, barely have enough time to fly it and my Bucker, but, I just have to be building, so there we have it. For now, I will just blame Randy Levrold
My mission; simple, light wieght, rocket ship. No electric, very basic instrumentation, hand held, light, light, light. We will see if I can stick to that...

Congratulations. Good idea...

Jon,

That is exciting news and should be a fun project. Let me know when you need a rivet bucker.

Dan Miller
RV-8 flying, 365 hours
RV-8 under construction with friend

Dude, welcome!

Note to Jon:
Yo Jon, very cool! Welcome to a very distinguished minority: builders of an aircraft with the right number of seats! You committed a bit late though, Tony Partain already got my fuselage jig. I think he'll end up building fairly quickly so you might be able to get it after he's finished with it. Did you order your QB wings up front? I strongly recommend you do so you can build the fuse to match the front-to-rear spar dimensions exactly. A charming persuasive guy like you ought to have no problem getting Jody in the fold.

Note to others:
Jon lives near me and belongs to the same EAA Chapter so I'll have plenty of opportunity to get over to his place to both help and harrass him. He lives on a BEAUTIFUL residential airpark so I'll make a point of flying my -3 in there to just to keep him motivated.

Jon welcome to the club! With Randy at your door step this will be much easier.

I have started my tail kit and it is more difficult than the pre punched models, it's slower to build just due to the time it take to mentally work through the plans. But you already know this.
If you ever get over to Bend give me a call.

Thanks Randy, Tony, and Dan.....

Appreciate the moral support. I did order the QB Wings. For anyone interested, they do not automatically ship RV3 Wing Kits to the Philipines on a schedule like they do with the other models. So, if you miss the boat, literally, you wait for the next boat, which could mean waiting 8 months or more for the QB wings. I was lucky, they are shipping the next container at the first of the year with my wing kit in it, so I will have my wings back in April, probably way ahead of my schedule, but thats ok. I ordered the entire kit at once. This is different than ordering as needed like I did with the 6. I will let you know if it speeds things up, or makes any difference.

Yes Tony, I am familiar with the old style non match drilled kits. I have never put together the new prepunch stuff, so my hope is that since I have not been spoiled, I wont notice any difference

Dan, you know where the key to the hangar is, so anytime you want to work on the 3, you dont need my permission, in fact, you dont even need me there The pay is not too good, but there is wood in the stove and you are welcome to any food or beer left in the fridge.

Repeat offender

After flying for 2 years in my 8, I have fallen prey. have ordered prewview plans set, with emp order just around the corner. For the RV3B.

Can't wait to start building again.

Chris Santschi N627CS
Festus,MO
EAA Tech counsler 1424

3B

If people keep ordering the 3B Van might pre-punch it,I hope.

Welcome!

Chris Santschi said:

After flying for 2 years in my 8, I have fallen prey. have ordered prewview plans set, with emp order just around the corner. For the RV3B.

Can't wait to start building again.

Chris Santschi N627CS
Festus,MO
EAA Tech counsler 1424

Click to expand...

Wow, yet another, welcome Chris! You guys who have all built RVs before are perfect candidates, you'll breeze right through it. Be sure and start an online picture album of some sort so we can all see how it's going.

Heck, we'll need to start an RV-3 formation squadron soon! I think an OSH get together for us -3 builders is in order too.

RV3 Razor Back

Just a thought, does anybody know if there is a razor back option out there for the 3

Chris Santschi
RV8 N627CS Flying
RV3B on order.

Chris Santschi said:

Just a thought, does anybody know if there is a razor back option out there for the 3
Chris Santschi
RV8 N627CS Flying
RV3B on order.

Click to expand...

Yep, it's called a Harmon Rocket I and the parts are available from John Harmon. I considered it when I built mine and ended up not doing it, primarily for two reasons. One, since I do quite a bit of formation flying I didn't want to give up any rearward visibility, and two, customizations can be significant time traps and I wanted to keep my progress moving. A little voice in the back of my head keeps telling me I should have. Absolutely beautiful IMHO...

RV3 Razor back

Thanks Randy Time is not a big factor on this project, and I realllly like the look.

Chris Santschi
RV8 Flying
RV3 on order...sooner than I thought

randylervold said:

Yep, it's called a Harmon Rocket I and the parts are available from John Harmon.... Absolutely beautiful IMHO...

Click to expand...

Randy, what other mods are included in the HRI? Does it include clipped wings like the -II? How about a "big" engine?

Karl

I think Randy IS to blame for all this -3 interest! But what a great representation of the -3 he has built! I too have dreamed about the fastback, souped up rv-3, but like many builders have tried to keep myselft to the "light, simple" idea! I'm really ready to get major progress done! I figure'd i'd gradually get tools over time, but decided i'd just make the plunge and order a tool kit from Avery's!

Welcome to the club!

Fastback RV3B

IMHO Just the fastback option is all that is needed. KIS/KIL (Keep it simple,Keep it light).

Chris
RV8 Flying
RV3B on order

RV8N said:

Randy, what other mods are included in the HRI? Does it include clipped wings like the -II? How about a "big" engine?

Karl

Click to expand...

As I understand it the basic changes than comprise an HR1 are...
1. The raised turtledeck/canopy
2. Different cowl, designed to accomodate an angle-valve IO-360, non-cheek design.
3. Use of an angle-valve IO-360

I really don't know if the wing was changed as it is for the HRII but I don't think so. All this can be easily confirmed with a call to John Harmon.

Fastback RV3B parts

Just spoke with John Harmon about the fastback verson for the RV3, he has bulkheads to replace #s7-8-9 and rear turtle skin. no plans. and you can use canopy frame and canopy, but have to modify them some.... I think this is what i'm going to do. Will provide updates as the project moves along...

Chris Santschi
RV8 Flying
RV3B On order

Chris Santschi said:

Just spoke with John Harmon about the fastback verson for the RV3, he has bulkheads to replace #s7-8-9 and rear turtle skin. no plans. and you can use canopy frame and canopy, but have to modify them some.... I think this is what i'm going to do. Will provide updates as the project moves along...
Chris Santschi
RV8 Flying
RV3B On order

Click to expand...

Ooooh, that's gonna be cool! You'll make me wish I had done it. Definitely keep us posted.

RV-3 fastback

I saw this for sale several months ago and thought it was the best looking fastback -3 I'd seen. Definitely not a Harmon. Builder was from Oregon. Don't know anything more about it.

HR1

Talked with the guy who owns the original HR1 at Arlington one time. He says vis is very poor and that the Raised back is not desirable. I guess if you have 200 ponies strapped to the front you won't need to look back because you will always be out in front. I think I would go with Randy's approach and keep it simple and mostly to the plans. I made some major modifications on my RV-6 and it set me back several months. Now that I've sold my EVO and am looking to build something cheap and simple-the RV-3 might be it. Will have a 180hp Pacer to fly the family around in soon as long as my dad keeps pluggin' away. JonJay, you sneaky devil you, when did you decide on building a RV-3? Your going to have to park you Beamer outside with all those airplanes in the hanger BTW the RV-3 pictured above belongs to a guy by the name of Pete Ward. He built it back in the 90's and is a good friend of the family. It's a real nice plane and is very fast