The relationship between buyers and builders

How many buyers know the builders of their planes? How many builders keep in touch with the buyers of their planes? I keep asking myself this question.

I've owned my RV-8 for 6 months now. It's a great airplane. It's an airplane I would not have found without VAF.

What I found most interesting is I made a new friend in the process. It's six month since I flew Art's plane away from it's birth place. Art tracked my flight to it's new home. Art called me that first night to ask how it went and how I liked the plane. He sent me a care package of common screws, nuts, fasteners, rivets, and bits. He answered my simple questions about the electrical system, the engine, the oil cooler, and more. I called Art after my next cross country flight. I called Art before the condition inspection. Art called me after the condition inspection to find out how it went and what we found. He helped me diagnose a brake problem I was having. We talk every few of weeks. We talk about airplanes, weather, and home improvements. He is threatening to visit. I hope he takes me up on the offer!

So, I'll ask the question - for all the buyers, do you keep in tough with the builder? To the builders, have you keep in touch with the buyer?

Good post Humpty. I think it has a lot to do with the VAF family as you mention. I sold an RV3 project and although I never met the buyer, we kept in touch. He is now flying the airplane. He called me the other day to let me know that he had 2 hours on it and we chatted for some time. I thanked him for keeping in touch. I knew I sold it to the right person and told him so. Even though I did not finish that project, I still feel a connection to that airplane.
It is very rewarding.

Great post Glen!

I like this quote from Turbo


...4,000 hours and counting. thanks vans for a great design, thanks lee ray for building a plane that became mine. it was built in stuart yacht and country club, it came to stuart airport for final assembly when i became interested in these RV aircraft in 1999. my friends told me about a new yet to be flow RV. i saw it, i bought it, and the rest is history.


They say never say never but I say I never sell my baby

I named my plane for him!

Although there were three intermediate owners, I contacted my plane's builder (Mike Seager) very soon after the purchase. He was wonderfully helpful in answering questions and we continue to be friends. When a question about the build comes up (e.g., Did you use slosh in the tanks?), I drop him an email and get an answer. Paul and I (and Mikey) made a pilgrimage to Mike's place a couple of years ago to learn more about Mikey's early years and let Mike fly it again. In my mind, Mikey will always be Mike's plane that I've had the privilege to foster.

Louse, I agree with sentiment. In my mind, I'm just the current caretaker of "Art's plane".

It is hugely comforting to know I have access to the builder for questions just like you mention. My flying mission is slightly different from the original as so we often discuss re-equipment topics.

As for Turbo's 4000 hours. That's a work in progress.

Louise Hose said:

Although there were three intermediate owners, I contacted my plane's builder (Mike Seager) very soon after the purchase. He was wonderfully helpful in answering questions and we continue to be friends. When a question about the build comes up (e.g., Did you use slosh in the tanks?), I drop him an email and get an answer. Paul and I (and Mikey) made a pilgrimage to Mike's place a couple of years ago to learn more about Mikey's early years and let Mike fly it again. In my mind, Mikey will always be Mike's plane that I've had the privilege to foster.

Click to expand...

I saw Mike yesterday, flying "old blue"?, the 6A. Of course he was doing his thing, transitioning one of the thousands he has mentored. Your airplane and builder have some great history. How fun is that.
I have lived on the airpark here for ten years. People still refer to my house as "Pauls" house, the original builder. My Bucker is still called "Berts Bucker", the guy who restored it. I still let Bert fly the Bucker but I wont let Paul live in my house. Ha!

Project updates

Since discovering that the engine in the plane I bought was a disaster waiting to happen and letting the builder know, he stopped replying to my emails.

However, I do get periodic updates and progress photos from the guy in South Africa who bought my project. It should be flying soon!

I sought out the gentleman that built most of my -6, just to ask a few questions and to let him know that I had it. I was hoping to make a new acquaintance and get the history of this plane. He was shocked to hear from me, and could not get off the phone fast enough.
Oh well!

I feel like a caretaker for Tony Boy, too. My boyfriend has been friends with Tony Spicer for a long time, so when we got the opportunity to salvage Tony's -3B after the SnF tornado, it meant much more to us than just a deal on a bunch of parts in a salvage yard. Of course Tony is there to answer questions, and I send him updates on our progress. It's really cool!

I would love to meet the builder of Ben's "new" RV-8 and tell him how much we appreciate his beautiful craftsmanship.

Rick has stayed in touch N806RV

Humpty,

I was fortunate enough to buy Rick's RV-4 (N806RG). Rick was terrific about answering any questions, offering to assist with anything at all, & even offered to help with the condition inspection (Fantastic guy!).

I have put 134 delightful hours on Rick's RV-4 this year & Rick has shared in my enthusiasm all along the way.

I have great comfort knowing that Rick has previously owned this ship & did a fabulous job completing the project.

I wish all buying experiences could be as positive as this one was/continues to be.

Still Grin'n RICK!

no question who the alpha dog is!

Perhaps some builders forget....everytime we new owners duck under the stab to check the rudder cables, there's the builders name on the data plate! NO question whose baby this is!
...and every time I drill a hole or put in a bracket for something new, I stop and wonder..." what would the builder do here?" sometimes I call, but most times I'm a little apprehensive, since the guy is an AME ( A&P) and commercial pilot, and I'm not sure that the 'fuzzy dice'...... or whatever I'm hanging off the compass, will meet his approval !!!
yup, I'm just borrowing his plane, in exchange for a stack of silly little paper bills with faces on them!

I've done both.

I built our -6A but "adopted" the -10. That's the way I look at it. I've given her a good home with shelter and heat, so my baby's happy...and yeah...her daddy's name is on the data plate.

Best,

I'm the fourth owner of my plane; the builder had it for 3 years in Houston and sold it in 2006, the next owner had it in New Mexico for 3 years and sold it in 2009, and the gentleman I bought it from had it in Missouri for 2 years before selling to me, putting very few hours on due to medical issues.

The plane is beautifully built and I would love to know more about the builder. So far, no luck. For all I know he may be here on VAF under a username that I don't recognize. I'll keep looking; I'd love to thank him for a beautiful plane.

Full circle

As best as I can tell, I was the fourth owner of my lovely little RV-4. After owning the plane for about 2 years, I was contacted, out of the blue, by the builder. I was very glad he called, as I finally learned all about the history of the plane. Turns out, the builder put 5,000+ hours of labor into the plane (a very early kit) doing all sorts of things (single piece countersunk wing skins, electric flaps before Vans had a kit for them, along with roll-your-own fairings and wheel pants, among others) that weren't required, but the plane was better for it - a very well-built RV-4. Fast forward a few months after the initial phone call, and he informed me that he'd be in town for Sun'n'Fun and would love to see the plane while he was here. Though I wasn't able to meet up with him, he did pop over to my home airport to look at the plane he had built 20 years prior. Another month or two went by and again I received a call from my new friend - this time, he told me that he would love to have the plane back, and made an offer to do so. He is now semi-retired and wanted to get the plane for he and his adult sons to fly, and ultimately leave it to them. I told him that I was having a blast flying the plane and wasn't really interested in selling it, but that he'd be the first one to know when the time came. His offer sat in the back of my mind, and a few months later I relented and told him to come pick her up. It was very bittersweet to watch what had become MY little RV-4 (my first airplane) fly off with it's new/original owner, but there is nobody I'd have rather it gone to. It just felt right. I've kept in touch with him over the past three months since he picked it up, and he told me that he's flown it every day that the wx has been nice....and that makes me nearly as happy as the time I spent flying HIS plane.

Great thread Glen!

Ryan,
That full circle story is too cool!

I agree we are all just caretakers of these wonderful machines...

I am the third owner of the RV6 I purchased. The original builder was beyond helpful in my decision to purchase the aircraft. He had planned on keeping the aircraft forever but circumstances changed and he sold it to a pilot in Virginia who flew it for 2 years until he sadly passed away. I purchased it from his widow and have kept in contact with the original builder. It may yet also end up back with him when he retires again and I find a perfect RV8 or Rocket. He has spent many hours on the phone helping me understand the aircraft when he had no obligation at all to do so. He will certainly get the first chance to purchase the aircraft if the time comes to sell it and I will reduce the purchase price for him by the value of the time he has given me and I expect will continue to give.

George