Van's Air Force
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Things non-builders have asked you about your project
- Thread starter Paul Tuttle
- Start date
scsmith
Well Known Member
Now that there is funny!
Poor kids, probably told their parents, who assumed they were making it up.
Poor kids, probably told their parents, who assumed they were making it up.
YellowPeril
Well Known Member
Q: How long did it take to build it?
A: You mean including the time I spent looking for my @*$& 7/16" socket?
A: You mean including the time I spent looking for my @*$& 7/16" socket?
N546RV
Well Known Member
It's 28.6% better!
I got asked once if it came in any other colors? I didn't know where to start.
Vic
Vic
Frank Smidler
Well Known Member
Heard at an local air show...
Not an RV but still a homebuilt story. I was talking to an Long Eze pilot as we stood by his airplane. As is typically for an Eze the front wheel was retracted, sitting on it's nose and the main gear fairing were close enough to the ground that you could not see the wheels. A local couple out to see the aer-e-o-planes stopped to look. The first question was how do you land without wheels? After explaining that there are wheels the husband turns to his wife and started to explain how this plane can HOVER.
Not an RV but still a homebuilt story. I was talking to an Long Eze pilot as we stood by his airplane. As is typically for an Eze the front wheel was retracted, sitting on it's nose and the main gear fairing were close enough to the ground that you could not see the wheels. A local couple out to see the aer-e-o-planes stopped to look. The first question was how do you land without wheels? After explaining that there are wheels the husband turns to his wife and started to explain how this plane can HOVER.
longranger
Well Known Member
I got asked once if it came in any other colors? I didn't know where to start.
Vic
I kind of got this one from my mother-in-law. To give her an idea of what I'm building, I showed her a picture Vans' N137RV (when it was a taildragger
), and now she asks me how my yellow airplane is coming along. I love her anyway...
This reminds me of the young couple eating at the airport restaurant.
Th young girl asked about the young man's airplane.
He looked out on the ramp and said, "You see that airplane? That's a C-130. Mine is a C-150!"
Moondog
Well Known Member
My wife, Catherine, after posing for a picture next to our friend Jack?s new plane, pointed to my own -7A in progress in a small corner of Jack's hangar.
Catherine: So what are you working on today?
Me: The bellcrank.
Catherine: What is a bellcrank?
Me: It works the elevators.
Catherine (to Jack): David?s airplane is going to have elevators. Yours only has stairs.
Catherine: So what are you working on today?
Me: The bellcrank.
Catherine: What is a bellcrank?
Me: It works the elevators.
Catherine (to Jack): David?s airplane is going to have elevators. Yours only has stairs.
Michael White
Well Known Member
A: "Yes. My brain sends a message to my hand, which moves the stick. Considering where my head's been at the past couple of years, that's about as remote as it gets..."
Michael White
Well Known Member
Q: When are you going to be finished?
A: When I run out of parts in the box...
A: When I run out of parts in the box...
I don't know how much mine is going to cost me yet - it's still adding up.
Every time my wife sees something that she wants, she gets it. If I start to argue with her about it, she just says "You're building an airplane. I win."
She's right, of course...
..................Yea I have lost a ton of arguments thats to that
ppilotmike
Well Known Member
RV-10 perspective..
Q1: "Did you say your plane will be a FOUR-seater!?"
A1: "Yup."
Q2: "You gonna risk taking your family up in it?"
A2: "I'll probably take friends up first, in case something goes terribly wrong."
Q1: "Did you say your plane will be a FOUR-seater!?"
A1: "Yup."
Q2: "You gonna risk taking your family up in it?"
A2: "I'll probably take friends up first, in case something goes terribly wrong."
He missed the point
After transporting my Corby Starlet to the airport and completing the final assembly after a 5 1/2 year build, my hangar neighbour came over to view my pride and joy, he asked me how much did it cost to build, I told him about $25 K, he then asked how much are they to buy, I told him $25K. He paused for a second and looked at me bewildered and said "keen" . He couldnt understand why anyone would waste 5 1/2 years building an aeroplane when you can just buy one for the same price. Some people just dont get it.
After transporting my Corby Starlet to the airport and completing the final assembly after a 5 1/2 year build, my hangar neighbour came over to view my pride and joy, he asked me how much did it cost to build, I told him about $25 K, he then asked how much are they to buy, I told him $25K. He paused for a second and looked at me bewildered and said "keen" . He couldnt understand why anyone would waste 5 1/2 years building an aeroplane when you can just buy one for the same price. Some people just dont get it.
PerfTech
Well Known Member
RV-9A JET!!!!!!
....A few months ago I was in process of installing my new Whirlwind C/S and had removed the old prop. This very young guy walked up to my hanger with his cute little blond girlfriend on his arm. I was in the back of my hanger and with the echo, I could hear everything he was telling her. In an obvious effort to impress he said "Now this here is a very fast jet! You can tell because it has no propeller and has these air inlet thingies in the front. I flew several of these jets, taking photos when I was an security adviser in Afghanistan."...She said to him, "Gee whiz Tommy, you are so smart and so brave. How did I ever get so lucky?" And they say blonds are dumb! Allan...
....A few months ago I was in process of installing my new Whirlwind C/S and had removed the old prop. This very young guy walked up to my hanger with his cute little blond girlfriend on his arm. I was in the back of my hanger and with the echo, I could hear everything he was telling her. In an obvious effort to impress he said "Now this here is a very fast jet! You can tell because it has no propeller and has these air inlet thingies in the front. I flew several of these jets, taking photos when I was an security adviser in Afghanistan."...She said to him, "Gee whiz Tommy, you are so smart and so brave. How did I ever get so lucky?" And they say blonds are dumb! Allan...
David Paule
Well Known Member
Heck, it gets better than that. You can easily spend $60k or more building an RV-3B, and you can often find one to buy for around $40k.
Dave
RV-3B, now on the elevators
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You made my day!!
You cracked me up there!!!
Great story and fabulous punch line!!!
My wife, Catherine, after posing for a picture next to our friend Jack?s new plane, pointed to my own -7A in progress in a small corner of Jack's hangar.
Catherine: So what are you working on today?
Me: The bellcrank.
Catherine: What is a bellcrank?
Me: It works the elevators.
Catherine (to Jack): David?s airplane is going to have elevators. Yours only has stairs.
You cracked me up there!!!
Great story and fabulous punch line!!!
AirbusPilot
Well Known Member
Dumb question!!!
What really hate is when pilot with many many hours, asked me:
This thing is an ultralight right???
No is too fast and fat to be an Ultralight
Do you need a license to fly this plane???
Yes exactly as those very slow and easy to fly cessnas and pipers
What really hate is when pilot with many many hours, asked me:
This thing is an ultralight right???
No is too fast and fat to be an Ultralight
Do you need a license to fly this plane???
Yes exactly as those very slow and easy to fly cessnas and pipers
AirbusPilot
Well Known Member
eh_v8_tor
Active Member
Great thread, love the answers!
Great idea for a thread!
You guys are pretty clever with some of your answers, I'll shamelessly copy some of those for the next round of questions that I get asked.
I always get the standard. " you are building an airplane, so what is it? An ultralight?"
Me ...... " No it's an all aluminum, two seat side by side kit plane that cruises at about 200 mph and gets off the ground in 600 feet at gross weight.
.....long pause.....
So what are you going to use for an engine? A rotax?
Me.... "sigh" .... "No a brand new lycoming airplane engine between 160 and 200 hp. "
How much will it cost?
Me..... "Between x$ and x$ depending on how you equip it and how much work you are willing to do yourself".
That's a lot!!
Me..... "How much is it for a new Corvette?" "It costs the same or more and it can't go 200mph....not without some serious speeding tickets."
Me...... " Have you looked at the price of the new cessna 172's lately?" RV's start to look like a bargain after this exchange.
I fly for an airline, and many of the other pilots that I fly with say that they would never build a plane because it's too much like being at work. Many of them don't want anything to do with airplanes during their time off.
I'm thinking " yeah right, building a plane with all of it's various skills, knowledge, and disciplines required is exactly like sitting in the front of an airliner all day. Geesh"
I guess you either get it or you don't.
Great idea for a thread!
You guys are pretty clever with some of your answers, I'll shamelessly copy some of those for the next round of questions that I get asked.
I always get the standard. " you are building an airplane, so what is it? An ultralight?"
Me ...... " No it's an all aluminum, two seat side by side kit plane that cruises at about 200 mph and gets off the ground in 600 feet at gross weight.
.....long pause.....
So what are you going to use for an engine? A rotax?
Me.... "sigh" .... "No a brand new lycoming airplane engine between 160 and 200 hp. "
How much will it cost?
Me..... "Between x$ and x$ depending on how you equip it and how much work you are willing to do yourself".
That's a lot!!
Me..... "How much is it for a new Corvette?" "It costs the same or more and it can't go 200mph....not without some serious speeding tickets."
Me...... " Have you looked at the price of the new cessna 172's lately?" RV's start to look like a bargain after this exchange.
I fly for an airline, and many of the other pilots that I fly with say that they would never build a plane because it's too much like being at work. Many of them don't want anything to do with airplanes during their time off.
I'm thinking " yeah right, building a plane with all of it's various skills, knowledge, and disciplines required is exactly like sitting in the front of an airliner all day. Geesh"
I guess you either get it or you don't.
GhostRider32
Active Member
This is some pretty funny stuff. Some questions are definitely blurted out way before any thought is put into it.
DaleB
Well Known Member
The most surprising thing anyone has asked me so far was on July 4th. A family was walking past on the way to the neighborhood parade -- man, wife, couple fo young kids. I was out working on the plane...
Him: "What are you building?"
Me: "Airplane."
Him: "What kind?" (I hate this question. Like these people would know if I told them?)
Me: "Two seats, all aluminum, fast."
Him: "Oh, an RV? Which one?"
Could have knocked me over with a -4 rivet. Turns out he's not a pilot, but loves airplanes... I know this guy, he's me 20 years ago. He WANTS to fly, but won't be able to afford to until he's old and cranky.
Him: "What are you building?"
Me: "Airplane."
Him: "What kind?" (I hate this question. Like these people would know if I told them?)
Me: "Two seats, all aluminum, fast."
Him: "Oh, an RV? Which one?"
Could have knocked me over with a -4 rivet. Turns out he's not a pilot, but loves airplanes... I know this guy, he's me 20 years ago. He WANTS to fly, but won't be able to afford to until he's old and cranky.
brianwallis
VAF moderator
when will it fly...
A long time ago working on an -8.....
They....When will it fly?
me- at about 60 or so.....
They.... blank polite stare.....
A long time ago working on an -8.....
They....When will it fly?
me- at about 60 or so.....
They.... blank polite stare.....
wjb
Well Known Member
Yea, you can fly it from the right seat, too.
rmartingt
Well Known Member
Someone from our company was killed in a crash several years ago. A couple of HR ladies were discussing said accident, and one stated "what kind of crazy person builds an airplane in their garage, anyway?"
I looked her dead in the eye and said "Well, I've done it."
The horrified "oh *#&$%" expression was great.
More recently, I get:
Q: When do you think it will be done?
A: Eventually
Q: You mean a real airplane? Like, you fly in it?
A: No, it's an imaginary one
I looked her dead in the eye and said "Well, I've done it."
The horrified "oh *#&$%" expression was great.
More recently, I get:
Q: When do you think it will be done?
A: Eventually
Q: You mean a real airplane? Like, you fly in it?
A: No, it's an imaginary one
DaleB
Well Known Member
To be fair... nearly everyone in this country is completely ignorant of anything even remotely related to aircraft and aviation. The only aircraft they are aware of are airborne buses, fighter jets and Life Flight helicopters. Then there are "those little planes" they see once in a while, which (if you believe what they have seen on TV) are flown by crotchety old hippies, drug smugglers or nut cases.
The concept of an individual building a safe, reliable, flying airplane is so far outside their tiny little sphere of knowledge it would be like telling them you're building a nuclear reactor.
Hey... now there's another project.
The concept of an individual building a safe, reliable, flying airplane is so far outside their tiny little sphere of knowledge it would be like telling them you're building a nuclear reactor.
Hey... now there's another project.
Phone call to Vans aircraft June,1995,, from me.. "I am ready to order a RV6 Emp kit and wings..."
Vans,,, "we can get the Emp out right away, but the wings will take 2 months"
Me thinking,,, I will have the wings finished in 2 months and need a fuselage.
Me,, "I will get back with you."
Me, at EAA Chapter 168 meeting July 1995 "Anyone have a RV6 kit for sale?"
Another member, "I have emp and wing kits, with Philogeston spars." Me, "I'll take it."
The next week, brought the kits home July 15th 1995, and a call to Vans, "I need to order a Fuse kit."
Wings were finished in two months and the fuse was delivered about the same time. The plane flew on October 18th, 1996. New Lycoming O-360 A1A, and Sensenich wood prop.. I kept the neighbors out! No dumb questions.I did use the " I will fly on Tuesday" when someone got throuh ...
That RV6 recevied the EAA Rocky Mountain Regional Fly-IN award for runner up (second place) to , Best in Show 1997. My first RV build took 18 months, part time/ full time
Vans,,, "we can get the Emp out right away, but the wings will take 2 months"
Me thinking,,, I will have the wings finished in 2 months and need a fuselage.
Me,, "I will get back with you."
Me, at EAA Chapter 168 meeting July 1995 "Anyone have a RV6 kit for sale?"
Another member, "I have emp and wing kits, with Philogeston spars." Me, "I'll take it."
The next week, brought the kits home July 15th 1995, and a call to Vans, "I need to order a Fuse kit."
Wings were finished in two months and the fuse was delivered about the same time. The plane flew on October 18th, 1996. New Lycoming O-360 A1A, and Sensenich wood prop.. I kept the neighbors out! No dumb questions.I did use the " I will fly on Tuesday" when someone got throuh ...
That RV6 recevied the EAA Rocky Mountain Regional Fly-IN award for runner up (second place) to , Best in Show 1997. My first RV build took 18 months, part time/ full time
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MarkChristopher
Member
My favorite has always been: "You're not REALLY going to FLY that thing are you?"
Can't seem to come up with a good response to this one.
Can't seem to come up with a good response to this one.
I got engaged just after the fuse went on its gear. the first time my buddy that has an RV-4 saw my wife's engagement ring he looked at it and said "yep, says lycoming right there on the side".
Every argument my wife and I have about something she wants ends the same way - "You're building an airplane. I win."
And she's right...
DaleB
Well Known Member
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ppilotmike
Well Known Member
I'm so glad this thread has been revived...
I forgot how funny these are! One of my recent faves, now that I have been working on my fuel tanks:
Q1: So the fuel is just contained by the aluminum?
A1: Yup.
Q2: How do you keep it from leaking out?
A2: It's Pro-sealed.
Q3: Where did you find such a person?
I forgot how funny these are! One of my recent faves, now that I have been working on my fuel tanks:
Q1: So the fuel is just contained by the aluminum?
A1: Yup.
Q2: How do you keep it from leaking out?
A2: It's Pro-sealed.
Q3: Where did you find such a person?
marcnadine
Member
Oh the memories.... We need to refresh ourselves on these now that we're doing the RV-7A. During the Cozy building we got lots of "is that a boat?" questions.
We'll have to reprogram ourselves for Tuesday for the when will it be done question, we used Thursday for the Cozy.
We'll have to reprogram ourselves for Tuesday for the when will it be done question, we used Thursday for the Cozy.
Paul Tuttle
Well Known Member
My Daughter: Yeah, my Dad builds planes.
Her friend: What scale does he build?
My Daughter: Full scale.
Her friend: Wow! You could almost sit in one that big...
Someone from my neighborhood: You're the famous guy who's built a plane.
Me: Naw, that was Howard Hughes.
Her friend: What scale does he build?
My Daughter: Full scale.
Her friend: Wow! You could almost sit in one that big...
Someone from my neighborhood: You're the famous guy who's built a plane.
Me: Naw, that was Howard Hughes.
BillL
Well Known Member
These are funny !
My neighbor just came over and we double flared a brake line for his '65 Chevelle. We walked right past the fuse and parts everywhere on the way to the vise in the depths of the basement shop.
He picked up a handful of angles and strips in the newly opened baffle box and said, "is this the left over stuff?" I said, no, those are the new parts, that is the way they come. - - eyebrows came up.
My neighbor just came over and we double flared a brake line for his '65 Chevelle. We walked right past the fuse and parts everywhere on the way to the vise in the depths of the basement shop.
He picked up a handful of angles and strips in the newly opened baffle box and said, "is this the left over stuff?" I said, no, those are the new parts, that is the way they come. - - eyebrows came up.
walkman
Well Known Member
there are "those little planes" they see once in a while, which (if you believe what they have seen on TV) are flown by crotchety old hippies, drug smugglers or nut cases.
Based on my experience, that's about right
wjb
Well Known Member
Just read this thread to my bride ... She says: "you're building the airplane, you WIN."
Marring well has it's advantages ... and, did I say, she's from Hawaii?
Ohhh, yea. We all win!
Aloha!
Slight thread creep
When UK fighters were Tornados.
I had just got off the phone to my brother in New Zealand who had just told me about a tornado that had hit North Auckland and removed the roof from his garage business and flattened the little wooden settlers church across the road.
I relayed this story to my wife.
Wife's reply: Did the pilots eject OK.
That will teach me not to talk about aircraft all the time.
Rob
RV8 very very slow build
When UK fighters were Tornados.
I had just got off the phone to my brother in New Zealand who had just told me about a tornado that had hit North Auckland and removed the roof from his garage business and flattened the little wooden settlers church across the road.
I relayed this story to my wife.
Wife's reply: Did the pilots eject OK.
That will teach me not to talk about aircraft all the time.
Rob
RV8 very very slow build
