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It's about the Journeys--why we traded RVs

Guy Prevost

Well Known Member
I had a unique experience yesterday. I watched my RV-8a, better known in the family as Jane Plane, take off without me in the front seat. She’s headed east to her new home in a heated hangar next to a private paved runway. This marks the first time in her entire existence she’s flown without me as PIC. 2500 wonderful hours of building, 550 glorious hours of flight time. And now she’s someone else’s airplane. I’m a little sad to see her go, but not as sad as you might think. These machines are about the memories they make and the journeys they enable. We're on a pretty amazing journey right now.

When we built Jane there were two of us in the family. We wanted to build an airplane and take it on adventures all over the country. Jane was that airplane and fit the mission perfectly. We crisscrossed the nation, flew her to Oshkosh several times, toured Monument Valley before breakfast, and flew across the state for countless breakfast burritos; our version of the $100 hamburger. She was an excellent tool to learn formation flying and I logged nearly 100 hours of formation practice in her over the last few years.

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As great as that was, life is a journey and missions change. The first big change was the arrival of our son Ayrton. He attended his first formation clinic in utero, but two months later he was born and took up residence in our bedroom. Life changed. Dramatically. I still flew Jane often, but since Merideth (my wife) works many weekends it often meant finding a sitter. Last year our family grew again to include Amelia. Amelia didn’t get to experience formation flying in-utero, but was present with her mom during her private pilot checkride two months prior to being born.

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At some point after our son’s birth we bought into a co-op that owns a TB-20 and a PA32R. Both airplanes are reasonably fast (unless you’re used to RV speeds) and they haul a good sized load. Over the last year those airplanes became primary in supporting our new mission of family travel and adventure. One thing we learned is that co-ownership is a compromise at best. I was able to complete my instrument rating in the club airplanes but it would be some time before my wife Merideth was insurable in the club’s “high performance” retractable gear airplanes. Merideth also seemed reluctant to check out in our RV-8a. I think in her mind it was too much of MY airplane. The net result is that our beautiful RV-8a sat in our hangar for all but about 20 hours of last year. We still flew quite a bit, but it was all in the club’s aircraft. Basically we flew someone else’s plane while ours just sat. We realized that we needed just one airplane that fit our mission. An RV-10. We also realized that it would be a few years before we would have time to build again.

The search began for a lightweight but well equipped RV-10. Leaving this RV community wasn't an option. Enter N649BG; an RV-10 only 20 lbs heavier than Van’s factory demonstrator. The same age as our RV-8a. and nicely equipped. She’s got a nicely forward CG with her lightweight prop and firewall mounted battery. Solo I need a bit of weight in the baggage compartment, but she’ll suit our family nicely as the kids get bigger in the years to come. The 10 is a plane that suits our mission and means no more shared airplanes for us. Coincidentally the owner of the 10 wanted to downsize to an RV-8a. He no longer needed to carry his grandkids and missed his former RV-8. A trade was struck and Jane is moving east while the RV-10 is taking up residence in our hangar at KAEG.
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Have a wonderful journey Jane Plane.

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Welcome N649BG—may you earn a fitting name in your Journeys with our family.
 
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Trade

A good story! Thanks for sharing. Hope that you have a wonderful experience with the RV 10 for many years to come.
 
Great writeup

Guy, great story------Doug needs to put this on the front page tomorrow.

Enjoy your new 10, great aircraft.
 
Like. It sounds like you have your priorities right, and know how to properly combine family and aviation. A nice story, thanks for sharing, and I'm sure you will enjoy that RV-10.
 
Lots of great memories involving Jane...undoubtedly many new adventures await in your "new" RV. We need to arrange an aerial shot above our beautiful landscape to frame for your wall. Look forward to seeing her off one wing or the other.....
Jon Farley
RV8 "Redtail Angel"
1100 hrs
 
Pretty much the exact same story here. Built a -4, Got married, Loved that little airplane, flew a friends -10 on a long cross country, found out we were going to have a baby, ordered the tail kit for a -10, built it in 22 months, have 3 girls now and haven't looked back.

There is a 200HP -8 setting in my hangar to use anytime I like just for hangaring it. I fly it MAYBE 10-20hr a year and all I would have to do is put gas in it.
 
Age and Vans

Thanks for sharing, Guy. Great story, well told. And, many years down the airway, look forward to the reverse - downsizing (in process here) from The Hawk - RV-8A - to Miss Gail - RV-12 (in process if the durn wing kit ever gets here).
 
Cool Story!

In my family's journey to build an RV-10, I have always thought that I might find it pretty easy to temporarily exchange birds with others. Seems I'm not the only one.
 
Guy, Congrats on the new -10. It would be tough to see my -6 go.

Seems like you already have a name for her..." TK" or "Two Kids":D

Do you KAEG guys do any special RV get-togethers? I'm still stuck in ABQ and the few times I've been out to Double Eagle it's been dead. Moriarty is still RV active though.
 
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Best Breakfast Burrito?

Very nice story, and a happy ending!
What really caught my attention though was your mention of breakfast burrito's. I love breakfast burrito's. Seriously, can you recommend locations with really tasty breakfast burrito's?
 
Enjoy the -10. I am the son-in-law of the previous owner and it was a great airplane. I even remember my first flight in it. My wife and I were just dating and he let me fly, I guess that meant he liked me. I am thrilled about the -8. We will see if he lets me fly this time.
 
I think you know how much your YouTube construction video featuring Jane Plane meant to me. In addition to helping keep my fires stoked all those years before I finally started building, you turned me onto Nickel Creek! I left comments, and you responded, which was pretty cool. Thanks for sharing this information... I hope the -10 serves you as faithfully, and I'll keep an eye on both at future OSH gatherings. BTW, what years did you attend OSH in Jane Plane? I wonder if I saw it without knowing... even though it was on my look-for list.
 
Great story Guy! I'm very glad that you found the right next plane.

I must admit that I'm also pondering an RV-10. We've really enjoyed our RV-8, but there have been many occasions when we've wished for more seats to take friends or family along with us. I may start an RV-10 project this year.
 
Very nice story, and a happy ending!
What really caught my attention though was your mention of breakfast burrito's. I love breakfast burrito's. Seriously, can you recommend locations with really tasty breakfast burrito's?

Primo's in Tehachapi. Local pilots meet there every Sunday morning around 8:30. Only a few blocks from the airport. I had their bacon breakfast burrito EVERY time. I don't know if the guys are jerking my string or not, but I'm told they named that burrito after me after I moved away...
 
Very nice story, and a happy ending!
What really caught my attention though was your mention of breakfast burrito's. I love breakfast burrito's. Seriously, can you recommend locations with really tasty breakfast burrito's?

KAEG- my local digs. Upstairs above Bode Aero. Closed Wednesday- Thursday or if the cook is in a bad mood. The cook, Curtis was head chef at a resort for years.

The burritos at KSAF are good, right in the terminal. They're remodeling until late spring.

WOW diner just off KGNT. 50's style diner. I prefer their raspberry chipotle French toast.

The best breakfast burritos are just west of E98. Park near the pumps. Walk the culvert across the irrigation ditch. Cross the road. Worth it.


I think you know how much your YouTube construction video featuring Jane Plane meant to me. In addition to helping keep my fires stoked all those years before I finally started building, you turned me onto Nickel Creek! I left comments, and you responded, which was pretty cool. Thanks for sharing this information... I hope the -10 serves you as faithfully, and I'll keep an eye on both at future OSH gatherings. BTW, what years did you attend OSH in Jane Plane? I wonder if I saw it without knowing... even though it was on my look-for list.

You should make it to Telluride Bluegrass festival. We'll be there. Great music, fun airport. We were at OSH 2009-2012. Planning on it this year.


Enjoy the -10. I am the son-in-law of the previous owner and it was a great airplane. I even remember my first flight in it. My wife and I were just dating and he let me fly, I guess that meant he liked me. I am thrilled about the -8. We will see if he lets me fly this time.

I'm pretty sure he likes you. :) Good luck with the upcoming move... You'll love flying Jane.
 
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