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14 Kit and Instructions Questions

mjlorden

I'm New Here
Okay, have been lurking here for a while after deciding I would like to pursue building a plane. I found a local builder working on a 6A, and have been working with him most of this year to see if my expectations are close to realistic.

I am enjoying very much and am getting anxious to pull the trigger.

I do have a question for the 14 builders out there who have built other models in the past. I have heard (and seen on this forum) that the 14 kit and instructions are much more advanced than other models. Also that Van's build estimates are considerably less than those for the 7,8,9 models.

What I have not seen, is specifics. So for those of you who have built other models and are now building a 14, could you share what makes this so much different?

Thanks in advance,
 
I built an RV-10 and now the 14. Perhaps the 10 is a newer model but the kit isn't that much different so far. The wings are almost the same just smaller and the tail is similar also. The wiring harness is included with the 14 and they were not on the 10.
If the only reason for building the 14 is a more advanced kit, (not familiar with the 6, 7, 8, and 9 kits) than the 10 (so far with the first two kits) I would not cross over to the other side yet.
 
If you are working on a 6, then you know what those plans look like. Go to the following link for the revisions to the RV-14 plans and you can see the PDF for the plans for the 14 to see what the plans for the new planes look like.

http://vansaircraft.com/pdf/revisions/RV-14/Wing.pdf

If the link does not work, then search "revisions" on the van's website.

I take it that you have read the van's site on the 14 where they discuss the differences.

The key ones:

1. less match drilling.
2. apparently an easier canopy to put in. Read up on the issues people have had with other models.
3. pre-wired harnesses for avionics and "standard" avionic packages. Apparently designing and installing panels can take a one time.

I have not built another model and maybe the issues above are not that big of a deal.

cheers
ken
 
Thanks for the responses! The link to the wing instructions was very instructive!

Hoping to join the ranks soon!
 
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