Hi folks,
I'm currently ramping up excitement towards building my own RV-14A (ok, I have tons of excitement. I'm trying to work out logistics and finances, now, and learn everything I can about the process). Have been lurking on VAF for a while, figured it was time to register and say hello
Biggest challenge right now is deciding whether or not I can build in my current home, a small townhouse with a small attached 1-car garage (which normally has my car in it...), about 18' x 9.5', with a 3' x 6' alcove at the deep end. Based on all the threads I found with a quick forum search the answer is "Where there's a will, there's a way" and I can probably make it work... somehow... even if it means parking outside for a couple years (poor car, sniff, sniff...) It probably also is too small to attach the tailcone until I move to a hangar. And the whole "wing fitting" thing may be frustrating, there is no space outside my garage to roll the plane out to do this without blocking in my neighbors
So, I'm also looking at "where am I going to find a hangar" and "should I maybe just move to a place with a workshop or bigger garage, and be nearer to an airport anyway" for the eventual project completion (my hope is "less than 2 years", as a single guy with time on his hands, assuming Van's releases the fuselage and finishing kits in time, but obviously it could be much longer). From where I live, it's only a ~20 minute drive to Boeing field, but there's no way I can get a hangar there... and its ~40 minutes to any other airfield where I could *maybe* get a hangar -- probably not a good choice for building.
Anyone who has actually built in a smaller-than-average one-car garage before... would you do it again? If so, any tips? If not, how much effort would you expend to avoid it? (buying new house, or commuting to workshop/hangar, etc?)
Also, any other advice or must-read threads around here for the new guy?
Cheers,
-Logan
I'm currently ramping up excitement towards building my own RV-14A (ok, I have tons of excitement. I'm trying to work out logistics and finances, now, and learn everything I can about the process). Have been lurking on VAF for a while, figured it was time to register and say hello
Biggest challenge right now is deciding whether or not I can build in my current home, a small townhouse with a small attached 1-car garage (which normally has my car in it...), about 18' x 9.5', with a 3' x 6' alcove at the deep end. Based on all the threads I found with a quick forum search the answer is "Where there's a will, there's a way" and I can probably make it work... somehow... even if it means parking outside for a couple years (poor car, sniff, sniff...) It probably also is too small to attach the tailcone until I move to a hangar. And the whole "wing fitting" thing may be frustrating, there is no space outside my garage to roll the plane out to do this without blocking in my neighbors
So, I'm also looking at "where am I going to find a hangar" and "should I maybe just move to a place with a workshop or bigger garage, and be nearer to an airport anyway" for the eventual project completion (my hope is "less than 2 years", as a single guy with time on his hands, assuming Van's releases the fuselage and finishing kits in time, but obviously it could be much longer). From where I live, it's only a ~20 minute drive to Boeing field, but there's no way I can get a hangar there... and its ~40 minutes to any other airfield where I could *maybe* get a hangar -- probably not a good choice for building.
Anyone who has actually built in a smaller-than-average one-car garage before... would you do it again? If so, any tips? If not, how much effort would you expend to avoid it? (buying new house, or commuting to workshop/hangar, etc?)
Also, any other advice or must-read threads around here for the new guy?
Cheers,
-Logan