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Moving to the Airport

WingsOnWheels

Well Known Member
This past Friday I started my move to the airport. I am taking parts as I finish the paint (need to get them out of the way to make room). I started with the fuselage since it was residing in the paint booth (no other place for it to go).

Since it came off the assembly fixture, the fuselage has been living on a rolling cart I built. It carries the weight at the firewall and the main-spar. I put a padded support under the tail when working just in case I shift the CG aft...don't want it to fall on the tail.

For the move I kept it on the cart. I used a wood blank bolted in place of the main spar as a tie-down point, along with the engine mount.

I made a very slow drive from east Plano to Aerocountry. I'm sure the other traffic appreciated me going 25-30 in a 45. That is why went during light traffic.

My wife was able to help me load it, but had to stay to get the kids from school. Offloading by myself was exciting to say the least, but the plane and I both survived.

20180914_101945.jpg
 
WOW!! Finally, thought that maybe you had abandoned the project, quit posting on MyKitLog, or finsihed it quietly and were enjoying it so much you didn't tell anyone.

You seemed to be making such great progress and way ahead of me at the time, but I've since finished, completed Phase 1, and two 2,000 mile cross-country trips. SOOOO .... I'm happy to see your post, progress and moving to the airport (even in stages). [I cheated - and retired to get it done.]

It WILL be worth every hr of blood, sweat and tears!!. Looking forward to some update as you near the finish line.
 
Congratulations Colin!

Love your trailer surely beats mine. Wondering how did you manage to stay 35 on a highway :)

Nice paint scheme too.


 
With Wings?

Has anyone ever put an intact RV angled on a trailer and moved it? It would seem that the 24 ft. wingspan could be reduced to around 20 ft by angling it. Picking the roads and traffic times makes it seem like it could be done. It isn't but a few miles.

I am thinking about getting it painted and have a great place lined up but there isn't a runway there.

Thanks,
John
RV-8
 
WOW!! Finally, thought that maybe you had abandoned the project, quit posting on MyKitLog, or finsihed it quietly and were enjoying it so much you didn't tell anyone.

You seemed to be making such great progress and way ahead of me at the time, but I've since finished, completed Phase 1, and two 2,000 mile cross-country trips. SOOOO .... I'm happy to see your post, progress and moving to the airport (even in stages). [I cheated - and retired to get it done.]

It WILL be worth every hr of blood, sweat and tears!!. Looking forward to some update as you near the finish line.

Glad to hear you are flying and making some great trips. Between two little kids (6 & 3) progress slowed to a near stop for quite a while there. I am moving forward now with renewed energy and getting it knocked out. Im sure it will still be a while to get it all squared away at the airport, since I cant just walk out there and work on the plane. 30 minute drive, not to bad.
 
Love your trailer surely beats mine. Wondering how did you manage to stay 35 on a highway :)

Nice paint scheme too.



Since I dont have the plane on the gear, i had more trailer options. Didnt have to accomodate that wide gear track.
 
Has anyone ever put an intact RV angled on a trailer and moved it? It would seem that the 24 ft. wingspan could be reduced to around 20 ft by angling it. Picking the roads and traffic times makes it seem like it could be done. It isn't but a few miles.

I am thinking about getting it painted and have a great place lined up but there isn't a runway there.

Thanks,
John
RV-8

Keep your speed up and you can fly it like a kite.

In reality, it is pretty easy to just install the wings after paint. There it no big upside to painting them installed
 
I have a thread in the painting section, so I wont repost a bunch of pictures here, but this is what the color looks like on a sunny day.

20180917_155107.jpg


Total cost of the paintjob including all supplies, tool, consumsbles, paint, paintbooth.....less than 2k.
 
Nice job on paint

Congrats on the building and paint.

love that paint, who make it, the paint?

i was going to use a local supplier of a two part paint called Endura, very durable but it could be heavy.

Dave C.
 
Congrats on the building and paint.

love that paint, who make it, the paint?

i was going to use a local supplier of a two part paint called Endura, very durable but it could be heavy.

Dave C.

Dave,

Go check out my thread in the "Painting your RV" section, I describe all the materials there
 
Paint with the wings and tail off. Easier and you will get a better paint job.

Carl

Good advice. Thank you.

It has a minimal blue paint on unpainted aluminum currently. The blue is starting to chip and show wear. I keep seeing these beautiful paint jobs at OSH and on this site and can't keep from wanting to dress the girl up some!

Thanks.
John
RV-8
 
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