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Getting back in the saddle.

KMinor

KMinor

Active Member
Been gone for a couple of years. It was the age old tale of divorce. I'm just a lowly state trooper (Lieutenant/pilot) in Kentucky, and my ex (a physician assistant) decided that she deserved more (money) out of life. She's still looking for her doctor. Meanwhile, I've remarried to an incredible woman with whom I have much more in common. She likes to camp, fish, and hunt, and is in love with the idea of having her own RV-8. Fortunately, I made it out of that mess with my tail and wing kits, and all my tools (not much else). I've been spending some time figuring out where I left off, and trying to get to know the plans again. I'm nearing the point of starting the fuel tanks and am a little intimidated by all that I have forgotten. I used to have a bunch of builder sites, and VAF posts bookmarked on my laptop to refer to, but it crashed some time back (just my luck). But I'm glad to be back on here, and to be match-drilling again, and I apologize in advance for any elementary questions that I might ask!
 
Glad you made it through the ordeal and were able to retain the most important things in life (tools and aircraft parts). I just finished my tanks, and whilst they are definitely time hogs, if you read the posts on Rick's fay sealing method, get a good respirator and spare organic vapor cartridges, have good ventilation/temperatures and plan well, you'll do just fine. I also did mine without MEK as I can't stand even a whif of the muck and the Europeans have been building tanks without if for years (I used automotive wax and grease remover for prepping the surfaces and acetone for cleanup and my tanks came out fine).
Good luck.
Tom.
 
Welcome back. I've had some big delays, and looking at more... but for completely different reasons. I finished my -8 empennage back in November; can't afford the quickbuild kits for another twelve days (yes, it is a countdown)... then I have to deal with the lead times. But lots to do in the meantime... I'll be able to do the fiberglass work on the empennage this summer (thanks to Wally Anderson and the Synergy Air Quickbuild Class)... traveling in June; OSH in July; Thunder Over Michigan in August; Sherwin-Williams training in September, with a visit to Barrett Aircraft Engines on the way home... ordering engine and finishing kits... planning the panel with Aerotronics... plus recurrency training all summer, fall and winter. More tooling up in the shop... heat installed... get my painting system dialed in... etc. I got a lot to do, so hopefully the time will fly by... literally and figuratively.
Sounds like you worked your way into a better situation overall. You kept your tools, and found a sympathetic partner. Those are Very Good Things. Feel free to visit my build sites... and if you start a build website, make sure I know about it... I'd like to share our journeys. Thanks for sharing!
 
Having taken a 10 year hiatus on my project myself, I know the feeling of trying to get your head back into it. The only caution I'd have is start with something simple to get your sea legs back. I didn't build my tanks, so I don't know if that project is the right way to re-start. If there's something simpler and less expensive (in case you have to replace the parts), that's where I'd start until you get that old feeling back! Welcome back and congratulations on re-starting your life on what appears to be a very promising path!
 
Kevin---we've all had delays with our projects. Its ok as long as you maintain the dream. I havent started back on my 7, but will very soon.
Congrats to you and your new bride---Its great having someone with you that appreciates what you do.
Tom
 
Spouse

Kevin
You scored not only a spouse who loves you but also one who shares our passions.
Pound some scrap. You're skills will come right back.
Tanks are almost as controversial as primer. I used the fay method. It's in the "Tips" forum.
 
I have a similar story where the ex ?wasn?t happy?, I?m sure the RV8 was part of the reason for her unhappiness. I managed to hang on to the plane, tools and sanity. When I moved out I was about 3-4 months away from moving it to the hangar so I had to move prematurely. It?s at the hangar now but the hangar is about 45 minutes to an hour from where I live so I have lost the ability to work on it few hours every night and I can only get to the hangar on weekends. I?m sure this will add around 6 months to the project. The silver lining is my new girlfriend encourages me to go work on the plane every weekend and is so excited about it she wants to get her pilot's license. She has started taking flying lessons and that?s in addition to the golf lessons as well as getting SCUBA certified! Life is good:)
 
Glad you are back !

Thanks for sharing your story. Glad you are back working on your RV-8 dream. Don't give it up !

This kind of story helps me realize I am somewhat a lucky guy....In my mid-forties, never married, no kids, have not found "Miss Right" for me yet, there are often days that I am sad about this personal situation. On the other hand, realizing how much most RV builders need to sacrifice to achieve their flying dream, I am quite happy I don't have to deal with all this. Understanding the full implication of what it takes personally to build a RV, I made the commitment to myself not to go out and "chase Miss Right" until I have 3/4 of my RV-8 project completed. I don't want to have to choose between kitchen remodelling or a new 200hp lycoming...New relationships and RV-8 building won't probably go along very well...That said, being unemployed right now help me make progress on my RV-8 at hyper speed. In between job hunting and interviews, I have lots of time to spare....Just turning apparently negative situations into realization of a positive dream :)

Hopefully, someday I will find a nice lady like your new spouse, and realize my dream to have an "aviator family"...
 
Thanks all!

I failed to mention that along with the wife, I gained two more sons (which makes a total of four boys). So after work yesterday I had to make it to three different baseball fields, so no time for the shop or VAF! Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. I've had some semi-complicated brain exercises in getting caught back up, to include the right side z-brackets, so I'm starting to get my flow back. I've read Rick's fay method post a couple hundred times in the past and have been reviewing it lately. I need to complete the AD on the horizontal stab that came out a while back and have considered building a new one to retrain myself before starting the tanks. I was quite pleased with my original, but as for most, it was also the part I trained on and there are a couple of rivets that I wish were prettier. We fly the oldest King Air 200 in existence (serial BB-3) and there are a bunch in it that I wish were prettier too, though (funny how you start noticing that). I'm in no hurry however, and believe in quality over timely!

Thank you all again, and it's good to be back!
 
Sounds like you're "living the dream" again. Starting over should be no problem for a man with your spirit. Happy for you. John
 
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