Boy, does it feel good to be wielding aircraft construction tools again! I have got to be the luckiest guy in the world. Not only did I find a wonderful woman who shares my interest in aviation; not only did that woman have her own RV; that woman also wants to build her own RV so that she can have the skills and sense of accomplishment that comes from such a project!
Louise and I picked up a complete RV-3B kit back in the spring time, hauling it home and carefully storing it away in the garage. Knowing that we both had some horrendous schedule mountains to climb, we consciously put off the start of the build until now ? reasoning that the kit wasn?t going anywhere, but our work commitments had deadlines we couldn?t miss. This last weekend, we finally realized that ?the rat was through the snake?, and it was time get organized and put in a little quality time with the tools. And for those of you who are repeat offenders, you can understand how great it is to actually put holes and rivets in aluminum again.
One of the great differences for me this time is that I am not going to be the builder of record ? this is Louise?s kit, and her's the builder number. That means that I am getting to do TWO things that I love ? building AND teaching. That is a benefit to both of us, as I have taught many things in my life, and am firmly convinced that the best way to get better at something is to teach it. I am already finding that I enjoy the process of helping Louise to develop the skills, discipline, and knowledge to takes to turn a kit into an airplane as much as I enjoyed building the Valkyrie pretty much in isolation. I?ve promised her that while I might do some building when she is not around, it will always be stuff that is repetitive, and that she has done at least once before. I don?t want to steal any of the enjoyment of new discovery from her, but I don?t mind doing the second (or third, or fourth, or?.) repetition of the same task.
So ? after a weekend?s work, the wing stand is now on castors, the aileron brackets are fabricated and clecoed in place, and we are ready to move on to laying out holes for the aileron gap seals. I like working on wings?..it keeps me from having to think about that fuselage jig I am going to need!
Paul
Louise and I picked up a complete RV-3B kit back in the spring time, hauling it home and carefully storing it away in the garage. Knowing that we both had some horrendous schedule mountains to climb, we consciously put off the start of the build until now ? reasoning that the kit wasn?t going anywhere, but our work commitments had deadlines we couldn?t miss. This last weekend, we finally realized that ?the rat was through the snake?, and it was time get organized and put in a little quality time with the tools. And for those of you who are repeat offenders, you can understand how great it is to actually put holes and rivets in aluminum again.
One of the great differences for me this time is that I am not going to be the builder of record ? this is Louise?s kit, and her's the builder number. That means that I am getting to do TWO things that I love ? building AND teaching. That is a benefit to both of us, as I have taught many things in my life, and am firmly convinced that the best way to get better at something is to teach it. I am already finding that I enjoy the process of helping Louise to develop the skills, discipline, and knowledge to takes to turn a kit into an airplane as much as I enjoyed building the Valkyrie pretty much in isolation. I?ve promised her that while I might do some building when she is not around, it will always be stuff that is repetitive, and that she has done at least once before. I don?t want to steal any of the enjoyment of new discovery from her, but I don?t mind doing the second (or third, or fourth, or?.) repetition of the same task.
So ? after a weekend?s work, the wing stand is now on castors, the aileron brackets are fabricated and clecoed in place, and we are ready to move on to laying out holes for the aileron gap seals. I like working on wings?..it keeps me from having to think about that fuselage jig I am going to need!
Paul
