Just One Thing: What ONE thing got you through?

If I could be so bold, could I get those of you who've finished and are flying to let those of us still working in the trenches, (or in my case, barely holding the line) know what ONE thing got you through?
From the initial infatuation, to the dark hours after dinner, to the budget battle and the paperwork jungle, what was the single most important factor that kept you going and helped you finish?
thanks in advance,
Clay "Cookiemonster" Cook
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claycookiemonster said:

...what was the single most important factor that kept you going and helped you finish?
thanks in advance,
Clay "Cookiemonster" Cook
Paused.

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My wife and my dream. During the 4 years & 4 months I spent building there was a two month period where I didn't do any work on the plane. One night at dinner my wife asked me if if that plane was going to finish itself. I took the hint and went back at it.

The other thing we did was to put a big map of the US up in the shop with a string centered on our house and two hour rings emanating from that. She would come down to the basement, look at some out of the way place, pick up the string and measure the distance, make some comment about visiting that place when we are finished, and head back upstairs.

Enjoyment

I really enjoy building. If I could afford it, I would build another ( RV)

LISTS - I would carry "to do" lists in my wallet and also make big lists to go on the shop wall such as "things to buy" and "things to do". Helps you focus on the little things and not feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the project.

AIRSHOWS - Help to keep you inspired and motivated

AIRPLANE VIDEOS - on youtube, history channel, etc.. also keep you inspired and motivated

VAF - to help solve those perplexing issues such as.... center console with drink holder or without?

TAKE 15 MINUTES and CLEAN UP THE WORKSPACE- It is rejuvenating to the soul.

Take yer pick.

claycookiemonster said:

If I could be so bold, could I get those of you who've finished and are flying to let those of us still working in the trenches, (or in my case, barely holding the line) know what ONE thing got you through?
From the initial infatuation, to the dark hours after dinner, to the budget battle and the paperwork jungle, what was the single most important factor that kept you going and helped you finish?
thanks in advance,
Clay "Cookiemonster" Cook
Paused.

Click to expand...

Clay, sounds like you are overwhelmed at how much work it is to build an airplane. That happens and it is the result of being focused on all that needs to be done rather than viewing the situation one day at a time. Take the project one day at a time, do something even if just setting 10 rivets or drilling 2 holes, but do something everyday. Where the project falls behind and becomes depressing is when it sits idle for weeks at a time. Do one dumb little thing each day, you will feel good about it, and the airplane will come together.

The number one item that motivates me is a determination to fly the darn thing - and the personal satisfaction of having done so. There is no other reason to do it (except maybe build to sell, which is being scrutinized more and more by the FAA). Oh, some guys build to win prizes but those airplanes mostly sit in hangars as dead bugs from flight mess them up. Such airplanes end up for sale sooner than later. Most of us are not in that league. We build to fly and some view it like going to war. If the thing is air worthy, it gets flown. The cosmetic stuff can come later....if ever, sometimes never.

It's the dream...

It's the dream of RV travel that my wife and I share. Everyone's past is a stoty, their future a dream. This is ours.

All of the above and when I got stuck I think about the children's book my kids used to like:

"I think I can, I thought I could," The Little Engine that Could.

I am not going to quit.

Motivation

Motivation..................,

Wanted that airplane. BAD! RV6, N46RV.
I had a Cheorkee Six and it flew 24 hours that first year of building, July 15, 1995 to July 1996.
It was sold to get the finish kit and engine.

It took me 12 months from start, to need the finishing kit. After I ordered the Lycoming 180, and the finishing kit I was laid off.

Finished up by working 10 to 12 hours a day with no income. First flight was October 18,1996

Got a job after the plane was flying. Painted a year + later.

Do some work every day. If you can't, work on weekends, I planed to take vacation during that first year and work a marithon, didn't happen, I got the flu.

If you dont enjoy the build, just by one

Getting

rides with my buddies that had flying RV's and watching them fly over my hangar in formation while I was building

I built it at home where my wife and family were. I built it as my budget allowed and didn't ask great sacrifices of the family budget.

John Allen

Almost everybody that I know who finished their RV had the, ?What did I get myself into. I?ll never finish it? moment. I was there several times during the build. Just remember that there are a finite number of parts in an RV. When you complete a part it?s DONE. Also remember that no matter what you do time will continue to march on. What will you have to show for it in a few years?

N506RV ? Flying 12+ years and over 1000 hrs 

Hang in there ...

Since it took me over 13 years and I just recently finished, I'll echo lots of what others have offered: VAF, building at home as much as possible, encouragement of family, etc.

However, the #1 thing that got me over hurdles -- and there were several -- was having a good friend who has already forgotten more about planes than I'll ever learn lend a hand when I got really stumped.

Face it, once you squish a dozen rivets, the next 14,000 are pretty much the same. Then, one day, you stare at your canopy, cowling, wingtips and other compost stuff and say, "I don't have a clue how to begin ..."

Ditto for the engine and electrical systems if you've never done anything like this before. THAT'S when I got mired in the "I can't do this" mindset.

That's my One Big Thing -- have a knowledgeable friend willing to lend a hand when you're stuck.

Thanks, Danny.

I don't think I ever had a question that I would finish - I just love building and flying airplanes too much - but if I search the back of my mind for what MIGHT have kept me going if I had felt some doubt, I am afraid that it would have been vanity - I couldn't face folks folks who know me if I had not finished it since, as we sometimes say "Failure is Not an Option".....

Paul

The one big thing for me was when the fellow several hangars down came by early on and said "Ya know, we all have bets on whether you will ever finish this thing".

From that point on, I knew failure was not an option.

As a side note, while I was careful in how I spent my time and money during the build, I purposefully did not keep track of either.

erich

9 years to first flight of my RV6

Got there through:

- Shear Scottish Bloody Mindedness
- Pay as you go - with a decent job to back it up (Scottish stereotype)
- Satisfaction in achieving incremental advances (Scottish stereotype)
- Patient wife (she has learned to live with a Scot)
- Confidence that I was doing it right (Scottish sterotype)
- Can live without instant gratification (Scottish stereotype)
- Engineer by trade - (Scottish stereotype e.g. "I don't know if I can hold on to this accent for much longer captain!" or something like that)
- VAF

There seems to be a theme - apart from the wonderful VAF - but I'd bet that Doug has some Scottish blood too

Jim Sharkey

Take Your Inspiration Where You Can Get It

I was having one of those blah weekend afternoons a couple weeks ago. Sitting around the house... wondering why Avery didn't make oops bolt kits for the crooked ugly holes you sometimes drill. The discouraging mistakes that rob you of your ambition.

Anyway, watching some of the Kens Burns series on national parks and this quote from someone in the series struck a chord. (not verbatim) "What else is there in life but to have a dream and to act on making it reality?"

Jerald King
-8 fuselage (still)
Tucson

Just another perspective

David-aviator said:

Oh, some guys build to win prizes but those airplanes mostly sit in hangars as dead bugs from flight mess them up. Such airplanes end up for sale sooner than later.

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My personal observations have been exactly the opposite. The guys I know who have built award winning planes just never want to part with them....they know they can never buy anything else in the future with the same build quality. It's also logical that it would be harder to part with an aircraft you spent seven years lovingly building than one you spent 12 months throwing together.

Many of the award winners I know also do a lot of mileage. I guess the owners are confident in the performance....and they have less down time because they have less ongoing repairs.

In reality I think you'll find that it's the "dogs" that promptly get sold....these builders are often uncomfortable with all the skeletons in the closet. Many of them are presumably so concerned with the quality of their workmanship (and their commitment to the task is so minimal) that they sell them as a project even before the aircraft is finished .....and lose a bundle of money.

Holding on to a dream...

For me, it's holding on to a dream. I've dreamed of building my own airplane since my eary twenties.

At my age - 52 - If I don't do this now, I probably never will.

I started my RV7 in early 2006 and have progressed now to the point that the airframe construction is pretty much done, and next installing the engine, electrical, avionics, composites and interior (all the expensive stuff).

I have wondered all along how I would be able to accomplish building an aircraft by myself, both from an ecconomical and time commitment standpoint. Earlier on, the time commitment was the most worriesome. As most posters have said, the secret to that is to do something every day, regardless of how inconsequential it may seem. ...just do something every day, if possible. It's surprising. Once you start on a single task, you want to finish it. It works, one task at a time.

I never doubted that I would finish the project eventually, until about a year ago - my company became involved in a merger. As I became more involved with work, travel, etc to make the merger happen, and then to make it work, it soon became impossible for me to proceed with the RV7 due to time, financial uncertainty, etc. So I haven't worked much on he project for most of the past year.

Now, I have just found out that I will be laid off

Good news: I will finally have all the time in the world to work on the RV.
Bad news: I need to get it done before I run out of money

My consolation is that the airplane will be worth more done than undone, and, for now, I have the financial resources to finish it. So I plan to press on. Thank God for a wife and family that suports me on this.

For me, the priorities for success in building an RV are:
1) Support of spouse/family - without this, it's not worth it
2) Dedication to get it done - without this you will not finish
3) Financial ability over time - without this it may take too long
4) Restraint to meet 3), above - DUH!?!
5) Technical skills to do it properly/safely
6) Help from the community - VAF, friends, etc. - invaluable

"You can't do that"!

I knew I'd be successful or die trying the minute my younger brother relied, "You can't do that"!

This was in response to my reply of "I'm building an airplane" when he asked what I'd been up to lately.

I had too much money and time involved to fail and I couldn't let my little brother be right now could I?

Somewhere early on I was told that a common thread that separates complete projects from the very extended projects is a goal of doing something, anything, to the plane every day, no matter how small. I tried to stay true to that goal, and I got antsy when I couldn't. Of course, there are going to be days off due to work or family, but I never let them accumulate more than necessary. Visiting the plane every day kept my head in the game, which I think speeds the learning curve at every step.

All the other stuff is important too, like reading about VAF first flights or status updates, guru friends, and not wanting to be 100 when it flies for the first time. Like Paul and Scottie, I never doubted I would finish even if it was an incomprehensible act. Thankfully I didn't have the pressure of the watchful eyes of NASA behind me.

I have always had my head in the skies. Started building model airplanes when I was eight but waited until well into my 50's to start our RV-7A. I am a computer software consultant so my income stream runs in spurts. When the economy is good companies hire consultants, when it is bad they get rid of their consultants. That is just the nature of the beast. I have never been able to spend money on toys when the income was down so the plane only progressed when I was working. The one biggest reason N14SE joined the ranks of flying RV's June 24th of this year is that there were enough working days between August 31, 2001 and June 24, 2009 to pay for our airplane Actually, the biggest reason is that it is OURS not mine. My wife has been involved in all of the decisions from day one and now that it is flying she loves it. She actually knows to the last nickel how much everything cost; and, no she doesn't have any sisters

I'm very pleased by all the responses. I wondered if it was a friend, a vacant garage, an old flying buddy, a loving and enduring spouse or simply the dream of it all.
I, like most of you, built models, watched all the movies and do air-to-air with my hands. I've been able to visit the shrine of Van's factory on several PDX layovers and a friend flew his new RV-8 down to show me - these events motivated me right out of my mind!
My half-fast (standard wings and QB Fuse) -8 project has been motionless for quite a while now, nearly sold, but retained and still waiting for me.
The best motivation I have is checking in here, seeing the challenges you all face, the help available and the final triumphant reports of the first flights. Keep up the good work ladies and gentlemen, the encouragement and motivation trickles down the line from the finishers to the in-progress-ers to the beginners to those wondering if this is all for them.

Thank you all very much!

Clay "Cookiemonster" Cook
N838CM still reserved after all these years.

Pauls answer was pretty spot on for me...Failure is not an option...When I was a kid my Dad always said "Good or bad see it through to the end". I was lucky enough (not sure lucky is the right choice) to not have family distractions but I had my fair share of other personal setbacks. Motivation to finish has to come from within. Walk away for a month, I did that during my build when I found myself staring at the plane instead of working on it. The RV-10 has been flying since June this year and I still look at it in disbelief sometimes. One day it will sink in that I really did build and fly my own airplane. If you could jump ahead to completion and get a taste of how the the compliments feel, then you would have some real good motivation...If we could just bottle it!!

Pierre's quote...

I've always liked Pierre's quote he uses after his signature line:

"It's never skill or craftsmanship that completes airplanes, it's the will to do so",
Patrick Kenny, EAA 275132

Keepin' on Keepin' on

Kudos to all that has been said, especially about the spousal support....

I only have two or three things to add. First; I set the bar low for myself, expecting that I would do 10 hours a week on the plane. Most weeks I do more, but that goal gives me continual benchmarks, even on busy weeks.

Second, I am based on a field that has probably more RV's than Cessnas (Lenhart's, OR) and every time an RV launches (I can tell by the "get-outa-here" sound...) I go out and watch. It is always a thrill.

mine is not quite done, but I am getting ready for the DAR check, so there is no doubt about the finish.

Also one of the many builders in our chapter put it this way, "The only person who can't build a plane is the person who gives up!" I have never been one to give up.....

same ole, built the models, loved airplanes flew Army helicopters then owned a PA-16, but always wanted my own homebuilt--just needed money

I actually started a different project-long story, moved changed jobs, sold the Clipper and finally got my RV-8 kit in 1998 when I was 48. Took 7.5 years, pay as you go. Life is a journey!!

I now have 300 hours on Miss Sue and call a bunch of these folks friends

I just had to, and I knew it was possible because of all of those before me. Family support was a key, and there were a few times I didn't touch if for a week or four, but always a little every day when I could.

I seriously remember after doing the inventory on the fuselage kit, that I thought I was crazy, and this was too complicated, but the old RV-8 List (still going) saved the day and assured me it would work out, and guess what, they said if you just stick with it, someday you will have an airplane, and I do--cool!

When I was maybe 6 or 7 I told my uncle that I wanted to build a plane, and he went home and made me a set of wooden wheels and told me to get started. Took a while, but every rivet set with my C-frame used my uncle's hand made wooden mallet, he had the faith, and I couldn't let him down!

I guess the reasons are pretty specific to individuals, but the payoff in a plane, new friends, feelings of accomplishments is sooo worth it.

What ONE thing got me through?

Gary "Condor" Sobek flying all over the country with him writing and me reading about his travels: I wanted to be him (and now am)!!!! Rosie

PS: A second 'thing' was having the handheld radio turned on (while I was building) and having all my flying RV friends calling me when they flew over the Antelope Valley

What one thing..............It was I'm ready to fly this thing. I was tired of being on the ground and ready to be back in the air.

Also, I had issues with the spam cans I rented. Had a cylinder go out in a C172 while doing instrument approaches and had to make an emergency landing, another C172 had a radio failure, a Bonanza S35's artificial horizen died in flight and 2 weeks later on someone else threw a rod and it had an off field landing in a cotton field and was totaled, C182's nose gear had an issue with the steering and darted to the left after landing in Destin and took me off the runway into the sand, heater in a Piper 140 was stuck on during the summer, same plane wouldn't start another time when I was not at the home field due to the battery, a different C182 had a transponder that was off by 400 feet and got my tail chewed by ATC, a C206's landing lights went poof and had to land by the runway lights and a PA32 had an autopilot that love to drift about 10 degrees left.

I did get a chance to rent multiple types of planes but after a while, I began to wonder when it was going to be my time........ Now have 200 hours on my RV and will take it anywhere because I trust it.

What got me through was not asking how I was going to and just knowing I had to because...when I was done I'd have an airplane to fly that was better than any one I could afford to buy.

Not meaning this as a put down but if ya gotta ask you'll never know kinda thing.

Designing my own fuel system and Proving that yes a lycoming is quite happy and safe on corner gas station fuel.

Frank

I know I would never have been able to overcome the seemingly endless challenges of getting an alternative engine to work for me without having the project downstairs. It was and is always just a set of stairs away.

I realize this is not an option for many people and I am grateful for having the project so close at hand.

Randy C

Randy said:

I know I would never have been able to overcome the seemingly endless challenges of getting an alternative engine to work for me without having the project downstairs. It was and is always just a set of stairs away.

I realize this is not an option for many people and I am grateful for having the project so close at hand.

Randy C

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Randy,
I had followed your Egg install somewhat. Are you rebuilding?

I would not quit!

I told myself in the beginning I was not going to on the "started but never finished" roster.

flytoboat said:

Randy,
I had followed your Egg install somewhat. Are you rebuilding?

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Don,

Yes I did rebuild. Longer stroke billet crank, forged pistons, new cams, compression up to 10.4 to 1, no turbo or supercharger. Performance is not what it was, but then again, neither is reliability

Randy C

Best on another thread I think...

My wife said if I was gonna spend that much money and that much time in the "man cave" if I didn't finish it my sorry butt was gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I haven't jumped in because the second post summed it up for me but you got me thinking and I think it deserves a fuller reply. I never worried about if or when the aircraft would fly (in fact, it took 14 years due to my life circumstances, though I expect the -10 will be in the air in 3-4 years). The trite saying is "It's not the destination, it's the journey." Yes, I wanted to have a flying plane but I also wanted to spend hours working with my hands. Every task in the shop was sufficient in itself to make a bad day good. I could dive into my project for a couple of hours of vacation from everything else and not have to spend money on hotel and travel.

Even now, I have a flying aircraft and usually find an excuse to fly it every week. But I haven't even finished prepping it for paint (still need the gear intersection fairings fitted) and already I'm working on another aircraft. I like working in the shop; every day is different. New tasks, new challenges. My mind is constantly challenged and yet there is no pressure; even when I recently had to do the HS skins over, there was no sense of rush; just a regret for the work already done that had been ruined. I got them done over already and am back on the trail - just an inconsequential two-week setback.

I spend a lot of time working by myself but I also get a fair amount of visitors, which stops the work as I chat about my project, theirs, flying, events, whatever. Not an interruption. A variation. I help a buddy do a blow-down test on his Lancair Prop-jet, another is jigging the landing gear mounts on a Scout. Everybody wanted to see how the pneumatic sqeezer worked when I got it. And my work gets a lot of inspection. "Nice riveting job." And, in almost the same breath, "did you notice...?" Hey, I do it too; every time I get near the Propjet the owner wonders what I'll see now. Last time it was cracks in the wing root fairing in the side opposite the door. Building is, or at least should be, a social process.

And even when I'm not at the shop I'm engaged in the process. I have emails out to my avionics shop planning the equipment list, locations, wire bundling. That also means I have to contact OEMs about their products - will the installation be suitable for an RV with the other equipment I'm planning? Should I order now or wait? Planning never stops.

So, the simple answer is that I enjoy the building for itself. But it's not really a simple answer. It seems to me that you can allow yourself to enjoy it or you can view it as what you have to get through to achieve your goal. To stretch that trite saying a bit, you can enjoy wandering around aimlessly, or you can strive relentlessly for a destination. Or, you can pick a destination and enjoy a nice stroll to get there...

money saved, pure and simple

Given the fact I'm going to own an airplane, I'm sure as **** not going to PAY anyone else to work on it. So that left me with building an experimental. It also helps that RV's much cost less than Cirruses.

Caveman said:

I knew I'd be successful or die trying the minute my younger brother relied, "You can't do that"!

This was in response to my reply of "I'm building an airplane" when he asked what I'd been up to lately.

I had too much money and time involved to fail and I couldn't let my little brother be right now could I?

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Well, I guess I succombed to the naysayers--my wife and college-age sons--who thought I was crazy to think that I would have the time to build an RV. Starting in about June, I started to seriously consider starting an RV project. I bought my preview plans and some building books and DVDs. I knew I would have long road ahead, including having to convert my garage to a workshop and getting essentially all of the tools. I felt I would go to the synergy course, since I have no building skills. Finally my 60-hour per week work schedule that prevents me from spending play time with my 4-year old daughter, all convinced me that perhaps they were all right.
So I thought, fine, I'll just have instant gratification and buy a flying airplane, which brings me to this past week-and-a-half flying my beautiful RV-8a. (Thanks to Zack and Wayne.)
I still have a some twinges of guilt and/or feelings of being a "cheater" by buying an RV instead of building it. But those feelings disappear when I open the hangar doors and strap-in. And maybe I will have time to build my "NEXT" RV!!

Troy

Dont be guilty

Dont be guilty about buying a flying RV. I think about guys like you each time I trim another 1/4 inch strip off of the top of these baffles.