Van's Air Force
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What was your age when you started your RV
- Thread starter llavalle
- Start date
JordanGrant
Well Known Member
I was 20 when I had the idea (in college). Started right after graduating - I was 22. Finished it just prior to my 30th birthday. Get started!
llavalle
Well Known Member
I've had the preview plan since 2004. I ordered an Avery RV Toolkit on monday. I also received the practice project toolbox
I'm waiting for the canadian dollar to stabilize before ordering the tail kit
It went from $0.96 US to $0.84 in the past 3 weeks
. The market is too volatile at the moment. I'll wait around 3-4 weeks and order DeltaAlphaZulu
Member
Re: age of starting
Age 43, haven't started yet but trying to slowly put together tools, will then do practice kits etc then order "8" emp kit - hopefully sometime within next 6-9 mths. Still working on PPL (attempt #2 - first one was hijacked by life changes - getting married, building a house, having kids, changes of jobs etc).
Age 43, haven't started yet but trying to slowly put together tools, will then do practice kits etc then order "8" emp kit - hopefully sometime within next 6-9 mths. Still working on PPL (attempt #2 - first one was hijacked by life changes - getting married, building a house, having kids, changes of jobs etc).
It's amazing how big a factor this can be for us Canucks. I was very fortunate and got my finish kit, firewall forward kit and engine when the Canadian dollar was over 96 cents US. A couple of weeks after my cheque cleared for my engine it has plummeted to about 84 cents. That's a couple of thousand dollars difference on the price of an engine!
I know some guys who built their entire plane when the Loonie was about 75 to 80 cents US. Ouch!
One thing I did when the Canadian dollar was well over a dollar US last year was to open a US dollar account and convert some then... I'm glad I did!
n2prise
Well Known Member
Age 52 when I started RV-9A #90622
Glen,
I see I was just in front of you when I ordered the RV-9 empennage kit. I got started in October 2002 and had the first flight on June 9, 2005. The Hobbs meter stands at 262.2 hours now.
I did not have anything to fly other than rented Cessnas from the local flight school. That could be why I worked on my 9A and got it done.
Glen,
I see I was just in front of you when I ordered the RV-9 empennage kit. I got started in October 2002 and had the first flight on June 9, 2005. The Hobbs meter stands at 262.2 hours now.
I did not have anything to fly other than rented Cessnas from the local flight school. That could be why I worked on my 9A and got it done.
Doesn't matter a whole lot
I started building out RV-6A when I was 60. It took 8 years to complete it (actually I'm still working on the perfect configuration). I have just under 5,000 flight hours, I turn 72 in a few weeks and I'm leaving in a few minutes to fly in the Memphis 100 air race tomorrow.
Bob Axsom
P.S. Won the RV Blue Class and finished 7th overall behind an SX-300 and 5 Rockets. B.A.
I started building out RV-6A when I was 60. It took 8 years to complete it (actually I'm still working on the perfect configuration). I have just under 5,000 flight hours, I turn 72 in a few weeks and I'm leaving in a few minutes to fly in the Memphis 100 air race tomorrow.
Bob Axsom
P.S. Won the RV Blue Class and finished 7th overall behind an SX-300 and 5 Rockets. B.A.
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pierre smith
Well Known Member
26.....
...years old and ordered my Cassutt fuselage and wing kit. It flew 1 1/2 years later. Started the -6A when I was 59, now 63.
Regards,
...years old and ordered my Cassutt fuselage and wing kit. It flew 1 1/2 years later. Started the -6A when I was 59, now 63.
Regards,
BikePilot
Well Known Member
I've been planning to build an RV since I was about 19. I flew gliders in school for a while and rode my motorcycle 3k miles in 3 days to attend Oshkosh a few years ago. Still haven't started building but only because as a student I haven't a place to build or any money to buy kit parts. I'm scheduled to graduate in spring of 2010 and hope to start building not too long after that. I'm 26 now.
As for flying experience I've got some glider time, a few hours in a 172, a few in an Aero Commander 100 and an hour and a half in a T-6. No ppl yet, did everything for a bronze class British glider rating except spin training.
As for flying experience I've got some glider time, a few hours in a 172, a few in an Aero Commander 100 and an hour and a half in a T-6. No ppl yet, did everything for a bronze class British glider rating except spin training.
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craigvince
Well Known Member
Mid-Life Crisis
I started mine for my 40th birthday. It was a Lamborghini or an airplane. I figured I'd get less tickets in an airplane.
I started mine for my 40th birthday. It was a Lamborghini or an airplane. I figured I'd get less tickets in an airplane.
llavalle
Well Known Member
A was also going to change the car... I was about to by a Lexus IS or a Volvo S60...(hey, it's not a lambo, but I'm just 25
) my brother convinced me to keep my car (2006 Cobalt Supercharged) and buy a RV-9a instead... He said : "instead of buy a piece of steel that will rust and you will find boring in 2-3 years, buy a piece of aluminum, build yourself a RV!"He was right... I get bored of cars very fast...
So I sold my motorcycle, that was giving me neck pain anyway and will keep my car. Now, if the US->CAD money could get higher a bit I could order the empennage kit!
Second attempt
I, like many others on the list started a project, an RV-6 (when I was 33) then went through a divorce (at 35), got depressed, and sold everything.
At 41, life is great and the checkbook has recovered. When I first started wanting an RV I wanted the -4, however "the ex" wanted side-by-side seating. Now that my life is my own, I chose to and ultimately ordered the -4 empenage and a complete box of Avery tools. Now I'm trying to find the courage to drill some holes as this is much different than the prepunched -6.
I, like many others on the list started a project, an RV-6 (when I was 33) then went through a divorce (at 35), got depressed, and sold everything.
At 41, life is great and the checkbook has recovered. When I first started wanting an RV I wanted the -4, however "the ex" wanted side-by-side seating. Now that my life is my own, I chose to and ultimately ordered the -4 empenage and a complete box of Avery tools. Now I'm trying to find the courage to drill some holes as this is much different than the prepunched -6.
N8RV
Well Known Member
I was 42 when I decided that going to Oshkosh as a gawker instead of a builder was more than I could bear. I ordered the RV-8 tail kit in June so that I could claim that I was a "builder" at Oshkosh that year!
Umm ... 12 years later, I'm still a "builder". I'm pretty tired of going to Oshkosh as a builder and not a "flier". Time to finish this darned thing, I guess.
One thing to keep in mind for you youngsters who are contemplating starting a kit -- if you have no time schedule to complete your project (you really think I PLANNED to take a dozen years??), and might end up taking a bunch of years to do it, think about how your body may change in that time.
For example, when I started, I didn't need glasses. Now I wear bifocals. I was ... umm ... more aerodynamic in profile. Now I'm fat. Climbing up on a wing to get into a cockpit wasn't a problem. Now it takes me some planning. And I won't even go into what it's like crawling back into a tailcone or wedging under the instrument panel ...
If you're near 40-something, consider your choices as you plan your perfect plane. You might not be the same person when you finish!
Umm ... 12 years later, I'm still a "builder". I'm pretty tired of going to Oshkosh as a builder and not a "flier". Time to finish this darned thing, I guess.
One thing to keep in mind for you youngsters who are contemplating starting a kit -- if you have no time schedule to complete your project (you really think I PLANNED to take a dozen years??), and might end up taking a bunch of years to do it, think about how your body may change in that time.
For example, when I started, I didn't need glasses. Now I wear bifocals. I was ... umm ... more aerodynamic in profile. Now I'm fat. Climbing up on a wing to get into a cockpit wasn't a problem. Now it takes me some planning. And I won't even go into what it's like crawling back into a tailcone or wedging under the instrument panel ...
If you're near 40-something, consider your choices as you plan your perfect plane. You might not be the same person when you finish!
I started the first RV-6 at 56, finished it at 62. Started the second one (RV-7) at 65, finished it at 67 and in the mean time built an RV-10 which was mostly finished about two months ago at the ripe old age of 70. Am now finishing an RV-9A for a friend. I like building and flying...as I age, I think I like flying better. The building does give me something to do and keeps me out of trouble though.
Ed Booth
Trenton, SC
RV-7, N67EB
Ed Booth
Trenton, SC
RV-7, N67EB
Never too old to build an RV
I turned 60 in June and ordered the tail kit for RV7 in Aug after returning from Oshkosh. This is my 3rd airplane. First was complete restoration of a Bowers Fly Baby in my twenties. Second is a Starduster Too still under construction. Fuselage and wings complete....almost. May finish Starduster after RV project. Love working on RV. The drawings and construction manual are great and I find it easy to spend 4-5 hours a night when I'm not travelling working on the project. The best part is the incredible support network available from other builders. Hope to be able to order wing kit in Jan 2009.
Peter DiTomaso
Loganville, GA
RV7 or 7A have not decided yet
I turned 60 in June and ordered the tail kit for RV7 in Aug after returning from Oshkosh. This is my 3rd airplane. First was complete restoration of a Bowers Fly Baby in my twenties. Second is a Starduster Too still under construction. Fuselage and wings complete....almost. May finish Starduster after RV project. Love working on RV. The drawings and construction manual are great and I find it easy to spend 4-5 hours a night when I'm not travelling working on the project. The best part is the incredible support network available from other builders. Hope to be able to order wing kit in Jan 2009.
Peter DiTomaso
Loganville, GA
RV7 or 7A have not decided yet
