Before they were RVators

[DeltaRomeo]

I’ll get the ball rolling. Moi in third grade combining an early Beatles haircut with an Elvis pout on picture day. Nobody was impressed. That shirt had a stain on it and I remember where it was here a half century later.

Second image is in the RV-6 most likely coming back from Oshkosh somewhere above 10,000 feet trying to minimize UVA & UVB exposure - seems like something I would do. Safety vest with my back up radio, knife, mirror, PLB, etc. Vest a gift from a friend who retired from the Air Force. He wore it in his F-16. Nice having some back up safety equipment close. I wear it most fights, even Cub.

The hair is gone… it was a good hair.

​

 

[Planecrazy232]

I’ll join…first pic is with my favorite toy while sitting on asbestos tile in the living room. Second is also most likely coming back from Oshkosh somewhere about 10k sucking O2 trying to keep what brain cells are left. Neither has killed me yet, and I still have my hair…

 

[SPX]

First picture is in a C550.
Second picture is ~23 years later, after I upgraded to an RV-4.

 

[Mconner7]

Glider solo in 1971 on my 14th birthday. 52 years and over 22K hours later, still burning Jet-A to pay for the 100LL in my RV-10.

 

[bruceh]

Me running back after checking out the airplane. I don't recall actually getting to go on the flight. This was 1968, so I was 6.
Bonus points for identifying the airplane and airport.

My wife and I taking a flight in the RV-9A.

 

[Dad's RV-10]

...Bonus points for identifying the airplane and airport.

Waco YKS-6. Orange County Airport.

 

[John RV8]

Before and Now

This First picture when I was probably only 3 or 4, The second picture (July 1976) the day I got my shirt-tail cut off by my CFI Who was a Pearl Harbor survivor. Last photo my Wife and I on the way to the Petit Jean RV fly-in in our RV-8 several years ago.

 

[DanH]

Roughly 53 years ago, and last year.
.

 

[RV8JD]

First solo was in a Schweizer 2-22E sailplane when I was 14 yrs old, about 56 yrs ago.

After landing in a friend's Schweizer 1-23H-15 at the Soaring Society of Dayton when I was in college/Grad school, where I instructed and towed (with Stinson L-5s):

And now:

 

[Webb]

Worth a big belly laugh. Not my baby picture but if it was not much has changed over the years.

I’ll delete and repost after I find a certain picture I’m looking for. For now, I hope I made somebody smile.

 

[dreed]

I'll play- First one is my first "plane"- actually my brothers. My grandfather (pilot and my inspiration to fly) built a British plane for my older brother and the red baron for me. They got a wood radial engine and prop later, so this must have been early. Actually, this could be my brother, but the writing on the photo says it's says me- we looked pretty similar as kids (he is 3 years older). so maybe 45 year ago or so.

Second is me and the famous Mr. Mike Seager a little over 2 years ago on my first flight in my plane (he did the first flight).

 

[SeanB]

First pic is me with my little brother, Jason. Second is me playing with our dog, Cleco, at the hangar!

 

[Mikeyb]

1962 or so. That one ride was all it took.

 

[Draker]

Photos are 30 years apart:


First flight in a GA airplane, family friend took me on a tour of NYC in his Centurion and then down the Jersey shore, landing at 26N.


Prepping for Airworthiness inspection

 

[ronrapp]

First photo: yours truly trying out the right seat in a TWA 727 after landing in St. Louis back in 1977. I think the denim suit kind of gives away the era.

Second photo: me and my son on a flight to Big Bear in the RV-6. This was his first time in the RV.

--Ron

 

[Roadjunkie1]

Then and now.......!!

[INDENT

First picture: me as a 22 yo radical hippy with my own AIRPLANE!! My instructor said if I really wanted to learn how to fly, I need my own airplane...... HAHAHAHAHA....... I was living on my own working as a mail carrier. I couldn't afford to just go out and buy an airplane!!I thought that was something I would do eventually but way later. We found two for sale; this was the better of the two. Walked 100 miles trying to figure out if I should do such a thing. I was saving money for college and had to postpone that for a few years but bought this J-3 Cub...for $2,700! Which was big money back then. (A Corvette sold new for around $6,000!)

Oh: and I eventually did attended college....and graduate school!

Second picture: Me several years later in the same J-3 Cub! And my RV-4 SuzieQ is her stablemate!

Third picture: me (on the left) with my older sibling after my first airline ride in a Frontier DC-3 just before they converted to the Convair 580. I was already hooked......

Last picture: The Cub and I, c1972 soon after I had found her..... Check out those bell bottoms!

 

[azrv6]

Age 16. First solo, November 16, 1969, Donegal Airport, N71, Lancaster County, PA, in my dad’s Luscombe 8A.
I recently found this airplane, the registration number had been changed over 20 years ago. I’d like to buy it.

Age 43. First flight of my RV6, N241DC, May 26, 1996, at Danbury,CT.

Age 70. Today, September 26, 2023 after a one hour flight in N241DC. Still flies great after 27 years.

 

[N427EF]

1974 dreaming of becoming a real pilot

1974, Switzerland, dreaming of becoming a pilot and an American citizen.
Less than a decade later, those dreams became a reality.
The destination was the ultimate goal but the journey was the real adventure.

 

[smokyray]

Long ago in a galaxy far away…

Before the internet, before iPhones, before GPS, before the F16, before the airlines, before the RV4, there was banner towing in the mighty Scout.






V/R
Smokey

*Photos taken by my South African good friend and future AG pilot/RV8 owner Johan.

 

[Laird]

That was then....

First Image:
Early days with my Dad taking a pic of me on the Ercoupe. (Story is told that my first flight was when I was 6 weeks old in my mother's lap in the Ercoupe) My dad stopped flying our RV6 at 93. He's now 97.

Second Image:
Our RV-6 at Oskosh in '21 with over 2000 hrs on it.

Third:
Relatively recent pic of me in the race car sitting on the grid (SCCA S2000)

 

[DeltaRomeo]

Mel Asberry

(From Mel)
"First picture is 13 years old. Trophy is 1956 Abilene Diamond Jubilee model airplane contest, 2nd place "Precision Aerobatics" (Control line stunt).

Second picture is 80 years old (This year). Preparing to jump out of a perfectly good airplane."

 

[Reflex]

Hmmmm......that looks suspiciously like a Top Flight Nobler. Arguably the best control liner ever designed.

 

[Mel]

Hmmmm......that looks suspiciously like a Top Flight Nobler. Arguably the best control liner ever designed.

Believe it or not, It was a "Squaw". I believe it was a "Veco" kit. Veco made a line of kits named after Indians; Chief, Squaw, Brave, Scout, etc.

I actually built this airplane on WBAP-TV, Channel 5 show called "Texas in review".

I was flying a "Thunderbird" when I won the trophy. The Thunderbird was a close competitor to the Nobler. Major differences were, the Thunderbird had an elliptical wing and upright engine. Flying characteristics were very similar.

 

[Carl Froehlich]

Back in the day. Not flying an airplane but it was still three dimensional.

Recent flight above the mess. This never gets old.

 

[mfleming]

53 Years Apart

First photo, Palmer, Alaska 1970. Just landed after a training flight.

Second photo, Joseph, Oregon 2023. Just landed after picking up my -7 from the paint shop in Bend.

 

[Bruce]

(From Mel)
"First picture is 13 years old. Trophy is 1956 Abilene Diamond Jubilee model airplane contest, 2nd place "Precision Aerobatics" (Control line stunt).

Second picture is 80 years old (This year). Preparing to jump out of a perfectly good airplane."

Mel,
You couldn’t get Ann to jump out of that perfectly good airplane
With you ??

Boomer

 

[Mel]

Mel,
You couldn’t get Ann to jump out of that perfectly good airplane
With you ??
Boomer

Nope! Some people are just smarter than others.

 

[lr172]

Waco YKS-6. Orange County Airport.

That would be back when Orange county actually had oranges; Or more likely lemons, IIRC.

 

[ArlingtonRV]

Me in Saudi Arabia in 1991 during (actually just after) Desert Storm as an F-15 Crew Chief.

Shortly after picking up my new (to me) RV-8, a few years later.

 

[PaulvS]

PvS then and now

First pic is learning how to steer a nosewheel, a looong time ago.

The later pic is repairing the RV fuel tanks and enjoying it! (?) And then hoping for the day when this dang thing will fly...

 

[fixnflyguy]

@ 12yrs old and.. much later/older

Designed and built my first R/C glider at age 12 for the brand new EK Logictrol R/C system 1972ish..and it actually flew. Made my first "real" solo in 1976 in a Cherokee 140, and built the RV-4, first flight 2010. Like many of us on here, my aviation passion started with the influence of my late father way back with the push toys and models. He earned his PPL ticket in 1972 , though his day job was a dentist, flying was his dream. I'm glad he got me started young, and he did get to fly in the RV-4 before his passing.

 

[Ironflight]

Fifty Years Apart…..

OK, so here I was getting my feet wet in full-sized aviating by cleaning airplanes and helping restore a couple of J-3 Cubs (learned to fly in them, trading sweat equity for flight time….) - and then a recent picture in RV-9 Serial #1 (its now a 9A with a Rotax 915iS) …the smile is because I like it!

I don’t really miss all that unruly hair…..

 

[HFS]

An early ride (DIY), my current ride (also DIY) -

No Joy in rotating the "riding" pic - sorry.

HFS

 

[RV6_flyer]

Before having a complete flying RV-6

Taken mid-90's while building on business trip in Japan.


Wolf Lake AK oil change 2001


Flying with girlfriend pilot


Petit Jean 2022

 

[Tony_T]

Circa 1952: I'm holding my Veco Smoothie, .29 K&B powered. Great control line stunt ship, it was maroon and cream. I was pretty good with it but never won any trophy.
Must have been Sunday as us kids had to dress up for church.

 

[Lars]

An early ride (DIY), my current ride (also DIY) -

No Joy in rotating the "riding" pic - sorry.

HFS

I can vouch that that HR looks a lot better in real life (still) than it does in the photo.