RivetBangers.com

Hate to admit it but is 72 too old to start a 8A? I haven't flown is 10 years and will have to update my medical. Problematic.

I have a friend whose Dad started building a -6 at age 74. He said "I ain't gettin' any younger. Completed when he was 81. He was an active pilot, flying his 172 and restored J-3 alot.


Now the sad news. He only flew it once during the phase 1, and then others completed the 25hrs flyoff while he battled cancer and lost.


One thing you may want to think about is. Get a physical prior to getting a flight physical. If you have something that may get you denied, you can skip the AME visit and just go lightsport. Repeat..DO NOT FAIL your medical.
Check out the RV-12.

I will have to agree with Brian about "do not fail your medical". However, build what you want to build! If you want a 200 MPH little fighter, you won't be happy with the RV-12.

I am located in MD also (Reisterstown area). If you ever would like to visit my RV-7 project (final phases of construction), let me know and I would be happy to talk to you for a couple of hours.

I would be nuts not to take advantage of this offer. You have a PM coming.

At the heart of the question is really an old, old debate. What is the point of building.

I learned before I started that the primary reason to build an RV is because you want to BUILD an RV. And after 2,100 hours of construction, I'd have to agree. The building process has been amazingly fun and informative and I've learned a lot in doing so -- about construction and about me -- that transitions well to other elements of my life.

If it should happen that I never fly the RV-7A I'm building, it's still been well worth the years.

If the only goal is to have a flying RV, there's plenty of them on the market at reasonable prices and that would be the fastest and most reasonable way to go.

So the answer to your question is the same answer to so many questions surrounding RVs: Only you can decide the correct answer.

Wonder if lightaport applies to an expired ATP with 3000 hrs?

I agree building is a fantastic hobby. If you enjoy shoptime or making sometime with your own hands it is a very rewarding pastime. I also say "build what you want to see when you open the hangar door". But if the medical may be a hurdle, be certain you can jump over it before you fall on your face and can't fly at all.

Basically as long as your medical and pilot certificate weren't denied or revoked, you can fly lightsport.

Go here for lots of info on Sportpilot and lightsport.
http://www.sportpilot.org/index.html

It should apply.

I also live in MD, building an RV-9A out of Mount Airy. Feel free to take a gander if ya like.

Spike

hydroguy2 wrote:But if the medical may be a hurdle, be certain you can jump over it before you fall on your face and can't fly at all.

Basically as long as your medical and pilot certificate weren't denied or revoked, you can fly lightsport.

Go here for lots of info on Sportpilot and lightsport.
http://www.sportpilot.org/index.html

Thanks for the response, .