Time Left?

A forum for the proverbial airport bum who just wants to talk about anything and everything related to flying. Introduce yourself here !!

Post Reply
Spike
Chief Rivet Banger
Posts: 4013
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 8:40 pm
Location: Baltimore, MD
Contact:

Time Left?

Post by Spike »

So I am basically at the point where you join the wings. For those of you that are flying, how long was it from that point to first flight?

Spike
http://www.rivetbangers.com - Now integrating web and mail!
Current Build: 2 years into a beautiful little girl

User avatar
hydroguy2
Class B
Posts: 1307
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2007 11:13 pm
Location: Townsend, Montana

Post by hydroguy2 »

about a 1.5yrs....I think. but should have been less
Brian
Townsend, MT

User avatar
bullojm1
Chief Rivet Banger
Posts: 1357
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2006 6:37 pm
Location: KDMW
Contact:

Post by bullojm1 »

2.5 years for me.
Mike Bullock
http://www.rvplane.com
RV-7 | Superior IO-360 | Whirlwind 200RV
Garmin GTN650 | GRT Dual Sport SX EFIS
Status: FLYING!

User avatar
svanarts
Air Marshall
Posts: 1512
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2004 5:19 pm
Location: Modesto, CA
Contact:

Post by svanarts »

7 months for the Coyote.
1.5 years for the RV-4.
Scott VanArtsdalen
Token Heretic
Nirvana Rodeo / Dudek Universal
S-6ES N612SV - GONE but not forgotten
RV-4 N311SV - SOLD

User avatar
painless
Class C
Posts: 701
Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2005 12:42 pm
Location: Peshtigo, Wisconsin

Post by painless »

Just short of a year. Its one of those "90% done, 90% to go" thangs......
Jeff Orear
RV6A N782P
Hatz Classic, Welding fuselage
Hatz build log. https://eaabuilderslog.org/?blproject&p ... GNCwv&sid=
Peshtigo, WI

lancef53
Class D
Posts: 376
Joined: Sun May 20, 2007 8:34 pm
Location: Portland, North Dakota

Post by lancef53 »

About a year. Better work fast, while your little girl moves really slow:-). Once she starts moving on her own, you will be real busy :lol:
RV 8
First Flight--4-3-2010

User avatar
cjensen
Whiskey Victor
Posts: 5275
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2005 10:36 pm
Location: Green Bay, WI

Post by cjensen »

Two years, eleven months for me! :o Wings fit August 2007, first flight July 2010.
Chad Jensen
Missing my RV-7...
Vertical Power support
920.216.3699
http://verticalpower.com

Spike
Chief Rivet Banger
Posts: 4013
Joined: Thu Oct 14, 2004 8:40 pm
Location: Baltimore, MD
Contact:

Post by Spike »

Thanx guys. Interesting how this is all over the map :)
http://www.rivetbangers.com - Now integrating web and mail!
Current Build: 2 years into a beautiful little girl

User avatar
bruceh
Class D
Posts: 393
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:11 pm
Location: Ramona, CA
Contact:

Post by bruceh »

I was just wondering this myself.
I dusted off my wings this weekend in preparation for mounting them to the fuselage. Spent a couple of hours moving stuff around in the garage and also did some initial alignments on the aileron push rods and pitot tubing. My son is home for spring break, so I plan on getting him to help me to rivet the bottom skins on first. As soon as the finish kit shows up, I'll mount the wings (need the wing root gap seals).
From here on out it will be up to my budget to dictate the pace of progress. I'm sure if I had the engine and avionics in hand it would go fairly quick. So much to buy, so little money to spend!
Bruce Hill
RV-9A N5771H flying over 1100 hours!
Build Log at http://www.overthehills.com/RV-9A-Project
Blog at https://flyingoverthehills.wordpress.com/
EAA Tech Counselor, A&P

Bob Barrett
Class C
Posts: 625
Joined: Sat Nov 13, 2004 8:37 pm
Location: Sartell MN

Post by Bob Barrett »

For me it was about 31/2 years. I mounted the engine and then I could put on the nose wheel. My work shop is 13'X24' and is in our back yard. I had to be able to move the fuselage with the nose wheel on it for a 6A. For a tail wheel airplane that shouldn't be a factor. I mounted the engine in 12/11/05 and first flight was 5/9/09. It was certified on 12/18/08 but the test pilot I used was not available until it was 80 Degrees F here in Minnesota. He preferred to remain in Florida until ten. He is really a smart guy :lol: :lol: I was in Florida for two weeks this Winter and was dumb enough to come home 1/11/11! :bang: :bang:

User avatar
BSwayze
Class C
Posts: 581
Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2007 5:15 am
Location: Portland, Oregon
Contact:

Post by BSwayze »

I put my wings on at the end of August & early Sept., about 6-1/2 months ago. My finish kit will be ready for me to pick up about April 1st. As I look at the steep uphill climb ahead of me, financially speaking that is, I'm realizing that a lot of it might have to do with money issues, rather than with the time it takes to wrap it all up with the plane. If I had my engine, instruments, prop, interior package and all sitting here in inventory, I know I'd be finished months ahead of where I'll probably actually finish this thing.
Bruce Swayze
Portland, Oregon
http://www.BrucesRV7A.com
RV-7A Working on Firewall Forward

User avatar
svanarts
Air Marshall
Posts: 1512
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2004 5:19 pm
Location: Modesto, CA
Contact:

Post by svanarts »

I would wait until the last possible moment to mount your wings. Or if you do mount them, take them back off until final assembly. You'll add miles to your walk around the airplane while you're building. Unless, you want to walk more.
Scott VanArtsdalen
Token Heretic
Nirvana Rodeo / Dudek Universal
S-6ES N612SV - GONE but not forgotten
RV-4 N311SV - SOLD

User avatar
painless
Class C
Posts: 701
Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2005 12:42 pm
Location: Peshtigo, Wisconsin

Post by painless »

Agree with Scott. In my case, mounting the wings meant relocating the project out to the airport, a 20min drive away. That meant the quick trips out to the garage to work for an hour were over. Slowed the build process way down when 782P wasn't a few steps away.
Jeff Orear
RV6A N782P
Hatz Classic, Welding fuselage
Hatz build log. https://eaabuilderslog.org/?blproject&p ... GNCwv&sid=
Peshtigo, WI

lancef53
Class D
Posts: 376
Joined: Sun May 20, 2007 8:34 pm
Location: Portland, North Dakota

Post by lancef53 »

I took mine off right away too, It seemed to work better, less to work around.
RV 8
First Flight--4-3-2010

User avatar
704CH
Class G
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2010 5:07 pm

Same Place..

Post by 704CH »

Hey, I am in the same place as you. Next step is to mount the wings, but I am going to skip that step at least for now. My finish kit will be here in April/May and I want to get to the canopy during the summer months. I have been on the project for 2 years now and am planning for about 2 more before completion. Maybe sooner? We'll see.

http://www.704ch.com[/url]
Chad
Sammamish, WA
RV-7 Standard Build - Tip Up - Fuselage

http://www.704ch.com/

User avatar
Wicked Stick
Class B
Posts: 1000
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2005 10:00 pm
Location: KEWB

Re: Same Place..

Post by Wicked Stick »

704CH wrote:Hey, I am in the same place as you. Next step is to mount the wings, but I am going to skip that step at least for now. My finish kit will be here in April/May and I want to get to the canopy during the summer months. I have been on the project for 2 years now and am planning for about 2 more before completion. Maybe sooner? We'll see.

http://www.704ch.com[/url]
For me, Mounting the wings, setting sweep and incidence, drilling "The Hole" and then rigging the ailerons and flaps took me about 1 month at most. If you start now, you could probably have them done and removed and still have plenty of warm weather to do the canopy. :)
Dave "WS" Rogers
RV-8 (125 hrs & counting)
N173DR

lancef53
Class D
Posts: 376
Joined: Sun May 20, 2007 8:34 pm
Location: Portland, North Dakota

Post by lancef53 »

I didn't have my wings on for vary long either, Just a couple of weeks.
RV 8
First Flight--4-3-2010

User avatar
704CH
Class G
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2010 5:07 pm

Post by 704CH »

Good points.. I also think I can fit both wings on the fuse in my garage with no problems which improves the incidence process I am sure... Mainly right now I just am cramming on some other items before my finish kit gets here that will probably take me the entire time.. Plus in Seattle there is only a few key months of warm weather to be cutting on the canopy and I want to make sure I hit them.. I will most likely mount the wings and the Emp right after the Canopy while the fuse is still on the stand and level etc. I haven't been as good as I should reading forward as I should.. Right now where I am in the build there are many different directions that it seems you can go.
Chad
Sammamish, WA
RV-7 Standard Build - Tip Up - Fuselage

http://www.704ch.com/

Post Reply