Build an RV of ???

I am considering building an RV-7A. I currently own an Arrow. I would like
to have an airplane that will cruise at about 200, with a 200 Hp engine in
order to keep the fuel burn numbers within reason. Is the RV the way to go
or am I missing something??
Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated and probably heeded.

William L. Snow, PE
CP, IA, ASEL

"William Snow" wrote in message . ..
I am considering building an RV-7A. I currently own an Arrow. I would like to have an airplane that will cruise at
about 200, with a 200 Hp engine in order to keep the fuel burn numbers within reason. Is the RV the way to go or am
I missing something??
Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated and probably heeded.

William L. Snow, PE
CP, IA, ASEL


Go get a demo flight first, either at Van's (like I did) or from a local owner.
Join a local EAA club, preferably one that has someone in the process of building or has completed an RV.
This is a huge project.
Talk to lots of builders.
Build only if you want to build. Not because you want to fly.
This is a huge project.

I have just started the tail kit for an RV-7. I'm mean just barely scratched to surface. Here are my observations
so far.
The kit is very high quality. I have not been disappointed so far.
This is a huge project.
There is lots of help out there on the internet and at Van's but having a local builder would be much better and I do
not have that option.
This a tremendously huge project. It takes a lot of study.
Expect to pay much more for tools and other stuff that you hadn't planned for.
This is a huge project.
I read that the average builder screws up around $400 in parts that he has to re-order.
This is a huge project.
So far I'm enjoying it, but it will be several years before it flies, and that is if I decide to go on to the next
kit. I'm approaching it as a learning experience.
This is a huge project.
Am I glad I tried it. So far... yep!





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In article ,
"William Snow" wrote:

I am considering building an RV-7A. I currently own an Arrow. I would like
to have an airplane that will cruise at about 200, with a 200 Hp engine in
order to keep the fuel burn numbers within reason. Is the RV the way to go
or am I missing something??
Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated and probably heeded.

William L. Snow, PE
CP, IA, ASEL

Van probably has the best kits for the money in the business -- and --
he keeps improving them! You can build the quick build kit for some
extra dollars. I have looked at some of his QB kits and am impressed!
Most of the hard stuff is done -- no jigs required -- and -- the work is
first rate. Be sure to get in with your EAA Chapter, as it is invaluable.

We have something like 30 RVs of one kind or another here at Spruce
Creek -- most of them RV-8s.

"William Snow" ... wrote in message
. ..
I am considering building an RV-7A. I currently own an Arrow. I would like
to have an airplane that will cruise at about 200, with a 200 Hp engine in
order to keep the fuel burn numbers within reason. Is the RV the way to go
or am I missing something??
Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated and probably heeded.

William L. Snow, PE
CP, IA, ASEL



rec.aviation.homebuilt would be another good place to ask. For RV-specific
questions, the two best groups I know of are Van's Airforce
(http://www.vansairforce.com/) and the Matronics RV mailing list
(http://www.matronics.com/rv-list/index.htm).

Tom Young
RV-4 empennage under construction

"William Snow" wrote in message
. ..
I am considering building an RV-7A. I currently own an Arrow. I would like
to have an airplane that will cruise at about 200, with a 200 Hp engine in
order to keep the fuel burn numbers within reason. Is the RV the way to go
or am I missing something??
Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated and probably heeded.

William L. Snow, PE
CP, IA, ASEL

If your objective is to fly, find a used one for sale somewhere.

If you objective is to enjoy the process of building your own airplane, then
build one.

Your stated objectives are 200 mph, 200 hp - sounds to me like you want to
fly, not build.

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.

RV's are great if you don't need to carry anything other than a toothbrush.




Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe wrote:

"William Snow" wrote in message
. ..

I am considering building an RV-7A. I currently own an Arrow. I would like
to have an airplane that will cruise at about 200, with a 200 Hp engine in
order to keep the fuel burn numbers within reason. Is the RV the way to go
or am I missing something??
Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated and probably heeded.

William L. Snow, PE
CP, IA, ASEL


If your objective is to fly, find a used one for sale somewhere.

If you objective is to enjoy the process of building your own airplane, then
build one.

Your stated objectives are 200 mph, 200 hp - sounds to me like you want to
fly, not build.

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.

(Added rec.aviation.homebuilt to newsgroups header.)
Newps wrote:
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe wrote:

"William Snow" wrote in message
. ..

I am considering building an RV-7A. I currently own an Arrow. I would
like to have an airplane that will cruise at about 200, with a 200 Hp
engine in order to keep the fuel burn numbers within reason. Is the
RV the way to go or am I missing something??
Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated and probably heeded.

William L. Snow, PE
CP, IA, ASEL


If your objective is to fly, find a used one for sale somewhere.

If you objective is to enjoy the process of building your own
airplane, then build one.

Your stated objectives are 200 mph, 200 hp - sounds to me like you
want to fly, not build.

--
Geoff
The Sea Hawk at Wow Way d0t Com
remove spaces and make the obvious substitutions to reply by mail
When immigration is outlawed, only outlaws will immigrate.


RV's are great if you don't need to carry anything other than a
toothbrush.

Even for the RV-10?

Unless the pilot and any passengers are morbidly obese, I'd think there
would be enough useful load to carry moderate amounts of luggage. While
I've been less than thrilled by the rather low useful loads of the other
RV's, they aren't that bad.

It sounds like it is more effort than I want to put in. I want to fly not
build.

How about buying one already built. Sounds risky to me.

This group knows the in's and outs' so advice is welcomed.. Thanks

Bill Snow

"William Snow" wrote in message
. ..
I am considering building an RV-7A. I currently own an Arrow. I would like
to have an airplane that will cruise at about 200, with a 200 Hp engine in
order to keep the fuel burn numbers within reason. Is the RV the way to go
or am I missing something??
Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated and probably heeded.

William L. Snow, PE
CP, IA, ASEL

"Newps" wrote in message
. ..
RV's are great if you don't need to carry anything other than a
toothbrush.

The truth is that any of the 2 seat RV's except the RV-4 can carry between
60 and 100 pounds of baggage plus full fuel and two normal sized adults.
The final numbers depend on how careful the builder was in keeping the
aircraft's weight down and avoiding an aft empty CG.

My airplane, an RV-6, has a useful load of about 650 lbs. That's 38 gallons
of fuel plus another 420 lbs of whatever else you want to load in the
airplane. If you plan to run the main dry, 60 pounds in the baggage
compartment is about the max allowable due to CG issues. In my case, 38
gallons is 4 hours @155-160 knots plus a 45 minute reserve.

KB

They're building an RV-10 at our field. Almost done now (the guy
started in November) and has worked full time (40+ hours/week). This
guy is an AME as well and his career was in aviation and has restored
planes in the past. What I'm saying is that it is a lot of work (they
got the QB kit)... however its a great thing for our airport as when we
have our regular Saturday morning breakfasts we later go out and get a
show/tell session.

The RV10 is a roomy plane... wider than many... 48" i believe. Lots of
baggage space and it is fast.. around 180kts (IO540).

Anyhow, this guy is for hire and will help anyone build their RV (or
any other plane) for a very reasonable amount.

This will be (as far as I understand) the first flying RV 10 in Canada.
(that was built here). As for the price... i think the owner will
have close to 250k CDN into it when complete.

-dr


William Snow wrote:
I am considering building an RV-7A. I currently own an Arrow. I would like
to have an airplane that will cruise at about 200, with a 200 Hp engine in
order to keep the fuel burn numbers within reason. Is the RV the way to go
or am I missing something??
Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated and probably heeded.

William L. Snow, PE
CP, IA, ASEL