SliderJack
Well-known member
Nice work! Would like to see pics of your plane build too!
Airplane factory / shop build
- Thread starter gtae07
- Start date
I built my RV-7 in 3 different states. The Tail was built in a 2 car garage in Florida, Wings in a 1 Car garage in Texas, and then the fuse and finishing kits and final assembly went together in my Hanger in Olympia Wa. Sadly I sold it about 6 months after flying it to go fly Blackhawks instead. GOOD LUCK!! Its an amazing accomplishment and by far the coolest plane.
Pics of the airplane will come soon, I promise 
Right now I'm trying to get the finishing work done--painting the ceiling (ugh) and walls, putting the light fixtures in, and getting the cover for my main light switches to fit with the drywall. Then, just add shelves, sweep the floor, and move in. I should be up and running within a month.
Right now I'm trying to get the finishing work done--painting the ceiling (ugh) and walls, putting the light fixtures in, and getting the cover for my main light switches to fit with the drywall. Then, just add shelves, sweep the floor, and move in. I should be up and running within a month.
QwikKotaTx
Well-known member
I'm slightly confused. Nice garage for vehicles but is it intended to fit or build planes?
It's intended to fit and build airplanes; for the airplane I'm building it will work fine (and better than the 2-car garage most guys use). I'll have to remove the wings to get it out, but just the fact that I can install them temporarily and do all that work at home saves me a whole bunch of time--most guys have to move the project to a hangar and do finishing work there, and the commute eats your time and slows the build dramatically. Given that the best suitable airport is about 40 min away, I wanted to keep as much of the work at home as long as I could, with the goal of only having to reinstall wings and fairings and do engine runs once I move to the airport.
However, I had to work around some limitations (building codes, HOA requirements, etc) and some concerns over resale value--I wanted to make sure it was at least usable for cars, too, because we don't plan to stay in this house forever. And if for some reason I had car work to do, I could make some room and pull them inside.
Next house, I'll have a better shop built when they build the house--I'm not doing all this myself again.
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QwikKotaTx
Well-known member
Ok, cool, makes sense. I did not know the wings were removable. I assume you can trailer it to an airfield? A work friend of my wife's lives on a private airport with the hanger out back of the house and the runway in front of the hanger but they are older 60's homes and in need of repair. So is his plane, an older Chinese 2 seater. The runway is also extremely narrow.
The garage is much bigger than my detached residential one I'm sure.
The garage is much bigger than my detached residential one I'm sure.
Well, I wouldn't exactly say "removable" because that implies more of a routine operation. One can remove the wings on this airplane by removing a bunch of bolts and disconnecting the controls, fuel, and wiring; but for practical purposes once the wings go on the last time, that's it. We removed them once on my dad's airplane after it was flying because he wanted to get it repainted, but the process took a couple of days each way.
Now, for building purposes they can be temporarily installed with pins to allow running and rigging connections and making the wing root fairings. That's what I'll be doing. I'll bolt the wings on "for good" once it's at the airport.
QwikKotaTx
Well-known member
That makes a lot more sense now. Easily removable wings are a bad idea!
Actually, they're a great idea--if done right. Modern gliders are a great example; almost all of them have wings that can be installed or removed in a couple of minutes. The trick comes in making it hard to mess up. Ideally, all your mechanical and electrical connections happen automatically, and you just install a pair of large pins to lock the wings in place. And for powered airplanes, I've seen interlocks that disable the starter if the pins aren't fully seated.
Unfortunately, a lot of folding/removable wing airplanes are either inconvenient to fold (nobody wants to spend 15 min setting up before flying, and 15 min folding afterwards, every time), and/or have the potential for deadly problems like forgetting to connect a control or having the wing look like it's secured when it's not.
And it's DONE! Final inspection was yesterday afternoon, no issues. Pics to follow once I finish moving everything in and organizing--right now stuff is scattered everywhere.
After move-in, the next steps are:
- Fix up the garage for my wife to use--insulate the exterior wall and door, add a couple outlets, replace the sheetrock on that wall, paint, and upgrade the lighting.
- Fix the back yard up--fix the grass, expand the patio, add a fire pit and planters
- Add a "driveway" of grass mesh and a small ramp to get vehicles into the shop
After move-in, the next steps are:
- Fix up the garage for my wife to use--insulate the exterior wall and door, add a couple outlets, replace the sheetrock on that wall, paint, and upgrade the lighting.
- Fix the back yard up--fix the grass, expand the patio, add a fire pit and planters
- Add a "driveway" of grass mesh and a small ramp to get vehicles into the shop
LutzTD
Well-known member
no worries, part of the fun is the befores and afters. If you wait for it to be perfect youll never get there.
classicJackets
Well-known member
Congratulations! Looks awesome from the outside and can't wait to see the plane!
Can I assume that your user name means you're an AE from Ga. Tech?
Can I assume that your user name means you're an AE from Ga. Tech?
I built my RV-7 in 3 different states. The Tail was built in a 2 car garage in Florida, Wings in a 1 Car garage in Texas, and then the fuse and finishing kits and final assembly went together in my Hanger in Olympia Wa. Sadly I sold it about 6 months after flying it to go fly Blackhawks instead. GOOD LUCK!! Its an amazing accomplishment and by far the coolest plane.
Oh, so I finally saw the picture (it doesn't load at work)... that airplane looks awful familiar. Did you take it to Oshkosh in 2013, or did someone else have it by then?
I ask because I walked around a lot Monday and Tuesday looking at other peoples' airplanes and stealing ideas. I got a lot of pictures of an airplane that looked a lot like yours. I'll check the tail number when I get home.
Checked the pictures, and it was your airplane. We were parked a few rows away, on the first row across from homebuilt camping. It was my first time there; I even got to talk to Van himself for a minute.
I was hoping to go back this year but Dad couldn't make it and I was too busy with the shop build. Definitely going next year.
Finally finished moving in and did the first work on the airplane in the new shop this weekend
Got a tiny bit of organizing left to do but that'll come as I adjust to the new space.
The old garage has been plumbed, insulated, drywalled, and painted, too; wife is slowly moving her stuff in there.
Got a tiny bit of organizing left to do but that'll come as I adjust to the new space.
The old garage has been plumbed, insulated, drywalled, and painted, too; wife is slowly moving her stuff in there.
Now (finally) a build thread for the airplane: http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=134067
1/2 Cup
Member Emeritus
Subscribed.
Looking fantastic.
Regards
Looking fantastic.
Regards
BellyUpFish
Well-known member
Re: Airplane factory / shop build (Completed!)
Looking good! Can't wait to see your progress.
This is our 6.
Looking good! Can't wait to see your progress.
This is our 6.
Wings are done
Pretty much finished up the wings a couple weeks ago, just in time for the fuselage kit to show up. I still have to actually mount the flaps, but I'm missing a part that I'll be picking up this coming weekend when we go back to PTC to visit family.
And here's the planned paint job (the wife and I are both Tech alums, so white and gold was the obvious choice). Ignore the registration; it's a placeholder:
Pretty much finished up the wings a couple weeks ago, just in time for the fuselage kit to show up. I still have to actually mount the flaps, but I'm missing a part that I'll be picking up this coming weekend when we go back to PTC to visit family.
And here's the planned paint job (the wife and I are both Tech alums, so white and gold was the obvious choice). Ignore the registration; it's a placeholder:
bimmer1980
Well-known member
Any updates on the -7 build?
sprintquicker
New member
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2016
- Messages
- 2
Ah, the RV-7...
What power plant are you planning on using?
I fly a Jabiru J-230 and their engine by the same name has never let me down.
My advice: Stay away from Rotax!!!
What power plant are you planning on using?
I fly a Jabiru J-230 and their engine by the same name has never let me down.
My advice: Stay away from Rotax!!!
Working on the center fuselage right now (pic is a couple weeks old):
Progress is slower with a baby at home but still making headway. Currently in the deburr/dimple phase with the floor ribs and skin. Hope to prime them when we get back from Philadelphia (going to a wedding) and start riveting soon.
Progress is slower with a baby at home but still making headway. Currently in the deburr/dimple phase with the floor ribs and skin. Hope to prime them when we get back from Philadelphia (going to a wedding) and start riveting soon.
The Rotax is a decent engine but it's too small for the -7. The airplane's designed around the Lycoming O-360 so I'm going to use one of those (or a clone) with the SDS EFI system: http://sdsefi.com/aircraft.html
Mpower5266
Well-known member
You need to update this thread... It was nice to meet you the other day.
So I’m a real slacker... and I’m too lazy to double post. But the airplane build log continues here: http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=134067