#5 / 2008: Keith Vasey
I
am builder number (now serial number) 81327. I flew for the first time
in the early daylight on Monday September 15th, 2008. N888KV has a
Superior XPIO-360 with the Hartzell blended airfoil prop. I installed a
4-into-1 exhaust from AWI. The panel has the AFS 3500 EFIS/Engine
Monitor and the ADI Pilot II from Trutrak. I’m based at Moline,
Illinois.
It’s not a lightweight. The empty came in at 1,147. But it’s still fast
at 179 KTAS at 8,500 at 2,500 RPM.
It
was 8 years and one month from the first rivet to the first flight, but
it was worth every moment! I’d like to thank Keith Campbell and Kevin
Horn at W&C Aircraft for their help and advice.
My father, Robert Vasey has been a huge inspiration to me and is largely
responsible for my aviation affliction. I accompanied him to the EAA
convention for the first year of "Oshkosh" in 1970, when I was 11 years
old. After that experience, he built a ¾ P-51 from Jurca plans (see
"Sport Aviation" - February, 1990) and has since completed Van's RV-3
serial number 13, which he flies every year in the Airventure Cup. He
was a great source of advice and encouragement during this project.
To
those who dream of building an aircraft, but think they have neither the
ability nor the patience - please, jump right in!! I found that the
project becomes a part of your identity. Somewhere, about mid-stream,
it's not so much about finishing it as it is a pleasurable hobby. Then,
when you truly begin to see the finished product, the excitement builds
and the "first flight" that everyone talks about was one of the greatest
thrills of my life.
I am employed by Mooney Airplane Company as the sales director for the
Great Plains Region. I'm thrilled to be able to combine my passion for
flight with my ability to provide for my family.
Keith
Vasey
Sales Director
Great Plains Region
Mooney Airplane Company
Quad City International Airport (MLI)
309.749.8881
#4 / 2008: Jeff Taylor RV-8A
RV-8A QUICK BUILD KIT NUMBER 82471 BECAME N97JT APRIL 2007 AFTER 15
MONTHS OF FULL TIME CONSTRUCTION. SHE IS EQUIPPED WITH A 180 H.P.
O-360-A1A AND A CONSTANT SPEED PROP. THE PANEL HAS A DYNON D-180 EFIS/EMS
SYSTEM, SL 40 COM, GARMIN GTX 327 TRANSPONDER, GARMIN 396, DAVID CLARK
INTERCOM, AND A SET OF BACK UP STEAM FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS.
AFTER 100 HOURS OF TROUBLE FREE FLYING AND MANY GREAT TRIPS SHE MADE HER
FIRST SUN-N-FUN ARRIVAL AND OVERNIGHT THIS YEAR.
JEFF TAYLOR
JUPITER, FL.
FD15 (cessna402 'at' bellsouth 'dot' net)
#3 / 2008: Bob McNeese RV-8
RV-8 N194PT 'Captain Eddie' first flew in March 2006 after 4 years
of pounding rivets. 94PT for 94th Pursuit Squadron, 'Hat-in-the Ring.'
Flew for a year unpainted while I worked out the bugs. Paint by Gene Kear at Meadowlake Airport (Colorado Springs), graphics by Aerographics.
200 HP IO-360, Hartzell C/S prop, 'vintage' light IFR panel, custom
leather seats, built-in oxygen system, twin 30cal gun ports in cowl,
folding gunsight on glareshield. Performs as advertised......180kts TAS
at 8000ft.
Bob McNeese
#2 / 2008: Ron Grover RV-10
Photos taken 2/1/08 out in front of Grady's GLO Paint Shop (web).
Ron and his wife live at nearby Propwash (16X)
airfield and also have a RV-8 named 'Hot Stuff'. He has posted in the
forums a few times under the name 'rv8grover'.
related:
The
RV-10 Forum
#1 /
2008: Ron Davis
"N320AD took flight
in October of 2007, and has just completed Phase 1. After 3.5 years of
slow building a quick build, it has proven to a wonderful machine.
Equipped with an ECI O-360 (9:1), Hartzel Blended Airfoil C/S Prop,
Classic Aero Design Interior, Dual Dynon Set-up, SL30, 496 GPS, PS8000B
ACP, Tru Trak ADI II, and the Alpha Systems AOA it is quite the
versatile aircraft.
The attached in flight photo was taken my first day after Phase I. Jim
Gray who is very near completion of an RV8 is in the right seat. The
photo of the panel gives you an idea of how to fill a panel
inexpensively, yet maintain all the functionality necessary for light
IFR.
Thanks to all who helped me achieve this goal!!!!!
Ron Davis (rjdinsurance at aol dot com)
N320AD
Evergreen, Colorado
#16 /
2007: Dave Hirschman
"Here are a few photos of
my RV-3, N2626Y. It was built by Joe Duffey in Salt Lake City,
Utah, and I've owned it about one year. (I wrote a story about it for
the EAA's Sport Aviation last summer). It has the "B" spar,
Sensenich fixed-pitch prop and a 150-hp 0-320. It's a joy to fly, and
I've been learning a lot and having a great time chasing around my
TeamRV friends here in the Atlanta area. I think formation flying has a
lot to do with the resurgence of the Three. Flying a single-seat
plane isn't a drawback if you're only a wing span or so from the rest of
your buds . . .
Best,
Dave Hirschman
dave 'at' hirschman.com
#15 / 2007:
Joel McMillian N880JM
"Van's Luftwaffe is here!
It's an actual paint job from an Fw-190. I just thought it was time for
a bad guy to chase around with all the P-51 look-a-likes out there.
Based at KPLR.
Joel McMillian
N880JM."
(4) photos below
courtesy Joel McMillian
#14 / 2007:
Gene Wilkie
"...attached are
three pictures of my RV-3, which lives in Hawaii. I bought the project
from a fellow who had to leave the island. It was bad looking, but we
stripped the paint off and I finished it as you see here. It is basic
basic basic, and I have less than $5,000 in the whole plane. I looked at
the 3-views and decided that whatever the sacrifice, it had to be open
cockpit. It's not windy, but you can hear the wind noise. It's most
comfortable at about 130 kts, which with the 0-235 gives me around 5 gph.
Hope you enjoy the pics. Gene "
Gene Wilkie
1448 Wilder Ave #6
Honolulu, Hi. 96822
Ph (808) 381-0800
gwilkie0527 at msn dot com
Update 09/10/07
...attached are the pictures of the interior. At this point I
want to clarify some things. I look at all the pictures of the planes
guys build, and most of the craftsmanship is beyond belief. Everything
fits perfectly, the radios are sophisticated and superbly mounted, the
paint is flawless, sheet metal work is beyond reproach, etc ad nauseum.
That's great, inspirational, and I wish I had the time and money (and
ability) to build a showpiece. My plane is not like that. It was a
project that was mediocre to begin with, one I picked up for $1,000 and
decided to make flyable. I am very happy with it, but there are lots of
zits that just can't be overlooked, and I am satisfied to live with it
and enjoy it the way it is. Some RVs are like a world class beauty,
perfect figure, form, designer clothes and makeup, and beneath that,
depth, refinement, education and poise. My plane is a trailer park
cutie, decent bod with some good makeup and a cheap but sexy summer
dress. Not much depth, but it will show you an exciting time. Plus, VERY
low maintenance. As I said, total cash outlay is around $4,800.
So when folks look at the pictures, they will see some flaws. The tank
is visible still in chromate green. The radios are stuck to the side,
the transponder is top to bottom so the knobs don't block out the
numbers. Wires are exposed, it's airworthy, but not particularly
"see-worthy". Except from around 50', then it's cute as hell. I'm not
making excuses, if I'd tried to make a show plane out of it, I'd have
had to rebuild almost everything and it STILL wouldn't be done. What you
see is what you get. It kicks butt just the way it is.
So there it is. Enjoy. I'm happy to answer any questions.
PS, the stick grip is my own design, I flew helicopters for years and my
hand just kind of fell into place with two fingers and a thumb at the
base of the grip, so I designed the stick handle to fit. It's quite
comfortable, my friend tells me it's very similar to the stick on Czech
aerobatic aircraft.
