What's new
Van's Air Force

Don't miss anything! Register now for full access to the definitive RV support community.

I have lost my way

dsm8

Well Known Member
Patron
I have lost my way and would appreciate any and all opinions.
I started my RV-12 project five years ago and have enjoyed most of it, wiring excluded. Due to a change in my financial situation, I may be able to complete my project, but despite my “windfall” I have done some soul searching and financial analysis, along with a review of certified aircraft currently for sale, finishing my RV-12-ULS will give me a more capable and valuable aircraft, with respect to my mission needs. Solo x-cross country and 100 dollar hamburgers with friends (friend).
I want to get back on track and my thoughts were to:
1. Invite tech counselors from my EAA chapter to give my work to date a thorough evaluation
a. No one wants to hear criticisms of the quality of your work, but safety first, last and always.
2. Sell the project as is and pay off the loan
3. Buy a certified aircraft with less capability and dealing with the burden of a 40 plus year old aircraft that may have an unknown history and cannot predict future costs.
I guess what I am asking for is the motivation I need to, continue with my project. If anyone has had a similar experience and what they did to overcome the challenges would be greatly appreciated. If you are not comfortable with posting, by all means send me an email.

Respectfully submitted
 
I guess what I am asking for is the motivation I need to, continue with my project.

Respectfully submitted

Sounds like you are most of the way there just by acknowledging the issue, and asking for help.

GO FOR IT:D:D
 
Stale project

I've been through that several times. I usually take on a smaller project and finish it. Gives me the motivation to go back to the airplane. Tech Counselor is a good idea either way. Nothing kills motivatiin worse then finishing a component and finding out it has to be redone. I got four visits so far fom three different TCs. So far, so good. I'm back in the shop working FWF and excited to finish.
 
Common feeling, Don. I had similar thoughts at times.

My advice is to 1) get a ride every so often in an RV-12 in your area and 2) look at this bookmark every so often https://flightaware.com/live/aircrafttype/RV12 (it shows some of the RV-12s currently in the air). Then say to yourself, "That's gonna be me someday."

And it is.

(if it was easy everyone would do it) If you're ever near Dallas, TX look me up. We're going for a flight.

v/r,dr​
 
Last edited:
If you have access to an RV12 through a friend or rental, it might help to go flying. Sometimes the building timeline is so long we lose sight of how much fun (and motivating) the RV12 is to fly.
 
Re-reading your original post, I see you've already figured out that the correct answer is to finish the RV-12. :) You're going to enjoy owning and flying it much more than an older, well-used factory built airplane.

Of course there are often slightly used RV-12s for sale at prices that seem to be pretty attractive.
 
Another thing to think about is that potential 40 year old aircraft you mention will probably be significantly higher hourly costs to operate. The Rotax is easy on fuel, and a new airplane will need minimal money to keep airworthy.

I find when I have little motivation to work on the project, just go out and sweep the floor, organize your tools, etc. Once you are there hold up some parts to see how they fit. You will feel motivation in no time.
 
I find when I have little motivation to work on the project, just go out and sweep the floor, organize your tools, etc. Once you are there hold up some parts to see how they fit. You will feel motivation in no time.

Some of the best advice I got from this website was to do something everyday. Even if it was just to put one tool away. Doing that kept the building embers warm. Soon enough, you’ll be back to full blaze.
 
Absolutely correct.

Go into the shop. Play some good music.....

Clear the shelves, sweep up, put everything in it's place, back to building and get focussed on the prize.... We built two !!! They are fabulous aeroplanes.
 
The RV-12 is a very sweet-flying airplane with startlingly good visibility. You'll love it. Hurry up and get it done!

Dave
RV-3B, working on the canopy now
 
Here's what helped me across the finish line more than anything, get a helper!

I was fortunate to find a multiple time builder in my area that loves building. We traded out help his help in building in exchange for rights to fly once completed. It was a win /win. Working with someone kept me on a more systematic schedule, gave me some good company, helped me make a new friend, and gave me invaluable knowledge I didn't have. Plus, my plane will be flown more often now that 2 pilots share its use. To me, that's a good thing.

I realize finding an experienced builder may not be possible for everyone, but it was a game changer for me. Even if you simply find a young person in your neighborhood with no experience, having another person involved, just made my build progress much more enjoyable.

Once it finally crossed the finish line, I can tell you, few things in life are as satisfying as that first flight!!!
 
Building aircraft is a passion for a lot of builders. One thing a lot of builders miss, is the interest others have in helping out. Reach out in your area to fellow builders (perhaps someone that has completed their own at this time)for assistance.
A few years ago visiting a friends project I discovered he needed help with the electrical and asked if he would like my help. He was glad that I offered as he has no clue where to start. We moved his project to my hangar and completed the wiring along with the fuel system. We also went over the entire aircraft tweaking things. I enjoyed helping out, most likely you can find someone to get you boosted back up and get it done. Don't give up because you will love your RV when it's flying.
 
Don:

I was nine years building my -7A. I had a mentor who helped me immensely and I was able to do a bit of flying to keep my hand in during that time.

Keep slogging... It will all come together.
 
Don- What you are feeling is fairly typical when tackling a project of this magnitude.

Lots of good suggestions here so press on, make incremental progress each day and get an occasional flight in to keep the fires burning.

Your efforts will be well worth it!

Gerry Peterson
Merritt Island, FL
 
Can't speak to the financial angle, except to let you know that buying a certified 40 year old aircraft may look cheap... but it isn't necessarily. I've been flying a '69 PA-28 140 for about ten years. Purposely didn't keep $$ records (so I could honestly tell my supportive wife that I didn't exactly know what it was costing) but I do know it was a lot. Just had a $5K annual this year. And previous years weren't all that much better what with upgrades, repairs, and paying an A&P for the paper/work. Ouch.

5 years ago I started a -9A QB project, not knowing what the heck I was doing. Lots of head scratching and struggles along the way. But just did first flight the week before Christmas. What a gift to myself! Holy smokes - you have no idea. What brought it over the finish line was finding some help for the FWF part. Recognizing that I needed help, and going to find it made all the difference.

Will be selling off the Cherokee to finance the paint job on the -9A.

Hang in there - you can do this.
 
I don't mean to be a Debbie-Downer, but one thing that really gripes me is people saying "if you need any help, call me". You call them, and they're always too busy, or "I'll see what I can do". Then you don't hear from them again.
 
Hang in there..

You're not alone! I've had many moments of weakness and insecurity as to whether or not I could/should finish my project.

I think that's just part of the experience, as everyone I've talked to has said they also felt it many times along the path to the finish line. I'm in build year number 9 right now and still building. However, I've also got two small kids, no family nearby, my wife and I both work full time and now we're all dealing with a pandemic too. Prioritization, Patience and Determination are all essential at a time like this, as is pure, unadulterated GRATITUDE that we GET to do this, when so many others have it so much worse.

Do it for them. Finish your plane, so you can share the fruits of your labor with others who would otherwise not get to experience the magic of flight. When you're done, you'll not only have a wonderful plane that you can enjoy, but also a wonderful GIFT you can share with others. I don't think you'll experience regret, as long as you don't completely drop your other priorities during your build. If that means it takes a little longer, or your have to tighten the belt a bit to make it work, then so be it. Good luck and hang in there!
 
It only took me 8 years to finish my RV-12, not so much a lack of motivation as a lack of time with respect to where airplane building ranked in priority. Vic Syracuse had some great advice after he did my AW inspection, get out of the builder mentality and fly the plane. He was absolutely correct because I spent another year making 'improvements' until there was nothing else to do but fly the plane. Now I consider making improvements to be a PIA because the plane is down and I can not fly it.

If you want some motivation, watch a couple of Mike Patey's build videos for Scrappy on YouTube. If they do not inspire you to go out and start building, you may already have the answer on motivation for finishing YOUR airplane.

Once you fly it, you will know it was the less traveled path worth taking.

John Salak
RV-12 N896HS
 
As others have said you have already answered the question of WHAT to do in your post. All that remains is to DO IT and go flying.
 
Another thing to think about is that potential 40 year old aircraft you mention will probably be significantly higher hourly costs to operate. The Rotax is easy on fuel, and a new airplane will need minimal money to keep airworthy.

I find when I have little motivation to work on the project, just go out and sweep the floor, organize your tools, etc. Once you are there hold up some parts to see how they fit. You will feel motivation in no time.

That 40 year old plane will need a lot to keep it in the air, and you are going to have to pay someone else to maintain it. Your RV-12 will be a new plane, with fewer squawks, and you can maintain it for free labor and cheaper parts.

I've done a few Ironman distance races. I know your feeling. You swam for an hour, you biked 112 miles, you have run half a marathon, and you have absolutely no motivation left in your tired body for another 13 miles.

Just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Run another wire. Tighten another bolt. Bang another rivet. Just one at a time.

I've been told over and over that building a plane takes 100,000 small tasks, and when you do number 100,000, you own an airplane. It sounds like you are about 90,000 tasks done. So, get up and do another task. And another one. And another one.
 
People ask me how long I've been working on mine and I say a long time. Its become a part of my life now and I really like working on it. Having a enough time to commit to it is a problem sometimes. What motivates me is just seeing little sections get accomplished. I skip around a lot and this is probably a bad thing to do if you are lacking motivation since you wont see that incremental progress as easily as finishing sections. I realize that at times and try to go back to going strictly through the sequence in the manual.

People also as me when I plan to have it finished. I do a lot of project planning in my work so I try not to have a timeline. I don't want it to become work even though sometimes it seems like a second job. I try to keep near term goals as points of accomplishment. If I kept thinking about everything I need to do to get it flying I probably would become demotivated.

Yesterday I finished all of my interior fluid lines. For me that was a big milestone. It was a good day to get them all routed and looking the way I wanted. Keep the smaller items as your goals and the rest will follow.
 
Make sure you tick every single step in the build plans. Every tick is a step closer.

Ten years later, I still refer to the plans and it is reassuring that whenever I am reviewing something I can find a tick to prove that I completed that step!
 
Back
Top