Almost a decade ago, I was pretty active here on the forum. I built out a workshop in my garage, started acquiring tools, and then life got in the way. Here I am, a decade later, and I've found my way back into aviation. It didn't take long for my RV admiration to kick in. One child is about to become three, but I manage to have some free time, and some free cash.
I've done plenty of reading on what it takes to build, and I've seen many mentions of "anyone can do it." While I appreciate that, and I suspect it's true on the airframe part of the build, I also find myself reading the engine/panel parts of other builders' logs, and not understanding much.
To that end, before I get started and find myself in a situation where I can't finish a project 2, 3, or 5 years from now, I'm hoping for some honest opinions on what it takes to be successful, beyond the airframe skills. I see lots of engineers, auto mechanics, and miscellaneous technical people building. What's it like for a computer/tech/marketing guy who can change a tire, build a picnic table, and put together some stuff from Ikea, but has virtually no skills in the engine/electrical arena?
I've done plenty of reading on what it takes to build, and I've seen many mentions of "anyone can do it." While I appreciate that, and I suspect it's true on the airframe part of the build, I also find myself reading the engine/panel parts of other builders' logs, and not understanding much.
To that end, before I get started and find myself in a situation where I can't finish a project 2, 3, or 5 years from now, I'm hoping for some honest opinions on what it takes to be successful, beyond the airframe skills. I see lots of engineers, auto mechanics, and miscellaneous technical people building. What's it like for a computer/tech/marketing guy who can change a tire, build a picnic table, and put together some stuff from Ikea, but has virtually no skills in the engine/electrical arena?