Previous Vans- RV builders

Iceman wrote:
Hello All,

I am getting ready to order the kit for RV-9. I would enjoy hearing
from the ones that have built or worked on the RV line. I would like
to hear of the good traits and bad ones also.

Please reply here so it can be shared.


My dad and I finished up a -6 about two years ago... to echo what other
said, _very_ good support from Van's... we had an older kit, so a lot
of the stuff wasn't pre-punched (had to rebuild the stabilizer because
of that; we goofed the first one up pretty bad). Also, the new spar
comes as a couple big pieces, already put together. Ours came as a
bunch of metal bars we had to shape and rivet together; that took a long
time.

The hardest parts of assembly were the engine and electrical system,
since we didn't really know anything about actually working on them
(only a little theory on how they worked). We're still making panel
tweaks and slowly redoing the interior, and eventually we're going to
have the whole thing painted (we tried to go with a mixed paint/polished
metal scheme, but polishing is too labor-intensive). These airplanes
fly like a dream, though. I was able to transition over from C-150's
(including getting my tailwheel endorsement and a BFR)in about 30 hours
total over a year and a half, and that after not having flown for six
months or so). It would have been shorter if I could have done it all
at once, but between college and an internship at Gulfstream, I didn't
have much of a chance to fly. If you know some other guys building, and
know an instructor or someone who can teach you formation work, learn
it. Some of my best flights were when we went up and just cruised
around in a 3- or 4-ship and stopped for the proverbial $50 hamburger.
My dad taught me formation basics during these flights... certainly a
lot more interesting than just boring holes in the sky.

You might find that you start flying more like a fighter--steep turns
the norm at altitude, and a much tighter/steeper pattern.

Overall, the airplanes are worth it--I hope to get one in 10 or 20
years, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to afford it. Maybe if Van
decides to release his RV-11...