One of the RV-8 builders that I work with at HBHQ calls the RVs “Ramp Vermin”.
It’s really hard to beat the performance and ease of all aspects of flying the RV series airplane. I’m working on my third RV-12 at the school and I’m pushing a plans built project for the future along the side to give the students more skills.
Many, maybe most of us, typically fly alone the majority of the time. I like the idea of a single place to scratch my building itch.

Thanks for all of the advice and cold water! To those who building are or have built an RV, I'm looking at buying a local project that has the QB fuselage, standard wings and empennage. For the wings and empennage, what should I be looking for in terms of build quality?

Also, the QB fuselage kit is pretty new so I'm not too worried about SBs. Any issue with older wing kits? I thought I'd heard about an SB on older RVs regarding the wing spars.

I’ve often thought about building a RV8.

I can’t see having 2 airplanes. Too much to look after. Which one would I take for the Sunday breakfast runs?

And a RV will never do what my Debonair can do, as far as weather, winds, grass runways, etc.

As I get older I wonder about my ability to crawl all over the thing to finish it. I know Some have used rotisserie’s.

And I have no idea what my wife would think about riding back there.

I am 69 still working full time. If I stopped working I would have the time.

This virus lockdown would have been a good time to be working on a kit.

We’ll see.

How old is the wing kit?

As for QC issues, a couple that come to mind are spar damage from drilling/riveting and the quality of the tank construction. The overall build quality of the wings will probably be a hint as to the quality of the tanks. Have they been pressure tested? I would check the flaps and ailerons for twist.

Ideally I think you would have the wings inspected by someone that has built a set.

Robert

Nahhh, an RV can fly in some rough weather and winds, and they’re awesome in the grass! Except for maybe a tri-gear RV on a rough strip, that could get ugly depending on technique... but a proper RV (taildragger ) is fine on a grass strip.

There is a 2016 SB for the Cracking of wing aft spar web at the inboard aileron hinge bracket attach rivets and a 2014 SBs for cracks in elevator spars and Horizontal Stabilizer cracks.

I think there are kits reinforce all these areas and you might check to see if they have been installed. When I bought my empennage kit the fixes were included.

If the tank are old, make sure they were not "sloshed."

I understand the appeal of the RV8. My hangar-mate has an 8A that my wife sat in, then promptly gave me permission to build one. Then I showed her the baggage area. Boom - another idea blown up! She knows neither how to pack small nor light!

Fast forward a year or so and a few long, hard conversations about the "mission", what we wanted our airplane to do. I had new marching orders... Find a flying GlaStar that would meet our needs. Great - I was on the hunt again! I missed two of them, both of which were terrific airplanes (I know the current owners of both of them). Shortly after missing the second GlaStar a Glasair Sportsman kit fell into our lap. That was in 2011.

Fast forward again to December, 2017 when our Sportsman made her maiden flight. Wow - I still marvel at the sensation of lifting off for the first time. It was a sensation that's hard to describe. A lot like how I felt with the birth of our first child, yet somehow different. A different kind of satisfaction.

Now, two years later, I'm toying with the idea of picking up another "project" - the right one would have to come along. I actually miss the process of building. Before (and often during) building our Sportsman I would have identified myself as a "flyer" much more than a "builder". Don't get me wrong; I have to have something to fly, and during our Sportsman build I had another aircraft that allowed me to scratch that itch. Still, I feel the itch to build again, to stretch my creative and mechanical skills, to see a pile of flat aluminum sheet rise into the form of an aircraft.

Building is not for everybody. Building almost always takes several times longer than you think it will, and it always costs more than your worst estimate. Don't under-estimate the value that you receive as a person when you work hard to elevate yourself from the status of "workman" to that of "craftsman". There's no price one can put on that level of personal satisfaction.

Just want to add to the earlier reply concerning -1 RV8 wings vs non-1. The only difference is a 1600lb aerobatic gross weight on the -1 vs 1550lb on the non -1. Both wings are +6/-3g rated within the gross weight.

The wings are different, one of the changes being a 1.25 inch spar cap on the non -1 vs 1.5 inch on the -1. There were some other small changes also. As was previously stated the change over happened around 2001.

The change over was made to streamline the RV8 kits with the rest of the product line at the time, it was not due to any structural deficiencies. In the accident referenced, the aircraft was over gross and overloaded positive G for unknown reasons per the NTSB report.

There are plenty of non -1 RV8’s that have been flying safely for years, some doing air show work. My personal experience is that you really don’t have to exceed 4g positive to fly all of the approved maneuvers and have a ton of fun! As with any airplane, stay in limits and it shouldn’t shed parts in flight.

To the OP, the build quality is the biggest thing to look at, it really varies quite a bit. That being said, sometimes it might not look like a Lindy winner, but is structurally sound. Worth having someone familiar check it out with you to avoid any traps.

Great airplanes, never thought I would be a RV fanboy, but I really enjoy my 8!

Check out mykitlog.com

Guy named Martin Filiatrault has a very extensive and in depth build log. You can see how much work actually goes in to building one of these.

I started building mine 1.5 years ago. Best recommendation I can make, don’t take a day off. Even if you only spend 15 minutes doing something, get out there. I took a “week off”, and 1 year later, I haven’t made progress since that “week off”. It’s like going to the gym, it’s hard to start going again once you take a break.

To add to that, when life gets busy your build will be the first thing put on hold. That’s what happened with me.

Well stated Ray. I own a non -1 RV-8 and fear not.

I made an attempt on a -7 in my 20s when I had no kids or wife or anything but myself and my job to worry about. I like to build things and enjoyed the process (although it was so all-consuming it made me a little crazy), but I made it to about halfway through the wings and was completely overwhelmed by how much more work there was to do after having committed just about every waking non-working hour to the build for the better part of a year. I sold the unfinished kit and bought a plane within a month and was flying - what I really wanted in the first place.

My experience suggests that people are really right when they say only build it if you just want to build. If you want to fly something, just go get something and fly it (seriously). I think about building now and then, but with kids and careers and everything else, there is absolutely no way I could do it now. I do think I would like to make another attempt in retirement - it sounds like the perfect thing for me to do to stay engaged and active.

Here are some things that I see as good ingredients for building:

- a love to build, and has the goal of enjoying building. Actually flying is secondary to building.
- is single, retired, independently wealthy, or has some life situation where they can focus on building almost like it’s a job.
- has a hangar and can build there from the start. It can be done in a garage for a time, but my garage is already committed to tons of other stuff that I don’t really want to displace.
- lives close to the airport where the build will happen.
- is part of an aviation community with some people that love to build and can provide support: other builders, A&Ps, etcs.

Just my two cents - I felt like I gained a lot of perspective on building after making an attempt...

I flew a 12 this morning that the students built. The kid pictured worked with us two school years.

A good mate of mine built an RV8. Finished it two years ago.

When asked if he used a QB kit he says “yes but I turned it into a long build”

I think it took him 5 years but he would be the first to admit he is a perfectionist.

It paid off. He won an award for the best RV in Australia and knowledgeable people in the RV community say it would probably win for best RV on the planet.

The best bit is he threw me a set of keys to his hangar and just said take it anytime you like.

They are an awesome bit of kit.

I feel your 'curiosity' Chad, and I've really enjoyed reading the great responses to your query. I'm at a similar point in considering the Van's challenge.
There's a guy named Bussell over near Okeechobee who's considered a local Van's guru. He does transition training and owns/flies a couple RV's. I think he makes himself available for pre-buys too and might be worth contacting for your partial-built project evaluation. PM me if you'd like his info unless you already have it.
I've been getting serious about an RV-7 build for several months and am in the final stages of my (so-called) due diligence. Like you, it will be my first build, but I plan to keep the Bo as I have totally different missions in mind for the two planes. Have met several owner/builders and inspected their planes--even sat in a few. Ordered and studied my "preview plans", got my shop and tooling set up, and completed a couple practice kits. Final step was getting my wife on board and I actually got the green light last night!

My plan is to spend the next month or so tying up a few loose ends on other projects and then order an empennage kit to get started building by July.

Let me know if you decide to go ahead with your project, or if I can help you with any of the contact info I've accumulated to date.

Good advice above about Van's Air Force and other support resources. RV owners seem to be just like us Beech drivers--they love to tell you about their airplanes! Most I've met seem really willing to offer any advice or support they possibly can for your effort.
Good Luck!