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01 May 2025, 11:55 [ UTC - 5; DST ]


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 Post subject: Building an airplane thread
PostPosted: 02 Mar 2025, 16:46 
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Joined: 04/19/19
Posts: 800
Post Likes: +222
Location: Benton AR KSUZ
Aircraft: Baron B55 Pll
Thinking about building an airplane and would probably do the “quick build” route in order to enjoy it sooner plus having plenty of knowledge around so I don’t screw something up. So, with that said my perfect plane would be an evolution turbo prop but that is out of reach at this time. There are others I can do but some are what I consider slow. I want to go cross country and needs to be IFR. Thinking of:

RV 10
RV 8
Sling TSI

Sling seems very efficient and modern but the Vans are faster. What other kits are out there I should consider? Prefer 4 seat but would not be opposed to a 2 seat if I can take a little luggage


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 Post subject: Re: Building an airplane thread
PostPosted: 02 Mar 2025, 18:26 
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Joined: 05/20/15
Posts: 107
Post Likes: +85
Aircraft: RV8 in progress
Check out
https://www.vansairforce.net/


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 Post subject: Re: Building an airplane thread
PostPosted: 02 Mar 2025, 18:34 
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Joined: 02/21/11
Posts: 706
Post Likes: +894
Location: Northside of Atlanta
Aircraft: RV-6 & RV-10
The RV-8 and RV-14 seem to meet your goals if 2 seats are OK. The RV-10 is a tremendous aircraft, but even as a quick-build will take a ton more time that the other RV's because of the cabin top and doors which involve a lot of fit and finish work. The Sling is interesting, but you may want to sit in one and the RV-10/RV-14 before making a decision. The -10 and -14 are both nice and wide with plenty of room. The Sling (while having 2 more seats than the -14) is more of a 2+2 aircraft, IMO.


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 Post subject: Re: Building an airplane thread
PostPosted: 02 Mar 2025, 18:56 
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Joined: 04/19/19
Posts: 800
Post Likes: +222
Location: Benton AR KSUZ
Aircraft: Baron B55 Pll
Appreciate the link. I will register and do some reading.
Good point on sitting in them. I did see a video that showed the RV 10 had more room inside.


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 Post subject: Re: Building an airplane thread
PostPosted: 02 Mar 2025, 19:37 
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Joined: 12/06/12
Posts: 433
Post Likes: +367
Location: Newnan, GA (KCCO)
Aircraft: C-182
I'm 2 years and 11 months into an RV-14 build. It has been one of the coolest things I've ever done, yet at the same time, frustrating and at times, mentally draining. I've devoted a lot of time to building and I'm almost done. A HUGE amount of credit goes to my wife who has taken care of the household without a single complaint that I've been at the hangar.

The Vans system is solid. They is a reason they have so many flying aircraft. They produce a great kit and there is a lot of support, both from the factory and other builders. Vans has had more than its share of hurdles in the past two years but I believe that they have cleared the hurdles and will be a stronger company going forward.

There are also a fair amount of aftermarket mods you can do but be advised, those add time.


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 Post subject: Re: Building an airplane thread
PostPosted: 02 Mar 2025, 21:20 
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Joined: 02/17/09
Posts: 1916
Post Likes: +2151
Location: N Idaho! Not off the grid, but at the very end of it...
Aircraft: F33A
Harmon or F1 Rocket?
Beefed up RV-4 with a Lycoming 540 in the nose. They get up and scoot.

Attachment:
Rocket.jpg


Please login or Register for a free account via the link in the red bar above to download files.


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 Post subject: Re: Building an airplane thread
PostPosted: 02 Mar 2025, 22:06 
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Joined: 01/23/13
Posts: 9090
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Company: Kokotele Guitar Works
Location: Albany, NY
Aircraft: C-182RG, C-172, PA28
I window shopped planes at OSH with my kid. I tried on the Sling and it seemed cool, but there were things I didn't love. The door sills are high, so visibility seems not as great and it didn't feel roomy. Baggage door is real small, not that it's huge on the RV-10. Performance seems... meh. On the other hand, it's only a 160 hp Rotax while the RV-10 uses a 235 hp Lycoming.

If it's practical for you, I strongly recommend a visit to OSH to spend a few days checking out the options, actually sitting in them, etc.


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 Post subject: Re: Building an airplane thread
PostPosted: 02 Mar 2025, 22:43 
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Joined: 11/03/08
Posts: 16051
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Location: Peachtree City GA / Stoke-On-Trent UK
Aircraft: A33
Just my opinion, you should decide to build because you like to build things. Don't build if the only goal is to have something to fly. If in that category, you are far better off buying something factory built, or a homebuilt already completed by someone else.

The vast majority of kits sold are not finished by the original buyer of the kit. They either give up and sell the partial project, or get tired and it just sort of fades away. Buying someone else's partial project can be a good way to get started if you know what you are looking at.

I'm building my 3rd cub now, scratch build to plans, no kits. The first 2 each took 5-6 years to complete and this one will be similar.


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 Post subject: Re: Building an airplane thread
PostPosted: 03 Mar 2025, 01:00 
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Joined: 03/01/15
Posts: 929
Post Likes: +907
Location: Hayward, CA
Aircraft: D50E
Username Protected wrote:
Just my opinion, you should decide to build because you like to build things. Don't build if the only goal is to have something to fly. If in that category, you are far better off buying something factory built, or a homebuilt already completed by someone else.

The vast majority of kits sold are not finished by the original buyer of the kit. They either give up and sell the partial project, or get tired and it just sort of fades away. Buying someone else's partial project can be a good way to get started if you know what you are looking at.

I'm building my 3rd cub now, scratch build to plans, no kits. The first 2 each took 5-6 years to complete and this one will be similar.


I second that. Building an airplane is for people who want to build an airplane. It’s not a quicker, cheaper path to ownership. That’s a recipe for giving up. Yes, many homebuilts offer more performance than factory offerings, but you have to want to BUILD it in order to finish.

As for the cost, by the time you add up the price of the kit, the engine, prop, avionics, instruments, etc. you’re over $100K easily, which brings used homebuilts and factory airplanes into reach.

Another word of advice: build it in your garage or basement. If you have to drive to a hangar to work on it, it’ll take much longer.


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 Post subject: Re: Building an airplane thread
PostPosted: 03 Mar 2025, 01:55 
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Joined: 10/19/08
Posts: 1569
Post Likes: +2047
Location: Far West Texas
Aircraft: C180, GL 2T1A-2
There are builders, and there are fliers. A good number of builders experience a phenomenon of emptiness at not having anything more to do at the shop once their project is done; they sell their finished craft, and order the next kit. We used to call them "repeat offenders".
It is the rare builder who goes on to fly his creation, but must retrain in his flying skills after many years in the building process. Much respect for these folk.
I have noted in the VAF site that some builders express their appreciation for their spouses, who loyally hold up the fort while the other is fully immersed in building at the hangar or garage, abandoning the marriage thing.
I would think it interesting to make a study of how many divorces have occurred directly related to aircraft homebuilding. Perhaps the kits should come with a warning: "Caution, building this airplane can be hazardous to the health of your marriage".


Last edited on 03 Mar 2025, 03:43, edited 2 times in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Building an airplane thread
PostPosted: 03 Mar 2025, 02:00 
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Joined: 06/28/09
Posts: 14365
Post Likes: +9484
Location: Walnut Creek, CA (KCCR)
Aircraft: 1962 Twin Bonanza
Agree with these guys. You can buy a nice Comanche and be flying next week for half of what you'll spend building an RV10 that you might finish in a few years if you've got a lot of free time and are dedicated. The reason so many guys build more than one plane is because they enjoy building as much or more than flying. The primary motivation has got to be the journey.

That said, if you really want to build and get to the end result fastest the Sling with the factory assist option is the way to go.

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 Post subject: Re: Building an airplane thread
PostPosted: 03 Mar 2025, 08:42 
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Joined: 05/05/09
Posts: 5162
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Aircraft: C501, R66
Username Protected wrote:
Harmon or F1 Rocket?
Beefed up RV-4 with a Lycoming 540 in the nose. They get up and scoot.

Attachment:
Rocket.jpg


That's my old Rocket. 212kts, 3000 FPM. A really nice flying airplane!


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 Post subject: Re: Building an airplane thread
PostPosted: 03 Mar 2025, 09:10 
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Joined: 02/28/17
Posts: 1279
Post Likes: +1361
Location: Panama City, FL
Aircraft: Velocity XL-RG
I'm obviously biased, but my mission was cross country, IFR, 4-place and fast. I went with a Velocity XL-RG. 200kts on 13.6GPH below 10,000' (because the farthest west I'd flown and was planning to fly was Dallas up to Minneapolis). And I didn't need short or turf strips.

It's a very comfortable long distance aircraft. Two doors make for easy ingress and egress for the front seat. Back seat is about the same as most one or two door 4 seat aircraft. Baggage access sucks because there's no baggage door.


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 Post subject: Re: Building an airplane thread
PostPosted: 03 Mar 2025, 09:57 
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Joined: 09/12/11
Posts: 3964
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Company: RPM Aircraft Service
Location: Gaithersburg MD KGAI
Aircraft: Mooney 201, A320
Username Protected wrote:
Agree with these guys. You can buy a nice Comanche and be flying next week for half of what you'll spend building an RV10 that you might finish in a few years if you've got a lot of free time and are dedicated. The reason so many guys build more than one plane is because they enjoy building as much or more than flying. The primary motivation has got to be the journey.

That said, if you really want to build and get to the end result fastest the Sling with the factory assist option is the way to go.


I get the smaller RVs, but I never really understood the RV10. If you want a four seat, 172 knot 15 gallon per hour airplane, it was built 60 years ago. It's called a S35 bonanza. It's even bigger inside.


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 Post subject: Re: Building an airplane thread
PostPosted: 03 Mar 2025, 10:10 
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Joined: 02/21/11
Posts: 706
Post Likes: +894
Location: Northside of Atlanta
Aircraft: RV-6 & RV-10
Username Protected wrote:
Agree with these guys. You can buy a nice Comanche and be flying next week for half of what you'll spend building an RV10 that you might finish in a few years if you've got a lot of free time and are dedicated. The reason so many guys build more than one plane is because they enjoy building as much or more than flying. The primary motivation has got to be the journey.

That said, if you really want to build and get to the end result fastest the Sling with the factory assist option is the way to go.


I get the smaller RVs, but I never really understood the RV10. If you want a four seat, 172 knot 15 gallon per hour airplane, it was built 60 years ago. It's called a S35 bonanza. It's even bigger inside.


The -10 is close to a 180 knot airplane at that fuel flow and is very hard to land gear up. I generally run 11GPH and 167 knots. One of the seldom mentioned great attributes of the -10 is the visibility. Your eye position is much higher relative to the glare shield and window ledges than in a Bo or Comanche. The difference is amazing.

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