Fast forward to August of 98 when I received my private pilot ticket. There are no words for the emotion you feel when you have accomplished a feat of this nature. There will be rewards large and small in life but none like your first solo. PIC of that airplane for the first time with "Solo" ringing through your head over and over. That was my milestone. I promised myself long ago, if I learned to fly I would build an airplane of my own. I've got the flying thing down now what am I going to build? So, I started looking through magazine racks looking for something on kit builds but really found nothing. Finally, came across an outdated kit plane magazine and purchased it. I literally wore the pages out looking, comparing and pricing something that would fit my budget and flying needs.

   After gathering information from people at various airports and searching a bit on the internet I came to a decision on the Van's series of aircraft. Light, sporty and also capably of X-country with plenty of range. In the midst of my decision making with regards to the airplane I was going to build, my father was well aware I was researching different kits. He borrowed an info package from a friend and sent it to me, only for me to open up and find the Van's info packet. I thought to myself, these must be pretty popular. I spoke with my dad and told him my decision was made and I went with confidence that this was the airplane for me. I soon located a tail kit for an RV4 that someone ordered without ever really having a clue what building was about, and neither did I. I bought it and started to read and study the prints fervently to find out for myself that there is a lot more to this than meets the eye. But this was what I wanted and I was not going to sell myself short.

   I figured if I was going to invest this much time and effort into something I should check out the factory. I already found out that my limited amount of tools, knowledge, and work space were the least of my problems so my research became more in depth and specific. I had made a decision that if I was going to commit myself to something of this magnitude I needed more information, and not secondhand. I purchased tickets to Portland, Oregon and off I went to get a factory tour and the whole bit. Van's Aircraft at the time was operating out of an old feed barn I believe, but it was what was inside that impressed me the most. I was like a kid in a candy store, all the airplane parts and components on the shelves and the new to market QB's (Quick Builds). There had to be about 20-30 QB's lining the industrial shelves in the back of the facility waiting for shipment. When my eye's focus again on the tour guide(Scott) there was a QB on a pallet on the floor in front of us on display. I asked, "What model is this one here?" As everyone laughed a bit Scott replied this is our newest kit to market, the RV8. This model was developed after the 2 seat tandem RV4. Larger, more leg room and longer range. SOLD!

   My next question out of my mouth was, "Could I get a demo ride in the 8"? I didn't hear one laugh then! Scott got on the hand held radio and said, "We've got another one. Keep it out". I was quickly escorted back to the grass strip where the Homecoming gathering Van's puts on every year was and there awaiting for me was the yellow RV8A with Ken Scott waving me over. Like, "Hurry up boy the plane's leaving!" I was starting to have another one of those once in a lifetime feelings again. Before I knew it we were off the ground a climbing at a ridiculous rate. Leveled off a 5000 AGL and covering terrain at 180 mph on only 75% power. What a blur! Ken Scott asked me, "Are you licensed"? to which I replied, "Yes." "Well try it out," he said. I held the stick firm like a Cessna. He asked, "You trained on Cessna's, Huh?" Yes. "Grab the stick with your fore finger and thumb, now push it to the left and pull 1G, NOW back the other way right, PULL 1G. Back left to level. Nice, huh? Hell Yeah! Now lets turn around and setup for left base, I'll contact tower." On the ground, I was duh, Duh, duh, Dat wuz Great! My head was still in the clouds. I'd known nothing but the Cessna and couldn't believe airplanes could handle like this with so little effort compared to the Cessna's I had learned to fly. I guess you could say, "I WAS SUPER SOLD".

   When I returned home the RV4 kit went up for sale and sold to the 1st bidder. Sold only to purchase a new sectional for the living room. Not exactly what I had in mind. Minor set back with keeping the misses at home happy with all this buying and selling to only buy again airplane parts. You know! The purchase was made on the RV8 tail kit and was started very soon after the kit arrived and the inventory was complete. It went together surprisingly fast and after 5 month's the kit was complete. As you will find out I took a break from the kit and bought and sold the home we were living in to build in the Dayton Country Club. Hey it has a bigger garage to build the wings and fuselage in. I only share these events with you because life gets in the way of projects of this magnitude so you roll with the punches.

   The wings were purchased 1 year after settling into our new home and the construction craze was back into full swing again. Having a larger work space I still was finding out that space was limited so I opted to build one wing at a time instead of simultaneously. I finished the wings one year after starting and already had the order in on the fuselage to cut down on the lead time. As you may tell already that most kit manufacturers break the kits down into sub-kits to ease the overall cost to the builder and eliminate all the unnecessary parts until needed. As well this cuts down on the amount of space needed as you soon find out gets consumed with every tool in your toolbox to do one job it seems. By this time I really though things were coming together quickly. I was in a mental build mode that was not going to be broken, so I thought.

   When the fuselage kit arrived I had a plan of attack and went into the construction quickly for I already had been studying the plans and reading the construction manuals. Within a couple weeks I had all of the bulkheads finished and was working on the wood jig to support all of this for assembly. The jig is needed to temporarily hold the components in place until more of the structure is built and to ensure alignment from fore to aft of the assembly. I made good progress on the weekends and while everyone was sleeping in the evenings. All of this went well until I got further into the project and 3rd and 4th hands were needed to get the job done. I now found myself at the mercy of needing a person with the same knowledge I had or at least on the same wavelength.

   It's one thing to hire someone to help you and another to have someone offer selflessly. It has utterly amazed me of the network of people out there who are associated with kit built aircraft. Some of the nicest, most generous people you will ever know. Once you've been around you'll know. After the help was received the fuselage was pulled from the jig and sat upright for the first time, looked a lot like a canoe. At this time you sit back and look at your accomplishment but you soon find out what that meaning people talked about, 90% done and 90% to go.

   I have been working on the fuselage now for a little over 2 years now. That sounds like a lot but as most people ask, "Why is it taking so long"? I simply tell them to begin counting rivets and when they are done to take that amount and multiply that by 4. That is the amount of times spent with each hole, not to mention the countless times components are put together and taken apart for trimming, measuring and final fit. Please do not get the wrong impression by this writing that these airplanes are impossible to build or take forever and a day to build. They do take time and devotion but they will demand some blood, sweat and some tears before they fly.

   I cannot say it's over for me yet but there is light at the end of the tunnel. It has been a challenging journey to this point and I truly believe my biggest challenges still lie ahead. I know that the encouragement and dedication that has gotten me this far will see me through to the completion of this project. The advantages that we have today with the internet and builder groups, not to mention the EAA Chapters in our local areas to help us have brought the Kit building of these airplanes to a whole new level. I'm thankful for the friends and experiences I've shared through this great hobby and sport and look forward to the many more I met along the way. I believe this is what building an airplane is all about the sense of accomplishment and friendships that seem to come with the whole experience. Have fun building and Enjoy!

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