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Oh Boy. Here we go!

On my 55th Bday my wife rode with me to pick up my RV-9A project from a builder in Va who did beautiful work for the last 1600 hours on a slow build kit.
Ready for engine, avionics, and canopy.
~80% complete so only about 80% to go I guess?
Guess I'll figure out how to rivet and then start on the slider canopy and maybe the wingtip lights?
How hard can it be? It's just an airplane. :)
 
Not sure about the slider (I have the tip up), but I'd think the canopy would be a terrible place to learn. The inevitable mistakes that you will make can be brutal and expensive at the canopy stage. I bought a partially completed 9A project, but all I missed out on was part of the empennage. I needed every bit of experience that I got with the fuselage build on the canopy and even then it was difficult.

If you haven't already, I urge you at least take an EAA build course before you touch a thing on the project. It will pay for itself in mistakes not made.

Good luck with the project, it's a great airplane.
 
On my 55th Bday my wife rode with me to pick up my RV-9A project from a builder in Va who did beautiful work for the last 1600 hours on a slow build kit.
Ready for engine, avionics, and canopy.
~80% complete so only about 80% to go I guess?
Guess I'll figure out how to rivet and then start on the slider canopy and maybe the wingtip lights?
How hard can it be? It's just an airplane. :)

You have the right attitude and are going to LOVE the -9A for sure! Ours has taken us to what I thought was the ends of the earth, and beyond.

Here is a little motivation from one of the little adventures it can provide. http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=124768
 
My wings and tail feathers are done, fuselage mostly done. We hung my engine today. I can hardly wait to fly it.
 
Happy birthday Frank! What a great woman you have. Don?t underestimate the challenge ahead. Even if it seems you got a project in advanced stage you still have to learn the basics first. The canopy is not the horizontal stabilizer where you can easily replace a rivet or two.

Practice first. Enroll in a course or develop one yourself. Draw a realistic plan. Tool up. Run the number$$. When time comes for motor and avionics let your trusty m20g go. You will like what you get :)
 
New project

Happy birthday and Merry Christmas.
Check out my blog. I tried to detail the canopy process. Also, look at installing the Supertracks now while access is easy.
 
Congratulations on your RV-9A purchase! If you have not done so yet, at least have a very experienced RV builder/technical advisor give it a thorough examination. You would be surprised at what some builders consider quality workmanship. And as suggested by others, get some experience in the building basics before you do any work on it. Good luck and have fun!
 
supertracks

The supertracks come from flyboyaccessories.com and give better access for sliding canopy baggage access. I sugggest looking at a standard slider first to help decide if you really need them. You can actually fit them after the plane is finished.
 
Congratulations & Happy Birthday

Love my RV9A slider.

Love the wife of 51 years who has been so helpful. This year we did a compression test / leak down test together for our anniversary!

Recommend you start somewhere other than the canopy.

I got lucky, Gil A is my neighbor and proved incredibly helpful.
 
Hey Frank, I see you?re in Douglassville. You probably already know that there are some beautiful RV?s right up the road at limerick. Lots of advice to be found there. My current rv was built there. Good luck.
 
Hey Frank, I see you?re in Douglassville. You probably already know that there are some beautiful RV?s right up the road at limerick. Lots of advice to be found there. My current rv was built there. Good luck.

Thanks
Saw a beautiful 14 before the holidays which made me decide to get AFS panel.
Also a really nice 8. I saw a picture of your 9 in the EAA builder hanger.
I will take all the help/ encouragement I can get as the advanced stage of the project I bought has me more than a little intimidated and overwhelmed.
 
Check out my build log (URL in signature). I've got lots of photos in galleries and each one is captioned.

I built a tip up, so I don't have much to share on the slider canopy. I will agree with others that the canopy is really the hardest part of the entire build. Once you get that done, it is all downhill and clear sailing.

Ask your questions here on VAF as you go, and I'm sure you will get the answers and help you need. The RV-9A is such a great airplane to fly!
 
The AFS probably cost a little more, but well worth it. That was probably Al Rubin?s 8 you saw and it?s as good as any out there. Check your pm?s
 
Building a plane is a Journey of self discovery.
What I've learned so far:

*I can't rivet.

*Vans is really great with sending new parts!

*Changing one thing can really lead to a lot of work.

*I need to loose 50 lbs to crawl around the fuse like a teenager.

Decided to go with fuel injection.
Led to new fuel pump, learning soft tubing skills, cutting and building for new housing for new fuel pump, changing to electric trim since I would need a larger trim cable any way.
New lower cowl for the FI engine is also in my future.
I would say '1 step forward, 2 steps back....but I have not gone forward'

I have been soldering my Fly LED's for the wing tip lights and that has been really cool. That is a really great kit if anyone is thinking of them.

What will I learn next week?
 
if you can hang in long enough you will find that your skills improve. don't hesitate to ask help from others that have been there before. it can really help to have better and safer aircraft. the stop question I always asked myself is "am I comfortable having my children fly this build" because they will or others' children will at some time in the future.
 
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Building a plane is a Journey of self discovery.
What I've learned so far:

*I can't rivet.

*Vans is really great with sending new parts!

*Changing one thing can really lead to a lot of work.

*I need to loose 50 lbs to crawl around the fuse like a teenager.

Decided to go with fuel injection.
Led to new fuel pump, learning soft tubing skills, cutting and building for new housing for new fuel pump, changing to electric trim since I would need a larger trim cable any way.
New lower cowl for the FI engine is also in my future.
I would say '1 step forward, 2 steps back....but I have not gone forward'


Depending upon which engine you decide on a lower cowl might not be necessary. As you can have FI on a vertical induction engine and it basically sits in the same position as the carb would have. My hanger mate did this with his Rv-7 and superior engine.
 
So would the cold air induction superior IO-320 work with the 'original' lower cowl?
Second thought, seems a lot of buzz about the WW200RV constant speed prop.
I was initially scared away by the recurring teardown or TBO thinking that life cycle costs would be higher.
Any input?
 
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