Image Bug - If you are using Internet Explorer for Windows with a screen size of 800 x 600 or smaller, you may notice that some images sit on top of the text. This appears to be a bug with Internet Explorer, and I can't do anything about it, other than reduce the width of the images. But why should all viewers get smaller images just because of a bug in Internet Explorer for Windows? I suggest that Windows users take a look at another web browser - I have had good results with Firefox.

One visitor noted that "I found I can get around the text/ photo problem by clicking on the "Printable Story Format" in the right hand column. This enlarges the picture, as well as allows the full text to be visible."

Why am I building an aircraft?

I have been around aircraft all my life - several aircraft were based out of a field on our farm in Nova Scotia, and I had regular aircraft rides from the age of three. I learned to fly in a Piper Cub on that farm, and have wanted to have my own aircraft for years.

Why a homebuilt aircraft?

I thought about buying a regular production aircraft. But, I wanted an aircraft to do two different things - go on long cross country trips, and also to do aerobatics. For the kind of money I could spend, I could get a four seater cross country aircraft that could cruise at about 140 mph. Not bad, but not as fast as I would like. But, this aircraft would not be able to do aerobatics. So, I would need two aircraft. Production aircraft also must be maintained by licensed aircraft maintenance engineers, and this costs a lot of money.

Homebuilt aircraft have several advantages. First, there are several proven designs that are good cross country aircraft and can also do mild aerobatics. Second, you get more bang for the buck, because you put in a bunch of sweat equity building it, instead of paying for the labour. Third, you can do all the maintenance yourself, and save a lot more money.

I had planned to build an aircraft "someday", but there was always some reason why I should wait - I always thought that I was too busy, but that things would slow down in a year or two. But, something else always came up, and I never started. Finally, I realized that the perfect time to build an aircraft would never arrive. I decided to bite the bullet and just start building. The sooner I started, the sooner that I would be done, and if I never started, I would never be done.

Why an RV-8?

I wanted a good all-round aircraft, with a good service history. It had to have a relatively low landing speed so I could go into small airstrips, and to improve the odds of surviving a forced landing. I wanted an all aluminum aircraft - wood aircraft take forever to build (there are no wood aircraft kits, so you've got to make pretty much every part from scratch), and I hate working with composites (fibreglas, etc).

I finally decided that what I needed was an RV-8, an all metal, two seat, low wing aircraft from Van's Aircraft in Oregon [RV-8 description and specifications from Van's web site]. It can land on small grass strips if needed, can cruise at over 200 mph, and is capable of mild aerobatics. Dick Van Grunsven is a mechanical engineer who designed and built a single-seat RV-3 in the early 1970's. Everyone who flew it wanted one, and he was soon in the business of selling plans and construction kits. Eventually, he produced the two-seat RV-4, RV-6 and RV-8. The kits were sold in the thousands, and there are people all over the world building these things in garages, basements and living rooms. There are several RV's being built around the Ottawa area, so I have local people to ask questions to.

I went to the EAA Fly-In in Oshkosh, WI in July 1997, and got a demo ride in an RV-6 (similar to the RV-8, but the two seats are side-by-side). It was everything I had expected - fast and great handling qualities. The RV-8 will cruise around 200 mph, which means about 2.5 hours flying time to visit my folks in Nova Scotia, or about 3.5 hours flying time to visit Terry's folks in Wisconsin. I can't wait to get flying!

I ordered a tail kit, bought an air compressor and tools, and started building the tail surfaces as soon as we moved into our house in Greely in October 1997. The project should take me 2000 - 3000 man hours. I am traveling a lot, so I am guessing about 5 years, maybe more. I am really looking forward to getting it flying, so I try to work on it every night that I am home.

Wouldn't I make more progress on the plane if I didn't waste so much time on this web site?

Well, this web site has taken on a life of its own. I only envisioned a very simple site with a handful of pictures, but before I knew it I had a monster on my hands. However, I don't work on the site when I could be building. I learned early on that I shouldn't work on the plane too late at night, when I am tired. It is easy to say "I'll just work 20 more minutes", only to screw something up that will take hours to correct. But the computer is a lot more forgiving than the RV-8 project. I've got an Undo command on this Mac. So, I update the web site late in the evening. I do the big updates when I am on the road, sitting in the hotel room looking for something to do.

Last Updated Sunday, August 12 2007 @ 06:36 AM EDT