My wife and I are getting ready to order our emp within the next month or so. I would like to do at least one practice kit together before jumping right in.
My question is about the preview plans. Are they the same no matter what kit you're going to build? It says they are a requirment (on the Van's site). Do they keep track of who and who hasn't oredered them? Would they not let me place the order for my tail w/o it?
I'd really like to save the $55 bucks and spend that money on the practice kit and little odds and ends that I know we will need.
Hope te see all of you at OSH (still waiting on my work to approve my leave).
Andy, you have to get the PP, literally. Its not just a "requirement" that Van's puts on you. They didn't really make it clear when they chose their termanology. Each PP is specific for each aircraft and contains all of the drawings for the airplane on 8.5 X 14 sheets. It also contains very specific information concerning each model, how to equip, fly, test, assemble, yadda yadda yadda. When you order each kit all you get is an updated set of drawings and instructions for that subkit.
The PP are more like the assembly manual with previews of all of the drawings. You literally can't build the airplane without this information. They are willing however to sell it to you before hand so that you can see what you are getting into. Its not uncommon to look forward when building. For instance while working on the HS you might want to look at the drawings for the attachment to the fuse. You need the PP for that purpose.
-- John
http://www.rivetbangers.com - Now integrating web and mail!
Current Build: 2 years into a beautiful little girl
The preview plans are model specific. In fact, they're a complete set of plans, text and drawings, except the drawings are a bit smaller. Also, some of the pages may not be the very latest revision. You are required to buy a set of preview plans; yes they keep track of who does.
I bought the practice kit, although I only got about half way through it before I said, to hell with it and started on the horizontal stabilizer. The trouble with the practice kit is that you need a couple of thousand dollars worth of tools to put it together, which more or less means you're making a commitment to build without knowing much about it.
I didn't do it, but I would *strongly* recommend that you take a weekend workshop, unless you have good local builder support. Trying to figure out every detail of what tools to buy and how to use them took me the better part of a year.
I bought the PP for an RV9 and then decided to build the RV7A. I simply returned the PP kit for the 9 and got the correct one.
The weekend build sessions are probably a good idea. All Luke and I did was attend a one hour forum at OshKosh last year on building metal planes. IT was hands on and after we got through it we looked at each other and said "hey, we can do this." Didn't cost us anything and gave us enough confidence to move forward.
Yes we built a few practive parts on the HS and VS, I think everyone does, but the parts are fairly inexpensive so it isn't to painful.
Attend a brief workshop session at Osh if you can get there and then jump right in.
JohnR
RV-7A - Fuselage - SOLD, just not supposed to be
Numbers 6:24 - The LORD bless thee, and keep thee
I did the same. Metal 101 at OSH, and the workshop that goes with it. I also did two training kits on my own. I'm sure the classes are great and well worth it though.
You will get your builder # assigned with the PP's.
Womack2005 wrote:I wounder how Vans handles builders who purchase PPs from other builders? Would they get a new builder number?
I bought my RV-4 empanage and wings from another builder who gave up. I had to have the seller send a letter to Van's stating that he had sold me his kits, Van's then transfered his builder number to me.
Thanks for the replies. I'll give Van's a shout and get my preview plans on order. I would like to take the metal 101 class at OSH but, I didn't see it on the schedule that I printed off the web. Anybody know anything about it this year (how long is it, which days, etc).
Thanks again for the support, I'll be on the board more and more as my wife and I begin.
Spike wrote:Hey Andy,
Not going to do dinner with us at Osh?
-- John
Yes, my wife and I definitely want to go. I should know by the end of the week if my leave is going to be approved or not. Denver Center is undergoing an airspace redesign and, there are some growing pains associated with that.
I didn't want you or Patti to make room for us before I knew I was able to attend.
Andy, save you money on the practice kit. You can come get all the practice you want on my fuselage. From the work Christina and you have already done on it I don't think you will have any problems building your -7.
bmurrish wrote:Andy, save you money on the practice kit. You can come get all the practice you want on my fuselage. From the work Christina and you have already done on it I don't think you will have any problems building your -7.
You know, I thought about that. Their is just so much that Christina and I were'nt around to see on your plane. With that being said, I know you'll be around to help me if I stumble a bit.
