FAA's Experimental Aircraft reference material
Making the Transition to an RV
Very Cool Links!
The RV Finder
CG Calculator
Van's Air Force; World Wide Wing
Scott Millhouse's trip to Vans
Precision Airmotive carb information
Jim Harchanko's "Engine Story"
"Don't Turn Back!"
safety article by Doug Rozendaal
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Downloads
W&B Program
must also install the
update
and here are
the instructions
AC 20-27E
(pdf, 2.3 meg)
This is the circular you need for info about registration and inspection
Do a Roll in Tracy Crook's Mazda powered RV-4
Engine Info
A great article with useful data about acquiring an engine
Article by Bob Archer about his internal wing-tip nav/com antennae
Product listing of Bob Archer's internal antennae
GIF of Archer type antenna (Bob Nuckoll's AeroElectric Connection)
Download the TVRVBG logo
(copyright 2002)
2004 TVRVBG News Archives
back to TVRVBG News Archives, 2003
December 15, 2004 First flight of N83AB
Billy Baggett sports a huge grin following the successful first flight of his RV-6A! Chase pilot Kevin Belue reported that all went well with the flight conducted in the vicinity of MSL. The plane is one of three that have been hatched in Thuh Barn.
Congratulations, Billy!
(photo courtesy of Kevin Belue)
November 18, 2004; TVRVBG meeting
The final TVRVBG meeting of 2004 was hosted by Jim Skala who is well into a Subaru-powered RV-9A. Jim has a beautiful shop and the workmanship on his project is excellent throughout.
The Eggenfellner Subaru engine package is an impressive unit. Engine is supercharged and has totally electronic engine controls.
The beautiful electric MT prop arrived shortly before the meeting....
.........followed by a first for the TVRVBG.......arrival of the UPS truck during a meeting! We enjoyed watching Jim eagerly unpack the spinner for the MT prop.
Xmas in November!
Here is a clever way to keep the project mobile in the shop. The nosegear and tail were likewise supported by wheeled dollies.
Thanks, Jim, for a most enjoyable social! We look forward to watching the Subie-powered -9A progress toward flying status.
Additional photos from the meeting are here on Garrett Smith's site.
October 28, 2004; TVRVBG meeting
'Twas a foggy October evening on the week of Halloween as RV fanatics appeared out of the mist and congregated around the QB RV-7A being built by Garrett and Cassius Smith.
Garrett's web site and builder's log is here.
Garrett and Cassius (Garrett's dad) are enjoying assembling the RV-7A in Cassius and Valerie's garage. What a great family project! Garrett and Cassius attended a workshop in Georgia where they fabricated the tail group and gained familiarity with RV building techniques. They are ripping right along on the quickbuild kit; the wings are finished and the fuse is rapidly taking shape.
The workmanship on the quickbuilds is amazing to the builders who went the slow-build route. The quickbuilders have definitely learned how to put together RV's!
Garrett is presently making powerplant and panel decisions since those phases of the project will be approaching soon. The Smith's project shows excellent workmanship and this should be a beautiful plane.
Valerie, Garrett's mom and chili chef extrodinaire, fed the ravenous group of RV fans. Many thanks to Garrett, Cassius, and Valerie for the great chili and opportunity to check out the RV-7A project. Nearly thirty people attended the social including three prospective builders.
We look forward to watching the progress of this project (along with more chili !!!)
October 16, 2004 First Flight of N131ES!
Another new RV has been hatched at Moontown airport!
Ed Seigler, though no doubt having thought he would never be able to make this announcement (!!) has informed us of the first flight of his new RV-6.
Congratulations, Ed! This is especially gratifying since Ed is the founding member of the TVRVBG.
"Well -- it finally happened! I am pleased to
announce the birth of my newest!! Weighing only 1082 lbs and 245" long. No, she
doesn't look like me.
WOW! Thanks to Pete Van Staagen for pics. Mine do not have the classy
composition of Dave Edgemon's, but they do prove it flew.
WOW!"
October 10, 2005 First flight of N42DE!
Here is a great example of an RV-Grin! David Edgemon had just completed the first flight of his RV-9A from Moontown airport. Here is his report:
"First flight went well. I spent thirty minutes staring at the engine
gauges.
Fortunately everything was in the green, no leaks. The only squawk is
a heavy left wing. Now I just have to start buying gas and flying the time."
David's wife was present for the first launch with the family camera..................oops..............those RVs get away real quick!!!
You can see the grin from here. We look forward to Dave joining the local RV fleet.
Congratulations, David on your beautiful new aircraft!
September 23, 2004
The ramp in front of Bob and Sam's hangar at DCU was graced by eight RVs at the September TVRVBG social.
The planes were all from the local area and are a great indication of the RVs that TVRVBG members have added to the fleet in recent years.
One of the major goals of our airport socials is to introduce prospective builders and their families to RV aircraft. Several rides were hopped, one them piloted by Jim Harchanko in his RV-7A.
Thanks to all who attended and made the meeting a great opportunity to share good times with fellow RV builders and pilots!
August 19, 2004
There must be few places in general aviation that have the charm of a late summer evening at Moontown Airport (3M5). The August meeting of the TVRVBG was hosted by David Edgemon who has a RV-9A in the final stages of assembly
Dave has complete the painting of his plane and it sports a bright red exterior that will eventually be trimmed with vinyl graphics. The quality of the paint is superb along with the workmanship on the rest of the plane.
Dave's hangar is an excellent example of how an old structure was rescued from demolition and renovated into a hangar that any RVer could show with pride.
Here is a fine example of a well-equipped VFR panel. The Dynon EFIS and Garmin GPS provide all the flight and nav info needed for VFR ops and results in an uncluttered panel. Engine info is handled by an EIS monitor.
Thanks Dave, for an enjoyable meeting and we look forward to seeing your RV-9A in the fleet soon!
July 23, 2004
Brandon Dixon's beautiful new RV-7A is out of the paint shop!
July 12, 2004
From Lt. Col. Jeff Crabb:
"I'm flying helicopters in a few airshows this year. A few weeks ago I landed at Ft Campbell, KY for their show. Here is what I parked beside; I was the smallest thing on the airfield, but I think more people looked at the RV-6A than they did the New C-130J!"
June 17, 2004, TVRVBG meeting
The June meeting of the TVRVBG was hosted by Jim Harchanko and Wayne Hampel at their hangar at Moontown airport. Jim and Wayne treated the assembled RV fanatics to a tasty dinner which included chicken fingers, potato salad, and ice cream!
There were rumors of a proclamation pronouncing Jim and Wayne permanent hosts of all future TVRVBG meetings.
There were also some inquiries about the secret ingredients in the salad tossed up by Jim...............
In a nearby hangar was the RV-6 project of Ed Seigler which is in the final stages of painting. The beautiful wings and control surfaces were on display.
Many thanks to Jim and Wayne for hosting the social and providing the superb meal. Jim's RV-7A carried a couple of visitors aloft and Jim continues to rack up hours in his RV. Wayne is in the early stages of a RV-7A QB project which may end up with a rotary engine on the nose.
Don't miss a chance to visit the unique airport at Moontown at future meetings1
photos courtesy of Terry Burks
May 20, 2004
The TVRVBG met on its sixth anniversary at DCU; the meeting was co-hosted by Bob Butler and Sam Buchanan and was blessed with wonderful weather and the presence of several aircraft.
Several rides were offered to RV family members, one of which was Valerie Smith, seen here being "briefed" by Bob as Sam prepares for engine start. The flight succeeded in producing the famous RV Grin and no doubt streamlined Garrett Smith's progress on his -9A in Valerie's garage.
Not all RVs have wings, some just fly close to the ground! Sam was spotted offering some rides in his StalkerV6 project car.
Thanks to all, especially those who flew in, who made the meeting a very
enjoyable evening for all. It was noted that our core group is evolving from being
primarily builders to flyers! The population boom of flying RVs has been
remarkable in the past six years, and we look forward to having more planes join the fleet
this coming year.
(photos by Cassius Smith and Chuck Silverstein)
April 20, 2004
On a perfect spring evening many members of the TVRVBG gathered around TVRVBG founder Ed Seigler's RV-6 which is rapidly progressing from project to airplane. The most noticeable change in Ed's hangar was the large paint booth in which resided the fiberglass parts of his plane.
The booth has forced air ventilation to keep the uglies out of the paint and the painter cool. Ed is in the process of filling the countless pinholes in the epoxy parts but is nearly finished with that drudgery.
The panel on Ed's RV-6 is a combination of the old and the new. A Dynon EFIS and EZ-Pilot autopilot reside adjacent to conventional pitot instruments. This combination will provide a very capable panel with backups.
Co-host and burgermeister Terry Burk kept a steady supply of delicious burgers coming off the grill.
Many thanks to Ed, Terry, Jim and Steve for hosting a great meeting!
(photos by Cassius Smith and Sam Buchanan)
March 18, 2004
More than twenty RV builders and enthusiasts from as far away as Nashville came to check out and admire Scott Millhouse's new shop bay and RV-9A project. Snacks were consumed, stories swapped and valuable builder's hints and lessons were shared.
Scott's -9A empennage is complete, the fuselage is showing progress and the wings are started. Scott says he is finished renovating the house and shop, so now real progress can be made on the -9A. It is still a bit startling to old builders to see the fuse sitting on sawhorses instead of locked into an elaborate jig. But the newer prepunched kits have rendered the jigs obsolete.
Scott is using the precut panel available from Vans. Robin Hunt, now an ex-RV owner, attended the meeting; we are glad to see he hasn't cut all his RV connections!
Thanks, Scott, for a great meeting and for sharing your project.
Photos and report by Bob (B-Squared) Butler
2/19/04 February meeting
The February meeting of the TVRVBG was hosted by Jim Skala in Hartselle. Jim is cruising through his RV-9A project and is currently working on the fuselage.
Jim's shop was an ideal location for a winter meeting since it has central heat/air and is larger than the normal home shop. No doubt it has the best lighting of any shop we have ever seen! No additional light will need to be added when Jim begins painting his project.
Jim has taken a route that many builders will probably take in the future; standard emp and fuse kits with quick-build wings. The fully pre-punched fuse is built without jigging and guarantees a straight airplane.
Thank you, Jim, for hosting the meeting and sharing your project and impressive shop!
1/22/04 January meeting
Here is a summary of the January meeting of the TVRVBG filed by Ed Seigler:
"Rick Stroud ('46 Globe Swift -- just slightly modified) presented a
refresher on 'Runway Markings and Runway Incursions'. Many of you don't know Rick, but
probably should -- he is an absolute wealth of aviation information. Rick did a great job
of reminding us about runway markings, taxiways and taxiing, and where we should be
vigilant -- both when we are taxiing and landing. Rick, thanks again for a great job.
Our headcount was down last night. We had about 30 regulars in attendance.
Those of us there had a good time -- there was even bits of true stories
occasionally.
We have 71 members listed on our website with 16 +/- planes flying. (Editor's note; I
think the number is actually twenty-three) To the best of our knowledge, five RVs
first flew in 2003: Alan Nunnelee, Jim Harchanko, Steve Raddatz, , Brandon Dixon, and Mark
Pickens."
