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Building
an RV
Construction Classes
None of us are born knowing how to build
an airplane. There are a number of ways to learn. Most builders buy
the kit and dive in, knowing that, if they make a mistake, ordering
replacement parts is quick and relatively cheap. For those who prefer
a more formal introduction, builders classes are offered in several
locations around the USA.
Classes are usually quite small, no
more than eight or ten people. This allows an abundance of individual
attention and instruction.
A typical class may last two or three
days. After the initial introductions and donuts (why did you
decide to do this highly intimidating thing?), the first short sessions
are usually spent describing and  explaining the basic tools involved in
building a metal airplane. Rivet guns, dimple dies, rivet squeezers,
deburring tools and drills are fondled, explained and demonstrated.
The next session usually involves a
small, basic project designed to introduce the fundamentals of
handling aluminum. Parts are measured, drilled and deburred. When
these parts are fully prepared, they can be riveted together. About
this time, the students begin to realize that the operation they
worried about the most (usually riveting) is actually the easiest, but
operations they never considered (all the preparation work) take more
time and effort than they’d imagined.
After a few more small projects, each
emphasizing some specific operation, the final day is spent building
the "graduation project." This is more involved and brings
together all the new skills acquired in the last two or three days. A
typical last day effort might be a section of control surface, where
skins, stiffeners, ribs and spars are all prepared, fitted, drilled
and riveted.
The end of each day is usually spent in
a question and answer period with wide ranging discussions of
everything from specific building topics to company history.
While formal instruction is certainly
not necessary to the successful completion of an RV, it can certainly
get the builder off to a faster, more confident start. The best
comment an instructor can receive as the class departs is "I can
do this!"
Australia
Provider: RV-Workshop Learning
Centre
Location: PO Box 433 Temora, New South Wales 2666
Contact: 61 2 6978 1767 Mobile/Cell: 0429
188 051 / e-mail
California
Provider: AirCrafters
Location: Watsonville
Contact: 831.722.9141 /
e-mail
/ web
site
Provider: EAA SportAir
Location: Corona
Contact: 800.967.5746 / e-mail
/ web site
Georgia
Provider: Alexander Technical Center
Location: Atlanta area
Contact: 770-467-9490 /
e-mail /
web
site
Indiana
Provider: Grov-Air, Inc.
Location: Avon
Contact: 317.272.7669 /
e-mail /
web
site
Iowa
Provider: W&C Aircraft Works
Location: Boone Municipal Airport (BNW)
Contact: 515.432.2749
/ e-mail / web site
Maryland
Provider: EAA SportAir
Location: Frederick
Contact:
800.967.5746 / e-mail
/ web site
North Carolina
Provider: GBI (George and Becki Orndorff)
Location: Gold Hill, NC
Contact: 704.707.4845 / e-mail
/ web site
Class Dates: posted on web site
Ohio/ West Virginia
Provider: Ohio Valley RVators Builder
Assistance
Location: Mid Ohio Valley Airport (PKB)
Contact: 740.350.5188 /
e-mail
Oregon
Provider: Synergy Air
Location: Eugene
Contact: 541.913.0610 /
e-mail
/ web site
Class Dates: posted on web site
Pennsylvania
Provider: Western Pennsylvania RV Builders
Location: Rostraver Airport (KFWQ)
Contact: 412.257.8350 or 724.344.8175
/
e-mail
/ web site
Class Dates: posted on web site
Texas
Provider: Jay Pratt's RV
Central
Location: Hicks Airfield
Contact: 817.439.1220 / e-mail
/ web
site
Utah
Provider: Utah Aircraft Builders School
Location: Salt Lake City / Bountiful, Utah
Contact: Mike Howe - 801-635-9698 /
e-mail
/ web site
Washington
Provider: Axsys Air
Location: North of Seattle at Lake Stevens, Washington
Contact: 800.260.6054 or 360.243.4220
/ e-mail
/ web site
Wisconsin
Provider: EAA SportAir
Location: Oshkosh
Contact:
800.967.5746
/ e-mail
/ web site
* Other Non-RV specific EAA SportAir
workshops
are also available. Please see their web
site for more information.
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