SECTION 1
INTRODUCTION
RV AIRCRAFT
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INTRODUCTION
Welcome to the wonderful world of homebuilt aircraft. The project you are about to undertake (assuming that
this is your first homebuilt airplane) will probably be the most frustrating, time-consuming, enjoyable, fulfilling,
and rewarding that you have ever experienced. The ultimate success of this project is determined by many
factors, the most important of which only you control. These include your skills, patience, willingness to learn,
willingness to seek help when necessary, and a firm desire to create for yourself a very special, high
performance, personal airplane.
The Federal Aviation Administration allows us to build and fly experimental aircraft for the purpose of education
and recreation. The education part is up to you. This instruction manual is to help you achieve your goal.
Though we have made it as detailed and instructive as we feel is practical, it does not supply everything you
need to know to complete an RV. These instructions tell you how to build an RV, and pre-supposes that you
already know (or will learn) the basics of aluminum aircraft construction. We have listed several books and
manuals that are helpful in this regard. We also present some general sheet aluminum working information, but
caution that this manual alone can not be viewed as a complete education on the subject.
In addition, this manual is written on the assumption (based on our many years in the plans/kits business) that
nearly all RVs are built from kits of pre-formed, pre-bent, and pre-molded materials. We do not cover these
manufacturing operations in depth, and consider that those choosing to build an RV from raw materials either
have these skills and knowledge, or will acquire them elsewhere.
Additional help during construction can be had by becoming a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association
(EAA), reading their
Sport Aviation
magazine, and most of all, by being an active member of one of their 600+
chapters. Associating with other homebuilders, particularly RV builders, can be extremely helpful, and can even
make the difference between success and failure of your project. It can provide actual building assistance,
technical knowledge, and moral support.
In many places RV builders have formed their own organizations, often modeled on EAA chapters. They publish
newsletters hold regular meetings and exchange techniques, information and tools. We have been highly
impressed by the craftsmanship and camaraderie demonstrated by these Builders Groups and encourage any
RV builder to join or form one whenever possible. (A list of Builders Groups and contact persons is available
from VAN'S AIRCRAFT.) Building an airplane is a big undertaking, and a builder should never be too proud or
individualistic to take advantage of what others have to offer. It is indeed a rare person who is so skilled that he
or she cannot benefit from others.
CERTIFICATION AND REGISTRATION
Amateur built aircraft must be inspected and certified by the Federal Aviation Administration before flight. The
FAA has made a package available, spelling out the steps a homebuilder must take before his or her airplane is
allowed to fly. Contact your nearest General Aviation (GADO) or Flight Standards (FSDO) Office of the FAA for
this package, which also includes information on the Repairman's Certificate and the useful Flight Testing
Handbook.
Foreign builders should contact the appropriate agencies of their governments for regulations that pertain to
them.
VAN’S BUILDER ASSISTANCE
Van’s offers builders assistance on the telephone between the hours of 7:00AM to 9:00AM and 3:30PM and
4:30PM Pacific Time. You can also e-mail us at
. Please, for speedier answers when
you call, have your plans with you and be ready with your 5-digit customer/builder number. When e-mailing
questions please refer to the plans page and what plane you are building. Also, include your customer/builder
number.
COMMERCIAL ASSISTANCE
Particularly with the more expensive kits for exotic airplanes, buyers have been hiring private individuals or small
Custom Builder shops to assemble the kits for them. While this procedure did not and does not necessarily
constitute a violation of FAA rules, it can contradict the FAA intent. While the argument has often been made
that an experienced "Custom Builder" can build a safer aircraft than a first-time homebuilder, that determination
is not the real issue.
Yes, safety is the paramount concern at the FAA--that is the reason for their existence. That's why certification
requirements for production aircraft exist, to set design standard and quality control procedures. It seems fair to
RV AIRCRAFT
SECTION 1
INTRODUCTION
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state the FAA's position as: "If you want to be a manufacturer and build an airplane commercially (for hire), then
you must comply with FAR Part 23 certification requirements. If you want to by-pass the extensive requirements
of FAR 23, you can do so through the Experimental Amateur-built category, but only if you comply with the intent
(education and recreation) of that sub-category."
As mentioned above, paying for or accepting payment for the construction of an aircraft is not in itself a violation
of any regulation. The possibility of violation occurs when the applicant for airworthiness inspection of an
amateur built aircraft must signify on an affidavit that he or she has constructed that aircraft "For the purpose of
education and recreation." Falsification is punishable by a penalty of up to $10,000 fine, five years
imprisonment, or both.
In April 1996, the FAA published Advisory Circular 20-139 “Commercial Assistance during Construction of
Amateur-Built Aircraft”. This document, available on the FAA web site, should be studied carefully by anyone
considering using commercial assistance when building a homebuilt. The "commercial assistance" issue is
really one of FAA enforcement. Our purpose here is providing you an understanding of the nature and
background of this issue, so that you will know what is expected and permitted during the construction and
licensing of your homebuilt.
HELPFUL BOOKS AND MANUALS
AIRCRAFT SHEET METAL CONSTRUCTION
AND REPAIR
SHEET METAL, Vol. #1
THE SPORTPLANE BUILDER
FIREWALL FORWARD
SPORTPLANE CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES
CAM 18 MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, AND
ALTERATION OF AIRFRAMES, POWERPLANTS,
AND APPLIANCES
THE AEROELECTRIC CONNECTION (A great
source for wiring information)
BUILDING THE METAL AIRPLANE
LIGHT AIRPLANE CONSTRUCTION
STANDARD AIRCRAFT HANDBOOK
FAA ADVISORY CIRCULAR 41.13
Sources for some or all of these include:
Van’s Aircraft, Inc.
Robert L. Nuckolls III (The Aeroelectric
Connection)
6936 Bainbridge Rd
Wichita, KS 67226
316-685-8671
Avery Enterprises
411 Aviator Drive
Ft. Worth TX 76179
phone: 817-439-8400
1-800-652-8379
fax: 817-439-8402
www.averytools.com
Builder’s Bookstore
PO Box 270
Tabernash, CO 80489
970-887-2207
www.buildersbooks.com
Experimental Aircraft Association
PO Box 3086
Oshkosh WI 54903-3086
www.eaa.org