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This is the home page of my home built Van's RV-7 called Spirit
Gary, a member of the Cessna 172 owning Derby Arrows group, has gone slightly mad and decided to build a performance aircraft in his shed....well ok the garage then.  This part of the web site will chronicle the journey and that journey will easily take at least 4 years

 
Photo's courtesy of Van's Aircraft

  
  A bit about me:
Hello.  I am a 40 46 year old man living in Derbyshire Worcestershire and I am mad about flying.  On Bank holiday morning 30/04/07 I woke up and almost immediately I had decided that I would build my own aircraft.  By that evening I had decided which aircraft I was going to build.  Now its also important to note that I never done anything like this before and when ever I touch metal it seems to break in my hands !!

Reassuringly I will have plenty of help and advice from Bob who has built aluminium and composite single seat racing cars.  My next door neighbour has shown keen interest to.  Not to mention help from Derby Aero club and fellow builders.

A bit about the aircraft:
The aircraft I have chosen is a two seat, low wing, high performance, all metal, tail-dragger.  Its a Van's RV-7. For more about them click here:

http://www.vansaircraft.com/

The aircraft will be built in my single car garage next to the house.  Not a great deal of space and I will need to keep the noise down.

After much thought and an internal need to name the aircraft more than just its registration or make I have decided to call her Spirit.  With a little tongue in cheek I am calling the people who help.....Team Spirit.  You can see who they are from the right hand menu.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 
  Key Dates
 
bulletProject Start      30th April 2007
bulletBuild Start        05th August 2007
bulletTail Done         27th January 2008
bulletWings Done      09th May 2009
bulletFuselage Start   19th August 2009
 

Total Build Time

1179.0 Hours
Site updated as of 26/06/2013

Getting Started Time

150.0 Hours
Last update was 22/07/2007

Practise Kits Time

26.0 Hours
Last update was 05/08/2007

Empennage Build Time

183.5 Hours
Last update was 24/02/2008

Wing Time

432.0 Hours
Last update was 27/02/2013

Fuselage Time

395 Hours
Last update was 26/06/2013

Finish Kit Time

2 Hours
Last update was 27/02/2013

Firewall Forward

2.5 Hours
Last update was 01/03/2013

Panel Time

4.0 Hours
Last update was 20/10/2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Aircraft Specification:
Solo Weight 1400 lbs
Gross Weight 1800 lbs
160 hp 180 hp 200 hp
Speed - Gross Weight
Top Speed 201 mph 209 mph 216 mph
Cruise [75% @ 8000 ft] 191 mph 199 mph 206 mph
Cruise [55% @ 8000 ft] 172 mph 179 mph 186 mph
Stall Speed 58 mph 58 mph 58 mph
Ground Performance - Gross Weight
Takeoff Distance 650 ft 575 ft 500 ft
Landing Distance 500 ft 500 ft 500 ft
Climb/Ceiling - Gross Weight
Rate of Climb 1,400 fpm 1,650 fpm 1,900 fpm
Ceiling 18,500 ft 20,500 ft 22,500 ft
Range
Range [75% @ 8000 ft] 835 sm 775 sm 765 sm
Range [55% @ 8000 ft] 1,025 sm 950 sm 935 sm
Team Spirit
Getting Started
Practise Kits
Empennage Build
Wing Build
Fuselage Build
The Finish Kit
Choosing an Engine
Firewall Forward
The Panel
RV-7 Cam
Key Decisions
 
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