Hot threads online • Antennae So many, but where do they all go? (AeroElectric List) • Lightspeed EI True life experiences. (VAF) • Giving up. Cutting back. Paying for your project (VAF) • Wing wiring runs How 'bout this route? (VAF) • Installing radio trays Panel clearance questions (RV-List) • Instrument panel hole cutting Do it yourself or send it out? (RV-List) • Ryton pumps Why do they break? (RV-List) • Draining the gascolator Without taking the cowl off (VAF) • Insurance woes Hard to get insurance on an RV-10? (RV-10 list) • Subie vs. Lycoming A fly-off at Van's (VAF) • Gascolator installation Here's one idea. • Fuel pumps Are they always this loud? (VAF) • How not to do your first engine runup Fortunately, it was a Lancair. (SoCal RV List)

FIRST FLIGHTS James Stringer, Cambridge City, UK. RV-6. 5/16/06 Donald Carnegie, UK. RV-7A. 5/18/06 Dan O'Sullivan, Melbourne AUS. RV-7. 5/16/06.  Lee and Richmond Apaka, Fairfield CA. RV-7. 4/26/06 Read about these first flights at the Van's Air Force first-flight page.

Flying Stories My first guess as to what was wrong was water in the fuel (wrong), a problem a couple other aviators from 2V2 had recently experienced so I turned on the boost pump, switched tanks, and pushed in the mixture and throttle but there was no appreciable change in anything. (RVator John Knollenberg)

Roll your own
Will you send your completed RV out for paint? Or do it yourself?

Back at Oshkosh in 2000, when I was just getting around to thinking about building an RV, I stopped by one of the forums on painting your aircraft. "You could roll it on with a roller," the guys aid. "Nobody is going to notice after you're 500 feet in the air." Right. The trouble is you have to land.

There's been plenty written about how best to approach painting your airplane, but as with just about everything else, what you choose to do depends on money, time, expertise and whether you believe the guy at Oshkosh. So I've assembled a short -- very short-- list of online articles about painting your own airplane.

In the time I was putting the newsletter together this week, RVator Darwin Barrie got the paint job finished on his bird and he's probably back flying by the time you read this. But before he firewalled the throttle, he greased a gorgeous article on painting for the RV Builder's Newsletter.

Another favorite site is RV-8.com, where the author writes, "I have always wanted to learn how to paint myself. I would also like to be able to make my own repairs and changes without having to be dependent upon a paint shop. The paint job is where you can save a huge chunk of $ if you're willing to do it yourself. For all these reasons I have committed to tackling the task myself." Follow along on his educational journey. It's a great article.
Painting articles & threads
Product review: Aircraft painting 101
Sam Buchanan's paint page
Plane & Pilot article: Painting
Painting: Solving the mystery by Ron Alexander
How to set an HVLP spray gun
RV Builder's List: Rolling your own (discussion)

Let's eat!
We're now ready to begin taking "reservations" for the Oshkosh BBQ to get a head count to assist us in planning. All you need to do is fill out a form and indicate how many are coming and your preferred meal. (More)

RVating 1,2,3
So what are you doing these days?’ the Dude asks.
And I say, ‘We’re building an aeroplane.’ And the Dude responds, ‘A model plane? Yeah, yeah, I used to build them when I was a kid, always forgot to put the windows in before I glued the fuselage together… a real airplane? You’re kidding?’ ‘Nope.’ (Andrew Herd on Flightsim.com)

Scenes from SWRFI
Tracy Hallock documents some of the RV action at the Southwest Regional Fly-in (More)

Flying Maui style
Hawaii RV-6A pilot and builder Greg Grigson gives a visiting RV builder a little tour of the local sod, and sends him home with a suitcase full of motivation. (See pics)
Related link:
RJSFlyer's RV-9A project