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Preparation | Planning | Shop | Tools | Practice Kit | Other |
Empennage | Horizontal Stab | Vertical Stab | Rudder | Elevators |
Wings | Spars | Ribs | Wing | Fuel Tanks | Ailerons | Flaps |
Fuselage | Firewall | Bulkheads | Longerons | Aft Fuse | Ctr Fuse | Fwd Fuse |
Finish Kit | Canopy | Systems | Engine | Panel | Painting |
Functional Testing | Power On | Engine Runs | Taxi Tests |
First Flight | Preflight | First Flight | Postflight |
Flight Test | Air Data | Climb Perf | Best Glide | Cooling | Stall Speeds | Cruise Perf |
Preparation
Aug 25, 2025 – Reserved an N Number
Aug 26, 2025 – RV-8 Preview Plans Ordered
Sep 04, 2025 – Preview Plans Arrived
Sep 01, 2025 – Built a Workbench
Sep 08, 2025 – Workshop Upgrades and More Tools Arrive
Sep 10, 2025 – Another Workbench?
Sep 08, 2025 – Workshop Upgrades and More Tools Arrive
Sep 09, 2025 – DRDT-2 and Other Tools
Sep 19, 2025 – More Tools Emp Ship Date
Oct 23, 2025 – Tools, Rudder Stiffeners, Riveting, and Spar
Sep 20, 2025 – 2025 NC Aviation Museum Annual Fly-In
Empennage
Sep 08, 2025 – Ordered the Empennage Kit
Sep 19, 2025 – More Tools Emp Ship Date
Oct 12, 2025 – Empennage Arrives Tomorrow!
Oct 13, 2025 – Begin at the Beginning, Empennage Inventory (2.0)
Horizontal Stabilizer
Oct 18, 2025 – Devinyled HS Skins (1.0)
Oct 19, 2025 – Horizontal Stabilizer Rear Spar, First Reordered Parts (1.0)
Oct 30, 2025 – Horizontal Front Spar Work (0.5)
Nov 30, 2025 – More Horizontal Spar Work (1.0)
Dec 10, 2025 – Started Matchdrilling HS Skins (2.0)
Dec 11, 2025 – Finished Matchdrilling HS Skins (0.5)
Dec 12, 2025 – HS Disassembly and Skin Deburring (2.0)
Jan 01, 2026 – Prepped HS Ribs (1.5)
Feb 20, 2026 – Prep and Prime HS Rear Spar (1.0)
Feb 23, 2026 – Riveting HS Rear Spar Bars and Hinge Brackets (1.0)
Feb 24, 2026 – HS Front Spar Prep and Riveting (2.0)
Feb 25, 2026 – Left HS Skin Riveting (2.5)
Feb 26, 2026 – Almost Finished Horizontal Stabilizer (4.0)
Vertical Stabilizer
Oct 14, 2025 – Matchdrilled Vertical Stabilizer (2.0)
Oct 15, 2025 – Started Riveting Rear Spar (2.0)
Oct 16, 2025 – Breakfast and Lunch Rear Spar Riveting (1.0)
Oct 16, 2025 – Dinner Dimpling (2.5)
Oct 17, 2025 – VS Skin Prep and Riveting (2.0)
Oct 18, 2025 – Finished Vertical Stabilizer (0.5)
Apr 21, 2026 – Attaching Some Empennage Tips With Screws (1.0)
Rudder
Oct 20, 2025 – Rudder Stiffeners and Spar (0.5)
Oct 21, 2025 – Rudder Skin Matchdrilling and Devinyling (1.0)
Oct 22, 2025 – Rudder Stiffener and Skin Dimpling (1.5)
Oct 23, 2025 – Tools, Rudder Stiffeners, Riveting, and Spar (4.0)
Oct 24, 2025 – Rudder Bending, Matchdrilling, Prep, and Priming (4.5)
Oct 25, 2025 – Rudder Skeleton Riveting (1.5)
Oct 28, 2025 – Rudder Skin Riveting (1.5)
Apr 21, 2026 – Attaching Some Empennage Tips With Screws (0.5)
Apr 23, 2026 – Rudder Bottom Fiberglass (1.0)
Apr 24, 2026 – Rudder Bottom Nutplates and Screws (1.0)
May 02, 2026 – Internal Rudder Stop (0.5)
May 03, 2026 – Rudder Tip Work (0.5)
May 04, 2026 – Rudder Tip Attachments Finished (0.5)
Elevators
Oct 26, 2025 – Elevator Stiffeners (1.5)
Mar 05, 2026 – Right Elevator Stiffener Preparation (1.5)
Mar 06, 2026 – More Right Elevator Stiffeners (2.0)
Mar 09, 2026 – Right Elevator Stiffener Riveting and Matchdrilling (3.5)
Mar 11, 2026 – Right Elevator Spar Riveting (1.0)
Mar 12, 2026 – Right Elevator Skin Riveting (1.5)
Mar 15, 2026 – Almost Finished Right Elevator (1.0)
Mar 15, 2026 – Left Elevator Devinyling (1.5)
Mar 16, 2026 – Left Elevator Stiffener Matchdrilling (1.0)
Mar 20, 2026 – Left Elevator Stiffener Prep (1.5)
Mar 21, 2026 – Left Elevator Stiffener Riveting (1.0)
Mar 23, 2026 – Left Elevator Bending and Trim Tab Work (1.5)
Mar 24, 2026 – Left Elevator Matchdrilling, Prep, Priming, and Riveting (3.5)
Mar 25, 2026 – Left Elevator Riveting (3.0)
Mar 26, 2026 – Elevator Trim Tab (2.5)
Apr 06, 2026 – Almost Finished Left Elevator (1.5)
Apr 07, 2026 – The First Elevator Mounting (2.0)
Apr 08, 2026 – Fixed Elevator Trailing Edge Bends (0.5)
Apr 12, 2026 – Electric Elevator Trim Tab Redux (1.0)
Apr 18, 2026 – Elevator Trim Tab Rigging (1.0)
Apr 20, 2026 – Started Fiberglass Elevator Tips (0.5)
Apr 21, 2026 – Attaching Some Empennage Tips With Screws (2.0)
Apr 22, 2026 – Horizontal Stabilizer Tips and Travel (2.0)
Wings
Misc
May 03, 2026 – Wing Stands, Part One (2.0)
Jun 04, 2026 – Wing Stands, Part Two (1.5)
Fuselage
Finish Kit
Systems
May 30, 2026 –Benchtop Electrical System (1.5)
Sep 12, 2025 –Electrical, Switch, and Panel Design (0.0)
Apr 11, 2026 –Consoles and Panel Nutplates (1.0)
May 25, 2026 –Left and Right Switches Brainstorming (1.0)
May 28, 2026 –Rethinking My Panel and Electrical System (0.0)
Oct 07, 2025 –Waiting for the Empennage Let’s Dream of Paint
Functional Testing
First Flight
Flight Test
Best Glide Determination