The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2
General Category => General Announcements => Topic started by: montmil on April 16, 2008, 11:22:49 AM
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Besides my "new" 1981 R65 airhead that needs a little deferred maintenance loving, I have also built and flown two FAA-licensed Experimental Category "Airhead-powered" aircraft.
First was a Rand KR-2 powered by a self-built 1835cc VW Type-1. Very sleek, speedy, light and a handful to get onto the runway. With two souls on board, I once made a high speed, low pass down the DTO runway at 190mph. Don't look for the R65 to do much more than half that speed.
Here tis...
(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi196.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Faa1%2Fmontmil%2FVW%2520Flyers%2FKRVW.01.jpg&hash=ef65d010dff9ab954d8af019a6a13fcd84652d1e)
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Now that's a lovely aircraft. Congratulations!
How long did it take you to put it together?
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Now that's a lovely aircraft. Congratulations! How long did it take you to put it together?
For me, a project's construction/development can be as enjoyable as the finished product. I enjoy my tools and use them often; be it furniture construction in the Gustav Stickley style, cabinetry, aircraft, automobiles or... my latest adoption and addiction, the R65.
The KR was built out-of-pocket as time and funds permitted. During its construction, we bought a new home and our family had three university students working on two different undergraduate and one doctoral degree. Now that's a money eater if there ever was one!
The mantra was, "Do something everyday and the aircraft will fly." And fly it did after 7.5 years of effort. I kept a builder log that ultimately showed 4000+ hours from first part to final paint. The Pietenpol took me only 1.5 years of part time effort as I had semi-retired at that time.
I do not plan on letting the Beemer sit still for long. BMW parts are now showing up at my door on a regular basis. Let the games begin.
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I must be old. You look so young to have accomplished so much!
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It's just a genetic thing (Thanks, Mom) like with that Dick Clark guy, the world's oldest teenager. ;)
I'm 61 and still have all my hair but it's now mostly gray. I attribute that to the years of worry and concern during my Army son's three tours in some very violent parts of our world.
And to be truthful, that photo ain't too new.
My grandpa would say, "Life's too dang short not to enjoy it." –Monte