N114KB Project Updates

Getting Ready…

As many of you know, I’ve been obsessed with aviation all of my life and have, at various times, been a pilot, flight instructor, homebuilder, etc.  After selling my beloved RV-8 years ago, I’ve always missed being a part of the wider RV community, to say nothing of flying, itself.

After spending all these years on other pursuits (chiefly motorcycles and sports cars – I still need to sell my Ferrari to create sufficient garage space for the project), I’m finally ready to dive back into aviation with both feet!  As a dedicated RVator, my chosen kit this time around is the RV-14A.

The biggest decision I’ve faced thus far was tailwheel vs. nosewheel.  While my own preference leans strongly toward the former for many reasons, spousal comfort and approval has shifted the balance toward the latter and a nosewheel it shall be!

Given that my RV-8 was constructed from a standard (non-QB) kit over 29 months (between 12/99 – 5/02), I’m hopeful that the much-improved RV-14A kit will require somewhat less time, but we shall see.  Ultimately, it’ll be done when it’s done.  My natural impatience notwithstanding, rest assured that it’ll be the absolute best work that I can do.

I ordered the tail and wing kits simultaneously a few weeks ago, delayed shipping the tail kit until I returned from my Hawaiian vacation, and just received it earlier this week.  Yesterday, I completed the inventory (nothing damaged, missing, or backordered – a miracle!) and, having stored various airplane components around the house once again, will get construction underway this morning with the vertical stabilizer.

Standby for progress…

Assorted empennage skins, tailcone skins, and other bits in the living room.
Tailcone side skins in the dining room.
Even more skins in the office.
Empennage kit hardware inventory underway.
Empennage kit hardware inventory completed.
Starting to get organized on the auxiliary bench.