10 minute read
PROJECT NEWS SPECIAL
Bill Sweetnam relates the story of his lifelong passion with aviation and how he came to build the first Van’s RV-14 in the UK, G-ORWS (LAA 39315519) – aided by a bacon sarnies and ice cream… Pictures by Bill Sweetnam and Ed Hicks
Sweetnam success…
My homebuilding story began in a hangar in Nairobi. The Piper Cub that was used on our farm was in for check and the engineer lifted me up to have a closer look at the engine… I was only a nipper at the time and I’ve been aeroplane crazy ever since.
Cardboard box constructions morphed into Meccano models, pram-wheeled carts with plank wings, then finally into radio-controlled model aeroplanes.
At school, when I told my careers master that I wanted to be a pilot, I was told that being a ‘taxi driver’ would be a waste of a good education and I would quickly get bored of it. Somewhat crestfallen, I dutifully followed my teacher’s advice and went into the law, where I spent almost 20 years in practice as a solicitor and as a director of a small bank. My dreams of becoming a pilot never faded though, but I had to wait until my mid-thirties before I gained my PPL and began to fulfil them. That PPL did become a CPL, and weekend flying instruction eventually turned into a full ATPL. Finally, one momentous day, aged 41, the calling of the sky became too strong and I turned my back on the law to take my chances of getting a flying job. At the time it felt a risky decision to have made, given that I was surrendering a secure profession, income and had a young family to support. But I never for one second regretted that decision and fate (and good friends) were extremely kind to me in allowing me to find my way into a good regional airline, eventually getting my command on an Embraer 145 jet. After 10 years of regional flying, a change took me into the private jet world, freelancing on the Embraer
Legacy. This move certainly brought challenges and was at times brutal in its demands, but overall was just amazing and completely fulfilling. There is hardly a continent I have not seen, and I have had the privilege of meeting and working with some of the most influential and interesting people of our time. Pop stars to politicians, gangsters to royalty, and many in between, lots of faces passed through the door of the
Legacy. My 20 commercial flying years certainly allowed me to live and fulfil my childhood dreams, but what to do in retirement? I certainly had no intention of hanging up my flying goggles! Above Ready for the off. A good-sized, well-ordered workshop, and the kit has arrived safe and sound. Photo: Bill Sweetnam
I am an intensely practical person and, much to my wife’s irritation, will never employ a tradesman to do a job that I can do myself. I have always had a decent set of tools and a workshop where things get tinkered with, fettled or made. I had a love of old British sports cars and over the years had quite a few, all of which I looked after to the nth degree. So when my airline pilot friend Tony (also a keen Permit flyer) suggested I build myself an aircraft, the idea seemed a bit of a no brainer! It would undoubtedly be a challenge, but I had space at home with a decent garage and now plenty of time to get stuck in.
Pure professionalism
The choice of kit manufacturer was easy. I had first seen some Van’s Aircraft types at a show about 10 years previously. The design, the quality and the sheer ‘presence’ of each machine shouted professionalism and competence – it was hard to believe they were homebuilt. Good old-fashioned construction in metal hooked up to a time-proven Lycoming, solid and durable with examples having circumnavigated the globe. Since I didn’t fancy the tandem set up of the RV-8, I pretty much settled on the RV-7. My intention was to fully equip it with a decent IFR panel and go touring in it.
Fitting out my workshop with heating, lighting, power, water and all necessary tools, storage and benching was clearly essential preliminary work too. I intended to complete the build in as short a time as possible, so the working environment had to be comfortable and welcoming to not only myself but the essential help the project would need. To that end the purchase of a George Foreman bacon grill, beer fridge and ice cream freezer were all early project purchases!
Before pressing the send button on my order, I needed to find a willing inspector for my project. This involved following a lot of leads and talking to many new contacts to try to find someone who was prepared to take me on as a novice first timer. In pursuit of this quest for information I was fortunate enough to be introduced to Ed Hicks, an RV builder local to me who was completing his second, an RV-8. He invited me to the workshop to show me his build and help make contact with Trevor Hope, who was his inspector.
Ed had just come back from Oregon, where he had flown the RV-14 for FLYER magazine. His enthusiasm for this latest kit, and particularly the significant advances in ease of assembly compared to earlier models, was totally infectious. The component preparation, self-jigging assembly techniques and comprehensive clarity of the instruction manual won Top The RV-14 nearing completion in the hangar, the plan was to test ‘naked’ and paint in the winter. Photo: Bill Sweetnam
Above left Early days – getting ready to join the empennage to the fuselage. Photo: Bill Sweetnam
Above right Long-time friend and build assistant Steve Mather and the author (right) enjoying a glass of wine and a bit of R&R. Photo: Bill Sweetnam
me over completely. The -14 was of course bigger than the -7 but that was a bonus – lots more space, great luggage capacity, more room for avionics and the fuel-injected 210hp Lycoming. I headed home with a huge grin on my face and, within the week, Van’s had my order for a QuickBuild -14 kit. Ed very generously interested himself in my project from the start and I quickly realised the importance of having a mentor for guidance, as well as support on
the inspection side from Trevor. I know a few people do manage to complete their builds solo, but apart from the essential need for a competent helper to assist, there is so much shared joy to be had with a good friend and helper as one marks the various milestones and little victories along the way (always an excuse for a glass of wine!). I am so lucky to have had the assistance of Steve Mather. We first flew as ‘boy’ pilots over 20 years ago and had shares in a PA28, then TB10 after which we rather lost touch as I headed off into the airline world and Steve pursued a fulfilling career as a consultant in anaesthetics (with a particular interest in the use of simulator training techniques, many of which came from aviation). When I had told Steve about my project, he jumped at the opportunity to become involved and it was great to remake the acquaintance of an old friend as a result. We console ourselves now during our COVID-19 incarceration with plans for our flying adventures abroad, once we are released.
So far as the actual build was concerned. What can I say? Honestly, ‘10 out of 10’ to Van’s, they are at the very top of their game. Despite travelling more than halfway round the world, everything arrived unscathed and of the 5,000 or so components there were just one or two errors. Really, I do slightly feel that I have cheated when I hear about the struggles some have had to complete their earlier Van’s kits. The 14 isn’t exactly an Ikea flatpack, but provided one religiously, meticulously and thoroughly reads the instructions once, twice and then a third time, then it almost does literally fall together! Of particular note were the canopy frame and Perspex installation, which most builders fear, but on the -14 was kept as easy as
Below I know many have bemoaned the composite work on Van’s, but I found the parts on the -14 fitted very nicely. I do have to paint them yet though! Photo: Ed Hicks
Left The author aged about four, the African sun casts a Dash 8-like shadow of my Meccano plane. Photo: Bill Sweetnam
Right The cockpit and fundamentally Garmin centric panel with twin G3Xs and a back-up G5. The avionics stack consists of Garmin GTN650 Navigator, GMC507 Autopilot, GTR 225 Comm and GMA245 Audio Panel. Photo: Ed Hicks
possible – and it fitted first time. And the firewall forward section, which was a case of just fitting parts exactly as per the instructions till you ran out of parts. Even the baffles come perfectly sized to fit – no trimming, you just assemble them.
Any mistakes I made have almost invariably been as a result of having done something out of sequence, or that I did not properly read the instructions first. Also, one must know when to stop! As with flying, construction takes no prisoners and will punish harshly if one labours on long after one should have stopped for the day.
The trickiest area of the build was undoubtedly represented by the avionics fit. While Van’s takes the decision making out of the airframe build, it’s very much the builder’s domain with the instruments. They do provide some generic wiring with the kit, but apart from being a useful source of wire these are in some ways more of a hindrance than help. In many ways it’s better to start with a clean sheet.
Level of support
While I am electronic savvy and I am quite at home making up circuit boards and using a soldering iron, after I bought the panel equipment, the help from the supplier’s ‘expert’ quickly faded as it became obvious he didn’t understand my chosen installation. It was almost to my cost, but then I was blessed by lady luck in being introduced to Dave Smith. He gave me exactly the level of support I needed with my G3X installation, and everything worked on the first throw of the master switch. That in my book is the hallmark of a master of his craft. Thank you and well done indeed Dave!
When I started my build, I had no idea that my -14 would be the first of its type to be ready to fly. Being a Below First fire-up, it ran sweetly, and the avionics all worked. Now we just have to await the easing of the lockdown so we can start test flying. Photo: Ed Hicks
Bottom This Engine Installation drawing highlights the quality of the build advice – just pick up the parts and fit them where it says – it couldn’t be any easier! Photo: via Ed Hicks Van’s product, and with many examples already flying in the US, the LAA were very positive about my project and the likelihood of achieving approval without issue. The risk, however, did remain of some issue arising from the final inspection. Jerry Parr and Jon Viner spent several hours going over the aircraft, and beside a few minor observations, gave the thumbs up. A few weeks later the envelope landed on the floor with my Permit to test – unfortunately, just as the world ground to a halt and we all had to shut ourselves behind our front doors. As I write these words with the sun blazing and temperatures heading upward, G-ORWS sits patiently waiting to feel the wind under her wings.
Well, to sum up I’d say that this project has been absolutely amazing and my advice to anyone who is contemplating a similar adventure is just do it! You only live once. Thank you everyone who has helped but particularly Steve, Ed and Trevor. I could never have got to this point without you guys… ■
