Thorp Air Command - T18.net

I've loved aviation since I was very young and my grandfather (US Army Air Corps, Pacific Theater) took me to airports as a kid and told me about the airplane his club used to fly before he quit flying to raise my mom and her two sisters. Fast forward almost 20 years and I'm manning a booth for an RC company at Airventure 2012. While checking out the aircraft after we've closed up for the day, I notice a gorgeous polished aluminum aircraft that really caught my eye. Turns out, it was a T-18 (149RH, according to the tag). I looked up the design when I got home and I've been hooked ever since. I've been an active EAA member since 2011 and keeping an eye out for a prospective project and since I've always loved working with metal, this design seemed almost too perfect. My hope/plan is to buy plans sometime in 2013 and have the airplane done by 2018. I'm not a pilot yet but I'm hoping to accomplish that by the end of 2014 through a local club.

Anyway, I've been lurking on this site for several months now, reading articles and learning about other builder's experiences so I thought it would be appropriate to introduce myself. I'm sure I'll be posting a lot more over the next few years. Nice to meet you all!

Welcome!
If you like building in metal, you are off to a good start.
I learned to work sheet metal while building my plane, and learned to like it so much I'm getting ready to start another.
So let me be the first to both welcome and encourage you.

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Scott Emery
EAA Chapter 326
T-18 N18TE

Welcome! My hope is that you find all you need with the plane and this site. Where do you live?
Cubes

J Marck welcome, I see from your profile that you are in Urbana, Il. I grew up just east of Urbana in St. Joseph, obtained an Aero engineering degree from UofI and my PPL from the Institute of Aviation at the UofI. Definitly a good choice in an aircraft.

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Bruce Finney
N18JF T-18C #262
Yelm, WA USA

Welcome. I'm a lurker right now, but its just a matter of time. I'm in the CU area as well. I fly out of CMI. Small world I guess. I have some family over around St. Joe. Pm me and let me know where your at...I'd like to come see the progress. Kyle

Welcome! I live about 100 miles south of you, maybe we can get together one of these days and I will give you a ride in my T18. That should settle a few questions and bring up a whole lot more.

Good to have you aboard ! Lots of experience in this group . Remember estimated time to build (years) x pi carried to the last decimal .

RB

Welcome! I honestly just started myself this year ... it's definitely a firehose! Rich is right ... years to build x pi
Fred Denton

Thanks for the welcome! I plan on taking several years, probably 4-5 at least. One of the members of local EAA chapter 29 said his strategy was to do a little work on his Air Camper every day, even if it meant just ordering new parts or reading a technical article. I've already downloaded all the stuff I could find from EAA's Sport Aviation archive so that ought to keep me busy at least until I get plans and start building.

David, that's a great offer and I will definitely take you up on it when it warms up a little this spring. Did you build a "standard" T-18 or one of the variants?

Exactly what I tried to do...a little every day , but that really didn't happen until we moved into our 3rd house and I fully retired and built a workshop next to the house . I have the utmost respect for anyone that has a full time job and can build one of these AC in less than 10 years ! My project was an "on the job experience " leading to the extended build time . If you already have a handle on sheet metal/riveting skills you will be way head of me ! I did take an EAA workshop in sheet metal working which helped a great deal . Well worth the $$$ .

RB

718DR was a standard 150hp T18 as is 160hp 27DW which I am currently flying till I finish the rebuild, hopefully in the next few months.

JMarck, you are starting right where I did,I finished a couple months before I got my license. 7-8 years is what I spent, had the wife behind me 100 percent. A stack of prints, short pile of T-3 and I got the party started. I was within a year of my build finish when I started lessons in the Skyhawk, had a ball in that ole bird. You are in for the time of your life, and on your way to something very few ever finish. I am bull headed(Rich,Cubes,Fraser, no comments here please) and I think that helped me out a great deal. Congrats on your decision, dreams are recognized by those who never give em up....Dan

Dan : I have nothing but good words to say about you ! You may be bull headed (or maybe part of your head is filled with concrete) , but you have a heart of gold and helped me with my project !

RB

Concrete between the ears!! Mom said every time she dropped me it dented the floor, now its all makin sence.......Dan