Motivation to finish.....

[rwthomas1]

Hello All,
This may be an odd post however please bear with me. I purchased a partially completed Sonex (A model) 5-6yrs ago. Kmacht was very kind as he inspected the "kit" before I purchased it Other than having to build a new flap, the airframe is complete. I converted from Aerovee/tricycle to Corvair/taildragger. Daleandee kindly allowed me to visit his Corvair powered Sonex and take a whole bunch of pics of his engine installation. I built and test ran a Corvair flight engine, the engine and I went to Florida and test ran it on WW's test stand. That was two plus years ago, and then I hit the wall. The engine sits on the bench where it landed after returning from Florida.

Aircraft parts hang from the basement ceiling. Dust, boxes, and other items from being a father having an active family of five, have accumulated around the fuselage, etc. as time has passed. I think about the fact that a spinner, prop, avionics, etc. are the few things left to purchase to complete this aircraft. I have most of what I need, but can't seem to get out of my own way and get moving. I don't have a lot of free time, but that's a cop-out. I do have some, I can make some, but I don't. Maybe its the fact that I didn't build the airframe, and to be honest, I'm not sure exactly what to do next. Some of it is obvious, but I'm paralyzed by the idea that I'll screw it up and then have to undo it all.

Does anyone else suffer this kind of thing? I'm to the point where I need to either move forward with this project or liquidate it and move on with life. I've even considered hiring a pro, or a consultant, or something just to point me in a direction. I'd like to see it fly, I can see that in my mind I just can't seem to connect the dots and move forward. Has anyone else had this, for lack of a better word, "mental block" with regard to projects? Anyway, thanks for listening. Have a good one, RT

[Bryan Cotton]

Ye gods yes I lived this. I managed to not give up. I should have been done 3 years before I actually finished. You need peer support, not technical but psychological. You are not the only one.

Finish, enjoy, it will be awesome. I promise.

Edit - look for my story in this month's Sport Aviation. I mention this very topic.

[WesRagle]

Hey RT,

Everybody goes through what you describe. It comes in various degrees but every body experiences it.

Here is how I get going again.

First, clean shop. Whatever you have for a shop clean it up. That includes cleaning all of the bits and pieces of the plane that are already built. I'm blessed with a lot of space. All that means is that I can collect a lot more junk while not actively working on a project. Here is a pic of one of two loads of junk going to the dump before I started on the Onex.



While cleaning up the juices will likely start to flow.

Next, get the plans out. Start flipping through the plans from back to front noting all of the work that has already been done. Keep flipping until you find something that needs done. Don't do it right away, just take note. Continue until you know exactly where you left off. It may take several two hour sessions but that will get you back in the mind set and you will likely remember how excited you were when you started. Time spent walking circles around the plane and checking the plans is time well spent.

Next, pick something small that you can do that will move the project along and do it. Remember that 95% of the project is a simple matter of match drill, debur, rivet. The big exceptions to that are wiring and firewall forward. If you are stuck on that, just go ahead and hang the engine (with the tail tied down). If that doesn't get you excited maybe it is time for plan B.

I do know how you feel. I'm in the throws of finishing a Bearhawk project that I've had for 15 years. Taking a break right now but will be walking circles around "Big Bird" again soon.

Good Luck,

Wes

[Bryan Cotton]

The one thing that really helped me finish - what is the life lesson to your kids if you finish? What is the lesson if you don't?

[BobDz]

Edit - look for my story in this month's Sport Aviation. I mention this very topic.

Great article Bryan!

[WaiexB22]

Edit - look for my story in this month's Sport Aviation. I mention this very topic.

Great article Bryan!

Excellent article! You are definitely an inspiration for me to wrap mine up....back to work.

[Bryan Cotton]

Thanks guys! RT, I was right where you are.

[kmacht]

Updating this post: after further discussion with Rob it appears that maybe both he and I have mixed each other up with someone else. He does not appear to be the one who took the tools mentioned in the post below and I’m pretty sure I’m not the one that went and inspected the kit with him. Sorry for the confusion in the follow on posts. Rob seems to be a stand up guy. If anyone does know who the builder in the northeast is that bought a used quickbuild kit I mentioned in the follow on posts please let me know.

“If you decide to sell do you think you could return the clecos and pliers you said you were going to borrow for just two weeks to start building while you waited for your Wicks order to arrive? I don’t mind helping people out in the sonex community but when you drop off the face of the earth right after borrowing something I consider that essentially theft. “

Keith
#554

[daleandee]

It was about 8-9 months after earning my tailwheel endorsement that my Corvair powered tailwheel was finished and ready for test flying. I had sold my previous nose roller Sonex many months earlier so I wasn't really current in a Sonex but the first flight went well (although the first landing attempt was a bounce and immediate go-around).

Some few hours later during flight testing I returned one day from buying fuel and made a horrible landing. The plane didn't ground loop but it was clear that I wasn't in control. It really got my attention. I came home and told the wife I was considering selling the plane. When I told her why she firmly said to me ... "nope, you knew this was gonna be a challenge the whole time you were building it, now put on your big-boy pants and go learn how to land the thing!"

I asked what to do if I bent the plane and she countered that I had built it I could rebuild it if needed. I was humbled as my wife is smart, usually quiet, & calm, but now she was insisting ... but I knew she was right. That was 12 years ago. I'm very thankful she pushed me to continue.

You have to finish this build. I didn't spend all day with you taking apart an airplane and giving you all my secrets for you to abandon the project now. So as my wife would say ... put on your big boy-pants and get this plane flying. You're all grown up now and we're ready to cheer you on and see it fly!

Dale
3.0 Corvair Tailwheel

[BRS]

Here is how I get going again.

First, clean shop. Whatever you have for a shop clean it up. ...

Wes, I had to smile when I saw this. So many times I have gotten stuck with many projects and not feeling like doing anything. I've learned that in cases like this to just clean, and put away all my tools and sweep the floor. It doesn't take too much cleaning when I start to think of things I was wanting to do. So then I go do them.