I don't know how the other builders are handling this but I feel that "Research and Development" is a topic that deserves to be part of the building process. Digging for information, comparing options, just to name a few is an activity that entails a fair amount of your time. Sometime you have the impression that it takes as much time shopping around than building.
One thing is sure, I’m glad that Google exist because I really don’t know how I would be able to document myself as much as I do on this subject. Unlike guys living in a place where you can bump into an EAA chapter where ever you look at, I don’t have access to that kind of service. I’m pretty much on my own unless I make contact with a builder located at some great distance from my hometown. I don’t have that time so luckily, I just punch few keys on the keyboard and there an answer (usually).
Also, one of the reasons I have chosen an RV is because of its building community. You can spend hours and hours reading through the countless treads available on the WEB. One of the most popular is VAF (Van’s Air Force) where you will most likely find an answer to pretty much any question you might have. Then you can lurk on someone else’s building log published on a personal webpage. RV builder’s logs are all over the WEB. Literally. These are my favorite source of information. It is there where I’ve found and collected most of my knowledgebase. Of course I’m building up my own which in turn becomes available to other builders. This is how this community keeps growing and why this hobby gets so rewarding and addictive. Bottom line is, if you intend to build an aircraft, be prepared to spend a fair amount of time searching and reading. Besides, it is an entertaining activity.
This is why I’ve decided to document and cumulate the time spent scratching my head to figure out how to keep going forward deserves to be considered.
