My name is Phil Birkelbach and I built a Van's RV-7 kitplane.

First Flight

Check out the first flight report here.

The RV-7 is a kit-build, all-aluminum, two place, 200 mph, aerobatic capable airplane that is just about as pretty an airplane as I have ever seen. It is an experimental amatuer built that is made almost entirely out of aluminum. It was almost as much fun to build as it is to fly. Why would I do such a thing? Click here for the answer.

New Paint

I finally got my airplane painted. After three years of flying bare.

I couldn't resist taking a picture of my airplane in the same hangar with a P-38. There are very few of these things that are airworthy. It was quite a treat to get that close to one. No wonder my airplane didn't want to leave. (That's another story, just think dead battery and too little daylight left.)

I started the project on March 13, 2001. It's come a long way since then. I first flew the plane on September 18, 2005. I have registered the plane as N727WB.

The reason that I am building this web site is because I have received a lot of help from others who have kept similar sites and I guess the best way to pay them back is to keep my own web site for others to use. It is also a convienient place for family and friends to keep up with how I am coming along. Along the way I have found another very good reason to have a website like this. It allows people to take a look at things I've done and occasionaly let me know that I did something wrong or to remind me that I forgot something. If you see anything on this site that you don't think is quite right, please feel free to send me an email. I promise you won't hurt my feelings.

This site doubles as my builders log. A builders log is needed to prove to the FAA that I built at least 51% of the plane, and that I did it for my own 'recreation or education' so that I can get an Experimental Amateur Built airworthiness certificate once I finish.

Please feel free to browse around and if you have any questions maybe I have already answered them on my Frequently Asked Questions page. If not feel free to send me an email. I also would appreciate any comments you have on the site.

I wanted to take a minute to recommend a book that I read several years ago. The title is Stick and Rudder it was written back in the 40's by Wolfgang Langewiesche. It's a bit dated, he calles elevators, flippers and his take on tricycle gear is interesting, but this book will change the way you fly. I give this book to all my newly certificated pilot friends. It should be required reading.