This is my RV-7 (N9974P) that was completed in August 2020 and given its airworthiness inspection by Vic Syracuse. I performed the first flight on September 1, 2020. It is a slow-build and took 13.5 years to complete while keeping up with all of the great family activities of raising two daughters.
It is day/night VFR with the following installed: GRT Sport EX, uAvionics Echo ADSB with GRT Safe-Fly GPS, GRT EIS 4000, Garmin GTX 327 Transponder, Garmin GTR 200B Com, Fly LED Navigation/Strobes, Catto prop and spinner, Lycoming IO-360-M1B, and Flightline Interiors seats, paint was completed by Justin Griffin. It came in at 1055 lb with paint. The plane is based at Western Carolina Regional Airport (KRHP).
Many thanks to my fantastic wife Kim and our two daughters Brittin and Emma who always encouraged me to continue building. I also want to thank the following for many hours of help with the build: My Dad, Jake Johnson who enjoyed every minute of the build before his passing, Brittin Johnson who helped pound many rivets, Justin Griffin whose selfless help allowed the plane to finally get done, Jerry Stadtmiller and Lisa Turner from BIPE Inc. for the advice, inspections, and use of their paint booth, Andy Lynn for help with paint prep, and Jimmy Davenport and his Champ… and of course Van’s Aircraft for the design and kit, VAF for endless advice, and Kitplanes for the great articles.
It’s a great-flying plane that was worth every hour spent building it.
—John Johnson, Murphy, NC
