Rockdale Tiger Flight

Rockdale Tiger Flight is a Group of High School and Jr High students learning the skills to build an airplane. We are building an RV-6 airplane that will carry two people and cruise at 190 mph.

Rv-6 is an all-aluminum, riveted togeter airframe, with a light piston engine upfront. The kit comes as pieces of pre-drilled aluminum, hardware, pre-made parts, and raw materials. In the process of construction and assembly, kids go through all the stages typical to all-metal airplane construction, including fabrication of parts, drilling, fitting, riveting, painting, etc. Later on, we will add electrical and control systems, hydraulic system and fuel system. All those tasks are done by children under the guidance of our technical councelor.

When the airplane is finished and certified by the FAA, kids will be able to use it to learn to fly and earn their Private Pilot licenses.

This year, we will be showing the partially complete tail section – or “empennage”, as it’s called in the aviation world.


We will also be demonstrating and showcasing basic skills required in building an all-aluminum airplane, such as drilling, deburring, riveting, dimpling, countersinking, bending, and so on.

In addition, we will be showing a completed and flying Pulsar 582 which was built by Ewell Matherne. Ewell will be available to answer questions and talk about his airplane.

Pulsar 582 carries 2 people and crusies at 130mph. Pulsar is showcasing a different approach to airframe construction, using fiberglass fabric, epoxy, and foam — the airplane is a “shell” of fiberglass built around light foam, allowing for it’s aerodynamic shape while being very light and “clean”. That’s why it’s so fast with just 65 horsepower engine, and burning 3.5 gallons of fuel an hour.


Rockdale Tiger Flight is also engaged in showing the kids what the joy of flying is all about, taking them up for rides in airplanes and a little fun in the air. These rides are available to kids age 7 to 17, for free, all made available by our Volunteer Pilots. http://www.YoungEagles.org Once a kid has taken a Young Eagle ride, they are eligble for a free online Gound School for a Private Pilots license and other benefits from EAA.

Everyone is welcome to Rockdale Tiger Flight group! Come to Rockdale and check us out. Kids and adults are welcome to join us. No formal sign up, just show up Saturday morning at 10 am at the Rockdale airport.

All of this is made possible by Experimental Aircraft Association and, the biggest Grassroots aviation and near-aviation organization in the United States. www.EAA.org

All funding of Rockdale Tiger Flight is from donations.