By Trevor Yaworski, EAA 486352; Chapter 65 Golden Horseshoe, Burlington, Ontario
I am a tool and die maker with 35 years experience in automotive parts manufacturing. I developed an interest in aviation at a young age. Growing up, my father was a private pilot and owned a Piper Tri-Pacer. I always wanted to build an airplane. I earned my private pilot license in 1993. In 1994, I started building a Murphy Rebel kit with an uncle. I took a break from flying when my children were small. In 2013, I started to build a second Murphy Rebel, which I completed in 2021. I am currently involved in completing our chapter’s project. I have helped several people with their airplanes and projects. I am a proud EAA member. EAA is full of great people who actively share their interest in aviation.
C-GSYV is a Murphy Rebel that took eight years and close to 3,000 hours to build. It first flew on August 2, 2021, and currently has more than 100 hours in the air. I chose to install a Continental IO-240-B engine because of its stock 125 hp and lighter weight than a Lycoming O-235. This is not a common engine for a Rebel and caused me a lot of extra work, including remaking the top cowl. Now that the airplane is flying and the bugs are worked out, it performs well. I lean out to 6 gallons per hour in cruise at 93 kts, and have excellent takeoff and climb performance. The airplane weighed in a little heavy at 985 lbs but still has a useful load of 665 pounds. I made a number of minor modifications and improvements to the standard kit. Notably: gull-wing doors, a baggage door, a ground handling bar, Fife’s Hoerner-style wing tips, bushings in all the control surface pivots, custom flap handle, and more. It took a bit of time to become comfortable with the tail wheel. It’s a great airplane for flying around the area and has enough speed for cross-country flights. I’m looking forward to many years of flying ahead.
