Shop is finally ready to become an airplane factory. Built a few EAA 1000 workbenches using solid doors that had cosmetic damage to keep a very flat top. The doors were bought when building the barn and the manufacturer sent new ones because they got beat-up during shipping. I held onto them thinking I could used them as a bench…
Well after a good year or two of consideration, I’ve decided on the Van’s RV-14A as the aircraft kit I will undertake to construct. The maturity of the proven base design, the evolution of the kit and assembly instructions, the fantastic support available through forums like Vansairforce.com and local RV builders, and the fit against my mission all factored into my…
Throughout all my planning and research, I always had envisioned getting some training on sheet metal for aircraft. The EAA has a great program called “SportAir Workshops” that does just this through a traveling roadshow of classes throughout the year in various cities. Previously they are typically in the midwest or west coast. The closes to New Jersey I had…
After nearly 2.5 years and a LOT of help from many folks, but especially my Dad, the Barn is complete and passed all inspections. So now the real journey begins…
After a lot of research, I settled upon a heating system that leverages a hot water heater to circulate heated water through plastic pipes that I laid within the slab. It’s highly efficient and creates a gentle, even heat throughout the space. For the second floor, i added a second zone with slightly cooler water to be compatible with the…
After some winter delay, work on installing the dry wells was able to re-start and complete. The whole purpose of these monster concrete tanks are to collect and disperse rainwater collected from the gutters. Being that the building is in the middle of the woods with no neighbors within seeing distance, the requirement is quite ridiculous. But being a good citizen…
Previously, I shared some thinking about how I plane to build a kit airplane in the future (after The Barn is complete), and which three models I narrowed my selection to. This post gives more insights into how I begin framing the selection decision and the nuances of each design. The Mission In comparing these three kitplanes, there is no…
After a long winter, it’s great to see the landscape come alive
Even before I earned my Private Pilot Certificate in 2013, the idea of building a kit plane had taken root. But even since thinking about this for some years, I am still undecided on which model to build. Though, this decision is not required for a year or two while I finish building the barn. In the interim, I continue to…