My name is Ron Slosberg and I am building my own airplane. To many this may seem like a really strange ambition. I mean, people don't just go around building their own airplanes. Do they? Well, actually... there are thousands of home-built aircraft being flown by their builders and others every day all over the world.
In this site I will document my progress and share what I have learned so that others may benefit from my experience. Builders' sites like this one were a huge source of information and inspiration as I pondered this endeavor. I only hope that my site is as useful to others as others' sites have been to me.
Why would anyone want to build their own airplane?
There are many reasons that people site for building thier own aircraft. Here are mine:
- I want to fly
- I cannot afford a certified aircraft, nor would I be willing to pay for one even if I could
- There aren't many certified arcraft that meet my needs and desires for a flying machine
- I enjoy building things--More precisely, I like learning to build things
- Because I can--the thought of taking some sheet metal, steel tubing, fabric, and a few other bits and purposefully arranging them into an airplane that I will fly makes me happy.
This seems like too much fun to be legal
Actually it is legal. The FAA refers to homebuilt aircraft as "amatuer-built" and has a process by which the builder may obtain a "special airworthiness certificate" that includes lots of paperwork and a thorough inspection of the completed aircraft. These aircraft are typically categorized as experimental by the FAA and are not subject to all processes required for "certified" aircraft. In addition to certifying the aircraft, the FAA will issue a repairmen certificate that will allow the original builder to maintain the aircraft.
What type of airplane am I building?
After much reflection upon what type of aircrafgt to build, I have selected the Bearhawk. The bearhawk is a 4-place high-wing aircraft with a spacious cabin. It has a useful load of 1100-1300 lbs. and can cruise at 140-150 mph. It is available as a kit from Avipro Aircraft, Ltd. as well as plans from the designer of the Bearhawk, Bob Barrows. My requirements were, in order, safety, comfort, useful load, speed, rough/short field capabilities. Oh, and it has to look nice too. I intend to use my airplane for adventures around the countryside with my wife and two children.
How does one go about building an airplane?
There are two major avenues available to the home-builder; build a kit or build from plans. I have chosen to build from plans. I have made this choice for two reasons. First, Economics--Kits are expensive and require a significant up-front investment while scratch-building, on the other hand is more of a pay as you go proposition. Second, Personal Satisfaction--The prospect of scratch-building an airplane seems incredibly rewarding to me.