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10-13-2008, 08:22 PM
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VAF Moderator / Line Boy
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Dayton, NV
Posts: 12,256
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What makes an Airplane?
It was Oil Change day here at our home at Polly ranch, and Louise and I both toiled away at our respective airplanes, draining fluids, checking over FWF stuff, and generally enjoying a few hours together with tools in our hangar (eat your heart out guys….I have found mine!). Discussion was generally about planes, maintenance, and how thins are built, but Louise at one point asked a simple question:
“When does an airplane lose it’s personality?”
In essence, how much of an airplane would have to be replaced before it ceased being what it was, and simply began to be part of another? Mikey and the Valkyrie are very personal to both of us – parts of the family, like Karst the Wonder Dog…..we tend to think of our airplanes as beings of a sort. But when you think about the rebuild of “Black Magic” (which remains the same airplane, despite lots of replacement parts), it begs the question….where does the “soul” of the airplane reside?
We change engines, we can replace wings, tails, canopies….w can rebuild or replace the instrument panel….but it is still the same airplane. The dry, FAA definition would be that the Airworthiness Certificate makes it a plane….but that is an unromantic view, espoused by dry, drone-like administrators….
RV’s are special machines – almost living for those of us who have created them or made one part of our family.
So where, I ask…where does the airplane’s soul reside?
__________________
Paul F. Dye
Editor at Large - KITPLANES Magazine
RV-8 - N188PD - "Valkyrie"
RV-6 (By Marriage) - N164MS - "Mikey"
RV-3B - N13PL - "Tsamsiyu"
A&P, EAA Tech Counselor/Flight Advisor
Dayton Valley Airpark (A34)
http://Ironflight.com
Last edited by Ironflight : 10-16-2008 at 06:50 AM.
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10-13-2008, 09:15 PM
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 1,324
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The soul of an airplane
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ironflight
So where, I ask?where does the airplane?s soul reside?
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In your heart, Paul. I could launch into a discussion of how airplanes are inanimate machines but Sunshine would probably trip me tomorrow when I walk near her in the hangar.
John Clark
RV8 N18U "Sunshine"
KSBA
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10-13-2008, 09:20 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Huskerland, USA
Posts: 5,862
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They do have personalities. How they smell, now they start, handle, fly, stall, ect. Each one is different.
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I always enjoy it when Paul gets back from a long, challenging CC trip. The threads just flow out of his keyboard. I must admit I am afflicted by flying also. Gives me time to think, contemplate life, family, and just being a live to enjoy the most beautiful planet I have ever seen. 
__________________
RV-7 : In the hangar
RV-10 : In the hangar
RV-12 : Built and sold
RV-44 : 4 place helicopter on order.
Last edited by Geico266 : 10-13-2008 at 09:24 PM.
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10-13-2008, 09:37 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Seattle, wa
Posts: 679
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The airplane is the aircraft data plate.
The engine is the engine data plate.
Everything else is just parts.
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10-13-2008, 10:40 PM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Southern Mississippi
Posts: 495
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Quote:
Originally Posted by asav8tor
The engine is the engine data plate.
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Good thing my -8 has taken on a personality and a soul of sorts. By this definition, it'll never have an engine.
__________________
John Ratliff
N898R
RV-8
Saucier MS
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10-13-2008, 11:13 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Olathe, KS
Posts: 397
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ironflight
So where, I ask?where does the airplane?s soul reside?
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I think the airplane's soul lies in your soul, Paul. Like said before, even though an airplane is parts, it's 'your baby' for building it. You personally know how Val' works, how she's put together, how she flies, and reading many of your posts looks like you two 'become one' when flying together (how you describe it, anyways). Fly another airplane equipped the same and it probably just won't feel the same. That man-machine relationship is where that soul lies!
Just for another example: have you ever seen the movie "Gone in Sixty Seconds" (new one with Nicholas Cage for the yougins'). Same type of relationship he has with Eleanor (a 67' Shelby Mustang).
__________________
Brad Brensing
RV-10 Emp/Tailcone - Complete, QB Wings - Building, Fuse - Building
Never judge a man by his trim tabs.
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10-13-2008, 11:16 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Reno, NV
Posts: 2,125
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ironflight
“When does an airplane lose it’s personality?”
In essence, how much of an airplane would have to be replaced before it ceased being what it was, and simply began to be part of another?
So where, I ask…where does the airplane’s soul reside?
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Paul, as a fellow aviation romantic, I'll make a feeble attempt at one possible answer (or set of answers...of course answers are probably as varied as airplanes and owners):
To the first two, I'd say "never", and "it wouldn't matter how much was changed, the soul is still in there".
To the third, my feeling is that the soul courses through the skin, bones and veins (the plans call them aluminum, frame and wires/hoses but they become so much more than that when the engine roars for the first time). Touch any part, and its there, kinda like "The Force" in Star Wars"
To use another movie analogy, think of Captain Jack Sparrow in the first POTC movie, when he is given the helm of his ship at the end of the movie. You see him touching her soul as he runs his hand over the ship's wheel, grinning that grin (the same one we get!).
I'm the 4th owner of my airplane, but I think I found it's soul right away. It's got new paint, a new panel, and some other goodies since Tom Hallendorf built it ten years ago, but I think (and hope) that if Tom sat it in today and ran his hand over the stick, throttle and glareshield, he would recognize his old friend, and it would tell him, "my new owner takes care of me just like you did when you built me", and maybe, "he's even bled on me like you did, so we're good."
Gotta agree with Brad on the relationship being the key too...good call!
Anyway, them's my thoughts, and yep, I waved and grinned as I put 'er away after going around the patch a few times today (OK, I'm a geek...er, romantic!)
Cheers,
Bob
Last edited by rvmills : 10-13-2008 at 11:20 PM.
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10-13-2008, 11:47 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Corvallis Oregon.
Posts: 680
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Quote:
Originally Posted by asav8tor
The airplane is the aircraft data plate.
The engine is the engine data plate.
Everything else is just parts.
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I agree with this one.
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10-14-2008, 06:47 AM
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Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Somewhere in a motorhome
Posts: 581
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Everyone should know this...an airplanes soul lies in its aura! It is indeed very much like The Force.
__________________
RV7A-QB, RV-10
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10-14-2008, 07:10 AM
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Lake St. Louis, MO.
Posts: 2,346
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I've always thought of the airplane as the only machine ever created by man that comes as close to life as a machine can ever be. Foolishly romantic, I know, but why we a driven to name our boats or airplanes is our human way of giving identity to them. It's a quite natural impulse, really. Remember the old story of Pygmalion, a sculpter who fell in love with Galatea, an ivory statue he had crafted with his own hands?
The urge to name our creation can speak of an intimate relationship forged by long hours of painstaking labor and loving, sometimes even doting care. It is always easier for me to refer to "Darla!" than to more accurately say....."my RV-6A."
So Paul, to answer your dual questions: ?When does an airplane lose it?s personality?? and "So where, I ask?where does the airplane?s soul reside?" I would offer that the airplane's personality is an extention of our own and is lost when we stop loving it because that is when the airplane's soul recedes back into the recesses of our own.
__________________
Rick Galati
RV6A N307R"Darla!"
RV-8 N308R "LuLu"
EAA Technical Counselor
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