N130PM
Active Member
So, once a guy finishes his empenage kit and gets involved with all the pieces that attach to it, a lot of time can go by. Like 17 years.
So with 17 years, and six months of flying, I stepped back the other day and had the strangest realization. There's nothing I need to do. The time is flown off, thoroughly roll checked. It all works, incredibly well. She's washed, vacuumed, canopy is clean, Ipod updated, Huh, I guess I'm done.
I'm Eric Henson from the old Mattronics days. Thought I'd say hi to all those that still linger. I swore off the computer a decade or so ago, as it was taking time from all the details. Nothing personal to anyone. I owe a huge debt to Matt Draile, Bob Skinner, Jerry Springer, Terry Janzi, Werner Berry, Scott Jackson and so many others....
So I built her on the cheap. Did a lot of work for other builders to pay for her. Built an F1, finished a truck load of other peoples stuff. Registered as 13 years of Other Peoples Money (cause all the succeeding years were taken). Lost my best friend in a beauty we made. It's been an adventure to say the least.
She's a time machine. She has her foot in 3 decades. On my initial flight I just wanted to get airborne. Can't express the satisfaction in feeling the plane flying hands off the first flight, while thinking about agonizing about the vertical alignment of your ailerons in a second hand kit back in 1996.
To fly an engine I rebuilt and assembled with the help of Charlie Kuss in 2003, over a case of Michelob on Thanksgiving day, and have it be smooth as silk with not a single issue (ok all those stupid probes don't count), it's just unbelievably satisfying.
Had I put the money and effort into my 401K back in 1993 I would be a much wealthier man, and I'd have cleaner clothes that's for sure. But after all these years and all the people I have known in the RV world, I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I can say that I have never encountered another group of people like the RV gang. It boggles most peoples minds that someone would spend 17 years building their dream. They ask "Was it worth it". My answer is, without a doubt!
I'd do it again if I had to. But I won't. Cause I already GOT ONE!!!
Hope to see some of you guys at Valkaria on Saturday. If you me say hi, thats pretty much the point of this post.
Oh yeah, permission to come aboard?
Here's a video the guy across the hangar row did of my first flight. I intended to do the flight with no one around. But the hangar bums were circling like Florida Turkey Vultures and they knew I was out of reasons to not fly. So Mike said to me "you're going to fly tomorrow aren't you"? Well, I guess I don't see a reason why I shouldn't.
"I'll bring my camera" he said. He sure did. Man hangar bums have skills don't they.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH6mwOjm6Kc
So with 17 years, and six months of flying, I stepped back the other day and had the strangest realization. There's nothing I need to do. The time is flown off, thoroughly roll checked. It all works, incredibly well. She's washed, vacuumed, canopy is clean, Ipod updated, Huh, I guess I'm done.
I'm Eric Henson from the old Mattronics days. Thought I'd say hi to all those that still linger. I swore off the computer a decade or so ago, as it was taking time from all the details. Nothing personal to anyone. I owe a huge debt to Matt Draile, Bob Skinner, Jerry Springer, Terry Janzi, Werner Berry, Scott Jackson and so many others....
So I built her on the cheap. Did a lot of work for other builders to pay for her. Built an F1, finished a truck load of other peoples stuff. Registered as 13 years of Other Peoples Money (cause all the succeeding years were taken). Lost my best friend in a beauty we made. It's been an adventure to say the least.
She's a time machine. She has her foot in 3 decades. On my initial flight I just wanted to get airborne. Can't express the satisfaction in feeling the plane flying hands off the first flight, while thinking about agonizing about the vertical alignment of your ailerons in a second hand kit back in 1996.
To fly an engine I rebuilt and assembled with the help of Charlie Kuss in 2003, over a case of Michelob on Thanksgiving day, and have it be smooth as silk with not a single issue (ok all those stupid probes don't count), it's just unbelievably satisfying.
Had I put the money and effort into my 401K back in 1993 I would be a much wealthier man, and I'd have cleaner clothes that's for sure. But after all these years and all the people I have known in the RV world, I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I can say that I have never encountered another group of people like the RV gang. It boggles most peoples minds that someone would spend 17 years building their dream. They ask "Was it worth it". My answer is, without a doubt!
I'd do it again if I had to. But I won't. Cause I already GOT ONE!!!
Hope to see some of you guys at Valkaria on Saturday. If you me say hi, thats pretty much the point of this post.
Oh yeah, permission to come aboard?
Here's a video the guy across the hangar row did of my first flight. I intended to do the flight with no one around. But the hangar bums were circling like Florida Turkey Vultures and they knew I was out of reasons to not fly. So Mike said to me "you're going to fly tomorrow aren't you"? Well, I guess I don't see a reason why I shouldn't.
"I'll bring my camera" he said. He sure did. Man hangar bums have skills don't they.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH6mwOjm6Kc
