What is a friend? Friends are special. But that word is thrown around rather loosely. Too loosely for my taste. Tony Tessitore fills the bill in my book. He's a very special guy.
Most people on this Forum know Tony. He is a prolific contributor. His postings are always knoweldgeable and on-point. He is ever helpful. His photo website has become the "Go-To" place for anyone building an RV-12. He has helped many builders via his comments. And via personal visits and demo flights. He has personally helped local builders during their journey. And, he has personally helped me - and gone way beyond the call of duty. Way beyond.
A little over a year ago, I had decided to get back into flying via the LSA route, and after many hours of study and a few demo rides, and a visit to Vans, had zeroed in on the RV-12. I really didn't want to build an airplane - I wanted to buy a completed airplane and start flying. But first, - my yet-to-be airplane needed a home. I decided it was not going to sit out in the rain and wind, and needed a hangar, but my visits to local airports drilled a bunch of dry holes. If I had to wait five years, then either I was going to trailer it home, or buy a boat instead.
That's when Tony entered my life. I joined VAF, and posted about trailers. That led to negative discussions about the practicality, which led in-turn to hangar discussions. Tony T. responded, and with his info and encouragement, I was able to re-drill some of those hangar explorations and obtain one at Bremerton Airport (KPWT) - it turned out, for gosh sakes - to be the exact same hangar Tony had used to complete his own airplane. Talk about coincidences. I didn't even realize at the outset that he was local to me.
With a hangar in hand, I became like the movie Field of Dreams - "If I build it, it will come..." And, it did - soon after, as I bought a partially built kit from Oklahoma. I thought I was in for a quick finishing job before hitting the Wild Blue Yonder - but such was not the case. Wrong! Wrong! and Wrong again! A lot of the accomplished work was deficient and had to be re-done. Fuel system. Brake/hydraulic system. Wing wiring. And then, the Skyview and Avionics installation.
Almost a year's work lay ahead of me. Had I known then, what I know now - well, you know, "Experience" is what you get from a lot of "bad expeiences." Without Tony, I'd be dead in the water -working on a five year project. Maybe looking for a buyer. He took me under his wing, and supplied tools, expertise, encouragement - and man-hours. And rides in his own airplane. Which doesn't mean he popped his head in the hangar from time to time. For Tony to "pop in", meant two not-inexpensive ferry rides, and an all-day proposition. He made many. In the heat of the summer and the cold and wet of the winter. Always with a smile. I bribed him constantly with clam chowders from the airport diner.
Which brings me to Wednesday - Jan 23, 2013. It was a long day - starting at 5 AM - cold, dark, wet - Tony had to catch the 5:50 AM ferry. It was the end of a year long trail trying to build an airplane. How did I get myself into this??? Day after day, every day - a long drive - cold - hot - wet - many self-doubts.
Finally, -- the FAA came to look. Recall that last summer, the Seattle FAA MIDO had a falling out with the FAA FSDO, which had been doing Amateur Build airplanes. The FSDO used Delegation exclusively via DARs. The MIDO took over, wanting to more closely control the process, and also used the DARs. I started coordinating with the local DAR and arrived at an agreement as to how the airplane would be configured for Inspection.
But, the DAR, who also did large airplanes, wound up spending months overseas. There were no other E-LSA qualified DARs in the area. I submitted my Application to the MIDO, and after months of handing it off from person to person, it was decided that since the FAA had done little or no inspections, they would do it themselves, to make me a test case and gain a little OJT for themselves. Wonderful. I always wanted to be a guinea pig for the FAA, especially after having worked with the Seattle MIDO for several decades via Boeing. Well, at least I saved the bucks I would have had to pay the DAR.... I knew I could use some of that money to buy the needed aspirins and antacid tablets.
Jan 23, was the day. Two guys from the FAA MIDO showed up. I was nervous. Very. Armed with flashlights and mirrors, they launched into checking everything. And then some. A stray washer under the battery. A loose locknut lying in the tailcone. There were more than a few very anxious moments - I thought I had an exceptionally clean airplane - but there seemed to be no satisfying these guys. I started pulling panels they agreed could be left on.
I couldn't have done any of it without my friend and mentor - Tony T. At one point, he dove under the instrument panel to install a few missing screws - emerging with hands bloodied, but a smile on his face. His efforts were beyond mere "friendship." After a few hours, we whispered to each other that we were probably in for a bust. But, we kept working off the discrepancies they found. After about six hours, including an engine run, they wrote up the paperwork, and presented me with my new Certificate of Airworthiness.
Done! - I was done. The airplane was Complete. Registered, and now deemed Airworthy. I needed a drink. We both did. I needed to sit down and rest. As one of the posters on the Forum says - It's not the building , so much as the perseverance to keep building......
I've been working on airplanes my whole life, but Lordy - I've now actually BUILT an airplane.......
But more than that, I've acquired a friend, and seen what TRUE friendship is all about. From the get-go. From finding a hangar at the very beginning all the way through the Certification, Tony was there. Saying THANKS isn't nearly enough, so I'll say it in front of the whole RV-12 world. Who already know that Tony T. is one helluva guy. Sierra Hotel.
Bob Bogash
N737G
Registered
Airworthy
Most people on this Forum know Tony. He is a prolific contributor. His postings are always knoweldgeable and on-point. He is ever helpful. His photo website has become the "Go-To" place for anyone building an RV-12. He has helped many builders via his comments. And via personal visits and demo flights. He has personally helped local builders during their journey. And, he has personally helped me - and gone way beyond the call of duty. Way beyond.
A little over a year ago, I had decided to get back into flying via the LSA route, and after many hours of study and a few demo rides, and a visit to Vans, had zeroed in on the RV-12. I really didn't want to build an airplane - I wanted to buy a completed airplane and start flying. But first, - my yet-to-be airplane needed a home. I decided it was not going to sit out in the rain and wind, and needed a hangar, but my visits to local airports drilled a bunch of dry holes. If I had to wait five years, then either I was going to trailer it home, or buy a boat instead.
That's when Tony entered my life. I joined VAF, and posted about trailers. That led to negative discussions about the practicality, which led in-turn to hangar discussions. Tony T. responded, and with his info and encouragement, I was able to re-drill some of those hangar explorations and obtain one at Bremerton Airport (KPWT) - it turned out, for gosh sakes - to be the exact same hangar Tony had used to complete his own airplane. Talk about coincidences. I didn't even realize at the outset that he was local to me.
With a hangar in hand, I became like the movie Field of Dreams - "If I build it, it will come..." And, it did - soon after, as I bought a partially built kit from Oklahoma. I thought I was in for a quick finishing job before hitting the Wild Blue Yonder - but such was not the case. Wrong! Wrong! and Wrong again! A lot of the accomplished work was deficient and had to be re-done. Fuel system. Brake/hydraulic system. Wing wiring. And then, the Skyview and Avionics installation.
Almost a year's work lay ahead of me. Had I known then, what I know now - well, you know, "Experience" is what you get from a lot of "bad expeiences." Without Tony, I'd be dead in the water -working on a five year project. Maybe looking for a buyer. He took me under his wing, and supplied tools, expertise, encouragement - and man-hours. And rides in his own airplane. Which doesn't mean he popped his head in the hangar from time to time. For Tony to "pop in", meant two not-inexpensive ferry rides, and an all-day proposition. He made many. In the heat of the summer and the cold and wet of the winter. Always with a smile. I bribed him constantly with clam chowders from the airport diner.
Which brings me to Wednesday - Jan 23, 2013. It was a long day - starting at 5 AM - cold, dark, wet - Tony had to catch the 5:50 AM ferry. It was the end of a year long trail trying to build an airplane. How did I get myself into this??? Day after day, every day - a long drive - cold - hot - wet - many self-doubts.
Finally, -- the FAA came to look. Recall that last summer, the Seattle FAA MIDO had a falling out with the FAA FSDO, which had been doing Amateur Build airplanes. The FSDO used Delegation exclusively via DARs. The MIDO took over, wanting to more closely control the process, and also used the DARs. I started coordinating with the local DAR and arrived at an agreement as to how the airplane would be configured for Inspection.
But, the DAR, who also did large airplanes, wound up spending months overseas. There were no other E-LSA qualified DARs in the area. I submitted my Application to the MIDO, and after months of handing it off from person to person, it was decided that since the FAA had done little or no inspections, they would do it themselves, to make me a test case and gain a little OJT for themselves. Wonderful. I always wanted to be a guinea pig for the FAA, especially after having worked with the Seattle MIDO for several decades via Boeing. Well, at least I saved the bucks I would have had to pay the DAR.... I knew I could use some of that money to buy the needed aspirins and antacid tablets.
Jan 23, was the day. Two guys from the FAA MIDO showed up. I was nervous. Very. Armed with flashlights and mirrors, they launched into checking everything. And then some. A stray washer under the battery. A loose locknut lying in the tailcone. There were more than a few very anxious moments - I thought I had an exceptionally clean airplane - but there seemed to be no satisfying these guys. I started pulling panels they agreed could be left on.
I couldn't have done any of it without my friend and mentor - Tony T. At one point, he dove under the instrument panel to install a few missing screws - emerging with hands bloodied, but a smile on his face. His efforts were beyond mere "friendship." After a few hours, we whispered to each other that we were probably in for a bust. But, we kept working off the discrepancies they found. After about six hours, including an engine run, they wrote up the paperwork, and presented me with my new Certificate of Airworthiness.
Done! - I was done. The airplane was Complete. Registered, and now deemed Airworthy. I needed a drink. We both did. I needed to sit down and rest. As one of the posters on the Forum says - It's not the building , so much as the perseverance to keep building......
I've been working on airplanes my whole life, but Lordy - I've now actually BUILT an airplane.......
But more than that, I've acquired a friend, and seen what TRUE friendship is all about. From the get-go. From finding a hangar at the very beginning all the way through the Certification, Tony was there. Saying THANKS isn't nearly enough, so I'll say it in front of the whole RV-12 world. Who already know that Tony T. is one helluva guy. Sierra Hotel.
Bob Bogash
N737G
Registered
Airworthy
