Actually, my Dad and I kinda did that.
Hmmm, you are not the first to build before getting licensed, but not how most folks do it.
Are you planning on learning to fly in your own plane??
That would sure be an adventure-------I just see it now, sitting around the fire, beer in hand, telling the guys
"yep, built my own plane, and learned to fly in it too"
Here's an interesting (maybe) story...
Back in 1965 or so neither my Dan nor I had ever had flight instruction. My Dad bought a 1947 Aeronca Champ 7AC that needed recovering, wing repairs, and other refurb. Over a couple of years we rebuilt it in his shop, having an A&P looking over our shoulders. He had the Continental A65 overhauled in Opa Locka, FL. We put it all together and then tried to find someone to teach us to fly. We ran across an instructor by the name of Lee Robinson who agreed to give us instruction.
We lived in Boca Raton, FL, at the time. I'm not sure why, but for some reason Lee could not give us instruction in our plane from Boca. Perhaps he was working for the FBO there and was required to give instruction in their aircraft. So, we learned to fly from a crop duster grass strip west of Delray Beach, FL. Lee soloed me in about 5 hours, and I flew that Champ for another 50 hours as a student pilot. In 1972 I completed my PPL at Showalter Aviation at Herndon Airport in Orlando, FL. I graduated from FTU (now UCF) in 1973 with a BSE.
Fast forward 35 years. In 2004 I decide to build an airplane. I wanted an RV, but at that time I didn't have the budget or help to build one. So I went with a Sonex. I received my kit in September, 2004 and had my first flight on 12/17/2006, the 103rd anniversary of the Wright Brothers first flight.
In 2007 I ran across a guy named Lee Robinson on one of the Sonex lists. In short order I learned that he was my first instructor, and was 83 years old. He lives in the Palm Beach, FL area, and I was living in Palm Coast, FL, a couple of hundred miles north.
Last year I finally got a chance to fly my Sonex down to Lantana airport and take Lee for his first Sonex ride. It turned out that I still had a lot of pilotage stuff to learn from Lee!!
It was a real thrill for both of us. I'll bet that not too many of us get to build their own airplane, regardless of make, and take our very first instructor for a ride. I feel very privileged to have been able to do so.
And to keep this RV related, I am now looking to sell my Sonex and acquire an RV-4 or RV-6. Or trade my Sonex plus required cash for an RV.
And to keep this thread related, I hope to do so in the first half of 2011!!!
Happy holidays to everyone!!
Chris Smith