N5PU - An RV6A Story

[SylvieFliesWithKenny]

Hello everyone, I would like to talk about my grandfather Kenneth Putnam and how he inspired my career in aviation.

Despite going to school for an associate's in applied science, he was drawn to being a fixer and a tinkerer (I think he maybe had some ADHD). He worked as a service technician and handyman for a while until later in his life, decided to pursue a career in aviation. He had gotten his PPL while in high school but was determined for his commercial. He diligently worked and received his dream. He flew commuters, corporate, medical and charter planes (one time flying the band Nickelback) and maintained active memberships with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). A true aviation enthusiast, he finished building an experimental plane and flew it cross-country.

This experimental plane was his RV 6-A built in 2008 which I grew up flying with Grandpa Putt in. When I was in high school, I remember telling him how fun it was to fly, what if I did this? He told me point blank that I would "get bored". Needless to say, I was still drawn to aviation and am currently a Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace student at Northeastern University with an intent to become an Aerospace Engineer. Amazingly this spring I landed the internship of a lifetime working at BETA Technologies in my home state of Vermont where I have gotten to start my PPL training. I have my student pilots license and have a goal to solo before I wrap up my time here and go back to school.

Unfortunately, Grandpa Putt did not get to see me live this dream and become a member of the aviation community as he passed in early November of 2025 after an incredibly long and hard-fought battle with cancer about a month before I knew I would be brought into his beautiful world of aviation. It saddens me that I never got the chance to tell him about all the projects I have learned about and worked on or gotten to tell him about my flying and hear his tips (he was also a CFI).

Now his plane sits in the Florida home he shared with my grandmother with the panel somewhat in pieces as a part of an avionics project he got to start but never finish. My dream is to keep this plane with my family and one day get her flying again. One day be able to obtain my PPL and fly her myself.

Below I will include a couple photos of Grandpa Putt looking handsome as ever with this beauty, myself and my brother, the plane as it sits now, and the tattoo I got to honor his memory, but also root myself in what started my passion of all things flying. If anyone has any advice, words of wisdom, etc. on what the best steps would be for this RV is, I am all ears.

Thank you for reading

 

[RV7A Flyer]

I have my student pilots license and have a goal to solo before I wrap up my time here and go back to school.

When do you go back? If you bust @ss and fly as much as possible, you could conceivably get your PPL before heading back at the end of summer...

 

[SylvieFliesWithKenny]

When do you go back? If you bust @ss and fly as much as possible, you could conceivably get your PPL before heading back at the end of summer...

The way my school runs it's schedule I go back for summer classes halfway through June. Maybe if I had taken full advantage of the program from the start but I spent some time gathering my bearings on the job

 

[Desert Rat]

Thats an awesome back story. I could offer words of encouragement, but it sounds like you have plenty of motivation already, so I'll stick with something more practical:

The worst thing you can do to an airplane is not fly it. Thats especially true if it's sitting anywhere humid or where it's exposed to salt in the air. In fact, there's a saying; The first 3 rules of buying a used airplane are all "don't buy a plane from Florida".

Where I'm going with this is that if you're not going to be able to put this plane back together for a few years, it needs to either be sold or preserved for long term storage. If I were you, given the history you have, no way in the world would I sell my grandpa's ride.

At a minimum, the engine (assuming it's a Lycoming) should be preserved per Lycoming Service Letter 180B. If the interior surfaces of the wings and fuselage aren't primed, you might look at giving them a healthy dose of something like Corrosion X as well. Also, do whatever it takes to make sure mice don't move in. Mouse urine is incredibly corrosive to aluminum.

About the only other thing I can think of is that you don't want to let the registration expire. It would really be a bummer to have it fall off the registry and then have the FAA assign your grandpa's N number to another plane. Registrations are good for 7 years and only cost a few bucks to re-up. I just looked your up and it's good until 12-31-28, so put it on your calendar to deal with a couple of months prior to that date.

If you take just a few preventative steps now, It will be in good shape for a long time. and save you significant hassles and $$$ when the time comes.

Oh, and welcome to Vans AirForce

 

[SylvieFliesWithKenny]

Thats an awesome back story. I could offer words of encouragement, but it sounds like you have plenty of motivation already, so I'll stick with something more practical:

The worst thing you can do to an airplane is not fly it. Thats especially true if it's sitting anywhere humid or where it's exposed to salt in the air. In fact, there's a saying; The first 3 rules of buying a used airplane are all "don't buy a plane from Florida".

Where I'm going with this is that if you're not going to be able to put this plane back together for a few years, it needs to either be sold or preserved for long term storage. If I were you, given the history you have, no way in the world would I sell my grandpa's ride.

At a minimum, the engine (assuming it's a Lycoming) should be preserved per Lycoming Service Letter 180B. If the interior surfaces of the wings and fuselage aren't primed, you might look at giving them a healthy dose of something like Corrosion X as well. Also, do whatever it takes to make sure mice don't move in. Mouse urine is incredibly corrosive to aluminum.

About the only other thing I can think of is that you don't want to let the registration expire. It would really be a bummer to have it fall off the registry and then have the FAA assign your grandpa's N number to another plane. Registrations are good for 7 years and only cost a few bucks to re-up. I just looked your up and it's good until 12-31-28, so put it on your calendar to deal with a couple of months prior to that date.

If you take just a few preventative steps now, It will be in good shape for a long time. and save you significant hassles and $$$ when the time comes.

Oh, and welcome to Vans AirForce

Thank you this is super helpful!

 

[Jjackh10]

Desert Rat got you lined out on preserving the plane. This site is full of knowledge for when your ready to put it back together and in the air. Plenty of RV folks in Florida, I'd bet someone on here would even come lend a hand.

Sounds like you have a great plan for life. I'd just say be open minded and flexible. Very few of us ended up where we thought we would at your age lol. For example, aerospace engineering is cool, but you might consider coming to the oil & gas, or mining industries. You'd have to tolerate us construction trash, but the pay is better.

 

[Daddyman58]

Hello everyone, I would like to talk about my grandfather Kenneth Putnam and how he inspired my career in aviation.

Despite going to school for an associate's in applied science, he was drawn to being a fixer and a tinkerer (I think he maybe had some ADHD). He worked as a service technician and handyman for a while until later in his life, decided to pursue a career in aviation. He had gotten his PPL while in high school but was determined for his commercial. He diligently worked and received his dream. He flew commuters, corporate, medical and charter planes (one time flying the band Nickelback) and maintained active memberships with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). A true aviation enthusiast, he finished building an experimental plane and flew it cross-country.

This experimental plane was his RV 6-A built in 2008 which I grew up flying with Grandpa Putt in. When I was in high school, I remember telling him how fun it was to fly, what if I did this? He told me point blank that I would "get bored". Needless to say, I was still drawn to aviation and am currently a Mechanical Engineering and Aerospace student at Northeastern University with an intent to become an Aerospace Engineer. Amazingly this spring I landed the internship of a lifetime working at BETA Technologies in my home state of Vermont where I have gotten to start my PPL training. I have my student pilots license and have a goal to solo before I wrap up my time here and go back to school.

Unfortunately, Grandpa Putt did not get to see me live this dream and become a member of the aviation community as he passed in early November of 2025 after an incredibly long and hard-fought battle with cancer about a month before I knew I would be brought into his beautiful world of aviation. It saddens me that I never got the chance to tell him about all the projects I have learned about and worked on or gotten to tell him about my flying and hear his tips (he was also a CFI).

Now his plane sits in the Florida home he shared with my grandmother with the panel somewhat in pieces as a part of an avionics project he got to start but never finish. My dream is to keep this plane with my family and one day get her flying again. One day be able to obtain my PPL and fly her myself.

Below I will include a couple photos of Grandpa Putt looking handsome as ever with this beauty, myself and my brother, the plane as it sits now, and the tattoo I got to honor his memory, but also root myself in what started my passion of all things flying. If anyone has any advice, words of wisdom, etc. on what the best steps would be for this RV is, I am all ears.

Thank you for reading

SilvieFliesWithKenny,
Great story.
Sounds like he influenced your life in a positive way.
Fix. Fly.Learn.Repeat.
Daddyman58