Experimenter is a magazine created by EAA for people who build airplanes. We will report on amateur-built aircraft as well as ultralights and other light aircraft.
Issue link: http://experimenter.epubxp.com/i/101874
Andy explained, "When I started on the fixed-gear airplane, I went to the Lancair factory for their Builder Assist program, which was incredible. You are presented with boxes and piles of parts and one or two weeks to do a lot of basic assembly. But everything went well and I now have more than 300 hours on that airplane. Oh, and it took me two years to build." Let's back up and read that last line again. That's right: His first airplane project was a 200-mph, fairly sophisticated airplane, and it took him only two years to build it! It should be mentioned that he had a regular day job and wasn't an "airplane hermit" coming out of his workshop only when he discovered his groceries were running low. He actually had a life outside of his airplane building. Still…two years? Seems incredible, doesn't it? "I really like to build. In fact, I like to build more than I like flying. However, once I started flying the airplane I felt it wasn't nearly fast enough. Yes, it was much, much faster than my old 182, but I was certain that, if I were to do it again, it would be faster." So, here he is: His airplane is a beautiful piece of work and cruises right at 200 mph. But he's not satisfied. So, what's the logical decision at that point? Build another Legacy. Only make this one better. And faster! To him, that meant learning more about what he was doing. This, even though he had just built an airplane in two years, a feat most mere mortals consider impossible. So, he then did something slightly incredible. He said, "Before I finished the fixed-gear airplane I took early retirement. And although I didn't need the money, I felt as if I needed more education, so I got a job with an A&P;/IA as an apprentice mechanic. I figured the only way I was going to learn about airplanes was to immerse myself in them. Landing gear details. In the course of building this Legacy, Andy earned his airframe and powerplant certifcate to help him learn more about building and maintaining aircraf. "I worked with him for 3 years and got my A&P.; As they say, a license to learn. Now I could time a magneto, work on an engine, and do just about everything to every part of the airplane. I wanted to fill in the gaps in my knowledge and this did just that. Plus, now I knew a lot of people who could answer my questions!" Now he was in the process of becoming a well-rounded builder/mechanic (the two skills are often not found in the same individual), and he was still flying a 200-mph airplane that he thought should be faster. So, he bought another Legacy kit and built another Legacy. "I found a Legacy kit that hadn't even been unpacked, even though it was 8 years old. But I could only work on it after work hours. So I'd finish working on other airplanes all day and start working on my airplane every night. I Photography by Jim Raeder Andy and Sam's nicely detailed cockpit. EAA Experimenter 15