Yesterday my wife spent most of the day getting plastic surgery. I didn’t think she needed surgery, but it makes her feel better about herself. Ah, well. She feels so guilty about spending so much on herself that she won’t complain about anything that I spend on my plane project.
What does that do with welding an airplane fuse? I spent a good bit of time talking to the surgeon’s assistant/office manager/wife. Our discussions on common interests ranged from scuba diving to homebuilt musical instruments to skydiving. It turns out both she and her husband are interested in becoming pilots. After talking a while, it turns out that she not only knows how to weld, but this little 95 pound Barbie headed up a welding shop for 10 years. I explained how easy it should be for her as an advanced welder to weld up an airplane. She went home last night and told her husband about the idea, and he asked her if she was serious about building an airplane. Seems he’s onboard.
So on the follow-up visit to their office this afternoon I showed her pictures of a Milholland Double Eagle, an Airbike, a Christavia, a Breezy, and a Sportsman 2+2 as examples of what can be done at home in a two car garage. She seemed very interested in the Double Eagle and Airbike, and in the Christavia. Not so much in the Breezy. I just threw in the 2+2 because she and her husband have three kids, so a four place plane might be a second or third project if she takes to it like she seems to want to.
Now, the first two were just planes that popped into my head as possible first projects to see if she wanted to do this after they get their tickets. What would Y’all suggest as a possible first project for her? As I said, she’s about 95 pounds and around 5’3” (she’s about the same height as my wife), and her husband’s about 5’6 and about a buck-fifty. So they can fit into about any two seater.
What does that do with welding an airplane fuse? I spent a good bit of time talking to the surgeon’s assistant/office manager/wife. Our discussions on common interests ranged from scuba diving to homebuilt musical instruments to skydiving. It turns out both she and her husband are interested in becoming pilots. After talking a while, it turns out that she not only knows how to weld, but this little 95 pound Barbie headed up a welding shop for 10 years. I explained how easy it should be for her as an advanced welder to weld up an airplane. She went home last night and told her husband about the idea, and he asked her if she was serious about building an airplane. Seems he’s onboard.
So on the follow-up visit to their office this afternoon I showed her pictures of a Milholland Double Eagle, an Airbike, a Christavia, a Breezy, and a Sportsman 2+2 as examples of what can be done at home in a two car garage. She seemed very interested in the Double Eagle and Airbike, and in the Christavia. Not so much in the Breezy. I just threw in the 2+2 because she and her husband have three kids, so a four place plane might be a second or third project if she takes to it like she seems to want to.
Now, the first two were just planes that popped into my head as possible first projects to see if she wanted to do this after they get their tickets. What would Y’all suggest as a possible first project for her? As I said, she’s about 95 pounds and around 5’3” (she’s about the same height as my wife), and her husband’s about 5’6 and about a buck-fifty. So they can fit into about any two seater.
