builders' remorse?

wrote:
Hi:
I'm doing research for my latest magazine article and I was wondering
if you could help me. I'm collecting information for people who might
be trying to figure out which kit/plans/finished homebuilt to buy.

I've got some of this sort of musing on my web site, in a sort of
chronological order:
http://users.lmi.net/~ryoung/Sonerai/WhySon.html
http://users.lmi.net/~ryoung/Sonerai/WhySon2.html
http://users.lmi.net/~ryoung/Sonerai/virtues.html
http://users.lmi.net/~ryoung/Sonerai/MySonIIL.html

The Sonerai project got sold, as the last page notes. The Teenie Two
project I started after my divorce (not Aviation Induced) has morphed
into a one-off frankenstein combination of a Teenie, and a Hummel
Ultracruiser Plus. If I had it to do over again, my current project
would probably be a BK Flyer, which was not an option when I started
this project.

Good luck with the writing.

I went in a very different direction from most homebuilders in that I
built a pioneer-era glider. When I started the project, I intended to
fly the glider once, maybe show it at the Centennial of Powered Flight,
and then maybe donate it to a museum. While researching the machine, I
ran across the following quote from Katharine Wright to Bishop Wright:

"Father, the flying machine is in process now. Will spins the (sewing)
machine 'round by th hour while Orv squats about marking the places to
sew. There is nowhere in the house to live..."

By October 2002, my reproduction glider occupied the entire garage,
most of the living room, part of the study, and all of my bedroom. Life
got very tense for a few weeks, and nearly triggered a nervous
breakdown. At one point, the entire project was 15 minutes away from
the sledge hammer and the trash can. But a few days later, I read a
post on this newsgroup, and it led to my entry into the airshow
business.

A year after I almost destroyed the plane, I was exhibiting at Wings
Over Houston. My father, mother, and sister drove over from Louisiana
for the second day of the show and served as my ground crew. This may
not sound significant, but my Dad had suffered kidney failure in
November 2002 was now undergoing dialysis 3 times a week. When I was a
kid, he took me to every CAF airshow in Louisiana. Now, through me, he
was part of one. I don't think I ever saw him prouder than when a
spectator asked him who built the glider, and he replied "My son did!"

David Edward Frey was born in Highland, IL in 1947. He served in the
Army at Camp Carroll, South Vietnam from 1967-1968 and fought in the
defense of Dong Ha, Hue, Khe Sahn, and varoius other points along the
DMZ. Following discharge, he graduated from Parks College of Aviation
and earned his A&P in 1969. He took a position with Petroleum
Helicopters in 1970, and served as a senior and lead mechanic for 35
years until illness forced his retirement. He passed away on March 20,
2006 due to a combination of illnesses caused by his exposure to Agent
Orange in Vietnam.

While I can honestly say that my homebuilt project is the source of
some of the worst experiences in my life, that one day in Houston made
all the difference.

Scott David "Harry" Frey
Wright 1902 glider (hull #8)
Wright Brothers Enterprises

wright1902glider wrote:
While I can honestly say that my homebuilt project is the source of
some of the worst experiences in my life, that one day in Houston made
all the difference.

How many parents get to savor such a singular moment like this? I'd say
that your dad was a lucky man, regardless of the circumstances of his
untimely passing.

What a wonderful story. Thanks for sharing it with all of us. I think
we're all glad you persevered.

On 17 Sep 2006 21:10:46 -0700, "wright1902glider"
wrote:

I went in a very different direction from most homebuilders in that I
built a pioneer-era glider. When I started the project, I intended to
fly the glider once, maybe show it at the Centennial of Powered Flight,
and then maybe donate it to a museum. While researching the machine, I
ran across the following quote from Katharine Wright to Bishop Wright:

"Father, the flying machine is in process now. Will spins the (sewing)
machine 'round by th hour while Orv squats about marking the places to
sew. There is nowhere in the house to live..."

By October 2002, my reproduction glider occupied the entire garage,
most of the living room, part of the study, and all of my bedroom. Life
got very tense for a few weeks, and nearly triggered a nervous
breakdown. At one point, the entire project was 15 minutes away from
the sledge hammer and the trash can. But a few days later, I read a
post on this newsgroup, and it led to my entry into the airshow
business.

A year after I almost destroyed the plane, I was exhibiting at Wings
Over Houston. My father, mother, and sister drove over from Louisiana
for the second day of the show and served as my ground crew. This may
not sound significant, but my Dad had suffered kidney failure in
November 2002 was now undergoing dialysis 3 times a week. When I was a
kid, he took me to every CAF airshow in Louisiana. Now, through me, he
was part of one. I don't think I ever saw him prouder than when a
spectator asked him who built the glider, and he replied "My son did!"

David Edward Frey was born in Highland, IL in 1947. He served in the
Army at Camp Carroll, South Vietnam from 1967-1968 and fought in the
defense of Dong Ha, Hue, Khe Sahn, and varoius other points along the
DMZ. Following discharge, he graduated from Parks College of Aviation
and earned his A&P in 1969. He took a position with Petroleum
Helicopters in 1970, and served as a senior and lead mechanic for 35
years until illness forced his retirement. He passed away on March 20,
2006 due to a combination of illnesses caused by his exposure to Agent
Orange in Vietnam.

While I can honestly say that my homebuilt project is the source of
some of the worst experiences in my life, that one day in Houston made
all the difference.

Scott David "Harry" Frey
Wright 1902 glider (hull #8)
Wright Brothers Enterprises

A very touching and inspirational story, Harry. Thank you. My sympathy
on your father's passing.

I've changed the subject line because I want to expand on the Agent
Orange connection. A lot of folks don't know about AO, even some
Vietnam vets.

You didn't have to take a bath in the stuff. Anyone stationed in
Vietnam, for even one day, is presumed by the VA to have been exposed.
I believe they have now included offshore duty.

It is some wicked stuff. Do a Google on Agent Orange to see some of
the maladies attributed to it.

http://www1.va.gov/agentorange/ is what the VA has "discovered."

--Andy Asberry recommends NewsGuy--

I believe there are flyers and builders. I am a flyer. Building doesn't
appeal to me. I see people spending years on a building project and it
appears they have some attraction to the building process. It seems to
be a valued part of their life like flying is a part of mine. As a
flyer, I wouldn't have the patience to build an airplane. Is it the
dream of actually flying the airplane or the building process that most
homebuilders are looking for? Just curious.
--
Gene Seibel
Gene & Sue's Aeroplanes - http://pad39a.com/gene/planes.html
Because we fly, we envy no one.


wrote:
Hi:
I'm doing research for my latest magazine article and I was wondering
if you could help me. I'm collecting information for people who might
be trying to figure out which kit/plans/finished homebuilt to buy. I
suspect everyone who buys an airplane has a set of factors they're
looking for, but once they start flying the airplane, they find out
there are some other things they should have considered.
For instance, one guy I heard about took so long building his airplane
that by the time he'd finished, he had outgrown it. Cabin size didn't
seem so important when he started.
Do you have any tips from your own experience that might help a new
buyer make a better decision? What did you think was important before
you bought the plane that didn't seem so important afterwards? What do
you wish you'd considered before you bought your plane?
Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
Lynne Wainfan
Long Beach, CA

"Gene Seibel" ... wrote...
I believe there are flyers and builders. I am a flyer. Building doesn't
appeal to me. I see people spending years on a building project and it
appears they have some attraction to the building process. It seems to
be a valued part of their life like flying is a part of mine. As a
flyer, I wouldn't have the patience to build an airplane. Is it the
dream of actually flying the airplane or the building process that most
homebuilders are looking for? Just curious.

Some writers have to write, some artists have to paint, some flyers have to
build. That's how it is for me, anyway. I couldn't come anywhere close to
justifying the time and expense otherwise. I'm building an RV-4, which you
can pretty much buy already built for the money it's going to cost in the
end. I gotta do it myself.

Tom Young

I've changed the subject line because I want to expand on the Agent
Orange connection. A lot of folks don't know about AO, even some
Vietnam vets.

You didn't have to take a bath in the stuff. Anyone stationed in
Vietnam, for even one day, is presumed by the VA to have been exposed.
I believe they have now included offshore duty.

Let me EXPAND a little, too.

AGENT ORANGE is a 1-124-1 mixture by weight of the
n-butyl esters of 2-4-5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2-4-5-T)
and 2-4-dichloro-phenoxyacetic acid (2-4-D).

Most of the problems associated with the use of Agent Orange were
associated with a CONTAMINANT (*dioxin*) in the 2,4,5-T component of
the defoliant. The association of 2,4-D with Agent Orange has prompted
a vast amount of study on the herbicide.

*DIOXIN* is one of the most toxic chemicals known to science.

FWIW....
I sprayed untold thousands of gallons of 2,4,5-T mixed with diesel
fuel for decades to defoliate cotton, kill Texas mesquite trees and
curently use 2.4-D to kill dandelions.

I'm 68 years old now with no ill effects from a lifetime of
applying and BREATHING my fair share of these two herbicides.
However, drinking the **** is definitely NOT recommended.
With or without DIOXIN.

2,4-D is still USA legal and killing more dandelions than people.
2,4,5-T is currently banned.


- Cropduster Barnyard BOb -

Barnyard BOb wrote:

Most of the problems associated with the use of Agent Orange were
associated with a CONTAMINANT (*dioxin*) in the 2,4,5-T component of
the defoliant. The association of 2,4-D with Agent Orange has prompted
a vast amount of study on the herbicide.
FWIW....
I sprayed untold thousands of gallons of 2,4,5-T mixed with diesel
fuel for decades to defoliate cotton, kill Texas mesquite trees and
curently use 2.4-D to kill dandelions.

It's hard to draw any conclusions with limited statistical data. I too
sprayed the stuff literally by the thousands of gallons (400 gallons at
the time), for years as a kid. No respirator, not even a mask. Used to
come back drenched in the stuff. [We mixed the broad leaf and narrow
leaf defoliants for fence lines and wherever the boss wanted to wipe
out plant life as we know it.]

On the other hand, I've never smoked, worked with asbestos, or had any
genetic risks for cancer in my family history. Had cancer in my 40's.
Connection? Don't know, but I strongly suspect it didn't help.

At least I still have my flight medical... but that surgery and more
than a year of chemo was *not* one of the more fun times in my life.

Gene Seibel wrote:
I believe there are flyers and builders. I am a flyer. Building doesn't
appeal to me. I see people spending years on a building project and it
appears they have some attraction to the building process. It seems to
be a valued part of their life like flying is a part of mine. As a
flyer, I wouldn't have the patience to build an airplane. Is it the
dream of actually flying the airplane or the building process that most
homebuilders are looking for? Just curious.
--
Gene Seibel
Gene & Sue's Aeroplanes - http://pad39a.com/gene/planes.html
Because we fly, we envy no one.



Because I can fly to the fly-in, point to every part on the airplane and
say "I did that", I envy no one.

Building an airplane is all about pride in a task well done. Just like
climbing a mountain, painting a picture, writing a story, carving a
stone, or painting a car.

For me it's the journey (build) not the destination (the flight). Sometimes
I tell people I am going to do a Howard Hughes. Fly it once and sell it.
This type of project is a great source of pride learning the techniques of
welding, fabric, paint, wood ...well you builders know what I mean.

At the rate I build I can't see an end date so I'll just fly my Challenger
180 in the meantime and dream about flying the Hatz biplane.


"Ebby"
Hatz Classic s/n37
Camden, NY


"Ernest Christley" wrote in message
...
Gene Seibel wrote:
I believe there are flyers and builders. I am a flyer. Building doesn't
appeal to me. I see people spending years on a building project and it
appears they have some attraction to the building process. It seems to
be a valued part of their life like flying is a part of mine. As a
flyer, I wouldn't have the patience to build an airplane. Is it the
dream of actually flying the airplane or the building process that most
homebuilders are looking for? Just curious.
--
Gene Seibel
Gene & Sue's Aeroplanes - http://pad39a.com/gene/planes.html
Because we fly, we envy no one.



Because I can fly to the fly-in, point to every part on the airplane and
say "I did that", I envy no one.

Building an airplane is all about pride in a task well done. Just like
climbing a mountain, painting a picture, writing a story, carving a stone,
or painting a car.