Danny King's "Beautiful Doll"

About Me

I'm a "still-working" professional who has been blessed with a wonderful, supportive wife, great kids (now grown) and a fulfilling career. I love spending time with my spouse, family and friends, and enjoy "hands-on" recreational projects. I've been enamored with aviation since my "Sky King" Saturday mornings of decades past. I obtained my private ticket while still in my teens, and have enthusiastically participated in a variety of aviation related endeavors since. I currently fly a factory-built composite single engine aircraft. However, the actual "nuts and bolts" of aviation have always fascinated me. I've considered building my own plane for years, With the support of my wife, I'm undertaking what I anticipate to be a multi-year project. While I'm reasonably good with my hands, I realize that this project is going to require a whole new knowledge and skill set. I've never "blogged", but figure that trying to master this communication medium will carry its own challenges and rewards. I enjoy journeys as much as destinations, and have no goals for this project other than fun! Hope I can share some of my enthusiasm with you!

Monday, August 30, 2010

Empenage Inventory







The journey begins! Friday FedEx dropped off two large boxes of long-anticipated sheet metal, rivets, bolts, nuts ... you get the picture. First order of business was unpacking, carefully inventorying contents, shelving, and labeling. Van's instructions to check every piece of paper and corner of boxes were right on - the tiny parts seem to have a way of clinging to the oddest scraps and nooks. The unpacking is now complete. Next task is to read, re-read and read again the preview plans set - then its time to start cutting!
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Sunday, August 29, 2010

Workshop - Take 2
















I rearranged the woodworking tools, organized the workbenches, created an 'open space' for a fuselage and wings (I know, impossibly optimistic as I haven't even started the empenage kit, but a man can dream) - and most importantly - got more tools! A friend recently completed an RV-8 and generously shared a number of key tools, including some pretty expensive stuff - like a pneumatic squeezer that he claims he would trade his wife for if necessary (I'm keeping that little tidbit to myself!). I back-filled gaps with orders to Isham's and Avery's - both great companies to deal with. Finally, I attended a Sportair workshop - "Building a Van's RV" - and successfully butchered a fair amount of aluminum. I returned home and dove into two practice kits - the toolbox (looked just about as bad as my Sportair aluminum massacre) and the airfoil - finally starting to look like something that might not disintegrate if exposed to air! Now I just need airplane parts to fill my newly (and neatly - for the moment) organized shop!

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Workshop - Take 1















I just completed a year-long woodworking project - a Chesapeake Light Craft Annapolis Wherry. The wherry is an 18 foot rowing craft built of oak, with a marine white hull, varnished cockpit and sliding-seat rowing apparatus. It's light, sleek and a joy to row. The project was great fun, and like all projects I was
a little sad to see it completed! However, the smile on my wife's face as she rowed her new craft the first time more than compensated!! Now its time to convert the boat loft to an aircraft factory.
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