Stephanie Builds An Airplane

Tuesday morning was my instrument written test. To be honest, I was not all that anxious. I was well prepared and ready to just have it over with. And isn’t that really how it should be? I made a 97% in case anyone was wondering. Didn’t want to leave you hanging there. I am wondering…

I was recently killing some time on YouTube. Not the greatest use of my time, but I was sitting at my desk waiting for a video court hearing and it was what I had available. I have not spent a lot of time just poking through all the videos there and I had no idea…

Yesterday, my first tungsten bucking bar arrived from Aircraft Tool Supply. I believe by the end of this project I will have funded the summer cabin of whomever owns that company with my monthly tool budget. Anyway, tungsten bucking bars are expensive and considered to be luxury items in the aircraft tool industry. And boy…

I long ago stopped making resolutions. It seems odd to decide to do something simply because of a date on a calendar. But this new year felt different. Last year was one filled with some great ups and at least one very very bad down. The world continued to be put on its ear and…

I was raised by parents who told me I could do and be anything. I entered a professional field where I excelled. I started a successful company. I moved on to another professional field where I excelled. I raised two pretty amazing humans. I don’t say all this to brag. This week, someone made me…

One of the most important parts of a holding pattern is the entry. There are three distinct ways to enter, but making sure you have the right one and execute it well will ensure your success. I am pretty sure there are more than three ways to enter into the holding pattern for building an…

It just came to me that I am building an experimental airplane that will have no pilot’s operating handbook. I get to write my own. I am actually pretty excited about that. The flying club I belong to has five planes. Years ago, someone came up with checklists for all of them. The information is…

Today, the FAA changed the words in the acronym NOTAM from Notices to Airmen to Notices to Air Missions. And the internet has blown up. There are men (and some women) all over social media in an uproar. They are saying that we need to honor tradition and why is it a problem for women…

As an instrument student, approaches are my new world. Without the approach, you have nothing. That seems pretty apropos of everything, including building an airplane. The right attitude (see what I did there!), tools, path, and you have success. Not lined up, disaster. I still have a few months before the empennage/tail kit arrives. No…