Stephanie Builds An Airplane

I am in Oregon for a little vacation. And Friday is a big day. I will be visiting Van’s for a factory tour and test flight. There is not much more to say about that. If you know, you know. Then back to Colorado where my empennage kit is sitting in my garage waiting to…

The time is here. Delivery of the empennage/tail section is in two days. And in three days, I leave for Oregon for vacation where I will visit the factory and take a test flight. Did I mention, the time is here!!! I cannot believe it. I am not ready. But I am so ready. And…

I got the email! You know, the one telling me I needed to pay the balance on my account so they can start crating part one! Not sure if I am more excited or more scared. It’s about to get real. There were so many things at Sun N’ Fun that I will be revisiting…

Anyone out there going to Sun N’ Fun? I will be there and am planning to stalk the RV tent as well as Garmin and anyone selling tools. I should be easy to recognize. I will be the one wearing a Stout Aircraft Builders hat, giggling with pure glee at all the sheet metal, and…

Last night, I had dinner with my first flight instructor. He is just about to start flying jets for the airlines and if you are on one of his flights, you are very lucky. He is an amazing pilot. He’s also a great person. His parents definitely raised him right. We had a great time…

I have been trying to figure out what to name my airplane. As many of you know, I am a criminal defense attorney. My dogs are named after Supreme Court cases (Gideon and Brady). Law practice has consumed much of my adult life. And law practice is what has made this airplane a viable reality.…

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…