Stephanie Builds An Airplane

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…

Yesterday was a big day. I started the day as a student pilot. I ended the day as a certificated private pilot. Which means that I started today as an instrument student. I flew myself to Goodland, Kansas, on Sunday afternoon. It was a beautiful day. In case you are not familiar with the geography…

By day, I am a trial attorney representing people in felony criminal matters. At least for now. As a woman in a very male dominated field, I have been called lots of things. Some related to other, more ladylike professions – secretary, paralegal, interpreter, clerk, stenographer. Some profane – I won’t list those. If you…

I have ordered two of the four parts of this kit – empennage and wings. The empennage has about a 6 month lead time. The wings, a year. But I want it now! Oh, wait, my rivet gun is on backorder, too. Figures I would decide to start a project like this during a global…