Acknowledgements

The following notes, and the "Builder's notes" on the other pages of this website, represent nuggets of my experience and thinking (frequently in hindsight) during the building of one airplane. Neither these notes, nor the website as a whole, attempts to represent any definitive coverage of building an aircraft. There is no one right way to perform any of the tasks necessary to complete such a project. Rather, every stage was a synthesis of my predilections, my reading on the subject of building aircraft structures, what was on the blueprints, and the thinking & experience of numerous other people more informed than I in the arts of aviation and engineering, who were kind enough to share their time and expertise with me.

• The airplane - model name Celebrity™ from Fisher Aero Corporation of Portsmouth, OH - came as several kits, and a set of blueprints. Before you envision a snap-together airplane model, let me say that the "kits" were materials-only. That is, much of the plywood supplied was pre-cut to fit, but the rest of the wood came as lengths of materials. For more money, of course, you can purchase some of the aircraft assemblies pre-built - fuselage, wing ribs, wing spars, etc. If you have more time than money, or just love to fabricate lots of little wood pieces, then go with the basic kits. Otherwise, save yourself time and start flying sooner by getting as many of the quick-build options as you can afford. Were I building another, I'd go that route (and wish I had done so in the first place, given that we put in three times the designer's estimate of hours into construction of the airplane).

• You may have heard of a couple of different Fishers in conjunction with kit airplanes. The story is that Mike Fisher started Fisher Flying Products years ago, and later sold it to the folks who now operate it from North Dakota. Many of their products were originally designed by Mike Fisher (the scale replica of the Tiger Moth is of their own design). Mike Fisher now designs airplanes and sells the kits through Fisher Aero Corporation, whence comes the model I built. To further add to the confusion, there is another gentleman by the last name of Fisher from south Ohio who in the past few years has designed and is marketing a small biplane.

• When you've chosen the airplane you want to build (if it's a kitplane), try to work in at least one visit to the factory where the kits are made. Getting to know the designer and the folks who produce all those pieces can stand you in good stead during the building. Take a camera and if they will allow photographs to be taken, photograph anything in the way of assemblies, sub-assemblies, jigs, a whole airplane. And do it from as many different angles as possible, inside and out. Burn film! It's cheap compared to the project you're embarking upon. The Fishers had a Celebrity™ airframe with its sub-assemblies covered in various degrees - something like a cutaway model - which was most useful. They were gracious in allowing me to photograph this example to my heart's content, and to roam the factory looking and asking questions. I kept those photos close at hand and consulted them frequently throughout construction.

• If you're going to build an airplane, I'd highly recommend that if you don't already have a hangar where you can set up shop, that you consider getting one. Or, build a workshop at home. I know this sounds like a lot of expense and effort, but this is a long term undertaking, and having everything right at hand and under cover, and preferably a space you can heat and cool, will make a lot of difference in enjoying the process. Until a friend was kind enough to allow me to move the project into his hangar, I made do with two different garages, the space under an enclosed deck on a house, and even, for a short time, the living room of a house! In addition to these being makeshift places that were miserably hot during the summer (when I say miserable, I mean 90-degrees and higher plus 85% humidity and higher), I had to move the sub-assemblies from place to place and that always increased the risk of damage. Better to plunk the project down in one place and leave it for as long as necessary.

• Wherever you build, if the flooring is concrete, use scrap carpeting or other floor covering to provide cushioning. You'll spend long hours standing over the work table and your back will thank you.

• Take plenty of photographs & keep a detailed log book. Both will be necessary come inspection time with the FAA. And especially if you are a first-time builder (as I was), make early contact with the inspector who will most likely be doing the inspection, to find out the particular things he (or she) might want to see for documentation, or want you specifically to do to ensure their satisfaction with your work. They only have to inspect the aircraft after it is ready for it's first flight, which leaves all the closed structures inaccessible to them. The local Experimental Aircraft Association chapter can be of great help in all of this.

• Keep up your flying during the building! It's easy, as I did, to get caught up in the construction - there is always something you can be doing to move the project forward - and neglect keeping your piloting skills in shape. I'm still trying to get up to speed again.

• Start your search for an engine as soon as you start building. My own began early during wing construction and extended past the first flight (I went through two Continental 65HP engines which were in poor condition before getting a certified C85) with lots of problems all along the way. Dealing with the engine can be a project unto itself. Were I to build another airplane, I would probably choose the engine first - some of the auto engine conversion "firewall forward" packages seem worthwhile - and then find the kitplane to build behind it. If you stick with vintage aircraft engines such as Continental or Lycoming, get one that is certified! At least then you have some idea of what you're dealing with, and some recourse with the last mechanic or shop to sign the thing back into service. I'm also convinced that if the time comes to sell my biplane, most of the monetary value (at least) will be in the engine.

• Get all the aviation supply catalogs you can. Not only did I find myself ordering above and beyond the kit contents, but some of them, such as Aircraft Spruce & Specialty and Wicks are good text books about AN nuts & bolts, plumbing, hose fabrication, etc.

• I learned early on when ordering nuts & bolts to order a few more than I thought I needed, and in most case, to order some a size smaller and a size larger than I thought I needed. Most of the bolts were used at some point.

• With fuel system plumbing fittings, I drew diagrams of the system and used that to order the fittings. When in doubt - there were frequently two or more that looked like they'd get the job done - I ordered a variety. Again, some of the "extras" were used later. Some I gave away, or returned to the company from which I had bought them. Since local supplies for AN nuts & bolts and plumbing fittings are usually non-existent, not having the right one(s) on hand will cause delay while waiting on the needed pieces to arrive.

• Other books. Buy the three-book set by Tony Bingelis, published by the EAA - "Firewall Forward", "Sportplane Builder", and "Sportplane Construction Techniques" - that do make the definitive text on building your own aircraft. I kept these and the supplies catalogs together in a book bag and toted them with me everywhere. Also get and follow the instructions in "How to License a Homebuilt Aircraft" from:

  The Abbott Company
  PO Box 1172
  Indianapolis, IN 46206
  317-542-1910
  

  It's a short book but will lead you through the wilderness of forms required by the FAA to register your aircraft and keep you straight on what will help you get that all-important airworthiness certificate.

• Several other useful links for builders. One is for general aviation (including homebuilt aircraft), another is homebuilt and kitplane specific - Homebuilt Homepage. And visit Chas Melichar's Biplanes and Aviation site for historical information and links to other sites relating to biplanes. Dave Loveman has an extensive website, UL-NEWS, covering the world of ultralight flying, including lots of links to sites from other builders.