Long a "do-it-yourselfer", and mechanically inclined, building airplanes has turned out to be a good fit for me and I expect I'll be at it for many years.

I'm active in the EAA, local Chapter 105, and am an EAA Technical Counselor. Below I've included some information on other aircraft I've owned, and some of my other interests.

This was my first airplane. I found it on the typical small airport bulletin board. Don't you love those things? If you're like me you can't go to an airport without checking the bulletin board, there's all sorts of interesting stuff there! I still miss this airplane even though I sold it in 1992. I bought it from the original owner who was a retiring Northwest Airlines 747 captain. He bought it new in 1979, taught both of his sons to fly in it, and then sold it to me after about 1,100 hours and still in very cherry condition. It turned heads on the ramp wherever it went.

During the time I owned it I upgraded the panel and avionics fairly significantly. This was partly forced on me by a voltage regulator and and over-volt relay which BOTH failed thus toasting the old Edo-Aire nav/com that was in there. Oh well, it was a bit of a boat anchor anyway. In the end I sold this airplane for exactly what I paid for it plus the improvements. This happens with general aviation aircraft frequently so don't forget this phenomena when rationalizing an aircraft purchase to your spouse.

This is the plane I learned how to fly taildraggers in. It's kind of cheating because it's a pretty easy plane to fly. In 50 hours of flying it I have no taildragger horror stories to tell (now 757 wake turbulence is another story - that I could tell you a story about). Just keep your feet working the rudder pedals, and don't forget that it's not done flying until it's tied down — anyone can do it. Here I'm landing at Ocean Shores, Washington (W04) in a pretty stiff left crosswind. Note the rudder and elevator positions... all set up for a two-point (left main and tailwheel) landing. My instructor would be proud.

To this day I still miss this airplane and have a bit of a soft spot for Citabrias. Cruising along eastbound here on a spectacularly sunny Northwest day with snowcapped mountains to my 10:00, the Pacific Ocean behind me, and the O-320 purring like a kitten.

Here she is, N60825, that I bought from Screaming Eagle in Santa Paula, California in 1996. A modest bird, but a cherry one for sure. It afforded me flying on the cheap, and any flying is better than no flying in my book.

These photos were taken at Scappoose, Oregon (SPB), one of my favorite airports. It was home of the cheapest fuel in Oregon or Washington (the recently changed strategies), friendly people, and a great restaurant (actually a bed & breakfast) called the Barnstormer.  

I kept N60825 at Pearson Airpark (VUO), Scappoose was a quick five minute flight. I could usually find someone I knew there so it was a good place to hang out.

Ah yes, every pilot's focal point... the panel. N60825 underwent a fairly extensive panel update during my ownership. Moving map GPS, new comm, and post lighting are just a few of the goodies that made life better.

I also completely re-did the interior, here are the new seats and harnesses. Being a 1969 vintage it didn't have shoulder harnesses before. Fortunately there were nutplates in the header beam to anchor them.

N60825 was sold in the early spring of 1998 to generate money for my RV-8. She went to a good home with a pilot who really appreciates her and is now based out of BFI.