EXOTERIC - Information Worth Sharing: ex·o·ter·ic
-adj
1. Not confined to an inner circle of disciples or initiates.
2. Comprehensible to or suited to the public; popular.
3. Of or relating to the outside; external.

I've been a licensed private pilot for just over 19 years, but I haven't flown anything for the last 17 years. I've been looking into what it would take to get me back into the air. I would need to pass a third class medical, get a bi-annual flight review and have access to an airplane to stay current. The first two would be the easy part. The last one is the tough one. Airplanes are expensive to rent, and even more costly to own. Been there, done that. The price of a new airplane is anywhere from $250,000 to $500,000 or more! Maintenance on an older (30+ years), "affordable" airplane can also be extremely costly. Retrofitting newer avionics like a glass panel and GPS moving map navigation systems can be a huge expense.

The best way to be able to have a new airplane is to build one yourself. Sounds hard, but there are many "kit-built" planes out there that have great performance, are cheap to maintain (you as the manufacturer can do all the maintenance), and they can be outfitted with the features you want and can afford. There is also no shortage of other builders in the world who can offer help and guidance via the internet. I've been a member of the EAA for 23 years and have read enough on building experimental homebuilt aircraft to know that it is very doable.

The most popular kit plane is the RV series from Van's Aircraft. They make several different types of planes using simple, tried and true aluminum construction. You can choose single seater, dual tandem, dual side by side and even a four seater. You can also build them as a tail dragger or with a nose wheel. The parts kits are complete and the skins are prepunched and all of the welding is done at the factory. You basically assemble the parts with rivets, install avionics, interior and engine. The airplane kit I've been migrating towards is the RV-9A. It is a side by side two seater with a nose wheel. It has great cross country performance on lower horsepower.

This weekend I was able to meet up with a person here in Ramona who has built an RV-9A. I got the opportunity to talk to him at length about the building process, costs, choices, etc. He also introduced me to another builder on the field who is building an RV-7A. We spent several hours talking, then as the weather cleared up we went out for a quick flight. The performance of this airplane was amazing. I got some stick time as we headed out and about. It was pretty overwhelming, seeing as I haven't flown for 17 years, but it was easy to control as we cruised along at 150+ mph. What a blast!

I'm definitely hooked. Now I just have to find the time to get started. The average build time is around 3 years. Sooner I start the sooner I'll finish.