If you are in the “thinking about homebuilding” stage, congratulations! You are taking the right first step. Homebuilding, like many decisions in life, is not one to be made lightly. If you do your homework you are much less likely to be unpleasantly surprised down the road.

 Building your own airplane is an experience unlike very few other experiences in life. It takes a definite mindset and commitment to push through the inevitable hurdles that come with any large project. But it can be done. It’s done every day by builders who have set their sights on the goal of completing their project and seen it through. Time and again you read about the thrill of flying something you built yourself – a thrill experienced by a very unique and exclusive class of people who have built their own aircraft.

 But before you decide to take that journey, you need to do some serious and thoughtful analysis of several areas to determine if homebuilding is really for you. First and foremost is answering the question of why you want to build your own aircraft. There are many great reasons to join the ranks of homebuilders as well as a few not-so-good ones. If you enjoy challenges, are reasonably mechanically inclined, detail oriented, and someone who enjoys the journey as much as getting to the destination, homebuilding may be just the ticket for you.

 If you think that you can build something cheaper than buying an aircraft already flying, your hunting dog is probably barking up the wrong tree. Building may be cheaper if you are a supreme scrounger, but most builders find that, when complete, their projects were just as expensive, if not more expensive, than an existing aircraft. But if one of your goals is to know your aircraft down to the last “AN” bolt, nothing will do that better than building it yourself.

 Homebuilding is a commitment on many levels – and not just a commitment on your part. If you’re married and/or have a family, are they ready and willing to make a commitment to homebuilding? If the average modern-design homebuilt such as a Lancair or Glasair takes in the neighborhood of 2,500 to 3,500 hours to complete, is your family ready to commit to the 3 to 5 years necessary at 15 hours per week, each and every week, to get the job finished?  Are they willing to put up with half of a garage converted to a temporary aircraft factory, with dust, aluminum burrings, the smell of glues, epoxy, paints or fabric dope? If the family doesn’t get on board with the project, or at least be willing to accept the commitment on your part, you may want to reconsider whether homebuilding is in everyone’s best interest.

 Another serious consideration is the space available to work on the project. If you have the space to complete your project, such as half a double-car garage or a separate workshop at home, you have an excellent advantage. Homebuilders often say that to keep your project going forward, you should work on it every day, even if it’s only ordering supplies or parts, looking at the plans of an upcoming building task, or actually working on a project component. That’s much easier and more likely to happen if your project workshop is at home rather than at a hangar at an airport 30 minutes away.

 There’s much to consider about the impact that an aircraft homebuilding project will have on your life before you start ordering information packs and videos. Like many things in life, it’s just a matter of getting priorities in the right order. If building your own airplane is a priority for you and it can peaceably exist with your many other commitments, you can and will find a way to make it happen. If after your assessment you find that being an aircraft manufacturer is a life experience you just have to have on your life resume, congratulations! You have just joined a small group of very unique individuals!!

The next step: Selecting the Right Homebuilt Aircraft Project

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