Pops' Page

I have far too many interests and avocations, including inventing, flying, sailing, motorcycling, diving, fiddling, homebrewing, windsurfing and caving. As a result, I am active in several clubs and groups--Capital Area Light Flyers, EAA Chapter 426, BURP (Brewers United for Real Potables) and INCA (Inventor's Network of the Capital Area).  Attending all of those meetings, Fly-Ins, etc. keeps one pretty busy!  But for now, this website will be about:

FLYING & BUILDING

I started flying early in Cubs and Champs at College Park Airport while still at the U. of Md. Back then, club plane rentals were $3.50 per hour!!  Later, I joined the Octopus Flying Club out of Montgomery Airpark, and flew the club's 3 spam cans.  I was flying more and enjoying it less, when I read about some crazies on the west coast who were flying hang gliders, which looked like real fun.  I tried my hand at hang gliding, which turned out to be a lot of work for a little bit of flying.  Then, ultralights began to appear on the west coast (where everything begins!) and I knew that this was for me.  So, having never seen one, much less flown one, I became a dealer for Cascade Ultralights, (Kasperwing) and placed my initial order for 4 Kasperwing kits. I rather quickly sold the first 3, which about paid for my kit, which I built in about 40 hours in our driveway.  I survived my first flight(!!) and have now flown this craft well over 1200 hours since 1981.    I still get a big kick out of it!

Later, in 1984 I decided to branch out and became a dealer for ASAP, who built theJ-3 Kitten kit.  This resulted in my now also having a Kitten demonstrator to fly.  For those unfamiliar with the Kitten, it looks and flies exactly like a single seat 3/4 scale J-3 Cub.  ASAP (and my dealership) soon went belly-up, and Kittens are now being marketed by Hipp's Superbirds.  I have about 300 hours on the Kitten, and keep it in a hangar at Mexico Farms Airfield in Cumberland, Md.

About 1989, I came across a barely started Avid Flyer STOL kit which had been bought in '84 and hadn't been touched much since then.  Since the asking price was very right, I quickly owned the beginnings of a third aircraft.  This took me about 1000 hours stretched out over 4 years to complete, and it was certified airworthy by the FAA in 1993.  I have since put some 300 hours on the Avid.  I built a trailer for it, and have kept it hangared in my garage until recently.

In 1994, I saw the first article on Ivan Shaw's new Europa project, and I was highly intrigued at the possibility of building a fast, rough-field, removable-wing aircraft.  I studied it in great detail at '95 Sun 'n Fun, and wasn't quite convinced until Roger Sheridan flew G-ELSA down to Sugarloaf Key in the Florida keys to give me a flight.  Roger gave me about 45 minutes in the left seat over the keys, during which time I was allowed to do several loops and rolls, as well as the usual stalls, etc.  I have flown a number of aircraft, but this was by far the sweetest experience of them all--it just seemed to do exactly what I wanted it to do.  At Sun 'n Fun '96 I finally succumbed and bought my Europa kit, now my fourth aircraft (hey, a guy can't have too many, right?). 

Since then, I have put in some 1000 hours in construction time.  I estimate that I am 25-30% completed, that it will probably take 2500-3000 hours total to finish.  I'm not a real speedy builder, having 3 aircraft available to fly at all times, and 3 aircraft and a sailboat to maintain, as well as my own business to run.  To slow our building down even more, my son, his wife and I took off about a year to prepare our sailboat, and to cruise for nearly 6 months throughout the western Caribbean. We dove all of the islands and even spent some time in Cuba. A great experience, but now I'm a year and a half behind!!  Enough excuses, back to work!!!!