Wondering if I’m the only one…

[brady.blake55]

Hey y’all. I just got my plans yesterday for an LSA. After years, I finally convinced my CFO that I needed a plane.

Anyways, I feel like it’s confession time. I’ve been following a lot of the YouTube, TikTok, and forums on all things Bearhawk since 2015.

Now to the confession part. I don’t have a PPL or sport pilot certificate. I’m that idiot that is building a plane without the license/certificate to fly it once completed. There are a lot of reasons that I haven’t gotten training yet. All of which will sound like excuses. Either way, aviation has been a huge part of my entire adult life. My dad steered me towards aviation when I was joining the military and I never looked back.

The question is… has anyone else committed to building a Bearhawk without being legally able to fly it? Obviously I’ll get my light sport prior to completing, but it feels a bit like putting the cart before the horse. In a way, I feel like I might have a slight advantage because I won’t be torn between flying and building. Maybe that’s just me trying to justify the insanity in my mind.

[TJ_Slice]

Sort of in the same boat. I have 23000+ hours, but zero tailwheel time. I've only landed on anything other than a hard surface runway twice in my life, and that was 30+ years ago.

I'd argue that you are in a better position than I am. You only have to learn. I have to unlearn a lot of habits I've formed over the last 30 years. I haven't logged time in anything with a propeller since 1997.

When I get closer to finishing, I plan to get re-current in GA in a 172, or similar. From there, I will do some tailwheel training in at lease 2 different types. I am hoping to find a 170 or 180 when I get to that point. From there, I'll do the Bearhawk training, and then my plane. I'm budgeting $20K for all of that.

[Steve W]

I started a plans build plane in 1984 and finished it with floats in the summer of 1992. During that spring I did the majority of my PPL in three weeks and I completed it the summer with a float endorsement. Was the only way I could afford to get into aviation while raising a family.

[brady.blake55]

TJ_Slice you have 23,000 hours? I’m not sure we’re in the same river, let alone the same boat.

[TJ_Slice]

Airliners and GA aren't the same thing. Ask some long time CFI's, and they will tell you some of the worst guys to fly with are airline pilots getting back into GA flying.

[jaredyates]

Kudos for having this awareness, non-current airline people are great at bending taildraggers these days.

[Ryan Koeneke]

You could easily catch up to my 55 hours of total time. I'm planning to get to 100 hours before I finish up building from a quickbuild kit but I'd say I'm pretty close to the same boat as you.

[svyolo]

If building an airplane is what you really want to do, go for it. If you WANT an airplane, building one may or may not be the best path forward. The two are very different goals.

[brady.blake55]

I want to build. Having an airplane at the end of the process is a bonus. My dad (an old A&P) and I talked about building a plane together since the first time we watched Top Gun together. Life got in the way. Now that he has passed, it’s something I need to follow through with.

[svyolo]

I wanted to build a plane when I was 15, and even bought plans. I ended up flying for a living. I didn't get around to starting building until I was 55.

It was a long time coming. I always wanted to build, but moved around so much it was never an option.

[TJ_Slice]

I just wanted to add a couple of thoughts. Don't wait until the end of a build to start flying. From my time as a CFI, I found that the students who flew twice a week were in the sweet spot. At that rate, it can take 5 or 6 months. Don't rush it, and enjoy the process.

If your location is correct, avoid (as if your life depends on it), any and everything at the Denton airport. You will spend $50-$100 a lesson just waiting to get off the ground. Focus your search away from DFW. The complexity of the airspace will just cost you money, and hamper your learning.

[Gerhard Rieger]

When I started flying in 1988, you get to the holding point and there were easily 7+ aircraft in front of you, the circuit's was crazy to say the least and if you got three touch and goes followed by a one full stop landing in, it was a good day. If you can fly at a smaller airfield it will be much better. Then there is the 2.5 km taxy to and from the holding point.

[brady.blake55]

That’s unfortunate. There don’t seem to be many places that offer light sport training. It sounds like you’re familiar with the area. Any recommendations when the time comes?

[rodsmith]

Brady, my advise when you get your training is start immediately in a tail dragger, no reason to spend time in a tricycle gear plane learning bad habits. Depending on your location that may involve some travel as tail wheel training can be hard to find these days.

[Frank]

If you’re building the LSA from plans, it’s going to be a long time before you need to worry about flying it.

[Jhankins]

I started my PPL right as COVID hit, I had a private instructor who worked with me through the pandemic. I finished in 8 months, immediately got my seaplane rating, joined a flying club and got bit by the bug. I flew 300+ hours in around 18 months and got tired of the expense. I had to have an airplane and building seemed like the best option, for many reasons, but mainly because I enjoy crafting with my hands and knowing my machines inside in out. I haven’t flown in over a year because of the build. I have zero TW time but will start getting hours in the next few months. I hope to have the plan done by the end of this year. You’re not alone

[OhioLSA]

Brady, don't worry about not having a pilot's license before building. There's not a right or wrong order. Many of us find that money, time, having a place to build, and family circumstances dictate when we can undertake a major project. My guess is that you'll be super motivated to undertake pilot training by the time you see your LSA nearing completion, but you've got a few years to prepare for that. Meanwhile, you're right about having the advantage of not being torn between flying and building.

[David Swartzendruber]

If you look at the builder map, there is a red dot at Winfield, Kansas with the name Daryl Rhodes. Before Daryl ever learned to fly, he built his LSA from scratch in two years while working a full-time job. Then he had someone else fly off the 40hr flight test period and then he learned to fly in his own LSA. There aren't many in this world like Daryl.

[brady.blake55]

That’s awesome. If I can do it in 3-5 times his timeframe I’ll consider it a huge win.

[davzLSA]

Hi Brady, here's my 2 cents. I think the biggest question you need to answer is do like building or flying more. Ive ask myself the questions many times. I have a PPL and a tail wheel endorsement and at this point I cannot afford to fly as much as I need to or want to. So I cant fly as much as I want to until I get my plane built. Scratch building an airplane is not something you enter into lightly. I started my project on 2016. I have learned a lot and made many friends in the process and I do enjoy the building process but sometimes I think I would really rather be flying. If you can fly and build at the same time that would be an ideal situation.What ever you decide I wish you good luck and this forum is a great resource for building, and education on how to build.

[Gerhard Rieger]

Likewise, I only fly to keep my license in place, need to do my medical and renewal. I started scratch building a model A four place in 2010 and are close to putting it all together. Life gets in the way and to find the money to try and do all of it all the time can be interesting at times.

[Bcone1381]

The question is… has anyone else committed to building a Bearhawk without being legally able to fly it? Obviously I’ll get my light sport prior to completing, but it feels a bit like putting the cart before the horse. In a way, I feel like I might have a slight advantage because I won’t be torn between flying and building. Maybe that’s just me trying to justify the insanity in my mind.

Yes some folks have built wihtout knowing how to fly. I think you are on the right track to stay focused on the build. I think some who mix flying and building, who have time constraints with jobs and family run out of energy. So to separate the "Build" and the "Fly" issues into two totally separate issues is fine. This is a differnt view than those above. It's good to get a plethora of views and ponder them. Over the next few weeks truth will often be clear to you.

"Do I have the ability to fly it?" is a logical question to ask. If you need that answer then solo a Champ or J-3, or glider before you start building. Soloing does not take a long time to achieve. After solo, go build with confidence then get trained later on when your at the final assembly stage.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

[brady.blake55]

I don’t feel like I have to prove to myself that I can fly it. Honestly, that’s never been a question. Maybe I have a false sense of my abilities. Maybe I’m leaning into the knowledge that I met some helicopter pilots in the army that can barely tie their shoes. If they can do it, surely I can too.