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Confessions of a Shop Flirt

goatflieg

Well Known Member
Early yesterday morning I had riveted the horizontal rows of Skybolt fasteners to the upper edge of the bottom cowl, using Pro Seal as a stabilizing adhesive between the aluminum and fiberglass. Later in the day, I went out to the shop and of course it still reeked of the Pro Seal. Yesterday was a beautiful spring day in Michigan; it wasn't too cold, the sun was shining and the air was calm. So I thought it would be nice to open the shop's garage door and air the room out. When I did, the afternoon sun streamed in, lighting up the interior and changing the perspective of the shop in a wonderful way. That garage door faces our street; many of our neighbors will walk by with their kids or dogs on such a beautiful afternoon. I wondered whether they would notice that my briefly exposed shop contained an airplane. I stepped outside and looked back in, to see what they could see.
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On these rare occasions when the neighborhood can see my project from the street, I get kind of a giddy tingle that a pretty woman must get when she flirts by hiking her skirt up just a little; a very subtle but unmistakable signal: "Hey... check this out!" It's an odd feeling for a man in his 60s to get, but it ties into something deeper for me. Whenever I'm driving around the neighborhood - or any neighborhood, for that matter - I like to look at people's houses, and if their garage is open, I like to try to see if they have any fun toys. On the surface, this is just being nosy... but there's much more to it than that. It feels more like seeking out kindred souls... which, not coincidentally, defines the purpose of this wonderful website. We're all hiking our skirts up a little here, for all the best reasons. It's not always just to show off or gloat... sometimes it's to share encouragement: "See what I've done? Isn't it cool? You can do it too!" Sometimes it's to seek help: "Check out this scar I have. Does anybody know what I can do to fix this?" Sometimes it's to seek guidance: "I wish I had one of those bodies. How can I get one?"
I live in a nice neighborhood; it's a good place to live... but the people here like to keep to themselves. I'm casual friends with the families next door, and the guy across the street is a fellow motorhead that has helped me with some shop work a couple times... but they're not the kind of neighbors that invite contact, and sometimes I miss that. There's a part of me that wishes that someone would notice that I'm building an airplane and be interested enough to inquire further. I think about when I was a kid... how cool it would have been to discover that one of my neighbors was building an airplane... and how cool it would have been if that neighbor had indulged and encouraged my interest. When I got going on this build, I found myself wishing some neighborhood kid would learn I was building an airplane and want to learn more about it... maybe even help out. There were plenty of times I knew I could use the help, and it would be cool to share the interest with an adolescent. I know... in today's world, that sounds super creepy, doesn't it? But I was surprised at how much an introvert like myself suddenly had the desire to be a mentor of aviation. Being a member of two EAA Chapters (113 and 194) was a great way to channel this, and I enjoy helping out with Young Eagles and Flying Start events, as well as the meetings and gatherings. I think many Chapter members have had the experience of meeting someone younger who expressed a genuine interest in flying and/or building aircraft... and suddenly we want to share our experience with them nonstop; those conversations that seem like they could never end because we keep thinking of new things to share.
In discussing this with my wife, Amy (who has a Ph.D in psychology) she suggested I check out Erik Erikson's 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development; what I am experiencing is part of Stage 7: Middle Adulthood: Generativity vs. Stagnation. Synopsis (quoted from https://www.verywellmind.com/erik-eriksons-stages-of-psychosocial-development-2795740#psychosocial-stages-summary-chart): "During this time, adults strive to create or nurture things that will outlast them; often by parenting children or contributing to positive changes that benefit other people."
Well, that explains it. I wouldn't want to raise another child... but I do find myself looking forward to sharing my interests with my grandson Joey. I'm not some creepy old man who wants to lure kids into my lair... I have a genuine interest in mentoring my passion for aviation. So it's ok if I want neighbors to peek inside my garage. I'm not showing off... I just want to share something I love.
 
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You?re not alone Martin. I wish I had the room at home to build for exactly your reasons, to share this passion. Unfortunately I?m building at the airport, which has a big fence and a secure gate you have to pass through. I rarely ever see anyone, even before Covid-19, except a line or maintenance guy walking past. Hopefully those guys go home and tell their kids about the guy building a plane and that starts a spark to build a model (how I got started) or start reading about aviation. I like to tell everyone I meet about aviation. My wife and kids have a joke about it. They say that every conversation always comes back to the plane. Yes it does 😁
 
I'm deaiing with the same thing you describe in your last paragraph.

3 years ago I got a call from a boy that goes to the private school where my wife teaches. He'd "heard" that we live on an airport and we have airplanes at the house. He and some of the other kids were doing a spoof video on Pearl harbor and wanted to do some still shots in the airplane.

That weekend, 3 boys and 2 girls (sophomores) showed up and did their video stuff. They chose to use the RV9A because of the stick set up. After they were done, the boys left, and the 2 girls stayed. Now, these kids know me because my daughters went to the same school, I drive the bus for them, we've been a part of the school for 15 years. The girls stayed and looked at, and awed over the 172, the 150, the RV, my project S19. I offered to give them a ride in the 172. They looked at each other in amazement, then at me like, "you can do that"? They called their parents and got permission, and we flew for about 20 minutes. They'd never been in a small airplane.

One of the girls was a cheerleader and I'd been driving for them since my daughters were cheerleaders. Come to find out, from my wife, that she was this girl's teacher in Pre-K, then her brother's teacher in 4th grade. This girl has become addicted to the airplane, she absolutley loves to fly.

Since that time, this girl has flown with me A LOT. She wants to get her PPL. I'm not an instructor, but my daughter is. I've had her in the left seat, teaching her how to steer with the rudder pedals, showing her what the instruments are, etc. I've offered her the use of our 172, and the gas to get her license. She went to OSH with us last year, and can't wait to go again this year.

Currently, she's a student at Harding University. My brother and I flew his RV over to see her this past February. She's home now.:rolleyes: But she's thoroughly interested in my RV9A project and keeping up with me on it.
 
Very good self reflection in the OP.

I wondered whether they would notice that my briefly exposed shop contained an airplane.

When I was building from home and opened the garage door, I always worried they would see what I was doing and complain about how loud my compressor was, it was keeping there baby from sleeping, and violated neighborhood rules. I thought best to keep door closed and avoid those conversation.

how cool it would have been to discover that one of my neighbors was building an airplane... and how cool it would have been if that neighbor had indulged and encouraged my interest.

I like my current situation since my airport has lots of aircraft restoration happening with lots of people walking around stopping by to talk airplanes. When my introvertness takes over I can close my hangar door and go home. There I can still talk RV on Van Air Force Forum without interacting directly with anyone. Maybe I have been always practicing social distancing.

In discussing this with my wife, Amy (who has a Ph.D in psychology) she suggested I check out Erik Erikson's 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development; what I am experiencing is part of Stage 7: Middle Adulthood: Generativity vs. Stagnation. Synopsis (quoted from https://www.verywellmind.com/erik-eriksons-stages-of-psychosocial-development-2795740#psychosocial-stages-summary-chart): "During this time, adults strive to create or nurture things that will outlast them; often by parenting children or contributing to positive changes that benefit other people."

Don't know what stage I am but no where near stage 7. Maybe split because professionally I am stage 7 but at home I am not.
 
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I remember all the neighborhood kids dropping by and asking about Dad?s RV-6 build. They seemed much more interested than the adults, who mostly either wrote us off as nuts or made cracks about getting a ride.

My shop is in the back yard and I rarely have the doors open, so I don?t really get visitors. But whenever someone asks what I?m doing in the shop, or find out that I?m ?the guy who put the garage in his back yard? and ask what it?s for they seem really interested.

By and large though, I?m in agreement with goatflieg. I wish I knew my neighbors better, I wish people would drop by...
 
Carl's response got me thinking about my introduction to aviation. As a teenager (many decades ago) I joined the SSA and received a subscription to Soaring magazine. That likely would have been the end of it had not some proactive person from the SSA passed my name and address to the local (25+ miles away) soaring club. I soon received a handwritten letter from the president, Francis Bundy, inviting me up to the airport for an intro flight. Cajoled one of my parents into making the trip and I was hooked. Used to ride my bike up and back on weekends after that.

Couple of thoughts - I wonder if anyone takes the time to proactively hook up kids like me anymore (no Young Eagles then), and I wonder if parents still let kids ride their bikes that far (with no helmet!). Always have been grateful for the welcome I received from Mr. Bundy, and the life-long association with aviation if fostered.
 
I know the feeling, as anyone building an airplane would know. The County Sheriff where I used to live (and built the 9A) would come over after work and drink my beer while we talked and I tinkered on the plane. Great times.
 
Well Written Marty!

Have you noticed that most of the usual suspects present at the Saturday breakfast gathering don't often fly by themselves. I think many of us like to share with others those things we most love to do.
Over the years, I've found that passions such as sailing, golf, flying, and even cooking are not things I like to do alone. Some people are good at going solo - some of us just aren't.
Looking back over nearly 50 years of flying, some of my favorite memories are of kids - telling the 10 year old at the airport fence in Peoria that I needed him at the controls while I did my preflight. Having a Young Eagle start crying after landing and telling me "that was the coolest thing I ever did"! Some of the stuff you get to look forward to.
Oh yeah - I'm expecting a ride as soon as you're out of phase I, and I promise not to to teach or preach.
Terry, CFI
RV9A N323TP
 
Good Stuff!

I love the stories in this thread!

I am building the RV-14A in my garage. My nephew, I call him the protégé, comes over to help me work on the plane a lot when he has time. He is in college. He loves it and he’s a good worker. And he is looking forward to being able to fly it, which I have promised him he will do someday.

My neighbor down the street came by and saw me working on the plane and we talked. He is a pilot for Southwest airlines. He thought I was building an RC airplane. I told him about the RV that I am building and he was inspired. Now he is building an RV 7A in his garage with his sons.

I can’t believe what has happened since I started building the tail kit. I am looking forward to the stories about the impacts that this project will have on family and friends. It is exciting to share this with other people.

This is an adventure I would not trade for anything.
 
Nephew got hooked

I was very fortunate last summer as I moved back from Mississippi to Michigan. I hadn?t spent time with my 16 year old nephew since he was about 6 years old. One afternoon he came out to the airfield with me to just hang out. I showed him the airplane (Long EZ) in my hangar and he was a little interested but not excited. I asked him if he wanted to go for a ride? His response was very skeptical. I said we could just taxi over to the fuel pumps and get some fuel after that we would taxi back to the hangar. He decided that would be OK. Anyway, on the way back I asked if he wanted to just go up around the pattern and back down again. He agreed with some hesitation. Once up in the air I gave him the controls, we flew for 30 minutes in the pattern and landed after about five practice approaches to the runway. About a week later we went for another short ride around the general area. He is now about to take his private pilot check ride. His mother had told me he had zero direction in life. All he ever did was sit at home and play on-line games. He is now enrolled at Western Michigan University in the Aviation flight program. His goal is Commercial Instrument Multi Engine pilot and possibly go into the Airforce. I was able to work with him and be his mentor along with being his ground instructor throughout the process. It?s a good feeling to introduce someone young into a sport that is slowly becoming unaffordable for so many. I believe that if we do not mentor the young into this field of interest, General Aviation will become a thing of the past.
 
Open Garage

I believe that if we do not mentor the young into this field of interest, General Aviation will become a thing of the past.
I've given my share of rides at our airpark picnic, as well as for Young Eagles, Bronze Eagles, and Challenger Air, but I have to admit that I'm a shop flirt, too.

So it's ok if I want neighbors to peek inside my garage. I'm not showing off... I just want to share something I love.

I grew up moving every few years, so I developed my own ways of meeting people quickly to try and make friends. (Has anyone ever watched us land at a fly-in and secretly hope there were fresh, homemade cookies in the baggage compartment?) That skill has served me well over the years, including a time a few months after we moved in to a previous home it was time to meet the neighbors. Very much along the lines of the OP hoping people would peek in to see what he was up to, what a better way to introduce people to their crazy new neighbors than to let them walk through the airplane construction zone with the wings in process and tail feathers neatly placed on a table to the side. So what do I do? Have an 'Open Garage' instead of an 'Open House'. I ended up taking a few of the people I met that day for airplane rides.
 
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I've given my share of rides at our airpark picnic, as well as for Young Eagles, Bronze Eagles, and Challenger Air, but I have to admit that I'm a shop flirt, too.



I grew up moving every few years, so I developed my own ways of meeting people quickly to try and make friends. (Has anyone ever watched us land at a fly-in and secretly hope there were fresh, homemade cookies in the baggage compartment?) That skill has served me well over the years, including a time a few months after we moved in to a previous home it was time to meet the neighbors. Very much along the lines of the OP hoping people would peek in to see what he was up to, what a better way to introduce people to their crazy new neighbors than to let them walk through the airplane construction zone with the wings in process and tail feathers neatly placed on a table to the side. So what do I do? Have an 'Open Garage' instead of an 'Open House'. I ended up taking a few of the people I met that day for airplane rides.[/QUOTE



I'm actually working on my CFI-S (sport pilot CFI rating). I'm only PPL rated, don't have instrument or commercial, but can get the sport pilot CFI without those. I'm doing it so I can literally GIVE sport pilot instruction in our Sling 2.
 
Couldn't resist hiking up the skirt again today. No lookers. Darn newfangled kids... don't know what they're missing.
"Hey, what's that guy got in his garage?"
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Nice Post Marty

Nice post, I really have enjoyed the talks on those long rides to and from the EAA meetings!

Build on!
 
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