I was so passionate about airplanes and flying, that when I was 15, I used all the money I earned bagging groceries at the commissary and put it toward learning to fly at the Scott Air Force Base Aero Club.
My dad was an Air Force chapel manager and my mom worked as a librarian on base. Throw in three growing (translate HUNGRY) teenage boys, and you can probably guess that there wasn’t a lot of extra money.
It is hard to believe, but somehow I was the only one in my family with the “I’ve gotta fly!” gene. I’m not trying to say that I didn’t have any family support, but they lacked a definite enthusiasm about the sport.
If I wanted to learn to fly, then it was going to be up to me, and at the age of 16, I received my private pilot license.
After getting married and moving to The South, flying and dreams of building a plane took a back seat.
We were sure that there would NEVER be enough money or time.
Since we didn’t plan for it, it didn’t happen.
If you don’t make plans for your life, someone or something else will.
A few years ago I remember Angie saying, “We are making more money than we have ever made before, and we still aren’t any farther ahead. There has got to be a better way!” The money was coming in, but it was leaving just as quickly.
Our solution was Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. It took about 18 months, but now we are completely out of debt (minus the house). Whoo Hoo!
We have two boys ages 20 and 15. College is here and it is going to stay for a while. It is our desire to have our boys continue their education without acquiring student loans. We need to make smart choices here.
We have down-sized our home recently and Angie has decided to hang up her lesson plans for a while. She can’t seem leave the children entirely, so she substitute teaches from time to time.
And so a year ago, we made the decision to follow our dream. We ordered a tail kit for the Van’s RV-7.
Are you where you thought you would be in life, doing the things you used to dream about?
If not, what’s your excuse for not building a Van’s aircraft?
- I’m so busy with my job. By the time I’m finished, I just don’t have the energy for anything else.
- We just got married and there isn’t any money.
- Our kids are involved in after school activities so we don’t have the time.
- Our kids are in college and there REALLY isn’t any money!
- I have never built a plane before. I wouldn’t even know how to begin.
Have you allowed your excuse to become so BIG that you can’t even imagine something different for your future?
We have made some lifestyle changes lately, which give us more time, but definitely not more money. And that’s ok.
We have a plan, and we are moving forward.
We can’t wait to share the ins and outs of building a Van’s aircraft and eventually flying it.
Let us know what you are interested in learning more about. We would love to help you out along your journey.
– Brian and Angie
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