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Homebuilders, how do you cope?

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occom

Joined: 26 Aug 2006
Posts: 404

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:16 am Post subject: Homebuilders, how do you cope?

I live in a middle class subdivision. House on  house and no privacy to speak of. I absolutely have to take the plane out into  the driveway to work on it with the wings on. Yesterday I had a little girl  stand at the end of my driveway screaming "It's an airplane! " at the top of her  lungs over and over again. Today I had an endless parade of men in trade trucks  who should be working stop by to offer opinions etc. and a man who does not live  in my neighbourhood going around the block several times and staring. I felt  like I was being "cased" for a theft. Creepy. Finally I just gave up, too angry  and frustrated to continue in my role as "circus performer" for the world. I'll  continue my project when I can get hangar space. I know a lot of you are stuck  in the same position, how do you cope! I'm pretty sure screaming "F*** OFF"  won't help. 

  

  

 Dave Goddard- Mod IV 1050/582

do not  archive

   [quote][b]

Guy Buchanan

Joined: 16 Jul 2006
Posts: 1204
Location: Ramona, CA

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 2:00 pm Post subject: Homebuilders, how do you cope?

At 11:15 AM 8/22/2007, you wrote:

  	  Quote: 	
		  I'll continue my project when I can get hangar space. 	


 DON'T DO IT! Better to scream "F*** OFF". 



  	  Quote: 	
		  I know a lot of you are stuck in the same position, how do you cope! I'm pretty sure screaming "F*** OFF" won't help. 	


 Help whom?



 

 Guy Buchanan

 San Diego, CA

 K-IV 1200 / 582-C / Warp / 100% done, thanks mostly to Bob Ducar.



 Do not archive

      [quote][b]

_________________
Guy Buchanan
Deceased K-IV 1200
A glider pilot too.

Float Flyr

Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Posts: 2704
Location: Campbellton, Newfoundland

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 2:36 pm Post subject: Homebuilders, how do you cope?

See if any of your neighbours  will rent you their garage

  

 Noel

 [quote]   

   --

_________________
Noel Loveys
Kitfox III-A
Aerocet 1100 Floats

occom

Joined: 26 Aug 2006
Posts: 404

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 4:50 pm Post subject: Homebuilders, how do you cope?

Wouldn't work Noel. Clearly you've never seen a  suburban garage, They are for storing bicycles the kids no longer ride, toys the  kids no longer play with, old broken appliances, fertiilzer, lawn implemants,  hose and God knows what's behind that layer! I only know one person who parks a  car in one.  

  

 Dave Goddard- Mod IV 1050/582

do not archive

 [quote]   ---

shinco(at)bright.net
Guest

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 5:13 pm Post subject: Homebuilders, how do you cope?

I belive it is time for you to have a hanger.I love my hanger.I can go 

out to the airport and relax,and do what I like to do.work on my kit 

fox.in peace.no body bothers me.just the guys that some time hang out 

there at the airport.and some times they will help out when I need it 

the most.My second home.some times my first home.the only place to have 

your plane in its own hanger.   Steve Shinabery  N554KF  KF2



Dave G. wrote:

[quote] Wouldn't work Noel. Clearly you've never seen a suburban garage, They 

 are for storing bicycles the kids no longer ride, toys the kids no 

 longer play with, old broken appliances, fertiilzer, lawn implemants, 

 hose and God knows what's behind that layer! I only know one person 

 who parks a car in one.  

  

 Dave Goddard- Mod IV 1050/582

 do not archive



     ---

kentk

Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Posts: 25
Location: College Station

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 6:31 pm Post subject: Re: Homebuilders, how do you cope?

I have the same arrangement and cope just fine (although I must admit that my plane doesn't draw that much attention).  My neighbors (and their kids) all know what I am building and they pretty much take it in stride.  One neighbor thought I was building a helicopter (only saw the fuelage).



I enjoy the opportunity to show them that there are still people out there that dream about flying and are actually doing something about it (not just dreaming about it).  I have only had one stranger stop and ask questions, and once I let a neighbor kid sit in the seat and play with the controls (stress testing, hehe).



I guess it all depends on your personality, temperment and outlook on the building process.  Maybe you could throw a tarp over it when you have to roll it out of the garage???

_________________
Kent Knudsen
College Station, TX
K-IV 1200 / no engine / 25% done

thesupe(at)hotmail.com
Guest

Posted: Wed Aug 22, 2007 8:39 pm Post subject: Homebuilders, how do you cope?

Probably most of them wish they were you and had an airplane to work on.  

Try to look on the bright side, (and look for land in the country)  If you 

were washing the mini-van you wouldn't be somebody!!  Hope that helps,  Jim 

Chuk  Avid MK IV/Jabiru 2200  (first flight with that engine before the 

weekend, I hope)

 	  Quote: 	
		  From: "Dave G." <occom(at)ns.sympatico.ca>

Reply-To: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com

To: <kitfox-list(at)matronics.com>

Subject: Homebuilders, how do you cope? Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2007 

15:15:40 -0300



I live in a middle class subdivision. House on house and no privacy to 

speak of. I absolutely have to take the plane out into the driveway to work 

on it with the wings on. Yesterday I had a little girl stand at the end of 

my driveway screaming "It's an airplane! " at the top of her lungs over and 

over again. Today I had an endless parade of men in trade trucks who should 

be working stop by to offer opinions etc. and a man who does not live in my 

neighbourhood going around the block several times and staring. I felt like 

I was being "cased" for a theft. Creepy. Finally I just gave up, too angry 

and frustrated to continue in my role as "circus performer" for the world. 

I'll continue my project when I can get hangar space. I know a lot of you 

are stuck in the same position, how do you cope! I'm pretty sure screaming 

"F*** OFF" won't help.

Dave Goddard- Mod IV 1050/582

do not archive


	


_________________________________________________________________

Now you can see trouble…before he arrives 

http://newlivehotmail.com/?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_migration_HM_viral_protection_0507

occom

Joined: 26 Aug 2006
Posts: 404

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:01 am Post subject: Homebuilders, how do you cope?

Now that'd be some size tarp. I think today might be better, things seem 

quieter. The plumber has not returned, that's a relief. Very unpleasant 

experience. I have met a number of people who were simply interested and 

asked pleasant questions. I guess all it takes is one mouthy tool.



Dave Goddard- Mod IV 1050/582

do not archive

---

Bob

Joined: 24 Oct 2006
Posts: 89
Location: Damascus, Maryland, USA

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:27 am Post subject: Re: Homebuilders, how do you cope?

I've got the Vixen fuselage hanging from the garage ceiling, a minivan, car, and a motorcycle, all in the garage.  The fuselage is hanging by 3 mini block and tackles, so can be on the floor within less than 5 minutes after the van and car come out of the garage.  Used to have a Stinson 10A fuselage taking the car's place.  It took a little while for the neighbors to get used to it but only a couple of weekends. They hardly look twice now. 

From my experience, the guy looking again and again will be the one who can't get up the nerve to stop and say "I wanna learn to fly some day." Give him a wave and sooner or later he'll stop, then give him a wire brush and something to clean.

BTW, the kayak, kids bikes, etc had to go into a new shed under the back deck. I'll be back to working on the wings in the basement after the kids go back to school next week.

Bob

Vixen

Damascus, MD

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Lynn Matteson

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 2778
Location: Grass Lake, Michigan

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 4:58 am Post subject: Homebuilders, how do you cope?

Good luck with the flight, Jim...keep us posted.



Lynn Matteson

Grass Lake, Michigan

Kitfox IV Speedster  w/Jabiru 2200

flying w/369+ hrs

do not archive



On Aug 23, 2007, at 12:38 AM, Jim_and_Lucy Chuk wrote:



 	  Quote: 	
		   

 <thesupe(at)hotmail.com>



 Probably most of them wish they were you and had an airplane to  

 work on.  Try to look on the bright side, (and look for land in the  

 country)  If you were washing the mini-van you wouldn't be  

 somebody!!  Hope that helps,  Jim Chuk  Avid MK IV/Jabiru 2200   

 (first flight with that engine before the weekend, I hope)

_________________
Lynn
Kitfox IV-Jabiru 2200
N369LM

crazyivan

Joined: 25 Aug 2006
Posts: 62
Location: Pensacola

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 5:54 am Post subject: Re: Homebuilders, how do you cope?

In real life I'm like you, but for the sake of general aviation and experimental aviation I'll play the diplomat.  There are too many idiots that don't like airplane noises trying to shut down our great small airports because they were stupid enough to buy a house next to an airport and too many politicians trying to tax us out of our ability to fly because the airlines want a tax break.  OK not so diplomatic..yet.  



We need to be making as many friends as possible in the general population  while trying not to alienate anybody.  If you piss off some local councilman while working on your plane in your driveway then you'll end up with a law like they have in Jacksonville, FL, where you are not allowed to keep, maintain, or build an airplane on your property.  http://www.jaxairplane.com/services.htm

_________________
Dave
Piper PA-22/20

davyken(at)comcast.net
Guest

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 6:05 am Post subject: Homebuilders, how do you cope?

Hi Dave,

  

 I had my share of nosy neighbors.  Mostly they're curious and don't really know where to start or what to ask.  

  

 Conversations usually ran like this:

 "Have you flown it yet?"  This was usually at a point when the plane had no engine, fabric or instruments.    No.

 I live right next to the subdivision park.  The second most asked question was "Will you fly it from the park here?"  No, kids play in the park.  It wouldn't be safe.

 "Where will you fly it from?"  I'll take it to an airport.

 "How will you get it to the airport?"  On a truck.

 And so on.

  

 I had that conversation pretty much once a week for a couple of years.  My answer came when I started fabric covering.  I found that if you spray enough foul smelling hazardous chemicals, all your neighbors move away.  I also found that it helps for the first year or so if you tell people it's a boat.  Sooner or latter you'll get questions like "Hey man, why does your boat have wings?"  I'd tell them that it's an "air boat" like in Florida.  Mostly they'd just nod and wander away like they understand it all.  Another tip for keeping the curious away.  Install a cargo pod and when they ask what it is, tell them you can't really say and then ask if they know of a source for enriched plutonium.

  

 A new family moved in right next door about the time I was spraying the base color coats.  I came out of the garage in my Tyvek suit, spray mask and goggles holding my paint gun and I hear a voice say "Luke, I am your father."  It was my new neighbor.  He looked at me an laughed so hard he sat down in his driveway.  "Dude, what are you doing?"  I explained it and we became best friends.  He's gone to Oshkosh with me several times and now is interested in building his own plane.  So, don't be too harsh.  You might be scaring off a future convert.

  

 Ken Davy

N1701S

 Classic IV / 912

  

  

  

  

  

I live in a middle class subdivision. House on house and no privacy to speak of. I absolutely have to take the plane out into the driveway to work on it with the wings on. Yesterday I had a little girl stand at the end of my driveway screaming "It's an airplane! " at the top of her lungs over and over again. Today I had an endless parade of men in trade trucks who should be working stop by to offer opinions etc. and a man who does not live in my neighbourhood going around the block several times and staring. I felt like I was being "cased" for a theft. Creepy. Finally I just gave up, too angry and frustrated to continue in my role as "circus performer" for the world.  I'll continue my project when I can get hangar space. I know a lot of you are stuck in the same position, how do you cope! I'm pretty sure screaming "F*** OFF" won't help.  

Dave Goddard- Mod IV 1050/582

  [quote][b]

occom

Joined: 26 Aug 2006
Posts: 404

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:04 am Post subject: Homebuilders, how do you cope?

Nice you met somebody with a sense of humour,  they're rare. A lot of people wouldn't have understood even a simple joke like  that. Anyway I've found a way to mount one wing at a time inside the garage, had  to rig up a sling to hold most of the weight. So, I am no longer in a rush to  get my work done before I have to take it all down again. 

  

 My neighbors are seldom a problem in any respect,  they are largely freindly and mindful of what little privacy this type of  neighborhood allows. It's the stream of people who drive through every day  that are the source of problems, thefts etc. I moved here for the family, close  to schools, hospitals and such. It's convenient, but not  enjoyable.  

  

 Dave Goddard- Mod IV 1050/582

do not archive

 [quote]   ---

n85ae

Joined: 14 Mar 2007
Posts: 403

Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:30 am Post subject: Re: Homebuilders, how do you cope?

I live in the Chicago suburbs, I'm building my second plane in my garage.

All I can say is get used to the attention, it is part of the package. I just

smile and act cheerfull, and go about my business - It's the only thing you

can do in my opinion.



Building a plane in the garage is not the normal thing people do, so no

matter what you do it's gonna get attention.



I have a nearby neighbor has a Pro Stock drag car, I dare say he draws

a lot more attention than I do when he has it out in the driveway.



Jeff Hays

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