Today there are over 30,000 homebuilt aircraft on the FAA’s registry. It’s estimated there may be another 30,000 under construction.
When it comes to the question of how to build an airplane, there are a number of different routes individual builders can take. Some builders opt to just buy a set of plans and then go hunting for aircraft grade materials to cut up, piece together and roll it onto the flight line. That’s called Scratchbuilding and it involves a lot of fabricating and assembly. Others send off a check for a complete kit with a lot of prefabricated parts, get several very large boxes that they open up and then begin assembling. Whatever the choice, that day when a builder takes off in an airplane that he built in his (or her) own workshop, will provide a unique experience. The rush of adrenalin and sense of achievement on liftoff is almost unparalleled in most people’s lives.
