Building Your DIY Aircraft: From Kit To Reality In 14 Days!
DIY Aircraft Kit
Doug Barry was an experienced pilot living in New Mexico when he decided to build his aircraft. With some models taking years to make, Doug was astonished when he saw how he could complete his aircraft in eleven days.
Glasair Sportsman TC DIY Kit
Barry knew he wanted to build a plane with serious speed, so he purchased a Glasair Sportsman TC, one the best DIY aircraft kits available on the market. The primary construction material on his four-seater plane is carbon fiber, which is known to be incredibly durable and light. The turbocharged engine gives Barry the fastness he was looking for in his aerial vehicle.
Sadly a good majority of even the best DIY aircraft kits never get finished and therefore never get flown. The folks at 
Glasair saw this as a common problem, so they started a program known as “Two Weeks to Taxi.” During a two-week time span, those who enroll in the program are provided everything necessary to turn the unassembled kit into a fully functional airplane.
Barry’s plane was completed at the Glasair factory at an almost unbelievable pace. Barry says he now prefers the DIY method over buying aircraft already assembled.
He believes that when people buy planes, they are at the mercy of the manufacturers. He likes knowing every aspect of how his plane was put together and is confident because his were the hands that built it.
Glasair has a long history of manufacturing aircraft kits. Over the last three decades, it has earned the reputation of producing some of the best DIY aircraft kits of all time.
Recently the company has been growing in popularity because of clients like Doug Barry, who want to be sure their project is completed safely in a short period. Some clientele is using two weeks of vacation and coming home with their hand made aerial vehicle.
Many pilots now want to take on a DIY airplane crafting project because of legislation put into effect by the Federal Aviation Administration. This rule states that anyone who does fifty-one percent of the assembly of their aircraft is not subjected to federally enforced inspections and any future work was done to the plane can be completed by their hands. This ability to forego an outside mechanic and inspection officer can mean dramatic savings for most pilots.
Glasair decided to come up with a program that would give pilots every advantage when building their plane while still adhering to the fifty-one percent regulation.
Their goal was to reduce the time builders would typically spend searching for parts and materials and give them instructional guidance, the appropriate tools, and aircraft parts available on site. This would save DIYers a lot of time over the building process.
At the Glasair facility, the individuals who purchased their kits can work free from distractions and setbacks that they could face at home. An FAA licensed mechanic is always nearby in case the builder has questions or concerns. The mechanic won’t be physically handling any of construction process, but he can lend instruction and advice to those who need it.
Glasair’s DIY kit by itself costs around two hundred thousand dollars. A similar plane bought straight from a manufacturer already assembled would run around three hundred thousand.
The Two Weeks to Taxi program will cost an additional twenty thousand dollars, but for some, the extra cash is well worth it because they know they will be successful in having optimally constructed plane in a small segment of time.
The Two Weeks to Taxi Program was named over four years ago. At that time, the goal was to give pilots a chance to complete ninety percent of their build on the site, to the point where the aircraft could taxi around on the ground, but not yet fly.
The owner could then complete the final ten percent of the construction at home on his own time. Soon they saw that most people were able to finish their aircraft onsite in the allotted two weeks in their facility.
Another perk that DIYers who sign up for Glasair’s program enjoy the option to have a Glasair pilot test the plane for them. First time builders sometimes appreciate someone else taking their plane up for the first time and will feel more confident about flying in it themselves after seeing it perform.
If there seem to be any issues with the mechanics, they can typically be fixed there in the facility in a very brief amount of time.After so many reviews from raving fans praising the Two Weeks to Taxi program, it’s no wonder so many first-time aircraft builders are signing up.