Over 30,000 Homebuilders Gotta Be Up To Something...

This year's rendition of the Annual Oshkosh Aerial Love-Fest was a watershed event for all things homebuilding. In addition to the usual assortment of THOUSANDS of amazing personally-crafted experimental aircraft in attendance, the 30,000th such bird was found and celebrated.

Yuma, AZ homebuilder Bob Noll's RV-9A airplane was recognized as the honorary 30,000th US-registered homebuilt at a ceremony at AirVenture 2008. Standing on stage with his daughter Katrina who came to AirVenture with him, acting FAA Administrator Bobby Sturgell, FAA Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety Nick Sabatini, EAA President Tom Poberezny and EAA Founder Paul Poberezny were on hand to recognize the milestone of 30,000 homebuilt airplanes registered.

Paul Poberezny was asked how he felt about the milestone after 55 years since he founded EAA. His answer, "unbelievable, simply unbelievable." to which he gave a thumbs up. EAA Founder Paul Poberezny commented that he came along at the "right time" back in 1953, that the (then) CAA supported the movement. Now, 55 years later, the work was "worthwhile."

Even FAA Boss, Bobby Sturgell, commented the first homebuilders were the Wright Brothers. He went on to say that the FAA is a willing participant in the homebuilt movement which supports homebuilding as recreational, educational as well as fun. He cited the example of winglets and Wittman-style landing gear as being technology which flowed from the homebuilt airplane (At the subsequent "Meet the Boss" forum, Administrator Sturgell additionally commented that the number 30,000 represents 10 percent of the registered airplanes in the US).

EAA President Tom Poberezny commented that the homebuilt movement was, "a living partnership between industry, community and the CAA then FAA. The freedom to fly in the US fosters the movement and allows ingenious builders to craft machines which hardly could be envisioned back in 1953."

While all these milestones are interesting, fascinating and motivational, there are few stories more compelling than the thousands of individual people who have triumphed over a number of obstacles to finally build and fly their own aircraft... ANN and Aero-TV is proud to present just a few of them.

ANN and Aero-TV Talks To A Few Of The Nation's 30,000 Homebuilt Airplane Owners

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