AirVenture Build Needs More Public Assistance to Complete Ambitious Goal

Maria Morrison

As I write this, the sheet metal that once lay in pieces at the One Week Wonder tent now resembles the fuselage of an RV-12iS. The wings have already been completed, and the underside of the left wing has all its rivets installed. The lower tail cone is nearing completion, as well as the front fuselage. It was expected that all the riveting for both wings will be done by the time the airplane reached the halfway point in the week.

Jonathan Porter is one of the 100 core volunteers helping the One Week Wonder become a reality. Known as “Captain Yaw,” Porter walks about the project with microphone in hand, interviewing people that are helping out and generally keeping morale and enthusiasm as high as it can be. He has been an announcer for various other builds, but says this is “the most ambitious one I’ve ever seen by far. I don’t know if they’re brave or if they’ve gone crazy.”

Regardless of whether or not the project is completed on time, Porter says the feat is an inspiration for all homebuilders and aviation enthusiasts. “Engineers are just as important as pilots, if not more so. Flying is a small part of the whole airport operation.” The pilot is only the visible tip of the iceberg in much of the aviation industry, but the message of the One Week Wonder brings to light all the work that goes into the other pieces of manned flight.

One thing that the One Week Wonder team would like to see is more women, particularly young women, in the build team. He discussed with me, a young female pilot, how the aviation industry is lagging behind other STEM fields as far as gender equality and diversity.

“Women make up over 30% of surgeons,” Porter says of his native United Kingdom, “so why do they only make up 6% of pilots?”

The opportunity for women to become part of building aircraft arises at the One Week Wonder tent. Everyone is invited and welcome to assist in constructing the RV-12iS.

“This is the most complicated One Week Wonder to date, so we need all the public’s help and encouragement.”

FMI: https://www.eaa.org/en/eaa/aviation-communities-and-interests/homebuilt-aircraft-and-homebuilt-aircraft-kits/2018-oww-vans-rv-12is