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Pete's RV-8 Web Site
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Date: 5-1-2007
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Number of Hours: 0.00
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Manual Reference:
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Brief Description: A bit of flying biography - Page 3
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A BIT OF FLYING BIOGRAPHY
Page 3
By now, however, it was the 1990s and I had purchased a Piper Archer and was wrestling with the fly now versus build and fly later question. Given my work schedule and family activities, I opted to stay with the Archer and dream about the RV-8.
By 2004 the corporate world with its mergers, acquisitions, and constant cultural changes was no longer fun, so I retired early and found a volunteer opportunity at my favorite institution, the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. I became a docent at the Museum hosting Air Force Heritage and Restoration Shop Tours. A few tours through the shop and the airplane building bug re-emerged.
And then one day I had the good fortune to host Mr. Danny King and his wife Marthajane on a Museum workshop tour. For those who may not know, Danny is the builder and pilot of Beautiful Doll, a rather well known RV-8 located in Texas. On my next trip to Oshkosh, I found Beautiful Doll on the field and Danny was kind enough to give me a personal cockpit briefing on his aircraft. And so it was that at Airventure 2008 I placed my order for the RV-8 empennage kit.
With the help of my co-builder and wife, Connie, the empennage kit is now complete with the exception of the fiberglass and we are awaiting delivery of the wing kit. And yes, “Connie the Riveter” is my high school sweetheart who has followed me to air shows and military museums for the last forty years. I don’t think she is nearly as interested in aircraft and military history as me but she is a real trooper (and she let me keep the Archer to fly while building the RV-8).
Finally, in the words of Forrest Gump, “and that’s all I have to say about that”.
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My Current Wings
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Cockpit Briefing by Danny King
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Connie the Riveter
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