Active Homebuilt Aircraft Projects ongoing in Southern California

Hi All,

I'm posting to find out what the active homebuilt aircraft projects are in southern California. I've always been fascinated by aircraft, and have wanted to build one of my own for a very long time. I've built my fair share of fixed wing and rotary wing drones, but I'm still pretty inexperienced when it comes to doing large scale builds of manned aircraft. Hence, I'd like to learn by helping someone else build their's and see what it takes to get an airplane into the air. I'm moving to Southern California, and don't know anybody, so I'm looking to get a lay of the land. How many active homebuilders are building currently? Where do I go to find them?

If you know of any, please either comment on this thread or private message me.

Thanks,

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sumontro

Hi All,

I'm posting to find out what the active homebuilt aircraft projects are in southern California. I've always been fascinated by aircraft, and have wanted to build one of my own for a very long time. I've built my fair share of fixed wing and rotary wing drones, but I'm still pretty inexperienced when it comes to doing large scale builds of manned aircraft. Hence, I'd like to learn by helping someone else build their's and see what it takes to get an airplane into the air. I'm moving to Southern California, and don't know anybody, so I'm looking to get a lay of the land. How many active homebuilders are building currently? Where do I go to find them?

If you know of any, please either comment on this thread or private message me.

Thanks,

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Socal is big. Where are you moving to? There are EAA chapters all over the place - look for one near where you're going to be, and checkout the closest airport to you. There's a VERY active EAB community in Socal.

Join an EAA chapter

If you come to Big Bear Lake in San Berdo mtns, I have/fly a Pulsar XP that was built here and am working on a Zenith 701, about 80% finished.
Contact me and come up for a visit.
bobh5@earthlink.net
Bob H

Hi Sumontro, everyone,


If you're going to be in or proximate to the big LA Basin, chapter 96 has a hangar at Compton-Woodley Airport, and a number of member projects in progress. While we don't currently have any group builds going on, many of the individual members are very likely to welcome your interest and help.

I'm Craig Louis, secretary and treasurer of EAA Chapter 96. Very nice to hear from an interested person. With your technical chops, you'd probably fit in well at Chapter 96. We've lots of non-engineers like me, but many of us come out of the aircraft industry with strong engineering backgrounds.


For general information, http://www.96.eaachapter.org/
There are our PDF newsletters, and other information about the chapter.

We do have a meeting and presentation each month on the third Saturday, commencing at 10am sharp. You are quite welcome to come to the next meeting on May 20th. I believe we may be getting a presentation from chapter member Rhon Williams, either on something like cockpit management under pressure, or on his (wonderful) Earlybird Jenny plans built project, now completed an undergoing flight testing and troubleshooting. For confirmation on the program, take a look at the upcoming newsletter. You asked if the project builders attend the meetings. I think the likelihood of meeting one or most of them at a meeting is very high.


Regarding current projects in the hangar member, individual members are working on their respective projects. Dustin Wallace is making rapid progress on his Rutan VariEze; Carl Lekven is in the final stages of his Pietenpol Air Camper; Ha-El Tanami has a Thorp down to shiny bare metal and is looking toward an interesting re-build of that classic; Paul Heidreich is working on a Bede BD4 project; and, we have two Glasair Glastars, one finishing annual, and the other undergoing substantial retrofitting. These are projects of individuals, but once you meet the members you certainly can volunteer to help them - it's a great way to learn, and fun.


I also came from a part of RC, the multicopter embedded systems cult of LA Robotics Club. Like you, I decided that full scale models that we can actually get into and fly is where I want to put my effort. Unlike you, my achievements in RC topped out with the building of my second hexacopter. The first was using the FOSS Quadrino, the second based on the DVI Naza M2v2. I see from your LinkedIn profile, you've done much, much more that I in that area.


I hope that I've answered most of your questions and piqued your interest. If there's anything else I can do, don't hesisate to let me know.


Best,
Craig Louis
Secretary/Treasurer EAA Chapter 96

(My first post on these forums. Please let me know if I'm doing it wrong, thanks!)

Resurrecting an old thread. I am hoping to start my first build as well in SoCal. Just got plans for an air bike, planning to build from scratch. Would seriously benefit from mentoring. I’ll be heading down to Brown field as they have a very active chapter, it’s a bit of a drive from Fallbrook though. The lottery would be finding an experienced builder that wanted to also build one in my shop. I have plenty of room.

I drive about an hour to get to my EAA chapter, and it's well worth it.

When a club builds an E-AB airplane. Who is listed as the ‘builder ‘ on the data plate?
Thanks
John O’Leary
life member

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Originally Posted by Oleary83

When a club builds an E-AB airplane. Who is listed as the ‘builder ‘ on the data plate?
Thanks
John O’Leary
life member

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Of course the EAA doesn't allow the chapter to have a flying aircraft, so often times it spins off a club for ownership, but that's another discussion.

I would recommend the person most involved in teh build that isn't already a licensed A&P as long as it is someone you would trust to get the Repairman's Certificate, do proper inspections, and maintain the aircraft.

-Cub Builder