So green I need water twice a day.

[Novaguy]

Hello, I'd like to introduce myself. I hope this is the right category, these forums are rough on the new guys.

I've got so may questions I don't know where to start. I've searched this board and others, can't ever seem to find a straight answer on anything. I guess a bit of background on myself is in order for good measures. I'm not your normal 2017 squeaky red nose and floppy shoes wearing kind of guy. I built my house nearly single handed, I build, maintain, restore, vintage, antique, classic, exotic automobiles and motorcycles for a living. Not like on TV, I don't even have a TV. I build my own engines, Transmissions, rear ends Etc. I keep an AC/DC TIG machine on hand and I know how to use it. Sometimes against my will I run sanding blocks and paint guns too. War era and early post war Harley Davidsons, building drag cars out of old jalopies with late model LS engines that do wheelies are near and dear to me. GA has always seemed just out of reach for me. I'm an old soul and eat lunch with a group of old codgers a couple times a month, one of witch is the son of Ned Kensinger. One of the original members of the EAA. So I hear all these great stories of the early days of Dwayne Cole and Marion Cole in Peoria Illinois, building midget Racers from the scrap pile and so on. Last year I got the opportunity to start training in a JustAircraft SuperSTOL. It was an amazing experience and I was obviously hooked. Not a surprise when your first GA touch down is on a sand bar in the red river in rural back country.

So let's get into the meat of her, that first bit is to weed out all the negative nancys that don't have the time to read for 5 minutes and likely only want to peck with condescending input. I pulled the plug on my PPL training with less than 10 hours logged. I didn't want to wear out my welcome using this very generous acquaintances SUPERSTOL at only the cost of ethanol-free auto fuel and paying my CFI. I also knew that type of performance would never be in my budget (its now 210hp turbo viking guinea pig) and didn't want to go backwards into a Champ, Chief, Pacer, Cub, Tcraft, Luscombe, 120/140, right away knowing what my budget would be. I also know my goals, I have no desire for an IFR rating, I want a real vintage aircraft with the story book hand propping, doors open, no charging system, prefer fabric. I don't want to rent something for 70 hours and spend close to the same money I could have bought one for. I also would really REALLY like to restore one so I know every single piece of it. I went and looked at 46 Taylor Craft last weekend. Last in the air 20 years ago, stored complete and assembled in a hanger. Fresh oil change, fuel drained, ran out and fogged. Seemingly put fuel in it, new rubber, emery board the contactors in the mags and hope for the best but likely complete resto. It was covered in Ceconite in the early seventies never stored outside and actually still appears to be in good shape even the top coat. Exactly what I think I want, I understand you get what you pay for and for $6k if it's a mistake I can just hang it from the ceiling in the shop I guess.

So what's the Skinny on working on/restoring an antique aircraft without an A&P cert? Some say anyone can do it, others act like you can't put fuel in it without holding an A&P's hand. I understand the FAA has a responsibility to uphold a certain level of safety for you and everyone on the ground. It's just hard for me to grasps, my coffee maker is way more complex than these things.

How hard is it to get a taylorcraft an experimental airworthiness certificate and is it a bad idea? Again some act like the craft is worthless after that or can't be brought back, Some act like is as simple as a tire change.

I understand I can fly NORAD if not operating in A, B, C class space and without an engine driven charging system. But is this even feasible anymore? Seems like a fine line to me.

Is this while idea foolish? Should I just get one that's ready to go in annul in the $15k range? I'd sure hate to pass this one up $6k and find out someone dumped fuel in it and was able to ferry it home.

Would it be feasible to hang one in the ceiling of the shop for parts and buy one ready to? Could I even use parts from it or dose every part have to be new and certified?

I hope that's enough for you fellows to get started whipping me. Abunch of questions that have been answered a thousand times. But I sure can't find any good sources for nswers...

PS: My Grandad served in the 31st photo recon squadron stationed in France. I have his photo Journal consisting of 100 or more photos of the field the aircraft and other shenanigans. There's even a couple of Recon photos of the beach before the invasion. It's be happy to share them if there's any interest and I could figure out how.