Hello everyone, new here and to flying sort of. I'd love to build my own plane and be able to fly it and I don't want to mess anything up and then prevent it. About me, I'm 64 and retired on a railroad pension, 6'2", close to 300lbs. I've been enamored with WW1 era biplanes and would very much like to build a 2 seater. I'm not looking to fly cross country routinely but some easy sightseeing would be just fine. I had a couple of flight lessons back in the early 90's but have moved too many times to keep track of things like log books that I haven't used in years. So I assume I'll be starting from scratch. Funds are limited so there's not going to be any rush on getting either a certification or plane built too soon. Although I would like to get up in the air as soon as I am able. Plenty of time to put plans in order and do this right. So I guess the big question is which comes first, the certification or the plane? Can I get certified in my own plane? Any recommendations on good planes for a beginner? I do have a very strong mechanical background.

Any advise on which way to go would be well considered.

Oh yeah, I'm in Colorado Springs now, our most recent and hopefully last move.

Geoff Adams