In July, Sam and I flew his Cessna 150 to Gainesville, TX—a long and thrilling adventure. We made a great team and loved the epic journey halfway across the country. We grew so much as a couple during that trip. After all, we spent over 12 hours shoulder-to-shoulder in the middle of a hot summer, and we still really like each other!
Joking aside, that trip sparked a lot of interesting conversations about our future:
Talks about our family
Talks about moving
Talks about our hobbies
Talks about future investments
Talks about travel
Anyone who knows Sam knows that every decision he makes is backed by meticulous research. We've read blogs, watched countless videos, talked to and had lunch with several members of our EAA chapter, and—most importantly—consulted with my cousin, Norm. He has built three different versions of similar kit airplanes and has been involved in aviation a lifetime from the military to owning a flight school.
On November 15th, 2024, at 9:30 PM EST—about half an hour after chatting with Norm—we took a big leap and clicked "Pay Now" on a new airplane kit!
We are beyond excited to announce that we will be building our very own Vans RV-9A! This plane will allow us to approach speeds of 200 mph and fly at 20,000 feet!
So, what’s the connection between building an airplane and the stimulating conversations we had after our trip to Texas?
This airplane represents an opportunity for us in so many ways:
Family: It will make it easier to see family members who already live far away and whom we don’t get to see nearly enough.
Moving: It will allow us to visit family and friends when we eventually move to another state.
Hobbies: We both share a love for airplane maintenance. This project will be a huge undertaking that we can work on together—a dream hobby project.
Investment: Building an airplane is a significant investment—but once completed, it will be brand new and worth so much more.
Travel: We’ll be able to travel farther, more economically, and much faster.
We hope you’ll join us on this exciting journey of love, adventure, travel, and building an airplane!
Lots of Love,
Kelsey and Sam