Hello!
After many attempts over a year or so, I think I've FINALLY figured out how to post to this site! Thanks to Bill Rose for your patients and your assistance.
Per Bills recommendation, I am introducing myself.
* My name is Kim Kovach.
* 63 years old.
* Addicted to airplanes since 5 years old.
* Have no idea at all how many innings are in a football game. Or are they called outings? Who cares?
* Soloed on my 16th birthday in a Citabria.
* Restored my first airplane at age 19.
* Built my first airplane at age 21 - and it's in a well-known museum today.
* Flew quite a bit of sportsman and intermediate level competitive aerobatics in my 1977 180 Decathlon,
which I still own and fly regularly. Humbly, and proudly, LOTS of trophies on my wall.
*The second airplane I ever built was a modified S1-S. Completely scratch built. 200++ HP with a C/S prop. Redesigned the wings so their plywood skin took the drag loads. No wires inside. Swept the lower wing. Zeroed out all incidences. Designed my own symmetrical ailerons. Put the oil cooler behind the cockpit. It was (and is) faaaaaast! And heavy. By the time I got it flying, I was pretty pooped out on competitive acro - even at my low participation/skill level.
*Taught lots of people how to fly, and I'm still accused of being a CFI.
*I'm also accused of being an A&P.
*Everything good in my life has revolved around airplanes. And airplane people.
*Worked for 30 years as a financial controller of a Detroit area manufacturing company.
*Liked 1930's air racers A LOT. I had the opportunity to reverse engineer the ORIGINAL Howard Ike racing airplane while it was exposed in "bare bones". I DUPLICATED the airplane as close as I was able to - along with the help of my Dad - whom I miss GREATLY. Flew it to Oshkosh and picked up a Lindy for it - after which Kermit Weeks bought it from me - and flew it.
*Got to wondering where all the "airplanes in barns" went to - and then wondered where all the home-builts went to that I saw in Rockford (yes Rockford!) and early Oshkosh.......
*Found my good friends original design biplane "Lil Flip Flop" which Leonard Elmendorf built in 6 months at age 24. I restored it, asked the original builder (my friend Len) to fly it to Oshkosh 40 years after it's first visit, got another Lindy, and ended up on the cover of the Aircraft Spruce and Specialty catalog with it a few years ago. Humble, but proud.
*Retired young and moved to the Leeward Air Ranch near Ocala Florida - which I feel it TOTAL HEAVEN! And again feel humble and proud.
*These days? I do restoration work as a paying hobby. Did a few for Kermit, and finishing up a clipped wing cub as we speak.
*For myself - I'm building up a VERY stock S1-S.... and three Rose Parrakeets. Yes - three of them. The Pitts and these "Keets" are the reason for my joining this forum!
*I tried to post some pics. I had LOTS of problems trying to post a thread - Now I'm having LOTS of problems posting simple pics. Seems as though they are too large.
*Looking forward to learning from y'all. What I've been reading over the last year has been MOST IMPRESSIVE!
Kim
After many attempts over a year or so, I think I've FINALLY figured out how to post to this site! Thanks to Bill Rose for your patients and your assistance.
Per Bills recommendation, I am introducing myself.
* My name is Kim Kovach.
* 63 years old.
* Addicted to airplanes since 5 years old.
* Have no idea at all how many innings are in a football game. Or are they called outings? Who cares?
* Soloed on my 16th birthday in a Citabria.
* Restored my first airplane at age 19.
* Built my first airplane at age 21 - and it's in a well-known museum today.
* Flew quite a bit of sportsman and intermediate level competitive aerobatics in my 1977 180 Decathlon,
which I still own and fly regularly. Humbly, and proudly, LOTS of trophies on my wall.
*The second airplane I ever built was a modified S1-S. Completely scratch built. 200++ HP with a C/S prop. Redesigned the wings so their plywood skin took the drag loads. No wires inside. Swept the lower wing. Zeroed out all incidences. Designed my own symmetrical ailerons. Put the oil cooler behind the cockpit. It was (and is) faaaaaast! And heavy. By the time I got it flying, I was pretty pooped out on competitive acro - even at my low participation/skill level.
*Taught lots of people how to fly, and I'm still accused of being a CFI.
*I'm also accused of being an A&P.
*Everything good in my life has revolved around airplanes. And airplane people.
*Worked for 30 years as a financial controller of a Detroit area manufacturing company.
*Liked 1930's air racers A LOT. I had the opportunity to reverse engineer the ORIGINAL Howard Ike racing airplane while it was exposed in "bare bones". I DUPLICATED the airplane as close as I was able to - along with the help of my Dad - whom I miss GREATLY. Flew it to Oshkosh and picked up a Lindy for it - after which Kermit Weeks bought it from me - and flew it.
*Got to wondering where all the "airplanes in barns" went to - and then wondered where all the home-builts went to that I saw in Rockford (yes Rockford!) and early Oshkosh.......
*Found my good friends original design biplane "Lil Flip Flop" which Leonard Elmendorf built in 6 months at age 24. I restored it, asked the original builder (my friend Len) to fly it to Oshkosh 40 years after it's first visit, got another Lindy, and ended up on the cover of the Aircraft Spruce and Specialty catalog with it a few years ago. Humble, but proud.
*Retired young and moved to the Leeward Air Ranch near Ocala Florida - which I feel it TOTAL HEAVEN! And again feel humble and proud.
*These days? I do restoration work as a paying hobby. Did a few for Kermit, and finishing up a clipped wing cub as we speak.
*For myself - I'm building up a VERY stock S1-S.... and three Rose Parrakeets. Yes - three of them. The Pitts and these "Keets" are the reason for my joining this forum!
*I tried to post some pics. I had LOTS of problems trying to post a thread - Now I'm having LOTS of problems posting simple pics. Seems as though they are too large.
*Looking forward to learning from y'all. What I've been reading over the last year has been MOST IMPRESSIVE!
Kim
