From left, Tony Aspengren, Keith Campbell and Mark Schmitz help people from all over the U.S. and the world build experimental aircraft in Boone. The trio work at W&C Aircraft Works LLC, which was started 15 years ago by Campbell, Kevin Horn and the late Bob Woolery. The facility is located at the Boone Municipal Airport.
What started out in the corner of a hangar at Boone Municipal Airport has grown to take up the entire building and attracts airplane enthusiasts from all over the U.S.
W&C Aircraft Works LLC, located in the north main hangar at the airport, was started 15 years ago by Keith Campbell, Kevin Horn and the late Bob Woolery. The men shared a love for building experimental aircraft and wanted to share their passion with others.
The business offers assistance with building experimental airplanes, as well as classes that teach individuals how to build their own planes. The planes constructed at the facility are made of sheet metal, wood, composites or fiberglass, Campbell said.
“We help with things people don’t have the expertise or time to do,” Mark Schmitz said.
When people hear the term, “experimental aircraft,” Schmitz said it often brings about a certain uneasiness about the aircraft. However, the planes are completely safe and the experimental term simply means the aircraft owners can make modifications as they see fit in order to improve the plane’s performance. Airplanes that are purchased from a manufacturer cannot be altered in any way.
All planes built at the facility are inspected and registered with the Federal Aviation Administration using the same practices that would be used for professional aircraft.
Over the years, as many as 20 planes have been built at the facility. On average, it takes as little as two years to build a plane. For people who only have time to work on their plane a couple of nights a week, it will take longer, Schmitz said.
“A lot of people will start building in their garage, then come here to finish because they need the space,” Campbell said.
Tony Aspengren, Campbell and Schmitz each bring their own expertise to the business. Aspengren has 25 years of military avionics under his belt. Schmitz received his private pilot license in 1985 and later got into the experimental aircraft hobby in his free time.
For Campbell, what started out as a hobby has become his job. But he doesn’t consider it a job, because he enjoys what he does and the people he gets to work alongside.
“They’re going to have to drag me out of here,” Campbell said with a laugh.
Campbell started building planes in his garage, then transferred the building process to the hangar building where W&C Aircraft Works is located. So far, he has built 15 planes. Some of the planes he has built are still in his possession, while others have been sold if the right buyer comes along.
“We’re building (the planes) for the enjoyment, not for the money,” Campbell said.
To keep up with the latest innovations in experimental aircraft, the trio reads magazines published by the Experimental Aircraft Association and attends the annual Oshkosh, Wis., airshow featuring not only thousands of experimental aircraft, but also forums and symposiums to learn about new happenings within the experimental aircraft industry.
The facility in Boone is one of few operations like it in the country. The men have seen people from North Carolina, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Florida come to use their facility to build aircraft. One out-of-state gentleman rented an apartment in Boone for two years while he built his plane under the guidance of the W&C Aircraft Works employees.
After 15 years of operation, Campbell hopes the organization will continue long into the future, growing and helping more aircraft enthusiasts. Schmitz said he would like to see the building increase in size, permitting more room to work on planes.
“We’re working with people who are working on their hobby,” Schmitz said. “People are here because they want to be here and that makes it a great environment.”
- Source: http://amestrib.com
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