The Silent Partner

This morning while my wife was helping me clean and scuff a big pile of fuselage parts for priming, it occurred to me that there needed to be a thread for builders to express appreciation and thanks for their "silent partners" - be it a spouse, a relative, or someone else, I'll bet there's someone in your life who isn't as rabid about airplane building as you are, but nevertheless is an indispensable source of encouragement, assistance, and support. Building an airplane is not just a hobby, it's an enormous commitment. I suspect that every builder has someone who helps to keep them moving forward, even if they're not actually out in the garage helping to pound rivets every minute.

In my case, it's my wife Mary. She isn't the airplane nut that I am, but she still gamely helps make parts and shoot rivets when I ask nicely, and puts up with my endless hours in the garage and endless dollars spent on airplane pieces. I suspect that her tolerance of my eccentricities requires a lot of patience, not to mention forgiveness. When I get discouraged, I think about all the places we'll be able to visit together after this collection of parts is transformed into a real airplane. She may not get the same satisfaction from a nicely formed line of shop heads as I do, and she may not devour stacks of glossy aviation magazines and screens full of forum threads about esoteric aviation subjects, but when I talk about the RV-7 that's going together in my garage I tell people about the airplane that we're building.

So, who's your silent building partner?

mcb

Partners

My bride and First Guaranty Bank
T88

Great Thread

Can't say that my wife is a silent partner in this thing. She is afraid of flying, does not want a plane and thinks that the whole thing is silly and too expensive. She lets me know on a regular basis but somehow she understands me and is supporting this crazy venture onto which I have embarked.

She gives me money, time, and tries to understand what I am doing. Not always silently but she does it and for that I say thanks. Whether they are banging rivets or complaining because we are not taking care of family business they still let us build. For some it may not be a wife but don't forget to thank whatever silent partner there may be for each of us.

Partner for Life

I can't say enough about my wife and kids. Started a trucking company and built a RV 7 in eight months. Very understanding. Good thing is that she has started her private and is just about to solo. So now I get to support her!

Thank you Wendy

If it wasn't for my significant other pushing me everyday, I'd never finish this darn thing. Ellen calls me during the day with little gems like, "Hey baby, I'm having lunch near Harbor Freight. Do you need me to pick up any tools?".

That says it all....

I can't say that my lovely bride is silent, since she and I have built 7 airplanes, our home, and together we maintain our private airstrip. She is not only a builder and private pilot, but has been VERY active in 3 EAA Chapters (She's even been President of Chapter 168 twice).
She may not be silent, but I can't imagine how I could have picked a better partner.
Mel...DAR

My hubby, Rich, is my silent partner. He was all but inside the wing bucking rivets. He did most of the interior and was there to be my 3rd, 4th, and sometimes 5th hand, mixed all the paint, and made sure I didn't pass out in the spray booth. Now that it's all done, he's my autopilot and navigator. I wouldn't fly anywhere without him in the right seat.

Roberta

Without my silent partner, it would have taken me a lot more time to build than it did. Her real name is Valentina but has since been dubbed 'Rosie the Riveter" Very often now all our friends call her 'Rosie" rather than her real name. One time her dad asked me what is this 'Rosie' thing and of course I had to explain it to him.
She was out there with me all the way even if there was nothing for her to help with at the time. She would re-organise the tool table, sweep the floor,etc. One thing I might add is if I made a mistake or screw up a rivet, Boy did I HEAR ABOUT IT! There was no 'its okay', it was removed and replaced or whatever needed to be done to fix the problem. It must of paid off because when it came to the final inspection, very few snags were found.
I owe her a lot for all the help and she just loves flying in the creation she help build.

Peter
RV-9A C-GRVN
90491

My Loving wife Laura, I would not be anywhere as close to finishing with out her support.

New wife!

Tsk, Tsk, but I just hate to rain on the parade guys. My new wife, Jenny is a gem, replacing the one who left and said, "We don't need THAT plane and YOU don't need another plane" (I have a crop duster that I make my living with). Perhaps we need another thread featuring how we built the plane anyway, in spite of the divorce!
Pierre

"Hey baby, I'm having lunch near Harbor Freight. Do you need me to pick up any tools?".

Whoa! Hang on to that one, Dude!

My Jenny is a white knuckle flyer, but is 150% behind me on the flying/building thing. However, after 14 yrs getting the -4 done, all I have to say to get her going is "hey, I found the next plane I'm going to build!"

Jeff

Haven't started any "actual" building yet, but when I proposed this little adventure to her, she was more excited than I've seen her in quite a while (and we've been married over 12 years). Didn't even flinch (much...) when I brought up realistic cost estimates, and is willing to work a little extra, when she's able, to fund the airplane when the time comes.

Now helping me buck rivets and stuff like that might be another story, but she didn't totally rule it out from the start, so with her that's a good sign.

Once we're flying, we're gonna get her some hours with a CFI so she can safely take the controls in-flight and enjoy the fruits of our labors, operate the important systems, and get us safe-on-deck if I'm incapacitated somehow (she can't get a PPL due to medical issues, unfortunately).


After reading and hearing some accounts of spousal support (or lack thereof), I feel pretty lucky...

to my wife, brittne. she has been a great support in this project from the beginning. she didn't even question this AT ALL when i started talking about it a year ago. she just said, if that's what you want to do, go for it! she's been very understanding (most of the time) with the amount of time i put into this, but i also know the days that i just need to say no to building, and spend time with her. thank you honey!

also, a quick thanks to my credit card for taking all the abuse so far! there's more to come! don't worry, i'll take care of you too!

Ah yes, what a great way to bring a husband and wife together, but by building something that is costing me at least 2 years of my total wages and has no logical reason for being out in the shop except for "recreation and education" well, that and the pride of building an aircraft. My wife Sarah was hesitant at first, but pushed the "send" button on the fax machine to Vans for the empenage kit. (I remind her of that every time she complains about it) She's helped me with the wings where two sets of hands are required, put off buying our own house, having kids, paying off other debts, paid bills for me when I'd spent too much on tools etc. so I have something else to do besides work and mope around the house. Thanks babe! I owe her a flight to somewhere REALLY cool when it's done, any ideas?