AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 64
BEN REDMAN leans
engine was ready to fly and only lacked the FAA blessing of its voluminous paperwork.
forward in the cockpit
for greater protection
The company's current backlog is about one year, and Rare Aircraft employees are
from the icy wind.
working overtime to keep it from getting any longer. "We know we'll lose business if
Working with his
our backlog gets too long," Roy said. "We'd like to get it a little shorter than it is right
father, brother, and the
team they've brought
now." Workers typically put in four 10-hour days each week, but now they've added
together is "the
eight hours on Fridays.
best career I could
The recent depression among aircraft manufacturers seems to have bypassed Rare
imagine," he says.
Aircraft, even though the airplanes it produces are purely discretionary purchases for
their owners.
"Our sales have increased each year during the last four years and our business is doing well," Roy said. "It might have been doing even
better if the overall economy was stronger, but we're not complaining. We feel very good about the shape our business is in."
TRIBAL KNOWLEDGE
Subfreezing temperatures and stiff northwest winds are enough to keep most opencockpit biplanes on the ground, but Ben performs post-maintenance tests and delivery
flights year round. On a 30-degree afternoon in late November, he dons an electrically
heated vest, hand- and foot-warmers, and a thick leather jacket before taking up a
Waco Taperwing the company recently finished on an air-to-air photography flight with
AOPA Pilot.
A 20-knot wind blows foamy streaks across a nearby lake as he climbed to 4,000 feet agl,
running the Jacobs engine at full power all the way to break in the new cylinders. "I'm not
supposed to have favorites," he says. "But I sure like the way this airplane flies."
He maneuvers the biplane beside our Bonanza B36TC photo ship and enthusiastically
complies with AOPA Senior Photographer Mike Fizer's hand signals. After a frigid hour
aloft, Fizer lets him know he's free to return to the airport, but Ben isn't finished flying. He
64 | AOPA PILOT February 2014
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014
AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - February 2014
Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - February 2014
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 4
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 6
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 10
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 12
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 16
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 18
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 20
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 22
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 24
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 26
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 28
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 29
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 30
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 31
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 32
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 33
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 34
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 36
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 37
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 38
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 40
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 42
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 44
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 45
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 47
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 48
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 49
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 50
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 51
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 52
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 58
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 59
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 60
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 62
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 63
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 64
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 65
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 66
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 67
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 68
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 69
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 70
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 71
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 72
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 73
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 74
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 75
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 76
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 77
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 78
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 79
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 80
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 81
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 82
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 83
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 84
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 85
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 86
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 87
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 88
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 89
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 90
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 91
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 92
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 93
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 94
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 95
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 96
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 97
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 98
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 99
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 100
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 101
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 102
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 104
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 105
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 106
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 107
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 108
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 109
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - 112
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2014 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201103_test
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201011demo
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot_201011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/aopa/pilot0308
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com