Last Bits

Ed and Cindy sat on the porch of the small FBO, soaking up the aviation buzz. Airplanes and activity were everywhere. Cindy took a deep breath. She looked at Ed and said, “I want to build and fly my own airplane.”

Ed returned a look of surprise. “Are you kidding? That’s crazy. Not to mention you cannot afford it.”

“I’ll figure out a way,” said Cindy.

Of course money matters. But most of the time, we don’t run the calculations. We forge ahead hoping everything will work out. One good example is starting a family. You’re in the minority if you sat down with your significant other with calculator and pencil and figured out what it would cost to raise several children. If Google got this right, then you would be looking at well over $600K from birth to college. If humans performed this analysis consistently and accurately, the human race would soon be extinct.

Although that’s a dramatic example of informed decision-making, I’m going to suggest that excitement and passion go a long way in successfully completing a project. 

The girl sitting at the FBO was me. I delighted in hearing others tell me I was crazy. I knew in my heart that I was going to figure it out. I also knew I couldn’t afford it.

If you spend any time talking to the people who have already built and are flying their own airplanes, they may tell you that they couldn’t afford it either, and that the projects ended up costing them more than they thought they would. 

So, what is the key? After visiting dozens of projects as a technical counselor, I surmised that the key is the ability of these people to sit down with pen and paper and contemplate what was most important to them in life, realizing they couldn’t do everything they wanted. After deciding what values were most relevant, these people made conscious decisions about what they could have and what they couldn’t. While a Honda jet might be off the table, an ultralight might be achievable. 

Most likely, we will have to give up something else, or even many things, to reach one or two big goals. Hundreds of books have been written about how to achieve big goals, but in my estimation, the critical piece is our own ability to plan out our vision without giving up.

Just the pursuit of flight lessons and a license is a big deal. If you have achieved this set of milestones already, you should be proud of your ability to prioritize and plan. 

I don’t mean to blithely suggest you launch out on an airplane project without performing some financial due-diligence. I do mean to suggest that many things are possible, including really big things, if you take the time to thoughtfully arrange life priorities. If one of your biggest dreams is building and flying an airplane, I’d do whatever it takes to make it happen. 

So, does money matter? Yes, money matters, but your own dedication to the constant sorting of mercurial tugs on your day-to-day resources matters more. You will find you can do more with less as you navigate the constant requests and keep your eyes and heart on the few big things.