By Lisa Turner, EAA Lifetime 509911
In the last article we talked about safety. Without safety awareness and practice, an accident is waiting to happen. Safety is an important topic to check off your technical counselor to-do list with your builder.
Keep in mind that I’m going into detail on a lot of different topics in the TC Matrix. As a technical counselor, you’ll be evaluating what your builder needs. In areas where you believe the builder is competent, there is no need to go through all of these separate areas. Part of your job is to pick out the areas where you will spend time with the builder. If you keep these articles in a notebook, you can use what you need, and skip around if you need to. While I have found four or five visits the minimum, you may have a situation where you will have three to even 10 visits over the course of a build.
After reviewing safety, the next thing you’ll want to do is help the builder assess their skill level. Use the quiz below to ground your builder in thinking about their skill level. Once you have earned their trust in the first visit or two, most builders will be comfortable having you advise them on a variety of tasks.
A saying I like is, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” As circuitous as it sounds, it’s a great example of when we intended a certain result but didn’t have all the information and it turned out badly. We’ve all been there. In that moment when you inadvertently screw something up and say, “Darn (or worse), I didn’t mean to do that,” you really did not intend for the task to get off track. This is why calibrating with the objectivity of another person is so helpful.
For this reason you should help the builder identify where they need skills and training. Sit down and go through the quiz answers. The builder should be doing most of the talking. Make notes on where the builder is uncomfortable. Think about how you can address the discomfort. Remind the builder that the EAA is chock full of articles, webinars, seminars, and workshops.
Next, take a look at the planning information with the timeline that you developed earlier. Have you included enough time for skills training, workshops, webinars, and practice? If not, add that into the schedule.
Next, consider what you yourself can offer in the way of training or demonstration. I know when I was building my first aircraft, my technical counselor was enormously helpful in showing me many techniques and tricks, including how to do fiberglass layups without using too much resin. Just seeing the process made all the difference for me.
If there are large gaps in knowledge, experience, or skills, recommend a workshop. The hands-on training the builder will get will be invaluable. EAA provides workshops, or the local EAA chapter may be a resource. And there is always the option of video and self-study.
Getting your builder to consider their weaknesses and how to get more experience is a big step forward in shepherding a successful project through to flight. Don’t skip this step, or traps could spring up later to stop the project cold.
The Builder Skill Level Quiz: A Self-Assessment
Answer the following questions and then see the recommendations below them. As a builder, this quiz is for your own eyes and for your own use. If you are comfortable sharing the results with your Technical Counselor, they will be able to help you get any training you need to gain more confidence in the processes.
| Question | Not at All or No | Somewhat Agree | Agree | Totally Agree |
| 1. I have a lot of hands on maintenance experience already | ||||
| 2. I have already built an aircraft and feel comfortable and confident | ||||
| 3. I am skilled at using basic tools and machinery | ||||
| 4. I enjoy making things and fixing things | ||||
| 5. I enjoy learning the things I don’t know as a mechanic | ||||
| 6. I think that attention to detail is one of the most important skills in building | ||||
| 7. I am safety conscious and don’t like to rush | ||||
| 8. I think that documentation is important in a building project | ||||
| 9. I would be willing to interrupt my project to get additional skills training | ||||
| 10. I enjoy building as much as flying |
Use this information to score:
| Not at All 1 pt | Somewhat Agree 3 pts | Agree 4 pts | Totally Agree 5pts |
Total Points =
What You Should Think About
Twenty points or less: Take a look at question 10. If you answered that with less than a “3” then you might want to reconsider whether you want to build your own airplane. Statistics have shown that you’re more likely to invest in the project but then let it languish.
Twenty to Thirty Points: If you answered question 10 with an “agree” or better, then this may be a good path. You’ll probably need to get some training in specific skills. Ask your technical counselor for help. The EAA has so many resources that it may be tough to navigate all of the information at once; spend time mapping out the project and what skills you will need. It’s worth spending the time up front doing this.
Thirty to Forty Points: You’ll be fine. Spend some time up front figuring out what you will need to study or if you need any classes or workshops. Utilize the EAA resources for builders.
Forty to Fifty Points: You’re in great shape in skills and experience. Think about becoming a Technical Counselor!