Where did this adventure start? Possibly it started when I purchased This plane wrecked from an insurance company in August 2014.

But it really started with the death of my father in February of 2014. I received some inheritance money from him and I just did not feel comfortable mixing it in with our general savings and investments. It felt like a connection to him and I wanted to do something with the money to maintain that connection. Somehow, I got the idea of watching auctions for a project airplane to rebuild with the money. I worked many years ago as an aircraft mechanic and restored a number of antique aircraft so I have certifications from the FAA to work on aircraft myself. I always enjoyed the work because it was very precise and encompassed many things from electrical and engine work to fabric covering and paint. When I saw this plane up for auction I thought it would make a great project. But it was located up in Spokane and I bid on it with only some photos to judge the condition. When I found that I had won the auction I jumped on an airline flight the next day to go confirm that the condition of the plane was what I expected before I paid the insurance company. It looked just as I had expected and within a few weeks I was trucking it all back home to begin the work.

It took me two years to get the plane flying and then as I flew the plane for the next two years on wheels, (when I made the very first flight with it, I buckled my Dad’s ashes in the backseat). I repaired the floats while I was flying it on wheels and I put the floats on in May of 2018.

The aircraft registration for this Aviat Husky is N176WW, air traffic Communications calls it out has November 176 Whisky Whisky (Scottish spelling). I found a posting from the previous owner online where he referred to the plane as “Double Shot.”  That definitely is an appropriate name, so Julie and I continue to keep Double Shot’s original nickname.