The vrieze is home

[Tom-D]

Friday we left the house at 6:00 made the border crossing into Canda at 7:15AM, Entered the Ferry Docks at Tsawwassen to board the ferry to Duke's Point but were 5 minutes too late to make the 7:45 sailing, so we waited until the 10:15 sailing for the 2 hour crossing to Nanaimo. We left the ferry at 12:20 and entered Vancouver Island taking Hyw #19 north to Port McNeil BC to pick up our new aircraft, arrived Port McNeill at 5:00 PM dropped the trailer at the airport and went to dinner at Gus's Sportsmans Bar & Grill and a motel room for the night.
Returned to the airport at 7:00AM Saturday to find the seller at the aircraft, with his help we had the Varieze on the trailer and ready to head home by 10:00.
This allowed us to make the last Sailing of the day back to Tsawwassen and home.
This allowed us to to suffer the biggest piece of Bull **** any Customs officer could hand out. we tried crossing the border at I-5 and the peace arch, this led to us being told we were to enter the secondary inspection area. so we did and entered the building to see the officer, we waited 45 minutes just to be told we could not enter at this location.
we were directed to go back into Canada, and try to enter the Hwy 99 commercial entry point. 15 minutes to get to this location only to obtain a form to import a "For re-sale" that required 2.5 hour wait. this put us back on I-5 south after 9:00PM for the 1.5 hour drive home. But we gotter-done

 

[comanche pilot]

Great to see you with another project! What's the plan? Is this one going to be a keeper?

 

[N801BH]

Them customs officers need to justify their large salaries ya know.....


And.... I have booked every therapist in Wyoming to help me with the shock of Tom owning a EXPERIMENTAL................

 

[Dr. O]

One of the most unsettling encounters with abuse of official powers I have encountered was entering the USA after a 2 day trip in Canada.
Long story short the final point was when he asked me why he should let me enter the country.
I looked him in the eye and took on the tone of a parent lecturing a child "Because as a citizen I have an absolute constitutional right to be here. Now where do I park because I am having a word with your supervisor."
He glared, threw my documents back through the open car window, slammed his window shut and raised the gate.

 

[frfly172]

Congrats on the airplane,sorry about customs,absolute power corrupts.

 

[Jay Honeck]

One of the most unsettling encounters with abuse of official powers I have encountered was entering the USA after a 2 day trip in Canada.
Long story short the final point was when he asked me why he should let me enter the country.
I looked him in the eye and took on the tone of a parent lecturing a child "Because as a citizen I have an absolute constitutional right to be here. Now where do I park because I am having a word with your supervisor."
He glared, threw my documents back through the open car window, slammed his window shut and raised the gate.

The arrogance of our permanent political class grows with each passing year. It's funny how everyone concentrates their ire on the elected officials when they, in fact, have little impact on day to day governance.

I'm sorry Tom had such a hard time bringing his airplane project home, and I'm sorry you had such a hard time reentering the U.S.. As their supervisors, We, the People, should be ashamed of what we have allowed to happen.

 

[Tom-D]

IF you ever drag any aircraft across the border on a trailer or _____, never under any circumstances tell them you might sell it.

I have never seen any office that was this mismanaged.

And remember I was a Civil Servant.

 

[Tom-D]

Great to see you with another project! What's the plan? Is this one going to be a keeper?

Block one, step one, get it registered. as a US aircraft

 

[Tom-D]

Them customs officers need to justify their large salaries ya know.....


And.... I have booked every therapist in Wyoming to help me with the shock of Tom owning a EXPERIMENTAL................

This ain't the first one I have built or finished for other owners. I've completed or helped to build, a Fisher Celebrity, a Warbird Corsair, and a Murphy Rebel.

 

[Ted]

I've always enjoyed the looks of Rutan-a-ma-gigs, and always wanted to fly one. Looking forward to seeing your progress on this, Tom.

 

[alfadog]

Looks great, Tom. Good luck with her!

Incidentally, I thought that was one hell of a garage you had until I realized it was the ferry boat.

 

[Tom-D]

Looks great, Tom. Good luck with her!

Incidentally, I thought that was one hell of a garage you had until I realized it was the ferry boat.

Actually the largest Ferry boat in operation today.

 

[Tom-D]

I've always enjoyed the looks of Rutan-a-ma-gigs, and always wanted to fly one. Looking forward to seeing your progress on this, Tom.

After the sequence of restoration, this one will be your's for the asking.

 

[Ted]

After the sequence of restoration, this one will be your's for the asking.

I'll look forward to that.

 

[James331]

Did you ever decide on your avionics Tom?

 

[flyingriki]

I've always enjoyed the looks of Rutan-a-ma-gigs, and always wanted to fly one. Looking forward to seeing your progress on this, Tom.

They are a total gas!

And very different than the others he's built or refurbished. Will be interesting....

 

[steingar]

Looks sharp. I wouldn't spend a lot on it, when I see them for sale they never seem to be for sale for too much. Great little airplanes though. Real, real fast not burning a whole lot of fuel.

 

[Tom-D]

Looks sharp. I wouldn't spend a lot on it, when I see them for sale they never seem to be for sale for too much. Great little airplanes though. Real, real fast not burning a whole lot of fuel.

So far, it has a lot of chips and hangar rash, lower cowl is burned pretty bad, 1 exhaust has rusted thru. seat cushions are wet and moldy, auto pilot does not work,
I started the sanding today, to start the new paint job. 1 step at a time.
When they are really nice with a glass dash, they bring 25-30K and they never get sold thru the aircraft ad pages

 

[mondtster]

Block one, step one, get it registered. as a US aircraft

Since this is an experimental that was certified and registered in Canada, what are the steps to switch it to a US airplane?

I'm reasonably familiar with the process for importing certified airplanes (been involved with a couple) but I'm wondering if the experimental ones are different?

 

[rbridges]

So far, it has a lot of chips and hangar rash, lower cowl is burned pretty bad, 1 exhaust has rusted thru. seat cushions are wet and moldy, auto pilot does not work,

the proper barnstormer's description would be "great 20 foot plane ready for the interior and avionics of your choice"

in all seriousness, can't wait to see you get it restored. I really like those planes. Only seen one up close and personal.

 

[steingar]

When they are really nice with a glass dash, they bring 25-30K

Sounds reasonable.

and they never get sold thru the aircraft ad pages

If you say so. You have quite a bit more experience than me.

 

[Tom-D]

Sounds reasonable.



If you say so. You have quite a bit more experience than me.

Not much more with these guys, but that's the skuttle butt.

 

[James331]

Sounds reasonable.



If you say so. You have quite a bit more experience than me.

I'd wager with a nice paint and interior, sounds Airworthness stuff, and a decent panel it'll sell for near 30k.

Doubt it'll be to the C172/152 PA28 crowd, more of a experienced pilots plane, would be a great commuter.

 

[Tom-D]

I'd wager with a nice paint and interior, sounds Airworthness stuff, and a decent panel it'll sell for near 30k.

Doubt it'll be to the C172/152 PA28 crowd, more of a experienced pilots plane, would be a great commuter.

The EZ guys that I've talked to say that just getting the US registry the Conditional completed and make it legal to fly down here will bring $20K.