People who build planes of their own design tend to be retired folks with a lot of energy. 'A lot of people are willing to volunteer their time just to be involved in a project,' Rose says. Local members can offer encouragement, advise you on technical issues and even help do the work.

The Experimental Aircraft Association, an organization of aviation enthusiasts, has branches all over the world. Hollmann also offers design classes at fly-ins, and structural consulting for intrepid airplane homebuilders ( ). To configure actual parts and solicit advice on how to put them together, crack open Martin Hollmann's book Modern Aircraft Design. 'With those two programs,' he says, 'I can do everything a $30,000 design suite can do.' Homebuilt designer David Rose uses the program in conjunction with the CAD program AirplanePDQ (combined cost: $198). To test how well your ideas will work in practice, buy a copy of X-Plane, a program that lets you design a plane and then fly it over realistic landscapes. Want to take to the skies in a plane that you've designed and built yourself? You've got a long climb ahead of you, but some inexpensive tools and a supportive community of like-minded pilots will help you on your way.

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