AZ Homebuilder Becomes Part of Aero-History

Yuma, AZ homebuilder Bob Noll's RV-9A airplane was recognized as the honorary 30,000th US-registered homebuilt at a ceremony Thursday morning at AirVenture 2008.

Standing on stage with his daughter Katrina, who came to AirVenture with him, acting FAA Administrator Bobby Sturgell, FAA Associate Administrator for Aviation Safety Nick Sabatini, EAA President Tom Poberezny and EAA Founder Paul Poberezny were on hand to recognize the milestone of 30,000 homebuilt airplanes registered.

On Tuesday, EAA homebuilders' community manager Joe Norris tracked Bob and his daughter Katrina down in the homebuilt camping area, and notified them that their name had been picked from among the 20 who applied for the honor. Because the FAA aircraft certification system has no way to exactly identify the 30,000th homebuilt, the EAA established criteria to pick one airplane to claim the honorary title. The requirements were that the airplane had to have received its certification in 2008 and had to be in attendance at AirVenture 2008.

With Bob's beautiful RV-9A N94BN sitting on an adjacent raised stage, when it was finally Bob's turn to talk, he stated that it "humbles you" to be chosen to represent that milestone number. He started building the airplane in October 2004 and said that the earliest picture of the project was of a younger Katrina in pajamas taking inventory of the parts they received. "Building the airplane was a family project," he said. Now 17 years of age, Katrina is also a licensed private pilot.

EAA Founder Paul Poberezny commented that he came along at the "right time" back in 1953, that the (then) CAA supported the movement. Now, 55 years later, the work was "worthwhile."

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