Emily Albinski and Will Crane.  Photo by Phil Weston

There are a lot of first-timers to AirVenture this year, and one couple in particular is here because of a simple invite from an EAA staff member.

In early May, a day that started off ordinary turned extraordinary for Will Crane and Emily Albinski, a young couple in their twenties. They decided to attend the 3rd annual Maker Faire at the San Mateo County Fairgrounds south of San Francisco. The Maker Faire had several central California EAAers, from Chapters 20, 62, 338, and 393, displaying the things that EAA homebuilders "make." The EAA chapter members offered hands-on interaction and the opportunity to discuss "making" your own airplane with builders who did just that.

Staff from EAA headquarters were also there, including David Hipschman, director of publications. David spent some time with Will and Emily and showed them the Oshkosh: The Spirit of Aviation DVD. "We were really impressed at the time David and the EAA staff took with us. The ability to fly opened up to us once we talked to David, and he offered to take us up flying and even opened his home to us for camping during AirVenture." Emily and Will took David up on his offer and camped in David’s backyard earlier this week.

Emily and Will were also invited by the chapter president to attend an EAA Chapter 62 meeting after the Maker Faire. "Everyone from EAA has been very open with a ‘come join us’ attitude," comments Emily.

They were able to spend only a day at AirVenture this year because they are moving out east. They made a stop in Oshkosh on their way out there. Once they settle in the New York City metro area, they will find a chapter to join there. They hope to attend for the full week next year and would love to fly to Oshkosh in their own plane someday.

Will and Emily, now EAA members, both got their student certificates free at AirVenture. They were worried how they were going to get them and said it was really easy for them here.

They really enjoyed the Light Sport Aircraft Mall and all the information that they supplied for them.

Will’s favorite part is the vintage planes. His dad was a military history teacher at West Point and is now a director of a museum. He remembers going to a lot of air shows as a kid and always saw the planes at the army/navy football games with the F-14s flying over.

Will wants to get his sport pilot certificate and wants to build a light-sport aircraft some day from scratch. Emily, a graphic/industrial designer, also wants to build a plane from scratch and has worked with metal design in the past. She says that’s where her desire comes from to build a plane.

Now that they both have their student certificates, Emily and Will are going to find a chapter in New York City and talk to them to see if they have a plane and can recommend an instructor. Will also wants to get his instrument rating.

"We are so glad we went to the Maker Faire. We both talked about flying off and on but didn’t really take it seriously until the Faire. We had the impression that flying was just for millionaires, and now we feel that that’s not true."

Emily and Will said they don’t know a whole lot of people in aviation, and EAA feels like a close-knit family to them and has been very supportive. "The quote ‘It’s not about planes, it’s about people’ really rung true for us," Emily says. "We feel like we can ask questions about anything."