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Did You Know Each Unique Aircraft Has a Personality ?
As an aviation newbie , I discovered that every single aircraft was uniquely different . Everything from the instrument panel , the engine , the prop , and the color theme can all be customized ( and typically are ), plus so much more . I observed a Zenith build that crafted a specialized instrument panel from two iPads , a com radio , and a transponder . Another build ( Dave Tillema ) installed a Honda car engine ( Viking conversion ) in his Zenith CH 750 Cruzer .
Pilots take great pride in building their aircraft - everything from initial design concepts and customized construction options to prudent maintenance .
In addition to all the build options - exceptional paint themes , family brands or symbols , and meaningful names also add to the character of the aircraft .
I was fascinated by the abundance of nose art at AirVenture and researched to discover what this was all about . Nose art was initially found on military aircraft ( dating back to the First World War ) as good-luck charms , morale boosters , and a way to distinguish friendly aircraft . It died out in the 1970s when “ Air Force Chief of Staff John Ryan called for a moratorium ” ( www . military . com ), but this practice has started to come back .
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