At Aloft we have a little tradition that we all enjoy, we call it Build Night. Basically Every Friday after work we pull out some tables and tools and work on some models. We always have a lot of fun, and get things done. Sometimes it just gets weird:
(Wow, I need to get some better pictures from a build night!)
I started doing build nights something like 13 years ago when I heard about a group of guys that had been doing a weekly (monthly?) build night for decades down in the Los Angeles area. I grabbed some local pilots and we checked out what they were doing. We then set up our own build nights in Orange County, Calif, and I understand those are still running strong. When I moved up to the Bay area I started up a build night and we did 3 of them, but the group of people were from too large a geographical area for it to work well. We went without for a long time. I missed it and my modeling slowed down as a result.
About a year or so ago we started doing an employee build night on Friday nights and it has been going strong since.
There is nothing fancy or difficult with setting up something like this in your area, just invite a couple of pilots over some night and see how it goes. The biggest problem you may run into is having to many people wanting to join. And no, you do not need to build something on build night. In OC we typically met in a 2 car garage with some folding tables. We would run out of room fast as we sometimes had 15 or more people there, but about 50% of them would be working on something, and the others just came to lend a hand and hang out. It was GREAT. And for sure invite the new pilots at your field!
My wife is not into the models, but even she loved the build night gang and would hang out with us. (She never hangs out when I am building alone, hmm.)
If you are already doing something like this, share some pics or stories. If you are not, then PLEASE give it a go, I think you will really love it.
(Wow, I need to get some better pictures from a build night!)
I started doing build nights something like 13 years ago when I heard about a group of guys that had been doing a weekly (monthly?) build night for decades down in the Los Angeles area. I grabbed some local pilots and we checked out what they were doing. We then set up our own build nights in Orange County, Calif, and I understand those are still running strong. When I moved up to the Bay area I started up a build night and we did 3 of them, but the group of people were from too large a geographical area for it to work well. We went without for a long time. I missed it and my modeling slowed down as a result.
About a year or so ago we started doing an employee build night on Friday nights and it has been going strong since.
So, what is a build night?
It is totally up to you! With the groups I participated in, it is just a gathering of folks with the intention to either build a plane, or hang out and chatting about planes. We usually have a BBQ or bring in some Pizza or other food to enjoy. We would either meet at the same place each time, or rotate around to other members homes. Sometimes we may have a guest speaker that we are all interested in.Why a build night?
It is a wonderful way to keep motivated on your builds and it is a great way to learn from others! Sometimes you need a helping hand for a tough step. Above all, they are good fun and a good way to get to know your fellow pilots. Even after all of these years I still learn new tricks and methods to get things done.There is nothing fancy or difficult with setting up something like this in your area, just invite a couple of pilots over some night and see how it goes. The biggest problem you may run into is having to many people wanting to join. And no, you do not need to build something on build night. In OC we typically met in a 2 car garage with some folding tables. We would run out of room fast as we sometimes had 15 or more people there, but about 50% of them would be working on something, and the others just came to lend a hand and hang out. It was GREAT. And for sure invite the new pilots at your field!
My wife is not into the models, but even she loved the build night gang and would hang out with us. (She never hangs out when I am building alone, hmm.)
If you are already doing something like this, share some pics or stories. If you are not, then PLEASE give it a go, I think you will really love it.
