Old West pioneer history meets a touch of California glitz in Truckee, a small town perched in the mountains to the west of Reno, Nevada, just a few miles north-northwest of Lake Tahoe, and east of the Donner Pass (yes, named for those Donners).
The theory that two airplanes can be built with only slightly more effort than one has an inescapable logic to it. After all, the lion’s share of the time in any scratch-built airplane is spent in preparation. Once precise jigs and fixtures are made, using them to punch out a few more parts can happen fast.
John Machamer was flying for American Airlines on that day in July 1994. He recalls walking into the operations room at John F. Kennedy International Airport and spotting an “Aircraft for Sale” sign on the bulletin board. Nothing unusual about that—except for the aircraft that was for sale.