Continuing the series of stories we call “Meet a Friend”, here is story about a story.

Many of you have met Mike Collins, even if only though his writing and contributions to AOPA. When the RV-1 was still at RV Central and going through its rebirth, Mike and the crew from AOPA stopped in for a closer look. Like everyone who has an opportunity to come in contact with the project, it drew Mike it.

One of the most enjoyable parts of my job is the opportunity to meet a lot of fun people who are passionate about aviation. And I got to do that in spades when I dropped in on the Friends of the RV-1 at Hicks Field in January. These folks clearly love what they’re doing, and it was a privilege to watch them bringing this historic aircraft back to flying status. The atmosphere was infectious—before the day was over, I had rolled up my sleeves and, in a very small way, contributed to this very significant effort. While I wish I could have been there for the first flight, I do look forward to seeing the RV-1 a few more times before it goes into EAA’s AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh.

Mike Collins, technical editor, AOPA Pilot

You can read Mike’s article here.