In The Headlines
Bob Beirow
Man's hobby takes off
He builds, sells airplanes
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T.J. SKRDLANT
Hastings Tribune
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A little plastic plane and a rubber band years
ago propelled an interest in aeronautics that continues today.
Bob Beirow, 36, of rural Hastings builds model airplanes in his
basement.
Beirow's love for airplanes started at a young age.
"As long as I can remember, aviation has been a part of my life,"
he said.
He got started putting plastic models together in his parents'
basement
when he was in elementary school. A rubber band controlled the
propeller.
Things have changed a bit since then. He recently completed a plane
with a 12-foot wingspan for a customer. The aircraft was larger
than its owner's two-car garage. "Never in my life did I
think I'd see this," he said.
Beirow makes everything from trainer-type planes to high-performance
jets.
An unfinished space shuttle currently sits under his workbench.
Most of the models are one-quarter scale.
"A lot of contests across the United States use one-quarter," he
said.
Beirow uses balsa wood, plastic foam and some fiberglass to construct
the aircraft.
His favorite plane to make is a GeeBee, but it's also one of the
more complex planes, he said.
"It takes three months to build because there are so many parts
you have to cut out," he said.
The remote control works just like controls inside a real airplane.
Levers and sticks adjust throttle, rudder, elevator and retractable
landing gear.
One good thing about model airplanes is that it doesn't take anything
special to learn to fly one. Beirow said anyone can be a model airplane
pilot regardless of age, gender,
lifestyle or background. A person can get into the hobby
for about $300, but can spend
thousands on just one plane, depending on the complexity and size.
But, Beirow warns, once someone is flying high with this hobby,
it's hard to
come back down to earth. "After you get into it, it's kind of like
an addiction," he said.
He said some model airplane pilots use world records as
a goal to keeptheir interest in the sport.
Because of his work with model airplanes, Beirow easily passed
the requirements for a real pilot's license, he said.
Three years ago, a friend asked him to build a model airplane.
"He was so happy that he asked for another," Beirow said.
As people heard about the airplanes, requests started pouring in.
Beirow said his biggest means of advertisement is word of mouth.
He does take out ads occasionally in national model airplane magazines.
Beirow/Hess Aviation also has an Internet Web site.
Beirow can customize any plane any way, right down to the pilot
behind the controls. One customer from Kansas brought him a picture of
a P-38 plane, and
Beirow made a model from the picture. He builds aircraft from scratch
and from kits.
The business has become so successful that Beirow has had to turn
down requests.
"I can't keep up with the demand," he said. He receives 10-15 inquiries
per day.
He works out of his basement now but is looking to expand.
His goal is to manufacture mail-order model airplane kits.
Beirow has shipped planes all across the United States, overseas,
to the Virgin Islands and to Cuba. He also has put in some price quotes
for Hollywood producers.
Beirow also is involved with Central Nebraska R/C, a model airplane
organization. The organization allows free instruction to work toward a
model plane license.
A license is required because people have gotten killed from fallen
model airplanes, he said.
The organization often performs at air shows, such as Harvard's
annual Husker Air Fair.
Since construction has forced organizers to cancel the show this
year, Central Nebraska R/C plans to have a race and "fun fly" at the Hastings
Municipal Airport.
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Copyright © 1999 Hastings Tribune.
