Completions
Bill Wheeler
Bill was the first customer to build a Tango. His Tango was the prototype for the following production models. Bill has been in aviation for most of his life. As a CFII, Bill has accumulated over 35,000 hours, mostly in general aviation aircraft, and well over 300 hours in his Tango.
Sid Hood
The second customer-built Tango aircraft was built by Dr. Sid Hood, a practicing dentist from North Carolina.
Dr. Hood built
his Tango over a total period of 1 1/2 years. He commuted between his
home in Lexington, NC and the Florida build center. His efforts consisted
of a week in April, a week in June, a week in October and then several long
weekends over the next year. He would drive down to Florida from
North Carolina on Thursday afternoon/night, and work Friday, Saturday and Sunday,
then drive home Sunday night.
He finally got to his first flight in May 1999 and started flying off his hours. "I figure I have about 12 weeks of total build time in the aircraft" says Sid. That is an amazing figure for several reasons. Sid did a lot of starting and stopping that killed his momentum. Sid also had to build a lot of parts that are now provided in the kit. "I spent two weeks building up the center tunnel that holds the control system" said Sid. Now I watch them (current builders) just plop the thing in there and bond it in." That is two weeks that the builder does not have to put into current kits.
Sid flew his aircraft up to Oshkosh from Florida. "The paint shop was only able to get a primer coat on the plane before I had to leave for Oshkosh. I left at 3 pm and flew to Laffette Indiana. The next day there were storms in the direct path to Oshkosh, so I flew west to Oshkosh via Iowa. The return flight was more direct, making it back to Gainesville in 7 hours and one stop.
Sid is a 3,000-hour Bonanza V35J pilot. He had no building experience before starting the Tango. Asked how he liked the Tango, he said "well, its quicker than the Bonanza, and it is a piece of cake to fly." Sid is anxious to get the Tango out of the paint shop start flying it around. Watch for Sid and his Tango at fly-ins around the country. Look for his distinctive Tango logo.
Al
Kemmet 
Al is in the pilot's seat with Angel, another Tango builder from Spain, getting in the co-pilot seat.
Al flew his hours off his aircraft in time for it to make it to Oshkosh by July 2000. He and another Tango builder flew there in just over 5 hours. If you visited the Team Tango display at Oshkosh several years ago you saw Al's plane at our tent.
Al returned to Florida where he was finishing the cosmetic work on N29AK.
Denny Funnemark
Denny completed Tango number 15 in February 2002 and has since accumulated over 1,500 hours in it (as of May 2008).
Denny is a retired Air Force fighter pilot, and says the Tango reminds him most of the F-5E that he once flew... simple, light on the controls, and just plain fun to fly. He uses his Tango primarily as a cross-country traveler and business tool, commuting between the Florida panhandle and the Florida Build Center, as well as several trips to New England, Arizona, California and Oshkosh.
"It sure beats driving or flying commercial." He also has fun in his Tango passing store-bought airplanes as he cruises along the airways, where he says he can be seen smiling as ATC says "N99GE, you are rapidly overtaking traffic." So be careful guys... here comes the Tango "fighter" with the latest Aerosance Powerlink FADEC system.
Denny liked his Tango so much, he joined the company!
Steve Lee
Steve started his Tango in the original build center at Gainesville in December of 2000 and had it ready for first flight in August of 2001. After he got the plane to his home airport he worked off and on for the next four years getting the paint job, interior, and instrument panel nearly perfect and ready for show. Nice job.
Andy Gamache
Andy started building his Tango in September 2003 and had the first flight on November 6, 2005. (The photo on the left shows Andy with chase pilot Denny Funnemark toasting champagne after the first flight.) Due to the demands of his rather unconventional work schedule, there were a lot of starts and stops, the longest stop being just over a year.
Andy has the first Tango with a glass panel (photo on right) and also the first Tango with a full wet wing (90 gallons!!). Andy says "I looked for years for an affordable kit that would be suitable for long cross country flying as well as the occasional $100 hamburger. With the long range tanks on my Tango, I can fly from Florida to Texas. If the weather doesn't look good, I can always come back to Florida as an alternate." Now THAT'S versatility.
Andy is looking forward to showing off the fine job he did constructing his tail as he cruises past Denny. Denny says "Just try!"
Dave Bareiss and Marian Stoddard.
After they retired, Dave and Marion moved their 5th wheel trailer to Williston, Florida and began building their Tango 2 on December 4th, 2006. This was their full time project and they did a beautiful job on the airframe and complete interior. They were ready for first flight in October 2007. Their Tango has a Lycoming IO-360 equipped with an Aerosance Powerlink FADEC system, a 74" Aerocomposites prop, and an EFIS 1200 glass panel.
Thanks
for visiting with us!
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