Welcome to My 'Tech Guy' World: At the crossroads of business and hobby, customer and company, success and failure.

This article provides insights into the author's 20-year career as a "Tech Guy" in the aviation industry, specifically in supporting aircraft homebuilders, pilots, owners, and mechanics. The author discusses the diverse range of customers they encountered, from inexperienced builders to rocket scientists, and the challenges they faced in troubleshooting and communicating solutions. The article emphasizes the unique career path of support personnel in the kitplane industry, who often come from hands-on experience and have a deep understanding of specific airframes. It highlights the importance of customer support and the role of the builder in taking responsibility for their own project. The article also emphasizes the importance of self-reliance and acquiring skills and knowledge for homebuilders of aircraft, suggesting resources such as manufacturer's manuals, aviation mechanic handbooks, and homebuilding publications. It also mentions the role of organizations like the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in providing support and information. The article advises builders to be proactive in utilizing available resources and to approach tech support with preparedness and respect. [Extracted from the article]