text: ZODIAC 601 XL-B AIRCRAFT STORY from Aircraft Spruce
  Kits - Aircraft Stories
  ZODIAC 601 XL-B AIRCRAFT STORY
  Zodiac 601 XL-B
  This is a true success story in so many ways.
  In 2007 I was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer and given 4 weeks to live. Well, I beat it and was given 1 to 1 1/2 years of life expectancy after surgery. So, I started building a Zodiac 601 XL from scratch. It was just to take my mind off of the fact that i was going to die in a year or so. Plus, I always wanted to build an all aluminum airplane just to see what made them so strong. It took me 3 years, 10 months and 11 days to build my 601XL-B and I am ready for my first flight in her as soon as it is inspected in March.
  I am still alive and in better health then I have been in in the last 20 years and in 2 months before my 67th birthday I will be flying my dream bird. I am going to fly it to the hospital to show my doctors and rub it in their faces, because I not only finished it, I am flying it!
  I have already done some high speed runs down the runway and she is ready to go.
  Thanks to my caregiver Sharon, Zenith Aircraft, and the best doctors and surgeons at West Virginia University Hospital.... I am living my dream. Thank You.