A space for Spike

Eiberger has always taken things apart to understand how they work. An engineer by profession, he has spent much of his life making, modifying, and improving machines. Today, he shares many of those projects on his YouTube channel, Ozark Garage, where he teaches viewers how to build, repair, and customize all types of adventure vehicles—from off-road rigs to an experimental airplane he built in just 18 months for the whole family, including Spike, his Texas Heeler, an Australian cattle dog and Australian shepherd cross.

After earning his private pilot certificate, Eiberger bought a 1968 Cessna 150. It was an ideal first airplane, but as someone who had spent years restoring cars and building projects from plans, it was only natural he would eventually build his own.

Working in his garage, with help from his wife whenever an extra pair of hands was needed, Eiberger built a Zenith CH 750 Cruzer with a custom cabin designed by Eiberger to better suit his dog. That is one advantage of flying an experimental aircraft, particularly one you build in your own garage. When something does not quite work for the way your family flies, you can create a solution.

Eiberger had already flown with a dog before building the Zenith. His first flying companion was a 60-pound lab mix who lived to the age of 14. The dog had spent years accompanying Eiberger on hunting and fishing trips, riding in the back of duck boats and canoes. His dog was already accustomed to engines, movement, and unstable surfaces, when it came to transitioning to an airplane with changes in pitch and bank or patches of turbulence.

Spike is still learning. At first, Eiberger's wife watched the dog from the passenger seat. He jokingly called her the "zookeeper." Eventually, as Spike settled, it became clear that he did not require much supervision. As with any animal carried aboard an aircraft, proper restraint is an important safety consideration. Many pilots use a harness or other approved restraint system to prevent a pet from moving freely around the cabin, particularly during turbulence or an emergency. It is important to note that a dog Spike's size is large enough to affect the airplane's weight and balance and add to the pilot's workload. A suitcase generally stays where it is placed. A dog does not. A dog can stand, turn, lean forward, or move toward the rear of the cabin. Each movement shifts weight within the aircraft. Depending on the airplane and the dog's size, pilots may need to calculate more than one loading scenario and consider where the dog could move during flight.

Eiberger learned this in the Cessna 150. Its baggage compartment appeared large enough for his 55-pound dog, but only 80 pounds could go in the front third, while the back two-thirds could hold no more than 40 pounds. His dog had to remain confined to the front of the baggage area to keep within its center-of-gravity limits. In hindsight, Eiberger said he would spend more time discussing weight-and-balance considerations if he were making the original Puppy Flight Training YouTube video today. "That can affect your weight and balance," he said. "Dogs move. It's not just a static measurement."

Before bringing a dog anywhere near an airplane, Eiberger recommends looking at a more familiar environment: the car. A dog that rests quietly in the back seat will probably have a better chance of settling into an aircraft. A dog that constantly climbs forwards, demands to sit on the driver's lap, or refuses to remain behind the front seats may not be ready. In a car, the passenger side does not usually contain a second steering wheel. In a small airplane, the dog may be inches from a yoke, control stick, throttle, or rudder pedals.

Basic obedience also matters. A dog should reliably sit, stay, and come when called. It should be comfortable remaining in a designated space and capable of settling while the pilot's attention is elsewhere.

Eiberger introduces dogs to flying gradually. The first flights should be short and conducted during the cooler, smoother parts of the day. A calm morning or evening is preferable to an afternoon filled with heat and turbulence. The destination matters, too. Landing at a grass strip where the dog can get out, stretch, and play, the airplane becomes the thing that takes the dog somewhere enjoyable as well. "Dogs are incredibly adaptable," Eiberger said. "If they associate an airplane ride with going someplace fun, especially early on, they'll want to do it."

Some equipment has been a challenge. Eiberger tried more than one form of canine hearing protection with both dogs. He used hard earmuffs and a system that combined hearing protection with dog goggles intended to keep everything secured around the head. The dogs defeated every version. The earmuffs shifted, became caught, or were pulled off while Eiberger was occupied flying. Eventually, the struggle to keep them in place created more trouble than the equipment seemed to solve. That does not mean hearing protection cannot work for another dog. Eiberger's experience, however, left him wondering how many dogs shown wearing aviation earmuffs keep them on for an entire flight.

The Zenith gave him another way to improve Spike's comfort. Because Eiberger built the airplane as an experimental amateur-built aircraft, he had considerably more freedom to modify the cabin than he had with the Cessna. He installed the rear snap vent to provide direct airflow. He built a cargo shelf that doubles as the dog's platform. He added a net to help keep the dog in the proper area and a mounting point for a leash or restraint. Eiberger did not work from a blueprint; instead, he observed how his dog used the cabin and made practical modifications based on those behaviors. Following its success, he showcased the cargo shelf during Zenith's annual homecoming event. Members of the Zenith team photographed it and complimented the design, although the company has not yet incorporated it into its kits. Eiberger is happy for other builders to borrow the idea.

Building an airplane in 18 months demanded patience and thousands of small decisions. Having space in his home garage made that possible. If the airplane had been stored at an airport, every work session would have required a drive. In the garage, he could make progress whenever there was time. Thirty minutes after work was enough to deburr parts, prepare hardware, or complete one small task. "You'll never find the time," he said. "You have to make time."

His wife did not share his lifelong interest in airplanes, but she became part of the project. Before Eiberger began flight training, she had never flown in a small airplane. Now she travels with him, manages the navigation tablet, watches for traffic, takes notes in busy airspace, and helps with radio work. She still calls herself a "passenger princess," although the description undersells her role.

Eiberger believes in building the Zenith, he has gained a more complete understanding of the aircraft. He has touched every rivet and fastener system. There is less mystery hidden beneath the panels because he knows what went behind them and why. After completing the aircraft and receiving the appropriate repairman certificate, Eiberger became eligible to perform and sign off the Zenith's annual condition inspection himself. When something requires attention, there's no previous owner, distant factory, or mechanic. "The buck stops with me," he said. That independence was the major reason he moved from a Cessna to an experimental aircraft.

His mechanic had been skilled, but busy. An annual inspection could leave the Cessna grounded for a month while the shop finished another airplane, waited for parts, or worked through its backlog. The Zenith cost substantially more to build than the Cessna cost to buy, but Eiberger sees value in owning a newer aircraft he can understand, maintain, and modify as his needs change. "There are no cheap hobbies," he said.

For Eiberger, the work was part of the reward. He enjoyed building the Zenith as much as he now enjoys flying it. The airplane reflects both his proficiency as an engineer and dedication to his family. Flights with Spike are generally limited to about three hours, which is close to the Zenith's practical range before a fuel stop. Flying with a dog, as Eiberger puts it, involves a long list of considerations. In the end, though, his approach is simple: Understand the machine, understand the passenger, and then build what's missing.