composites vs. aluminum

I used to have a friend that built metal aircraft. He had an interesting
way of explaining his preference.

"When you build a composite aircraft", he said, "first you make the plug and
then the mold and then the aircraft." "It's like building the same damned
airplane three times."

"When I'm through pounding a rivet", he said, "I'm through with the damn
thing". "I don't have to wait for it to dry or cure". "I don't need any
particular temperature to work either." "If I'm comfortable, the airplane
is too."

I fly a composite aircraft.

Bill Daniels