Photos: Mojave plane builders

MOJAVE CA SEPTEMBER 30, 2017 --- Bill Statler, left, poses for a photo with his friend Dennis Wittman, who is helping Statler build a plane to compete in an air race. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

MOJAVE CA SEPTEMBER 30, 2017 --- Ralph Wise with his seventh home-built plane at Mojave Air and Space Port. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

MOJAVE CA SEPTEMBER 30, 2017 --- Justin Gillen soars above Mojave in his Tango 2 plane. It took 2 1/2 years for Gillen to build his Tango 2 plane. The engineer initially started the project to help set himself apart from other engineers at his company, Scaled Composites, and also to let him and his wife take trips outside of the desert. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

MOJAVE CA SEPTEMBER 30, 2017 --- Justin Gillen soars above Mojave in his Tango 2 plane. It took 2 1/2 years for Gillen to build his Tango 2 plane. The engineer initially started the project to help set himself apart from other engineers at his company, Scaled Composites, and also to let him and his wife take trips outside of the desert. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

MOJAVE CA SEPTEMBER 30, 2017 --- Justin Gillen soars above Mojave in his Tango 2 plane. It took 2 1/2 years for Gillen to build his Tango 2 plane. The engineer initially started the project to help set himself apart from other engineers at his company, Scaled Composites, and also to let him and his wife take trips outside of the desert. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

MOJAVE CA SEPTEMBER 30, 2017 --- Justin Gillen soars above Mojave in his Tango 2 plane. It took 2 1/2 years for Gillen to build his Tango 2 plane. The engineer initially started the project to help set himself apart from other engineers at his company, Scaled Composites, and also to let him and his wife take trips outside of the desert. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

MOJAVE CA SEPTEMBER 30, 2017 --- Justin Gillen soars above Mojave in his Tango 2 plane. It took 2 1/2 years for Gillen to build his Tango 2 plane. The engineer initially started the project to help set himself apart from other engineers at his company, Scaled Composites, and also to let him and his wife take trips outside of the desert. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

MOJAVE CA SEPTEMBER 30, 2017 --- Justin Gillen soars above Mojave in his Tango 2 plane. It took 2 1/2 years for Gillen to build his Tango 2 plane. The engineer initially started the project to help set himself apart from other engineers at his company, Scaled Composites, and also to let him and his wife take trips outside of the desert.

MOJAVE CA SEPTEMBER 30, 2017 --- Justin Gillen soars above Mojave in his Tango 2 plane. It took 2 1/2 years for Gillen to build his Tango 2 plane. The engineer initially started the project to help set himself apart from other engineers at his company, Scaled Composites, and also to let him and his wife take trips outside of the desert. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

MOJAVE CA SEPTEMBER 30, 2017 --- Justin Gillen soars above Mojave in his Tango 2 plane. It took 2 1/2 years for Gillen to build his Tango 2 plane. The engineer initially started the project to help set himself apart from other engineers at his company, Scaled Composites, and also to let him and his wife take trips outside of the desert. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

MOJAVE CA SEPTEMBER 30, 2017 --- Ralph Wise with his seventh home-built plane at the Mojave Air and Space Port. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)