Published Monday, September 16, 2002
By Erin Remai
Herald Staff Writer
Dan Dixon of Coolspring Township loves airplanes.
So, for his 23rd birthday in April, his father, Lou, built him one.
The blue, wooden miniature airplane stands in the Dixon's front yard and gets a lot of attention from passing traffic on North Perry Highway.
"You'd be surprised at the people who come by and just look at it," said Dan's mother, Carol. "It's going to cause an accident one of these days."
The plane, christened "The Spirit of 9/11," has a 14-foot wingspan and a 12è-foot body.
"He's been wanting to go up (in an airplane)," Dixon said of his son, who has Down's syndrome and is in remission from leukemia.
But both of his parents would have to go with him, and the family can't afford that. So, they decided to build him his own plane. It can't fly but it does move along the ground.
Dixon began building the plane in December. It's almost complete but still needs a few finishing touches.
"I'm trying to get it finished," Dixon said, adding he wants to put a new motor in it to make it run faster.
The family and others pitched in to help build the plane.
Mercer Metal cut out the wood outlines but didn't charge for labor, Dixon said. Grove City Airport donated the propellor.
Mrs. Dixon said she left a notice at Grove City Airport for old meters to add to the plane to make it look more authentic.
"So far, nobody's called, but one of these days, somebody will," she said.
Red script lettering on one side reads, "Dan the Man," a nickname Dan earned in school, said his mother. The other students called him that because he would sing along with songs.
Dan doesn't speak much, but he communicates with signs.
The Dixons operate a flea market and several people have offered to buy the plane, but it's not for sale.
Mrs. Dixon said now Dan wants to learn how to drive.
"We're trying to find a go-cart or a golf cart," she said. They may even build him a little car or Jeep.
"That's our next project for next summer," Mrs. Dixon said. "Because he comes first."