The Fun House: Where Airplanes and Everyday Life Meet | Historic Borrego Sun

Originally published February 1999.

A unique home at Borrego Air Ranch is drawing attention far beyond the desert.

Originally published in February 1999

At first glance, Michael McCafferty's home at Borrego Air Ranch looks like any other aircraft hangar. But step through the front door and visitors quickly realize they have entered one of the most unusual homes in California.

Parked in the middle of the spacious living area is a gleaming cream-and-burgundy Waco biplane. Nearby sit classic Ferraris, artwork, bookshelves, comfortable furniture, bicycles and personal collections—all sharing the same open space beneath the soaring hangar roof.

There are no walls separating the airplane from the living room because, according to McCafferty, there was never a reason to hide the things he loved most.

"I wanted to live with my dreams, not store them in another building," he has said.

The remarkable home, affectionately known as the Fun House, is the culmination of a journey marked by innovation, perseverance and second chances.

McCafferty began his career with IBM before leaving the corporate world to pursue his own ideas in the rapidly growing computer software industry. His first business venture was ambitious but unsuccessful, ending in bankruptcy and costing him nearly everything he owned.

For many entrepreneurs, that would have been the end of the story.

For McCafferty, it became a new beginning.

Working from a small apartment near the beach, he started over. During those difficult years, two simple reminders kept him focused: a model Ferrari perched on his computer and the sight of a vintage biplane that regularly passed overhead.

He promised himself that if he ever succeeded again, he would own both.

Years later, he did.

McCafferty founded TeleMagic, a contact management and sales software company that grew into one of the nation's leading programs for small businesses. The company's success gave him the opportunity to pursue the dreams he had carried through years of uncertainty.

He learned to fly, purchased vintage aircraft, added classic Ferraris to his collection and eventually found the perfect setting for them at Borrego Air Ranch.

Instead of building a conventional house, McCafferty transformed an aging aircraft hangar into an open-concept residence unlike anything else in the desert. The Waco biplane became the centerpiece of the home, surrounded by comfortable living spaces that reflected both his professional accomplishments and his passion for aviation.

The Fun House quickly became a destination for fellow pilots, car enthusiasts and curious visitors.

In March 1997, McCafferty opened the hangar doors for a gathering that many still describe as one of Borrego Air Ranch's most unforgettable events. Forty-three Ferraris lined the driveway while vintage Wacos, Travel Airs and Bücker biplanes filled the flight line. More than 200 guests spent the afternoon enjoying live music, food and conversation beneath the desert sky, celebrating the unique lifestyle that has long made Borrego Air Ranch unlike any other community in Southern California.

Yet behind the airplanes and automobiles lies a much more personal story.

Several years ago, McCafferty's son was seriously injured in the crash of a vintage Stearman. The accident could easily have ended the family's love of flying. Instead, it strengthened it.

Encouraged by his son's determination and recovery, McCafferty continued flying, later piloting his Waco on extended journeys across the United States and Europe.

Today, the Fun House stands as more than an extraordinary home. It is a testament to resilience, imagination and the belief that setbacks need not define a person's future.

In a community known for artists, adventurers and independent thinkers, Michael McCafferty has created something uniquely Borrego—a home where the runway begins just outside the door, a biplane shares the living room, and the desert sky remains an open invitation to dream.

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