Hello Everyone,
My wife Kristin and I are currently working away on Waiex kit #0056 just outside Columbus, Ohio. The kit was bought and shipped to us in October 2009 from the original owner after he bought the kit but never had the opportunity to start it. The kit will have AeroVee 2.1 kit #0361 installed, along with an MGL Statomaster Ultra XL EFIS panel. We will install lights as needed for VFR day and night operations. The current plan is to have the airplane based at Marysville, Ohio (KMRT).
I'm a third generation pilot and have grown up around general aviation, normally flying around in a Cessna Cardinal in my youth. I began flight lessons at 15, had my first solo the week of my 16th birthday, and had my private license at 17. I graduated from The Ohio State University after majoring in Aviation - Aircraft Systems and have been working as a full time certified flight instructor at Ohio State and NetJets for the last 7 years. I'll be heading to FlightSafety in the next few months for my first two type ratings after being hired by a part 91 flight department.
The Waiex is my second homebuilt project, the first being a Wheeler Express CT that my father and I built and still own. It now has around 150 hours total time, 50 hours since major overhaul, and flies like a dream!
Once our Waiex is flying, it will get a paint job and then my wife Kristin is planning on getting her sport pilot rating in the plane as well. It doesn't look like Oshkosh 2011 will happen for us, but we're planning on Oshkosh 2012!
Fly safe everyone,
Mike Farley