John P. Marzluf (John Z.)
E-mail:  KITFOXZ@aol.com
Age:  48.999Y2K
Wife:  Diana (Likes to fly in "safe" aircraft: US SCAIR, MELTA, US WORST,
TEENY WEENY AIRLINES, etc.)
Dependents:  Three children, two cats, and a dog
Location:  Columbus, Ohio
Background:  10 years U.S.M.C. (best part of the Navy) avionics technician. worked on most communication and navigation systems boxes for the A6E, EA6B, F4N, A4, AV8A, C130R, aircraft and an F4U and an F6F that we restored for the Pensacola museum. Currently working for Honeywell International (our new name with the Allied Signal merge). Small business owner: French Electronics Inc. Hobbies and interests:  Diana, (see, I put you first dear) Kitfox (it's an Outback w/912S), electronics, electronics, Kitfox, Kitfox, RC model aircraft, automotive maintenance (I just put a new engine in Diana's car), and can you believe, gardening?
My father was a Naval aviator (PBY5A) and his father was a glider pilot in Germany. The name Marzluf used to be spelled Marchluft (March wind) so the family story is told.

Roger McConnell
rdmac@swbell.net

Greetings All,
My name is Roger McConnell. I am 47 years old, married for 26 of those years to my wife, Donna. She is not an aviation buff but she is tolerant of my obsession. Her thing is tennis. We live in Duncan, OK, about 90 miles south of Oklahoma City. We both work for Halliburton. You may have heard of our former CEO, Dick Chaney. We have two grown boys (men). I have had a love affair with aviation sense childhood. For 18 years I was content to build and fly model aircraft and am still fond of model aviation. However models could not satisfy my passion to be airborne. To me the experience at being a couple of thousand feet in the air is a perspective that can't be described. After the boys were pretty much raised and on their own, I started taking flying lessons and in the summer of '02 I got my private license. I am currently building a Series 7. This will be my retirement toy. After I retire in some were between 8 to 10 years, I'm not hitting the golf course or the lake but instead, you will find me at the local airport tinkering on my Kitfox or taking a joy ride or gone after that $100 hamburger. Life for me then won't get any sweeter................Happy Landings

Jim McManus
Wife : Vina
Dependants : 2 Cats, 1 Dog
Home :  Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
Age :  49.998
Kitfox :  Model IV-1200/912, SN 1829, purchased June 92, flew 180 hrs from Aug 96 to April 98, including 6000+ mile cross-country to Ontario return.  Damaged substantially on hard landing after engine seizure (small end # 2 rod disintegrated ).  Expect to begin rebuild in less than a year now  --  Rotax has delivered a new 912, free. Background :  Pilot since 1979, but only 500 hours or so, none for 9 years until just before completion of my 'Fox.  Work as Oil Burner Mechanic/Gasfitter/Pipe fitter, enjoy all kinds of mechanical, electrical and construction endeavors.  Tool fanatic and collector of Coca-Cola memorabilia.  I owe my interest and growing abilities with computers entirely to the Kitfox List.

Royal Merrill
Pioneer, CA
209-295-5711
E-mail: RoyalD@volcano.net   RoyalD@aol.com
Profession: Retired 1997, 31+ years FAA Air Traffic Control, Oakland ARTCC.  Rehired 2001, contract ATC Instructor at Northern California TRACON, Mather Field, CA.
Flying: Private Pilot 1965, Comm Pilot 1976, all SEL, flown everything from ultralights to T-210.
Interests: Flying, sailing, shooting, computer sims/games, motorcycles, and skiing.
Project: Series 5 TD, delivered 3/98.  Built a shop to work on the plane, but a severe financial blow stopped all work on it unit now...hopefully.  I look forward to meeting and talking to fellow Kitfox builders for your valuable experience.

Harold Miller
Austin Texas. Building a Mod. 3 (Ser# 845) with all 4 upgrades. Delivered to first owner early '91 - nothing accomplished. Engine is 582. This is our first project and are 60-70% complete with
60-70% to go... Occupation: Aviation insurance for 34 years . First 26 with 2 companies,and have been an agent since.
Flying: USAF T-37, T-38, F-100-- ATP/CFII/6000Hrs./5 tail wheel!!  Crew member on CAF B-25 "Yellow Rose".
Interests: EAA Chapter 187 member-- Wing Leader of CAF Centex Wing, San Marcos, Tx.-- RVing.
Personal: Coming on 60 real fast. Married to a non pilot "aviation enthusiast" who was an American Stewardess. We go everywhere togetherincluding flying. 3 red headed girls (Irish Setters) thus the need for an RV. No other children. We have 20 acres @ 20 miles W. of Austin including a few agricultural exemptions (cows) and when completed, a 700-800' Kitfox Airport.
Phone 512-301-0757
Fax 512-301-0759

Ron Miller
Santa Rosa, CA 
rnjmiller@earthlink.net
Auto painter for 15 years, Construction for two years, and now  the
Facilities/Maint. mgr for a warehouse club store (Costco) Hobbies are
restoring antiques of all kinds, painting cars, planes, boats and
motorcycles, RC planes, and anything airplanes. Currently building a Avid
Flyer A model. Welcome to ask anything of me although I don't claim to know
much.

Bill Mills
Castro Valley, Ca. (S.F. bay area) Dad was B-17 pilot
courierboy@earthlink.net
Berkeley High class of '65 drop-out, U.S. Army '66-'69, A.S. degree in Aviation Maintenance, A&P 23 yrs with 6 yrs in g.a. on Cessna executive twins/singles, 17 yrs on Navy jets on S-3/A-6 flight line. Now at BART light rail since '95, when N.A.S. Alameda closed, will retire in 10 yrs at 63. Pastimes/hobbies include hiking with my English Setter named Roscoe, bicycling, motorcycling (a diminishing passion), scuba/ab diving (past passion), cinema, symphony, flying rental Citabrias and building my '98 RANS S-7 Courier/912uls. When I joined this list I intended to build a Kitfox Safari/O235 but it would not fit in my single car garage. I had to "down-size" and am quite pleased with the outcome. This is my first
homebuilt. Like some others on this list I dropped out of flying for a while (18 yrs). Two years ago I started flying again but this time in tail draggers. Been with the Kitfox list for @ two years now - I've gotten lots of help from many of you, on and off list.

Ben Montgomery
 I am a self employed Architect. I live in York, SC. with my best friend ( my wife) , my West Highland Terrier (Windy), a very large Labrador Retriever( Misty)  and my wife's Pig (Bacon). We moved
to York several years ago to escape the city of Charlotte after 23 years. We have two sons ( Jamie/26 & Jeremy/23) who are perpetual college students and are the joys of our life.

 I have just recently ( November 1st, 1999) completed a life long dream and received my private pilot's license. Grew up flying with my Dad ( B-17 pilot) and have always wanted to learn to fly. I currently fly rented Cessna 172's out of Rock Hill, SC and want to own my own plane. Have seen lot's of Kitfox Homebuilts at Oshkosh during visits with there with my Dad and think I want to build one.

Am currently restoring a 200 year old log cabin for my "doghouse" and when I finish ( hopefully in 2000) I will be ready to start on a plane. Want to build a Classic IV with a Rotax 582 ( I think!) and would appreciate any advice that you all could give me. I can be contacted via email at cabinben@hotmail.com. I will look forward to hearing from you.

Darrel Morisse
Location:  Oscoda, Michigan (northeastern part near Lake Huron)
Email address:  morid@northland.lib.mi.us
Profession:  Plumber.  Also own a small pool and spa business.  Retired ATC.
Hobbies/Interests:  Previously motorcycle racing, fishing, and fixing up old cars.  Received private and commercial ticket in 1972 then stopped flying for 18 years.  Got the bug again, went through three spam cans in three years, got tired of being beholden to the local IA so I startedbuilding my own.   Previously KFII, now almost finished with an Outback. Hooked on EAA.

Steve Mullins
Associate Professor of Economics
Drury College, Springfield Missouri
417 833 3291 (H)
417 873 7299 (O)

Don Pearsall
Location: Sammamish, WA (15 miles east of Seattle).
Email: donpearsall@attbi.com
Aircraft: Series 5 with Stratus EA 81 engine.
Profession: Owner of Great NW Analysts, developer of Windows and internet software. Also own real estate appraisal business. Former charter pilot and flight instructor.
Six years Air Force (Air Traffic Controller).
Six Years FAA Air Traffic Controller.
Married, one daughter (18) who will be a concert violinist or brain surgeon.
Previously built: KR I, KR II, Varieze. Owned Mooney M-20A, C-152, and Comanche 260.

I USED to do lots of stuff that was fun, now don't have time for anything!

Lyle Persels
Location: Osceola, Iowa, 45 miles south of Des Moines
Aircraft: Model 1V-1200, Rotax 912, Completed 6/96, 280 hrs.
                Newly acquired, low-time 1967 Comanche 260B, complete
refurbishing in progress.
Family: Married, 5 grown children scattered about the country
Background: Retired (25 yrs) naval aviator (SNJ, T-28, S-2, P-3), squadron
commanding officer
                        Post military: Manufacturing, much flying about the country and beyond in Mooney, again retired Comments: I rather quietly but deeply and sincerely appreciate the KF list and the list friends to whom I'm largely unknown, and whom I rarely thank or even acknowledge. I'm particularly grateful to those who give so much of their energy and wisdom to list administration and to those special few whose technical expertise have made me a little smarter and saved me lots of grief. Always learning but suspect that net of learning and memory loss is negative.Yes, I have and very much enjoy my motorcycle; yes, I flew modelairplanes; yes, I was a ham radio operator. I, too, am struck by the number of common interests of list members. Finally,  I'm fortunate to have beautiful new 75 x 60 heated hangar in which to work and keep toys.

Doug Remoundos
Location: Montreal, Canada
E Mail:        Douglasremoundos@notes.canadair.ca
Personal: 39 years old,  married to a wonderful lady (Penny),  2 year old son (Willi, already been flying 3 times wt. dad) Bitten by aviation bug at 4 years old. Started flying sailplanes at 14. (mowed a lot of lawns for those flights)

Profession:    Flight instructor  Canadair Cl 604 Challenger and Global Express airplanes, and Training Center Evaluator. Canadian and US  ATP CFII.

Hobbies:  Kitfox Classic IV under construction. Flying real airplanes ( i.e. 2-4 seater taildraggers and NO AUTOPILOT) Bicycling, Cross country skiing, Classical music

Leo B. Rice 
leorice@inreach.com

Born  Feb. 1930, School grade 2 through High School in Englewood. CO.
1947 - 1951 -- University of Colorado/Naval Reserve
1951 - 1974  -- USAF -- L-17, T6G, T-28, B-25, B-26, B-57, U-3A, T-39,
C-135, C130
1974 - 1980  -- Civilian flight instructor,  Part 135 commuter ops, Paso
Robles, CA
1980 - 1990 -- Developed property on airstrip in remote Ventura County, CA
1990 - present -- fully retired - Married, two daughters in their 40's.

Over the years have owned:  Mooney, Debonaire,  Super Cub, Citabria, Cessna
Turbo 182RG, Bonanza.
Have been building on Kitfox Series V since August of 1997 with a year out
for cancer operation and recovery.

Best regards............Leo............ Camino,  CA
(Sierra foothills northeast of Sacramento)

Rod Schack
rod.schack@mildenhall.af.mil
Location: RAF Mildenhall, England

Age: 37
 Family: Wife, 2 girls (5 & 3) boy (2)

 Profession:  Capt, USAF.  Now working as a staff officer at the headquarters  here in the UK.  Previous to that I was an aircrew on EC-130Es flying combat  support missions over Bosnia.  I also was way to close to the fighting  during Desert Storm.  I will be leaving the Air Force in the next 4 to 6
 years to fulfill my dream of owning my own aerial photography business.

 Hobbies:  Flying anything, Photographing anything, Scuba Diving anywhere,  raising kids now.

 Plane: Kitfox Model IV - Speedster.  Under construction for the past seven  years.  The fuselage is complete but I have made several moves and left the  country since I started.  I plan to fly her in 2001.  The fuselage is in  storage in the states.  I have just finished covering the tail sections and also working on the panel and cockpit components here in England.  I am buying components as I go.  The engine will be a Stratus EA-81.

 There is no EAA chapter in this part of England so this list has been my primary resource for ideas and company when it comes to building.  Thanks to all of you!
Cheers!

  Richard and Marge Schilf
Location: Park Forest, IL
Email address: rschfox@twne.com
Profession:  I retired from CNA Insurance after 33 yrs.  professional
liability area, no aviation insurance. Marge is a retired Special Ed teacher - counseling and stress management specialties. Hobbies/Interests: Trying to get my Kitfox IV pilot license, first-time
builders - flew many hours ('60's) in Navy EC121K as CIC officer.  Have some knowledge of photography and math.  Our rediscovered interests are politics and Constitutional/historical issues.

Jeff Smathers
Location:            Molalla, Oregon   (35 mi. SSE of PDX )
Email address:    jsmathers@cybcon.com
Profession:        Engineer/Designer/Tinkerer
History:             Son of a professional musician
                         10 years as a professional musician
                          4 years aircrew Navy P3-C acoustic analysis
                          3 years GA flight instructor
                          12 years Engineering / technician silicon valley

Hobbies and interests:  Alternative / OU / energy systems UFO propulsion (seeing is believing!)

Aircraft owned :   16'  basic rogallo hang glider
                            Powered Easy Riser ultralight
                            Avid model "A" STOL w/cuyuna engine
                            KF5 fuselage w/ NSI Sub-81 and CAP

Environment:  3 boys, a wonderful wife, very modest home,
                      very small shop,  1 dog, 2 cats, 1 bird.

I was a musicians son, traveling quite a bit and seeing most of the western states schools and country. My dad told me once as we were passing an airport that he once flew airplanes and I immediately looked for one like he flew. He pointed out a J3 Cub I think, as I was only about 6 or 7.

My mom and dad were having problems and one day my mom took my two brothers and I to meet a nice man at the airport with his own plane! ...I was impressed with the airplane as it had floats and wheels! We took off and I was allowed to sit in the front seat and watch the dials move everytime the airplane did something. This was a great thing. Flying. I really liked it.

He let me hold the controls, I moved them just a bit, and he glanced up from the map and smiled, I knew I would never be in an airplane again nor have the chance to do THIS.... I pulled back as hard as my 6 year old hands could pull, expecting to at least get as high as that thing the Russians put into orbit...Sputnik. My mom screamed, my brothers cried and that nice man became very unhappy. I was sent to the back seats of that C190 ........ but I was "hooked". When we arrived in Juneau we got out of the airplane and that man followed us to our new apartment, and he decided to stay, for awhile anyway.

I grew up in the music business playing mostly big band and contemporary music and was fairly successful as teenager making a living, earning enough to buy my first aircraft....in a box. It was a 16' Rogallo kit and was delivered to me through a Travel Lodge motel window in Sunnyvale California, as I couldn't get it down the hall and around the corner.

About the second week of working on it with a drill and pop-rivits and small a hammer, the manager knocked on the door and asked me to quit making all the noise, but what else could I do at 3 am in the morning? After work I'm all wound up and this was great therapy!....nuts!

I remember the day I finished it and fitted the sails in the parking lot...it was so cool! I was picking it up and getting the feel of the balance and weight when an CHP officer pulled in and asked "Your not going to fly that here are you?" I looked up at the roof and said, " no...two stories is not enough".

Eventually I was burning out in the music business and I wanted to be more involved with flying real airplanes, every town we stopped and played in, I went out and found an airport, an airplane and instructor and took lessons.

Slowly my hours and skills built up and an instructor set me up for my check ride, I flew from Lewiston Idaho and was supposed to meet my examiner in Pendleton Oregon....about a 40 minute flight....which turned into a 1.5 hour flight because I set the DG to the compass and followed my course bearing....as it precessed....nuts! I arrived and he failed me right after I said hello.

Later, I was signed off by another instructor and went to my next examiner, Ken Poe. This guy had so many ratings and certificates and was one of the most interesting people I have met, he had beaten all odds and obstacles, all with a crippling polio.

I eventually quit the "biz" and joined the Navy. I became flight crew on P3C's as an acoustic sensor operator ( ASW ) in VP-50 (drifty fifty) at Moffett Field California, and tracked submarines for 4 years. I enjoyed the environment and the crew camaraderie, it was a good time and most of the pilots were cool, not too much "jet jock" egos, and they let me have a seat up front every once in a while, flying.....

I got married while in the Navy to a beautiful girl from Oregon, she saved my life. One day my crew's commander asked if I wanted to fly to PagoPago for an airshow, and I jumped at the chance, only to have my new bride beg me not to go so we could keep our honeymoon going.....How can I resist?

I was informed after several days that my whole crew was lost because the pilot got a wild hair up his butt and did a high speed- gear up- low altitude flyby at the airshow only to fly out over the bay and have a tram wire sheer off the vertical stabilizer , decelerating at about 6 G's and all the oil in the props forced into the hubs causing all the props to feather..........nuts. Of course it was unauthorized. That was tough.

I still wanted to fly though, couldn't afford the flying club rates on E-4 pay and so I bought another kit....an ultralight. It was a bi-wing aircraft called an EasyRiser. ( If you ever saw the movie Fly Away Home it's the ultralight the father flys.) I built that 30' wingspan aircraft in a two bedroom apartment, one wing set up down the hall and the other projecting into the kitchen and livingroom. We had to plan our bathrooms breaks between my set up and rigging sessions....I have a great wife.

I eventually got out in 1981 with my wife and two boys, moved to Oregon and got my commerical, instrument and flight instructor ratings, hoping I could make a living flying. 'Bout that time though, the lumber industry collapsed and nobody had any extra pocket change for flying lessons and I got tired of feeding my family hamburger trying to survive as a flight instructor so I went back to the Bay area (Silicon Valley) and got a job as a technician at Memorex and rode the "roller coaster" of different jobs there as companys grew and fell.

I went into a partnership with a friend on an Avid model A STOL. What an elevator ride! 349 lbs. with a 42 hp Cuyuna engine. A great toy! My friend Bill was a collector. He had 2 Scorpion helicopter basket cases, a Weedhopper ultralight, a Falcon ultralight, my EasyRiser ( I sold him ), a Cessna 150, 3 kitcars, a motorcycle and a speed boat...... Would you believe he refused to solo ! He just couldn't fly alone, no matter how I encouraged him. That partership dissolved....

One evening in 1994 my wife and I heard some noise outside and opened the door to see a truck load of gang kids trying to shoot a kid running across the playground from our home......I packed the wife and kids and moved them out while I stayed to sell our home...

While waiting for the "right" buyer, I went to the Watsonville Airshow and saw my dream aircraft....A Kitfox 4. I took as many different brochures in information I could find about it and engine packages.

Once in Oregon and living in Molalla (a town of about 5000) I started getting the flying/building bug. In 1998 on a family vacation we stopped in Napa Idaho at the Skystar factory and went on a tour.......There it was, an Outback Kitfox 5. My wife Tina saw the look in my eye, and she liked it too. Several years later she found an ad in the paper on a Kitfox 5 airframe and landing gear kit. $5000.... His wife wanted a motor home. I went over and picked it up and stuffed it into my narrow 1 car garage/shop. And so it started....

We bought and moved into the house right next door so I could put up a shop..... Right after I converted the garage into a bedroom and bathroom per my wife's specifications, fair is fair. Very soon after, my shop went up. 30x40'.

I found a used NSI EA-81 engine and CAP 140 prop from a doctor in West Virginia with about 340 hrs. on it. He parted out his airplane, I got the engine and an EAA group got his KF4 as a static display. He was worried about liabilty I guess.

So here I am, I just finished covering both wings and the fuselage and only have the horizontal stab to cover, and put the PVC fairings on the wing struts, paint everything, have someone inspect it, sign it off, test, check, test, check........ and then fly another experience........It just keeps adding up.

I love to fly. I hope to meet you all someday.
Jeff Smathers Molalla, Oregon

Stephen Smith Pic-1 Pic-2 Pic-3
Norway, Maine
Stepcars@exploremaine.com
 
Worked in a supermarket for last 26 years.  Presently unemployed for last 2 months. Wife and I enjoy movies, eating out, and traveling when possible. Interested in anything Star Trek.  Own a flying Classic IV with Rotax 618. First time project for us.  Absolutely no experience but it turned out fine.  Can explain the best way to stock a grocery shelf but don't get technical on the plane.

Don Smythe  
(53.5 years old and retiring at 55).  Wife (Mary) and 6
children.  Two have left.. Two in grade school. Two in High school.. Plus a
dog, two cats, four Guinea pigs, 7 Goats, 5 Rabbits, 2 Roosters, and, 2
Hens.  The Gold Fish died.....  They are all eating my engine fund.....

Location:  Gloucester county, Va.  (near Newport News/ Hampton, Va.)

Email address:  smythedf@supship.navy.mil

Profession:  Electronic Technician for the Department of the Navy (all
administrative these days).  I work at Newport News Shipbuilding where we
build new Aircraft Carriers/Submarines and overhaul other Naval ships.  I'm
presently working the USS Gettysburg (Aegis Cruiser).  My area is the Combat
Weapons Systems.
   
Hobbies/Interests:  My only hobby/ Interest during the last four years is
building a Kitfox.  Used to build projects of different varieties now, just
the Kitfox.  I'm addicted for sure

I joined the US Navy in Jan 65. They decided I would be a Fire Control Tech (electronics) on Guided Missile Destroyers. I served 6 years in the Navy. Upon discharge, I worked for Ingalls Nuclear Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Ms. Got tired of that and 4 years later, I went to work for Singer Co. (Librascope division). Bet you didn't know that Singer (sewing machine) also built weapons system for attack and ballistic missile Submarines. After 4 years with Librascope, I went with Federal Civil Service doing the same job. 4 years later, I accepted a position at Newport News Shipbuilding involved with the overhaul and new construction of submarine and aircraft carrier type ships. I've been here for 23 years now and can't wait to retire. Politics is driving me nuts.

Right now, the newest air craft carrier (USS Ronald Reagan CVN-76) is on it's first sea trials and due back tomorrow at noon. I've been the only one in the office since I had a back operation last year and not able to work abroad the ships.

My greatest fame in the last 20 years was working the new construction and overhaul Submarines. Submarines are neat and the quality control is awesome. I thank that program for helping me build my Kitfox.

Earl Stevens
Kitfox Mod IV-1050, Ser 1500, Subaru EA-81, Stratus
redrive, Warp drive propeller.
Wife: Maria (love of my life), 4 married children, and one in High School (junior).
Normal residence, Bremerton Wa.
Temporary location (last two years, and 1 to go) Japan, Guam, Singapore, and
Korea.
e-mail- earlaa@hotmail.com
Profession: Mechanical Engineer (PE), worked in ship overhaul and repair on the deckplates, for the past 30 years.  Lived several years in S. America (Argentina, Bolivia, Peru).  Currently work for Military Sealift Command as a port engineer. Hobbies include music, model planes, camping/hiking, ham
radio (KB7KDD) and of course building a Kitfox. Future:  Plan to return to live on the deserts of either eastern Washington, Idaho or Nevada, looking for some land to put in a private air strip, and build my dream garage/hangar/shop.

Paige Straley
Environmental Engineer, environmentalist, writer.
Degrees in env. engineering and zoology.
Other interests:  houses, gardens, geology, chemistry, canoeing, camping,
some hunting, my daughter (!!!) , cooking, reading., ultralight a/c
Charlotte, NC
Tusky@aol.com

Chuck Tippett
Warrenton, VA

BIOGRAPHY

I truly have gotta be the luckiest person on this list . I just live 3 short miles from one of the greatest Kitfox builders of all time ( gotta keep my nose brown as when JK build's his next Fox I've gotta position myself at the front of the line for his Series 6 .) What can I say other than there are builders and there are flyers and I am ashamed to say I'm the later .Like many I dreamed of flying since I could bend my neck to look up into the sky ,but time travels way too fast and after 3 kids and a Loving wife an Ultralight flew over our home back in '85 and though I didn't know what it was it looked like alot of fun ..... and cheap .... It took me 3 months to find out what it was and where it was based and after my wife's encouragement " sell your Harley and buy one " I've never looked back .I taught myself how to fly in a Quicksilver and after flying that thing from Virginia up through New York around the Statue of Liberty then across to Niagrea Falls and then even down to Sun & Fun I fell in Love with my first Kitfox , Bill McCall's from Maine , saw it at the Fly In in Elmira New York and it was on the cover of Kitplanes that year in 1988 .Again it took 6 years to get my pilot's license buy 1, a Model III and with the wonderful help of Dale Ross and Jerry Eastman my Love affair began .I flew the 'ol Tree Top Flyer up until 2000 when John King approached me about his precious Oshkosh Champ Model IV Speedster .The power of the 912 after almost 2000 logged hours behind a 2 stroke Wow ..I always told JK that I would take a sip of that precious 2 stroke oil one night around the camp fire .2002 I achieved a lifelong dream of flying to Alaska ! Before we got back I was ribbing John King " where next " The Bahamas !!!!!!!!!!!!!! If there are any of you out there with a Kitfox or not you otta do your best to join us this November . John King really knows how to plan a trip ! I'm slowly converting John King over to where he will have more flying hours than building hours ..... Mexico's next ! We've got to pay our respect's to Miguel , He really wanted us to make this trip .... we'll all miss our Amigo , but we'll learn and go on ......
............. and by the way old 2 strokers never give up I bought a Model II 582 on Full Lotus Floats for my summer flying down at the Chesepeake Bay !

Ray Volk
Location:  Phoenix Arizona
Email :  dj76550@goodnet.com

Background:  Born in Calgary Alberta Canada,  Moved to Phoenix Arizona in 1968 as an Electrical Engineer at Sperry Flight Systems, now  Honeywell. Worked on the Space Shuttle &  Space Station guidance system hardware design, Retired, Jan 1998. Purchased Kitfox Series 5 Safari in October 1996, completed in January 1999. First flight Jan 30, 1999. Currently 550 hours TT.
Hobbies: I currently have a Cozy through the glass phase, 30% complete. It is currently number 4 on my priority list behind  1. Flying the Kitfox, 2. Building a new house,  3. Traveling around the country. At my current pace it will be 10 years before I finish it. Life really gets busy once you retire.

Paul Wilson
PWilsonwcr@aol.com  Ault (near Fort Collins) Colorado
Retired mechanical/aerospace engineer engineer, hobbies: Mountain/rock
climbing, cycling, backpacking, skiing-alpine and back country, extensive
traveling and teaching mountaineering. All these thing are done with vigor
which interferes with the M4/912 construction.
 

Richard (Rick) Weiss of Bowie, MD (suburb of DC)
mdkitfox@aol.com
Series V Speedster, N39RW, (SkyStar serial number 1)
912 powered, warp drive prop, full panel Hope to fly it to AirVenture 2000 Currently single but engaged to a great lady - Brenda.  I have 2 kids, both naval officers (Lt.).  The oldest is a USNA grad and flight surgeon (Aircraft Carrier Lincoln) based at Balboa Hospital.  The young one is an NFO on P-3s
and a mission commander based in HI.  (tough duty)! I graduated from Parks College of Aeronautical Technology in 1967 with a degree in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering, an A&P and Commercial Pilot
License and 3 years of nonstop hangar flying in the dorm. Served 3 whole months as an aviation officer candidate in the Navy before being selected by NASA to work at Kennedy Space Center as a propulsion engineer on the first stage of the Saturn V and then as a Space Shuttle main
propulsion engineer until 1980.  I had the honor of being part of the launch team (firing room and forward observer) for all the moon missions and Skylab.  Between launches I earned an MS in Systems Management from Rollins College.  Transferred to FAA where I was assigned as a Pilot and R&D engineer (Transport aircraft and rotorcraft flight decks.)  Became Director of Aviation Safety Oversight for a few years and then was the technical assistant to the Administrator of the FAA in the early 90s.  The FAA sent me to Fort Rucker, Alabama where I went through the Army's helicopter pilot
school.  Finished up almost 30 years with the government in 1996 after running the GA and Vertical Flight R&D office.  I left the FAA as an ATP typed in the G-IV and Citation, Commercial helicopter/instruments, and CFI for fixed wing and helicopters. I then got the best job one could have as I'm the EAAs Washington, DC representative.  I'm also a member of many EAA Chapters in the area and serve as a tech counselor and flight advisor.

Hobbies?  Building the Fox, aviation, travel, and hanging out on the beach -- any beach.
I guess that's enough.  Life is great!

Andrew H. Wikstrom
Higley, Arizona
bluewx@aol.com
(480) 510-2843
35 years old

Profession: Electronic Technician with Intel. I maintain the photo lithography equipment used to manufacture the Pentium III processors. (I'm one of those "bunny" people you see dancing around in the ads)

I've had my private license for 14 years. Played with ultralights soon after getting my license because it was inexpensive. Going low and slow is a heck of a lot of fun. I built a KR-2 that I never got a chance to fly due to a marital "glitch". During the tail end of that glitch, I also had to sell my Cherokee 140 (she wanted 1/2). I've been admiring the Kitfox for years and am finally able to go after my dream without interruption. I started building a Subaru EA-81 in February of 2000. I'm shopping for the airframe now.

Other interests include four wheeling in my Jeep, jet skiing, snow skiing, hiking and camping. I am originally from Paso Robles, California and was an active member of EAA chapter 170. I haven't been to a meeting in Arizona yet.

James (Jimmy) Williams and my wife is Mary Catherine (M.C.) and both of us are La. natives. We both have M.S. in Geology and worked for a major oil company in the olden days in Houston. I am actually an expert on Permian Geology of Texas and a pretty good Geologist. She is now a Therapist
and I have my Teaching Certification and now an A.S. in Aviation Science which included an A&P. I now work as an Experimental Mechanic for Cessna (Citations-not bug beaters). We live in Wichita, Ks. having moved here from Phoenix, Arizona, though our home will always be in the Piney Woods of North La. My interest have been things like photography, cycling, swimming, Triathlons, fast motorcycles, model airplanes, Astronomy and of course flying. We actually moved here to Ks., as much as anything, for our two Collie dogs who very much hated Arizona and pined away for grass and trees and varmints to chase. We just completed and moved into a house this past May on 6 acres of grass, some trees a small pond and a creek with lots of varmints for them to chase--they are happy. It was my dream since a child to build my own airplane. The Fox was number one and my RV4 is well under way. A Pitts S1 may be in the future as well. I have been a pilot since 1978 (I think). The Kitfox, while not my first airplane (back when I was a well paid professional), has been my favorite thus far and the most rewarding. I still ride motorcycles (but not so fast) and with my wife enjoy hiking, exploring
and movies. Some day we will return to the desert or perhaps just go home, never say never because you just might. JR

Danny Williamson 
Pride, Louisiana  (near Baton Rouge)
n53dw@aol.com

I'm 44 years old, married to Joni for 17 years.  I'm a nuclear engineer by
training, and I do regulatory licensing work at the local nuclear plant.  I
rode a Poseidon missile submarine for six years and managed to learn to fly
while at one of my schools in Orlando in 1977.  The Navy had a flying club at
the 'downtown' airport at the time. 

I built a Kolb Firestar II about four years ago, and I've put about 110 hours
on it.  I decided I wanted some cross-country capability and a better seat
for Joni ( I'm one of those fortunate ones with a flying wife).  I found a
second-hand 1994-vintage Series 5 kit over in Houston that had seen little
work in four years - the guy just had too many irons in the fire.  I have a
Stratus EA81 sitting on the floor in the shop waiting on the plane to be
finished, which I hope to complete in the summer of 2000.

Paul Wilson
Ault (near Fort Collins) Colorado
Retired mechanical/aerospace engineer engineer, hobbies: Mountain/rock climbing, cycling, backpacking, skiing-alpine and back country, extensive traveling and teaching mountaineering. All these thing are done with vigor which interferes with the M4/912 construction