Kerry Fores
Kerry Fores was born and raised in Oshkosh, WI and was interested in homebuilding by age 12. Between 1998 and 2003 he scratchbuilt and polished a Sonex, which he named Metal Illness. Kerry logged nearly 500 hours in Metal Illness and was awarded Plans Built Champion at AirVenture 2006. Kerry is retired from a 21-year career at Sonex Aircraft, most of it dedicated to supporting builders.
Dreams Take Flight
“Grandpa Kerry, where do unwanted airplane projects come from?”
I choked on my ice cream. The grandpa moniker is still as startling to me as...
Weight, For the Right One
Classified ads for flying homebuilts boast of the meticulous workmanship and maintenance. The engine upgrades and professional paint are noted. A string of characters,...
Shop in Comfort
I’ve confessed to building Metal Illness in a space that many, or most, would rate less than ideal. In my defense, my brain’s right...
Vendor Bonding Day
For those of you who leave AirVenture before the final Sunday, and that is 97% of you, you may not be aware that the...
The Sonerai Turns 50
John Monnett, President of Sonex Aircraft LLC, unknowingly launched his homebuilding career fifty years ago at the 1971 EAA Aviation Convention and Fly-in in...
Navel Gazing From an Oshkosh Townie
“Oh! You’re from Oshkosh?” It’s a common comment I hear when AirVenture attendees ask me where I’m from. It’s not a strictly accurate comment,...
Your Head, Your Heart, Your Hands and the Truth
Three chords and the truth. That’s how songwriter Harlan Howard, who, with Hank Cochran, penned “I Fall to Pieces,” described country music. I got...
Wittman. Field. Video.
If it was strange for you to stay home, it was equally strange to be nearly the only person there.
Pack Your Spotted Cow and Go
I heard Jester’s coarse voice and felt the impact of each syllable, “You. Nev-er. Leave. Your wingman.” I’m foreshadowing the past, though, so let...
Defining “Done”
“Kerry, you know your airplane could be flying in two weeks.” That observation, offered by someone qualified to make the assessment, caught me off...
In Case You Missed It
All About Avionics: Cutting The Metal
Heres something to ponder: By the time you get to the point where you are ready to build the panel in your homebuilt aircraft, you've already mastered many of the skills and techniques you'll need to do it by virtue of completing the airframe. That statement is all the more credible when it comes from someone with a vested interest in the subject, our own avionics expert Stein Bruch.
Light Stuff
The rules around Letters of Deviation Authority are labyrinthine, which helps explain why they are relatively rare. But the problems could be—and should be—corrected through a few regulatory changes. By Roy Beisswenger.
