Saturday, June 6, 2009

A picture of a wing for the upcoming Belite Aircraft


Here's a sneek peak of the new wing design for the Belite aircraft. Notice: carbon fiber spar tubes, carbon fiber ribs, carbon fiber false ribs. Also note plywood veneer (0.4mm) which is bonded on top of carbon fiber rib cap strips for purposes of bonding to ceconite covering. Some of the glue joints have been made (EG: rib to spar) while others haven't yet been made. (EG: front false ribs). The entire weight of everything you see here is less than 14 pounds. (Not counting sand bag and level. :-)

Also note the really cool wing work benches we made. The stripes are exactly 6 inches apart, and the entire work surface has been leveled.

The end ribs have a solid sheet of carbon fiber bonded to them, for appearance. They are beautiful and they are completely visible, even after the ceconite covering has been finished.

I will have a completed aircraft, along with a completed airframe/wing without covering on display at Airventure. Come take a look!!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Yes, We Did It...

Wichita, KS—June 1, 2009: Wichita, Kansas-based aviation enthusiast and entrepreneur James Wiebe and his wife, Kathy, have acquired the production rights to a previously designed aircraft, the Kitfox Lite, and formed a new business entity, Belite Aircraft, to market it. The airplane will incorporate stronger, lighter carbon fiber components that will allow it to easily meet Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 103 weight requirements.

The Wiebes, who previously developed and marketed digital forensic computer storage devices as the founders of Wichita-based enterprise, WiebeTech LLC, acquired the tooling, existing parts and manufacturing rights to the aircraft in March of 2009. As a condition of the transaction, they agreed to re-brand the airplane to prevent any confusion with the larger, two-place light sport Kitfox that shares many of the same design features but is owned by another company. Kitfox has recorded more than 4,500 kit sales since its introduction 25 years ago.

An instrument-rated pilot, James Wiebe has applied his creativity and experience to this new venture, developing a proprietary lightweight carbon fiber structure that he is incorporating into the modified airplane’s construction. By converting spars, ribs and struts from steel, wood or aluminum to carbon fiber, he has reduced the airplane’s empty weight to previously unattainable levels, well below the 254-pound limit specified in FAR Part 103 for this type of aircraft.

“This project, which combines my passions for flying and inventing, is exciting on several levels,” Wiebe noted. “From a business perspective, the development and application of our proprietary carbon fiber has lots of potential for other aircraft and in other markets. Its use in this aircraft provides the weight margin that will allow enthusiasts to build it and enjoy the fun of flying it safely and economically. Our proprietary carbon fiber process builds quickly, far faster than aluminum, wood or composite construction. We expect this aircraft to be a practical and popular choice among light sport aircraft,” he added.

Wiebe indicated that he plans to incorporate a number of additional modifications into the design that will further improve the airplane’s performance and versatility. He has reserved exhibit spaces 612 and 615 in the North Display area at the upcoming Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture 2009 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin and expects to have an aircraft on display at the show. Additional announcements regarding availability and pricing are expected at that time.

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Monday, May 25, 2009

Tooling purchased; redesign underway.

I am enjoying designing my new airplane!! I'll have much more news soon.

Our fuselage is being built on the tooling which we purchased. (This tooling was used to build the Kitfox Lite a long time ago... long story.)

We are in the process of redesigning the wing to utilize ultralight, ultrastrong, quick assembly carbon fiber. In fact, we are completing our demonstrator aircraft right now and will have it ready to show at Airventure. We expect a formal rollout in late June, so stay tuned. We plan to offer components, subkits, kits, and fully assembled FAR 103 legal airplanes.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

A New Day; A New President; A New Business

As of January 1, 2009, I became a consultant to the business I used to own. I continue to help WiebeTech with a variety of issues, including customer contacts, trade shows and with product ideas, but I'm no longer a full time employee or an owner.

I am grateful to several different individuals for the events of the past 15 months:

First of all, my wife. Kathy has been my unending support and partner. She helped build WiebeTech with me, and continues to share and build dreams with me. Kathy also used to work for WiebeTech. She is now involved with CASA and also starts a new position as a lecturer/instructor for Wichita State University, where she starts a class in entrepreneurship tomorrow.

Second of all, my father-in-law, Pres Huston. Pres provided love for all his family members, and he loved me fiercely, for which I am grateful. I grew up without a dad, and he provided what I did not have when I was a child. He provided principles, capital, wisdom and guidance for WiebeTech when it was barely an idea. I miss him; he passed away in August of 2007.

Third of all, my friend, Bob Ring. Bob also provided capital and guidance to me, although much of what I applied at WiebeTech I learned from Bob many years ago, long before WiebeTech came into being.

Bob once noted that where I ended up at WiebeTech was not where I started, and this was true. My original work at WiebeTech was aimed at developing music compression software. I developed an exceptional algorithm for tight compression of audio; and I discovered that occasionally a great idea is destroyed by an inability to find a channel to the marketplace. Ultimately, I took WiebeTech into the storage business, and then into the forensic side of the storage business.

I am also grateful to Randy Barber, CEO of CRU/WiebeTech, who acquired our business. Randy is a sharp, decent man. He negotiated a fair deal, and he did what he said he would do, when he said he would do it. Many in the world of business acquisitions fail to deliver on their promises; Randy has been superb. I am continuing to work with Randy.

I've come to know so any WiebeTech customers -- what a great group of people. It's good news that I will continue to see many of you on behalf of WiebeTech. I especially enjoy WiebeTech's customers in Washington, DC. Thank you!

A few quick names: The following employees were foundational in getting WiebeTech off the ground: Michael Gaskins; Lora Murray; Mark McClain; Carol Heier; Jeff Hedlesky. Also, Justin Lauzet and Bill Head. Thanks!

WiebeTech can always be found at www.wiebetech.com

Outside of work, I have some others who are very important to me: my pastor -- Ben Staley, Northridge Friends Church, where I am head trustee. Ben's a friend, a fishing buddy, and constant encourager.

Speaking of pastors, another who is important to me is Mike Andrews, former Wichita resident, and current pastor of Belleview Community Church. Mike is a passionate follower of Christ and nearly as passionate as a flyfisherman and wilderness camper. Mike has been able to be my candid friend and occasional spiritual counselor. Thanks, Mike.

Another close friend is Jason Trego, a doctor who currently lives in Africa. My first adventures where with Jason. He's lost money by investing in me, but he's forgiven my past failures and has always been there (except when he's not, due to the distance...)

Now -- on to what I am doing now.

I mentioned to my wife a few weeks ago that I wanted to start a new business in timing with the inaugaration of President Barack Obama. That happened today, and here I am, making my first post on my new business.

I'm doing three different things. I'm convinced that one of these three will provide a marketable product. I'm not sure which will work out; and I'm very aware that the final outcome (product) may bear no resemblance to what I'm actually working on now.

A few weeks ago, I leased a space to start this business development. I've converted a 2000 square foot warehouse into a workshop; and I'm developing an airplane in that workshop. This is one of the three big ideas, and the only one which I am willing to discuss. This idea may cause you to think that I am audaciously off center; and perhaps I am:

1) There is an economic problem in the world.
2) Aircraft sales are dropping. Markets are stalled and moving backwards.
3) I have limited capital; aircraft development takes inordinate amounts.
4) I do not have a background in aeroengineering.
5) (However, I am a pilot, and I do love to fly).

Stick with me, read this blog, watch me succeed, watch me fail -- watch how my ideas mutate into marketable products. I'll pay occasional attention to the new policies of President Obama, and how they help or hurt my efforts.

Kind Regards,

James Wiebe