EAA staff and volunteers from The Aeroplane Factory have working for more than three years building a replica 1909 Bleriot XI monoplane, the same model Louis Bleriot designed, built, and flew over the English Channel more than 100 years ago. Now the finish line is in sight, according to a story on EAA.org, which notes that AirVenture 2010 attendees will have a chance to see the completed replica.
The story quotes John Hopkins, EAA manager of aircraft maintenance:
“The airframe and wings are built and ready for fabric covering, and we have some machine shops working on other specific parts. Getting the engine installed is the biggest job remaining, and we’re in the process of trying to figure out the best way to do that. Otherwise, I’m confident we’ll have it running during convention this year.”