Thursday, March 16, 2023: Doors open at 6:30PM, presentation starts at 7:00PM

As WACO leads up to the 100^th Anniversary Celebration of coming to Troy, OH, the Aviation Lecture Series will focus on topics specific to the history of WACO. On Thursday, March 16th, at 7 pm, Brian Meyer will discuss the first flyable WACO Aircraft, 

“The Cootie.” Brian designed, constructed, and flew the full-size replica that now hangs in the WACO Air Museum. His presentation will cover a brief history of the Cootie, the design and construction process, the first flight in the replica, and subsequent flight testing of the airplane that he donated to the museum.



Brian has over forty years of aeronautical engineering and management experience with major airplane, helicopter, turbine-engine, and propeller manufacturers. He holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Michigan, and a Master’s degree for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. His engineering specialties include aerodynamics, performance, ground test, flight test, design, icing, vibration, program management, and FAA certification. He is a former FAA Designated Engineering Representative (DER) and a registered Professional Engineer (PE) in the state of Ohio. Brian has received two patents and authored a number of technical papers and magazine articles on various aviation subjects.

He is also an airplane and glider pilot with over 4,400 landings, previously held a low-altitude FAA aerobatic competency (airshow) card, and holds FAA Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic certificates. Brian has over 18,000 hours of aircraft construction experience and has built and test-flown six airplanes including three airplanes that he designed. These include the WACO Cootie replica, which was featured in Skyways magazine. 

Brian and his wife Sue have two sons, Ted and Scott, who are also both in the aviation field. Ted is a Gulfstream pilot and Scott is a flight test engineer. Both Ted and Scott grew up attending WACO’s aviation summer camp programs before becoming pilots.

All aviation lectures are free and open to the public and are scheduled to last one hour, beginning at 7 pm, with questions to follow. The lecture is held in the Willis Wing of the WACO Air Museum at 1865 South County Road 25A in Troy, OH. Doors will open at 6:30.  Donations to the WACO Air Museum are gratefully accepted. All lectures are sponsored in part by Collins Wheels and Brakes. For questions, please call 937-335-9226 or visit www.wacoairmuseum.org.