Seminole company builds aircraft

The little plane that could

Micco finally overcomes its many obstacles When the Micco Aircraft Co. Inc. of Bartlesville rolls out its first Oklahoma-manufactured Micco SP26A aircraft this fall, it will have overcome time, lawsuits, tribal politics, hot air and high water to produce a unique airplane.

"This is a niche-market airplane," said Micco President and co-owner F. DeWitt Beckett. "We're not trying to be Cessna or Piper. This is a high-performance, complex tail wheel, instrument-rated aerobatic airplane. It's the only one on the market that fits the bill."Some background on the company: But for the determination of Beckett and Micco co-owner and Chairman James Billie, Micco Aircraft Co. might never have gotten off the ground.

Billie, chief of the Seminole Tribe, wanted the Seminoles to branch out into new businesses. He thought they could set the pace in new technology and aircraft manufacturing.

"Chief Jim Billie is a pilot," Beckett said. "It was his desire to show the world that an Indian tribe could do something besides smoke shops, casinos and gambling."