NORFOLK, Neb. — Mike Nahrstedt, a Madison native, is on the cusp of realizing his lifelong ambition: constructing his own airplane, with the hope of one day soaring through the skies.

Nahrstedt's dream of building and flying his own Zenith plane took flight in 2014 after a chance encounter with a kit plane at the Oshkosh air show. Inspired by flights with his dad and son, he was told the project would take only a year. "When I first started," said Nahrstedt, owner of the Zenith 750 STOL airplane kit, "I figured, yeah, their timeline says you can build it in one year. So, I figured it would take me two years. Well, we tacked another eight years onto it, and 10 years later, it's about done."

Despite the extended timeline, Nahrstedt emphasizes the meticulous assembly process, where the plane is put together at least twice, if not three or four times, before it's finally ready. The majority of the kit is pre-drilled and comes with Clecos that hold several pieces of the plane together during assembly. Despite nearly a decade of ups and downs, Nahrstedt says there's a highlight that makes the entire project worthwhile. "We started the motor for the first time, and it was quite a milestone to get in it and see it move a bit for the first time."

Nahrstedt is currently awaiting FAA paperwork and inspection before he can fly. For those dreaming of building their own plane someday, Nahrstedt advises, "Definitely go for building one, even if you don't finish it. It's a fun experience just to try it."