About us « Midwest Panel Builders

About Us

Midwest Panel Builders is a leader in the avionics field for experimental and light sport aircraft, but, above all else, we’re a family company. We’re family-owned, family-operated and family-oriented. We’re also unmatched in our expertise and knowledge of avionics. When I founded MWPB, I wasn’t just building a business, but a legacy that I hope to see continued for generations.

Nearly a decade ago my son, Adam, and I decided to take a risk, put our heads together, and open our own business. With a shared passion for aviation, and Adam’s incomparable proficiency and insight in avionics, we saw an opportunity that has proven to be everything we’d hoped.

As certified pilots, Adam and I have shared a passion for aviation for decades. We like to have fun, but we also like to work hard. We’re proud of the fact that everyday we make a choice to set a high bar – not just for our industry or competitors, but largely for ourselves. Adam and I have both continued our dedication to building a reputation as an organization that ranks among the very best in the world. We are closely associated with The Airplane Factory and Sling, allowing us the ability to serve customers all over the world. We look forward to each new project and each new customer.

Our Mission:

We provide our customers with the safest and most reliable avionics systems available today. With a focus on quality and detail, Midwest Panel Builders exemplifies the pinnacle of service and excellence. With Midwest Panel Builders, you can feel confident that you’re getting the safest, most reliable avionics system available.

Rather than choosing between form and function, Midwest only distributes products that are unparalleled in form and function. And if that weren’t enough, we also incorporate a unique and recognizable style, offering you a panel that you’ll want to show off. Along with our craftsmanship, we strive to work with our customers, helping to make each build process quicker and smoother. Get powered with Midwest – See the difference.

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Our Process:

Get a look at the process we use to build high quality panels and electrical harnesses.

What Inspires Us?

Imagination is the key to everything we do. Imagination motivates greatness, and stimulates each of our team members to act, imagine, and create. We make it a point to look for inspiration every day, whether it’s a new piece of equipment or something as simple as a comment on our website. We draw inspiration from many figures, but a few individuals hold a special place here at Midwest Panel Builders – thinkers, innovators, inventors, and doers – people that put their ideas to use. With that in mind, we’d like to share some inspiration that ignites our imagination and drives our pursuit of excellence on a daily basis.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.”

– Albert Einstein

We focus on the quality of our products, but we know that we wouldn’t be able to pursue our passion if it weren’t for our customers. Because of this, we also look for inspiration to improve aspects of our business in order to better serve the men, women, and families that support us. Steve Jobs, one of the greatest innovators in the last several centuries, had an uncanny ability to know precisely what his customers wanted. Because of his commitment to design and quality, his products continue to set the bar in technology. We aspire to achieve the same three things that made Steve Jobs a great leader and innovator:

A clear vision

A passion for the company and its people

An ability to inspire trust

“For you to sleep well at night, the aesthetic and quality (of your product) has to be carried all the way through.”

– Steve Jobs

To paraphrase Jobs, just because nobody sees the inside of a product doesn’t mean quality should be sacrificed. Our philosophy, much like Jobs’, is simply about holding ourselves accountable for the quality of our work and pushing ourselves to go the extra mile. Because, as Jobs also famously said, “Customers don’t measure you on how hard you try. They measure you on what you deliver.”

We like to think that our team’s core values align with the leaders that came before us, setting us apart from our peers and defining us as an organization you can trust.

How We Began

The story of Midwest Panel Builders can be traced back to the mid-1990s. As I sat watching airplanes at the Romeo Airport (D98), I had the sudden realization that I was finally able to pursue and fulfill my dream – flight. That was the exact moment I decided to do it. I found an instructor at a nearby airport who had a Cessna 150 and charged $65 per hour total. I fell in love. Not long after, I had my Private Pilot License.

The 737-800 simulator that rekindled my passion for aviation.

After a few years, I had a family to think about, which limited my flying. However, as my son, Adam, got a little older, he became heavily interested in aviation. After noticing his and conducting some research, we finalized our plans to build a full-scale static Boeing 737 simulator. Who knew that this would mark the beginning of our journey?

Soon after the completion of the simulator, I had a renewed sense of inspiration, and decided to become a flight instructor. I started with my instrument rating, before commercial, CFI, and finally my CFII, at which time I decided to partner in a flight school in Lapeer.

Not long after, with the help of a local aircraft builder, I embarked on a new business venture, Midwest Sky Sports, focused on building experimental aircraft. Once we got started, we discovered a newer manufacturer called Sling Aircraft. After some research and a few flights, Sling was the obvious choice for us.

Though our aircraft experience was beneficial, avionics posed an issue for our fledgling company. Fortunately, my son, Adam, had experience in the field, along with extensive knowledge in electrical and electronics. After some convincing, Adam insisted that he could fill the role and perform the duties. He researched what was needed to equip our first Sling build, along with the cost, diagrams, layouts, supplies, and more. Needless to say, he got the position after impressing our entire crew with his level of skill.

With each new system, Adam has refined his process and become even more skilled. Learning more about the system, Adam is able to integrate more options that are not typically offered elsewhere, creating great demand for our products and services.

Now, our team remains wholly focused on the avionics and electrical systems of the Sling aircraft for the home builder. With our extensive knowledge of the Sling aircraft and our proven process, we offer a product miles above the rest.

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