Super Cub Kit Comparison
Super Cubs are beloved by many a backcountry adventurer, and several kits offer options to meet the demand of builders interested in these sturdy workhorses. By Dave Prizio.
Click Here for the full Table of Contents for the March 1, 2012 Issue
Alternative Energies
Electric Light Sport Aircraft are few and far between, owing primarily to the heavy batteries eating into LSA weight restrictions. The Alternair Amp is poised to change all that. By Dean Sigler.
Down to Earth
How do you build and fly a homebuilt aircraft while still maintaining a good relationship with spouse and family? That is the question, and Amy Laboda offers some answers.
Build Your Skills: Composites (1)
What do Burt Rutan, the police and a tricked-out Toyota have in common? An off -axis question no doubt, and the answer is not the one Benjamin Braddock received in The Graduate, (“I want to say one word to you. Just one word. Plastics.”). No, the linkage here is composite materials, which are everywhere you look. Burt makes magic airplanes with them—has done so since the 1960s and continues to even today—the police wear Kevlar vests, and the guy that customized his Toyota loves the look of a carbon-fiber panel or two on his car.
Willy Trinker CH 701 Travel Blog
Read about Willy and Carolyn’s big cross-country adventure in a Zenith CH 701 homebuilt and see photos of the trip at their travel blog. Destinations included Quesnel Lake, the North Thompson River Valley, Okanagan and many more across the seasons. You can find their blog here.
Sebring Light Sport Aircraft Expo 2012
There was, admittedly, a large array of every type of LSA in attendance at the Light Sport Aircraft Expo January 19 to 22, in Sebring, Florida. Vendors were uniformly upbeat and claimed rising sales, despite prices ranging from mid-$80,000 to high-$180,000. A good many Cubs and Kitfoxes were on display along with myriad wannabes. Dan [...]
Progressive Aerodyne Will Host Open House
Progressive Aerodyne, manufacturer of the Searey amphibian kit aircraft, is having an open house on Wednesday, January 18 at its Tavares, Florida, headquarters. The day will include technical and flying discussions covering many aspects of building, flying and living the “Searey lifestyle,” the company says. Visitors can fly, boat or drive in to the facility [...]
Flight Review: Mustang II
When Don Caskey recognized that a passel of his neighbors had built and were flying Mustang IIs, he got the bug and constructed a custom-made version of his own. By Ed Wischmeyer.
SeaRey LSX Amphibian
Progressive Aerodyne has a new version of its kitbuilt amphibian, the SeaRey LSX, and the updates to the design live up to high expectations. By Ed Wischmeyer.
Free Flight: The soul of the machine.
Paul Dye argues that there is more between man and machine than just the hardware.
Kitfox with a Rotec
The Rotec-radial-powered Kitfox Super Sport taps into our nostalgia for radial engines but with a modern touch. By Marc Cook.
SkyView to the Rescue
When Stan Peternel’s Blue Mountain EFIS proved unreliable, he decided to bite the bullet and invest in a Dynon SkyView system. Editor-in-Chief Marc Cook discusses the numerous challenges of the retrofit.
Flight Review: Return of the Ultralight
A few hours piloting the Belite may make you reconsider your preconceived notions about ultralight aircraft. By Ed Wischmeyer.
Velocity, Increased
The Velocity TXL-5 turbo combines style, sophistication and high performance eminently suited to cross-country sojourns at flight levels. By Doug Rozendaal.
Product Review: J.P. Instruments EDM-740
JPI is offering a new compact, capable engine monitor that is built and priced for the homebuilt market. By Marc Cook.
Product Review: PS Engineering PMA5000EX
At its heart, the PMA5000EX is a four-place stereo intercom in an audio panel that supports two each of coms, navs, switching aux inputs, music inputs plus having five unswitched aux inputs and a front-panel input for a music source or cell. By Marc Cook.
Flight Review: Horse Perennial
LeRoy Cook flies Larry Kinder’s award-winning Mustang II, a fast and fun homage to the legendary P-51 Mustang.
Flight Review: Mission Ready
Bush plane? Heck, yeah! Bill Repucci flies Just Aircraft’s strong, tough and fun Highlander.
Zenith STOL CH 750
Changing with the times, Zenith Aircraft has introduced an improved version of a design that debuted some 20 years ago. With a larger payload, more robust landing gear and greater visibility among other features, the CH 750 is tailored for today’s sport pilot; by LeRoy Cook.
Fly-in Flying
Before you venture out to special events, take to prep.
The Safe Homebuilt
Take these tips into consideration when it comes to safe homebuilding and piloting.
Calculating Weight and Balance
This lazy man's guide removes some of the headaches.
Selling Your Aircraft
These tips will help you market your aircraft.
Selling Aircraft Documents
Prebuy Checklist, Purchase Agreement, Builders Release.
Metal Workshop Setup
Every great homebuilt starts with a comfortable and efficient workshop.
Weight and Balance Spreadsheets
Click here to download a weight and balance spreadsheet you can customize for your own airplane.
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At AOPA Summit in Hartford, Garmin will unveil its latest portable, the touchscreen aera 796. Take a video tour of the navigator's features, which include synthetic vision, enhanced chart functions, and a new touchscreen interface.
KITPLANES talked to PS Engineering’s Mark Scheuer about the new PAR100EX Experimental-class audio panel with a communication radio.
KITPLANES talks with Zenith Aircraft’s Sebastien Heintz at Sun ‘n Fun 2011.
KITPLANES gets the scoop on Garmin’s developments and rebates for the G3X EFIS at Sun ‘n Fun 2011.
KITPLANES caught up with Dynon Avionics at Sun ‘n Fun to get a glimpse of the new DX15 handheld com radio.
KITPLANES tours the Whirlwind Propeller factory where the firm's fixed-pitch and ground-adjustable propellers are made, as well as the blades for Whirlwind constant-speed props.
