Table of Contents
December 2008 Issue
Annual Directory, Part 1
2009 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide
Let your fingers do the shopping with the specs and photos for 297 designs, offered along with a cross-reference that lets you easily locate the manufacturer if you know the design name; compiled by Julia Downie.
Builder Spotlight
While builder Wolfgang Meyn loved the F-1 Rocket quickbuild kit, things got a little more complicated (and exciting) when he decided to add an Aero Supercharger Solutions supercharger teamed up with a modified Airflow Performance fuel-injection system; by Ed Wischmeyer.
When they couldn’t find a likely single-seat homebuilt that would work as an inexpensive but reliable commuter airplane, two builders who are well versed in metal aircraft construction took it upon themselves to design and build one; by Ken Scott.
Deciding that you don’t want to paint your homebuilt airplane yourself means placing your “baby” in the hands of a paint shop. Susan Brunner offers some tips to help manage this important aspect of the building process successfully.
If you’re considering or have already made the decision to use a Jabiru engine on your kit aircraft, Texas Sport Cub builder Dave Prizio says this three-day course will add to your confidence when installing and maintaining it.
This month we look at installing the fabric on the wing and how to use rib-lacing, reinforcement tapes, pre-punched holes, and methods of mechanical attachment including pop rivets, PK screws and fabric clips; by Ron Alexander.
This month’s chronicle of building a Jabiru J250 Light Sport airplane covers the assembly of the wings and tail, and discusses the value of surface preparation.
Shop Talk
In this first of a two-part series, Jim Weir builds a low-cost, high-efficiency portable ground-based antenna system that he used to great effect in the recent CAFE 400 (fuel efficiency) race in Northern California. You can do it, too.
Designer's Notebook
The aerodynamics of an airplane sometimes don’t cooperate with the pilot’s desire to roll, and instead produce both yaw and roll. Contributing factors are aileron parasite drag, induced drag between the wings and changes in the roll rate itself; by Barnaby Wainfan.
Exploring
Editor-in-Chief Marc Cook offers an explanation of how the annual Aircraft Buyer’s Guides are assembled, and his attempts to enhance the usefulness and relevance of the information provided.
In this month’s What’s New, ECi announces a new extended warranty on its Titan cylinders, and Vesta, Inc. offers a new Experimental aircraft engine conversion based on a V-6 Honda auto engine; edited by Mary Bernard.
This month, a new column introduces Designated Airworthiness Representative Mel Asberry, who describes his background in homebuilding and details some of what he’s looking for as a DAR. Questions welcome.
Earlier this year, columnist Dave Martin had the opportunity to fly Flight Design’s CTSW (short wing) factory-built Light Sport Aircraft. This month, he flies the company’s new CTLS (Light Sport model), and he details the differences between the two.
Kit Bits
Drawing on experience; by cartoonist Robrucha
Web Links in this Issue
Follow these links to visit the web sites of companies you read about in the December issue.
What's New
Vesta
ECi
The Paint Shop Experience
Centralia Aircraft
Century Aircraft Paint (email)
Stahr Design
University of Jabiru
Jabiru USA
Build Your Skills: Fabric
SportAir Workshops
To Launch a Light Sport
Jabiru Pacific
Light Stuff
Flight Design USA
* * * View Reader Links from previous months:
Table of Contents and Reader's Links from December 2006 to Present
Other Aviation Publications
Aviation Consumer
Aviation Safety
AvWeb
IFR Magazine
IFR Refresher
Light Plane Maintenance
IMPORTANT CUSTOMER SERVICE NOTICE TO KITPLANES SUBSCRIBERS:
The Kitplanes Magazine Customer Service Center has moved from Palm Coast, FL to Big Sandy, TX. Our toll-free number, 800-622-1065, and website, kitplanes.com, remain the same. All mailed correspondence, including subscription invoices, renewals, and gift notices, will bear our new address:
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We look forward to serving you from our new location.
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.
