Table of Contents

January 2010 Issue

Homebuilt Aircraft Directory

2010 Plansbuilt Buyer’s Guide

If you’ve got the itch to build from scratch, this year’s edition of the Plansbuilt Buyer’s Guide features a buffet of 142 kit aircraft models you can build and fly. Compiled by Cory Emberson.

Flight Reports

Flight Review: Jabiru J230 Light Sport

Marc Cook flies the nimble, LSA-compliant Jabiru J230, and finds the two-seater offers a smooth ride with a decidedly Outback attitude.

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.

Builder Spotlight

The Independence Project: Avionics

It’s time to install the shiny, expensive boxes in the RV-12. Yes, the avionics package goes in… and it’s not as difficult as it used to be. By Dave Martin.

Build a Bear: Mellow Yellow

Dave Prizio and team build a paint booth (too small), test drive charcoal masks and bunny suits, and discover the joys of covering your homebuilt plane with $400 per gallon paint.

Completions

Builders share their successes.

Shop Talk

Hose Protection

Ishmael Fuentes shows you how to protect and cool the hoses in your engine compartment by making a firesleeve.

Aero ’Lectrics

Heat and avionics don’t get along all that well. Rather than installing a fan that runs all the time, Jim Weir suggests building and using a fan that runs only when you need it.

Designer's Notebook

Wind Tunnel

Barnaby Wainfan examines a sneaky and sometimes little understood cause of in-flight scares and engine failures: carb ice.

Exploring

Around the Patch

Editor-in-Chief Marc Cook looks at the editorial changes within EAA, and reinforces KITPLANES’ focus on homebuilding.

What’s New

Dynon Announces SkyView EFIS Pricing. Edited by Mary Bernard.

The Dawn Patrol

Dick Starks and The Dawn Patrol saddle, er, trailer up and head to the Salute to Veterans Air Show in Columbia, Missouri. Who else could lend his crimping pliers to a couple of sailors to fix an F-18’s wiring problem?

Ask the DAR

Can a builder modify a Van’s RV-12 kit under the 51% rule? How about changing the gross weight of a RANS S-7? Plus, the FAA releases revised homebuilding rules. By Mel Asberry.

Engine Beat

There’s a lot to know about aircraft oil: what to use, when to use it, when to change it. Steve Ells sheds some light on this essential fluid.

Light Stuff

Dave Martin looks at the future of ultralight-like SLSA trainers, and what may be in store from the FAA.

Kit Bits

Letters

List of Advertisers

Builders' Marketplace

The Classified Builder

Kit Stuff

Drawing on experience; by cartoonist Robrucha.

Download KITPLANES® in PDF

Download the complete January 2010 issue of KITPLANES® in one PDF file.

Web Links in this Issue

Photo by Richard VanderMeulen

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Garmin 796At 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.
par100exKITPLANES talked to PS Engineering’s Mark Scheuer about the new PAR100EX Experimental-class audio panel with a communication radio.
Sebastien Heintz at SNF 2011KITPLANES talks with Zenith Aircraft’s Sebastien Heintz at Sun ‘n Fun 2011.
garmin g3xKITPLANES gets the scoop on Garmin’s developments and rebates for the G3X EFIS at Sun ‘n Fun 2011.
Dynon DX15KITPLANES caught up with Dynon Avionics at Sun ‘n Fun to get a glimpse of the new DX15 handheld com radio.
whirlwind-snip2KITPLANES 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.
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