Kitplanes

Flight Reports

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.

Builder Spotlight

Building on a Budget

Building his VW-powered Zenith CH 701 taught Wayne Clagg a lot about the consequences of powerplant choices… and much more. By Scott M. Spangler.

2011 Engine Buyer’s Guide

We take another look at the current offerings of traditional aircraft engines. Compiled by Marcie Moody with text by Marc Cook.

Completion Secrets

Selecting the right build location, having a solid plan and making a realistic budget are just a few of the things you can do to keep your project on track. By Marc Cook.

Dressing Up an RV-12

Van’s RV-12 builder Dave Martin was inspired to add wheelpants to his airplane after seeing the company prototype with them.

Avionics Special: Garmin’s G3X Engine Monitoring System

Ponying up for the engine-monitoring portion of Garmin’s G3X EFIS suite requires careful consideration, but the result is a truly integrated solution. By Marc Cook.

Engine Beat

Do-it-yourself tips for how to keep those all-important plugs sparking clean. By Steve Ells.

Ask the DAR

Can a homebuilt whose core is a certified airplane fuselage ever be seen as an Experimental? By Mel Asberry.

Completions

Builders share their successes.

Shop Talk

Aero ’Lectrics

Jim Weir offers a solution for how to regain reception when your “rubber ducky” antenna fails.

Designer's Notebook

Wind Tunnel

Barnaby Wainfan looks at unconventional flight-control configurations in the cockpit and why they can throw even a seasoned pilot.

Exploring

What’s New

Beyerdnamic offers a new headset, two new Cub kits are approved by FAA, and the portable AvMap is updated.

Experimotive

You know those engine vendors you usually see at the big annual air shows? Where do they go when they disappear? “Detective” Rick Lindstrom is on the case.

The Dawn Patrol

The Dawn Patrol gets to know more about General John J. Pershing when they display their WW-I replica aircraft at the annual Pershing Days Festival in Missouri. By Dick Starks.

Free Flight

Paul Dye argues that there is more between man and machine than just the hardware.

Light Stuff

Roy Beisswenger takes over the Light Stuff column this month, and quickly shows why he’s the right man for the job.

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 April 2011 issue of KITPLANES® in one PDF file.