Table of Contents
September 2011 Issue
Flight Reports
This Starduster Too is more than just a smart-looking biplane with unique elliptical wings and eye-catching paint. Careful reconstruction and modifications have made it into one sweet-handling ride. By Ed Wischmeyer.
Builder Spotlight
Continuing the engine rebuild after his RV-9 suffered an untimely prop strike, Bill Repucci discovers that what should have been a straightforward installation turns out to be anything but.
Alan Arps, fourth owner of a Starduster SA-100 that had seen better days, treads the fine line between updating the plansbuilt design and keeping it true to its era. By Scott M. Spangler.
After years of procrastination, the author decides to jump into welding with both feet, and finds that it is an acquired skill achieved only by practice and the right mindset. By Ken Scott.
Veteran pilots and kit builders, Wendell and Martha Solesbee make the reasoned decision to embark on a Lancair Evo build—the ultimate upgrade to their already-impressive homebuilt fleet. By Dave Prizio.
Ready to perform aerobatics with your new homebuilt? Not so fast! The operating limitations dictate what’s required first. By Mel Asberry.
Builders share their successes.
Shop Talk
Many factors go into designing and building good engine mounts, including consideration of the engine’s thrust line and gyroscopic precession effects. They deserve our respect. By Ishmael Fuentes.
Documenting the changes you make to your airplane’s electrical system is tedious work—but vital. Jim Weir takes a look at the software available to help you keep track of upgrades and mods.
Designer's Notebook
Barnaby Wainfan examines the design factors that can mitigate damage in an accident and increase the chances of survival.
Exploring
Mary Bernard discusses staff changes at KITPLANES® and the new series and columns that are making their debut this month.
Simplex Aeroplanes offers discounted plans for its Cloudster Ultralight, and Superior Air Parts has resumed shipping its Experimental XP Series engines to dealers.
Mark Cook revisits George Happ’s RANS S-19 project to see how the Rotax 914 installation has panned out.
As the powers that be debate the future of 100LL, participants at the Fifth Annual Electric Aircraft Symposium pondered how to make the alternatives more practical and efficient. By Dean Sigler.
Paul Dye extols the sheer joy and mystery of flying in clouds.
The founders of the Solar Impulse Project build on their successes with a planned around-the-world flight and a stopover at the Paris Air Show. By Amy Laboda.
Roy Beisswenger reports from Beach Blast 2011, the third annual PPG beach fly-in held each May at Panama City Beach, Florida.
Kit Bits
List of Advertisers, Builders' Marketplace and the Classified Builder.
Drawing on experience; by cartoonist Robrucha.
Download the complete September 2011 issue of KITPLANES® in one PDF file.
Web Links in this Issue
What's New
Simplex Aeroplanes
Superior XP Engines
Starduster Too
Aircraft Spruce
Ka-ching!, RV9 Rebuild
Classic Aero Designs
E-Mag Ignitions
Engine Components Inc. (ECi)
James Aircraft (Holy Cowl)
Plane Power
Sky-Tec Starters
Van's Aircraft
Van's Air Force
Lancair Evo
Lancair
Alternative Energies
David Birkenstock's ideas on thrust
Down to Earth
Solar Impulse
Light Stuff
Beach Blast 2011
AeroLectrics
CircuitMaker/TraxMaker 2000
Eagle
Designspark
View Reader Links from previous issues
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We look forward to serving you from our new location.
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.
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.
Advanced Flight Systems' Rob Hickman details the company's new 5000-series big screen EFIS at Oshkosh 2010.
Spidertracks introduced a new, smaller, less expensive GPS tracker here at Oshkosh 2010. Rachel Donald explains the main features of the unit and the website that supports it.
CubCrafter's Randy Lervold gives us the skinny on the new Carbon Cub Adventure package introduced here at Oshkosh.
Glasair Aviation’s Mikael Via introduces the new turbocharged, carbon-fiber-bodied Sportsman TC at Oshkosh 2010.
