Bill Wilson
Bill Wilson adds his newly built Onex to the other 21 aircraft that he has owned since beginning his aviation career in 1969. He is a retired TV newscaster, businessman and Navy Reserve Captain. As a flight instructor he does seminars around the USA helping rusty pilots return to flying.
![The best builders learn to combine both mindsets. They build like engineers but think like future mechanics. [Credit: Bill Wilson]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_0037.jpg?w=324&h=160&crop=1 "Building vs. Fixing")
Building vs. Fixing
Somewhere during every aircraft project, a builder faces a quiet moment of truth. It might happen while drilling a hole in a structural member,...
![Lowell Farrand spent years serving as an FAA DAR and is in the EAA Hall of Fame. He offers sound advise to builders. [Credit: Bill Wilson]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/unnamed-4.jpg?w=324&h=160&crop=1 "Think Like a Builder")
Think Like a Builder
When a project moves outside your knowledge base, knowing when to bring in help is the mark of a smart builder.
![Author Bill Wilson takes a break from measuring and cutting the Lexan windshield during his Onex build. [All Images Credit to Bill Wilson]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/image-2.jpg?w=324&h=160&crop=1 "Think Like A Builder")
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What do you do when your horizontal stabilizer isn't exactly horizontal? First, you check that the fuselage is level. If this confirms that the stabilizer is indeed slightly off, remove it and apply heat. Sounds simple, but there's a right and a wrong way to go about it, and author Bob Fritz describes the most effective method to straighten things out.
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Archive: February 1999
Our February 1999 issue teased a summer’s worth of aeronautical splash-n-dash with a “Water-Flying...
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Leave your cutting tools in the drawer. These drop-in electronic instruments eliminate complicated installations and have an impressive feature set.