Bob Grimstead
Bob Grimstead is a 22,000-hour retired jet driver turned aviation journalist and aerobatic display pilot, who has flown 250 different types and written more than 400 articles on them. Two of the four airplanes he owns have VW engines.
Flight Review: Back to the Future
Bob Grimstead offers an appreciation of the VariEze and its designer, Burt Rutan. Both the man and the design were ahead of their time.
Flight Review: The Enduring Eagle
For pure flying excitement and adventure, the Christen Eagle remains hard to beat. By Bob Grimstead.
Flight Review: The Rand KR-2
Bob Grimstead sampled the diminutive Rand KR-2 and found it demanding to fly in some respects but also thoroughly enjoyable.
Taylor Monoplane
Bob Grimstead has way too much fun and gets plenty of wind in his face as he flight-tests the plansbuilt Taylor Monoplane.
X Marks the Spot
Light and slow, yet lacking control skittishness, the X-Air is a simple and fun way to go nowhere in particular. By Bob Grimstead.
Remember When: The BD-5 Micro
The BD-5's reputation precedes it: long in development, company bankruptcy, investor losses, challenging to fly, early accidents. With an introduction like that, who would think this micro plane would be such a positively straightforward blast to fly?
The Staaken Z-21A Flitzer
Intended as an inter-war sportplane, the VW- or Jabiru-powered Staaken Flitzer delivers the goods in both performance and agility. These planes may not appear sleek, but they’re a blast to fly.
Wag-Aero Super Sport
The easy-to-build, high-wing Wag-Aero Super Sport CUBy combines the Cubs classic looks with modern technology and materials, increasing both maximum weight and payload. Using engines of up to 150 horsepower, the Cub offers great short-field performance, high roll rates and easy glideslope control-a great option for those who cant afford vintage prices.
In Case You Missed It
Flight Review: Falken Avionics iPad-based EFIS
By now, the Apple iPad has established itself as a strong utility player in many aircraft, most often running as a so-called electronic flight bag (EFB) to display moving maps, charts, weather and traffic. But Falken Avionics’ Flight View system has a different take on putting Apple’s tablet to use—as a primary instrument.
Light Stuff
Roy Beisswenger takes a look at the maintenance requirements for the lighter side of aviation including ultralights and Light Sport Aircraft.
To Launch a Light Sport
Bob Fritz finds that in the midst of making progress, the build process has its own value. Here, he walks through the process of designing and installing an on-board fire extinguisher system for his Jabiru J250, and offers a few tips for locating holes and installing the wings.
Antennas According to Jim (Ch. 1)
First, let’s talk about “polarization”; there are three polarizations. The first two are easy.