Dave Prizio
Dave Prizio has been plying the skies of the L.A. basin and beyond since 1973. Born into a family of builders, it was only natural that he would make his living as a contractor and spend his leisure time building airplanes. He has so far completed four—two GlaStars, a Glasair Sportsman, and a Texas Sport Cub—and is helping a friend build an RV-8. When he isn’t building something, he shares his love of aviation with others by flying Young Eagles or volunteering as an EAA Technical Counselor. He is also an A&P mechanic, Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR), and was a member of the EAA Homebuilt Aircraft Council for six years.
Becoming a Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR)
The long road to issuing airworthiness certificates.
Preparing for Your First Flight
The paperwork, the plane, and the pilot must come together for success.
Dry Tappet Clearance
A flat (standard) tappet disassembled into its various parts. Note that the tappet body (shown on right) cannot be removed without splitting the...
Torque Plates
Torque plates are installed before any cylinders go on at the Lycoming engine school. Then they are removed one at a time just...
In Case You Missed It
Industry Report: What’s Up With LSAs?
Four years after SLSAs were approved by the FAA, dozens of companies producing more than 100 aircraft models have qualified as SLSAs. Dave Martin examines the state of the industry in light of the current economic climate.
Wind Tunnel
This month well look at another complex interaction between aerodynamics and aircraft structures that can cause structures to fail: fabric flutter.
Second Chance Six
Part 7: Did you know that trailering an airplane across town is an all-day event? I didn’t.