Jon Croke
As the founder of HomebuiltHELP.com, Jon Croke has produced instructional videos for Experimental aircraft builders for over 20 years. He has built (and helped others build) over a dozen kit aircraft of all makes and models. Jon is a private pilot and currently owns and flies a Zenith Cruzer.
Support Your Wings
Having constructed several high-wing aircraft kits, I can attest to the anxiety that comes from the exercise of mounting wings to the fuselage. This...
Prepare for a Charge
The battery you install in your homebuilt kit will have nearly the same kind of life as the one in your automobile. It will...
NPT and Aircraft Fittings–Don’t Get That Size Wrong!
National Pipe Thread is a U.S. standard for tapered threads, which we find on many aircraft fittings. Contrast this with straight threads, which are...
Eyes That Can See Around Corners
As builders of our own aircraft, we know there are many enclosed areas inside the fuselage and wings that may never be seen again...
Take the Glare Out of That Glareshield
Many popular aircraft kits utilize a sheet of aluminum to form the glareshield—that “shelf” located above the instrument panel and below the windshield. While...
Edging to the Rescue
Sometimes the aircraft kits we build can use a little extra help when it comes to the final fit and finish. As builders, we...
Do-It-Yourself Push-To-Talk Switch
Talking on the communication radio in your homebuilt aircraft requires a simple push-to-talk (PTT) switch—an electrical push-button switch of the momentary-contact type. This switch...
Make Your Aircraft Look Fantastic!
Who doesn't want their homebuilt aircraft to look like a million bucks?
In Case You Missed It
Return of the Turbo-Compound
Everything old is new again. Paul Lamar looks at the turbo-compound engine, developed in the post-WW-II era. Thrown over for jet engines, it may yet hold promise today as we search for more energy efficient ways to get the most out of increasingly expensive fuel.
25th Anniversary: Rutan’s Take
Burt Rutan's elegant and efficient aircraft-and spacecraft-designs are in a league of their own. Amy Laboda looks at Rutan's legacy, what he's doing now, and why he may never retire.
