Kerry Fores
Kerry Fores was born and raised in Oshkosh, WI and was interested in homebuilding by age 12. Between 1998 and 2003 he scratchbuilt and polished a Sonex, which he named Metal Illness. Kerry logged nearly 500 hours in Metal Illness and was awarded Plans Built Champion at AirVenture 2006. Kerry is retired from a 21-year career at Sonex Aircraft, most of it dedicated to supporting builders. Kerry is on the web at thelifeofdanger.com.
VW Type I Engine Cases – Change is In the Air
Production of the venerable VW "Beetle" engine case quietly ended in mid-2022 and, over the next 9 months, the worldwide supply of new cases...
Homebuilts at AirVenture: All The Wright Stuff
Growing up in Oshkosh certainly exposed me to the world of aviation. When the convention landed in KOSH in 1970, I was six-years old....
Ripples
I wrote this in April to meet a May deadline for this September issue of KITPLANES®, which came out before AirVenture in July. I...
Bill Brennand Lied to Me
You’d be forgiven if you don’t recognize the name. Bill Brennand went quietly about his life yet a life so full it warrants a...
It’s Not Like You’re Building an Airplane
The skills needed to build an airplane are not unique to aviation, nor are they uncommon.
Pilot Not In Command
An audible sigh and an acceptable landing punctuated the end of a stuttering cross-country. It punctuated it on a Wednesday, however, not the previous...
The Art of Putzing About
Ahhh, putzing about. Is there anything more satisfying? Of course there is. Thousands of things, I’m sure. But like an ointment on an itch,...
Tail First
“Where did you get this?” my mom demanded, shaking a thick brown envelope at me. One that had been hidden under my mattress. I...
No One Is Watching
For better or worse, kit manufacturers are under no FAA oversight. There are no independent engineering reviews. No mandatory wing loading or landing-gear drop...
A Cautionary Tail
One Monday morning I opened an email from the second owner of a Onex. It was sent at 8:12 p.m. on Saturday. An attached...
In Case You Missed it
Vertical, Vertical and so Very Practical
So, here we are with fly-in season upon us. And fire season. And lots...
Fixed-pitch Props
A major advantage of a fixed-pitch prop is that it is lighter, simpler and cheaper than one with variable pitch.