Marc Cook
KITPLANES Editor in Chief Marc Cook has been in aviation journalism for 30 years. He is a 4500-hour instrument-rated, multi-engine pilot with experience in nearly 150 types. He’s completed two kit aircraft, an Aero Designs Pulsar XP and a Glasair Sportsman 2+2, and currently flies a 2002 GlaStar.
So Long, Smokey: Rotax Discontinues 582 Engine
When the four-cylinder, four-stroke Rotax 912 hit the market in 1989, few industry watchers predicted it would signal the end of the two-stroke engine....
ATS E50A Magneto Synchronizer
Aircraft Tool Supply made some seemingly small but useful updates to this magneto synchronizer.
Van’s Announces Management Changes
Van’s Aircraft has shifted its management staff, saying it is “the right time to adjust the focus and priorities of the management team” in a year of rapidly expanding sales.
Take a Ride In a Thorp T-18
Join Phil Mandel for a walkaround description and a brief flight in his Thorp T-18 homebuilt, one of the most affordable high-performance homebuilts on...
Glasair Aviation to Restart With Kits, Not Two Weeks to Taxi
Glasair Aviation is planning to emphasize kit sales and production first and restart TWTT later.
An Icon Passes
Chris Heintz left behind a legacy of innovative, functional design and successful kit-company strategies that relied on keeping the designs simple and costs low.
Barriers to Entry
Sometimes, when using shorthand in our conversations about Experimental aviation, we use the term “barriers to entry” primarily in the context of money. And...
GlaStar Walkaround with Amy White
New GlaStar owner Amy White describes what it's like to own and fly this popular homebuilt aircraft. Ride along as she offers her first-hand...
EAA Interview: Looking Ahead To Task-Based Phase I Flight Testing
We talk with EAA's Sean Elliott and Tom Charpentier about the proposed changes to Experimental Phase I flight test.
Zenair Founder Chris Heintz Passes
Prolific aircraft designer and founder of Zenair Chris Heintz has died. According to Zenith Aircraft, “Chris died peacefully at his home in Southern France...
In Case You Missed it
Orso dItalia
While its not exactly a Cub clone, Groppos new Trail kit shares some of the same DNA as Pipers classic. By Paul Bertorelli.
Unusual Attitude
Oshkosh AirVenture gave Ed Wischmeyer the opportunity to look around at the newest ideas in aviation and to think about the larger implications of what he was seeing. He speculates about what works, what doesn't and how manufacturers and consumers alike could make the world of flying a better place.
