Marc Cook
Marc Cook is a veteran special-interest journalist who started as a staffer at AOPA Pilot in the late 1980s. Marc has built two airplanes, an Aero Designs Pulsar XP and a Glasair Aviation Sportsman, and now owns a 180-hp, recently modernized GlaStar based in western Oregon. Marc has 5000 hours spread over 200-plus types and four decades of flying.
Viewfinder
Marc Cook considers the relevance of airworthiness directives for homebuilders and reflects on what he learned about the current homebuilt market at Sun ’n Fun.
Inside KITPLANES: Flight Review Procedures
KITPLANES has a system for conducting flight reviews of airplanes, much like homebuilders may (or should) when they are considering which project to build. Editor-at-Large Marc Cook takes you through the evaluation process.
Zenith CH 650 B
With the UL Power 350iS engine and other mods, the new CH 650 B has advanced Zenith Aircrafts product line. By Marc Cook.
Engine Update
UL Power engines have gained popularity in the homebuilt community in recent years. Marc Cook takes a closer look at the Belgian-made line and the people behind it.
So, You Want to Work at Scaled?
Here's your chance. Scaled Composites, the famous Mojave, California-based aerospace pioneer, is hosting a career day on April 21, 2012. Scaled will "open its...
Viewfinder
Editor-at-Large Marc Cook flies the RANS S-7LS at the U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida, and hears encouraging news from vendors.
2012 Engine Buyer’s Guide
In Part 1 of our 2012 Engine Buyer’s Guide, Marc Cook explores what’s currently available in traditional powerplants, and why such engines might be the best choice for your homebuilt aircraft needs.
Viewfinder
By getting an up-close look at the Sandberg reporting station in Southern California, Editor-at-Large Marc Cook finds out why the weather there is almost always worse than it is anywhere else in the L.A. basin.
Fabric, Demystified and Non-Toxic
Marc Cook takes part in a three-day, fabric-covering course offered by Stewart Systems, learns about the company's water-based product line, and picks up a few pointers along the way.
Kitfox Super Sport
Marc Cook reports on the process of developing a new Lycoming O-233 engine package for the Kitfox Series 7 Super Sport and samples the result.
In Case You Missed It
Wheeler Express—Yesteryear’s Homebuilts
The Wheeler Express dazzled with sleek performance and bold promises but ultimately struggled with stability issues and company misfortunes.
Aero ‘lectrics
You have your off-grid hangar on a solar array, but how to harness its power? Thats what Columnist Jim Weir tackles this month, with an array that tracks the sun to maximum effect.
Build Your Skills: Composites (Part 7)
Author Bob Fritz explains how to set up a vacuum-bagging operation in your home shop, using readily available equipment and supplies, which will get you great results on small- to medium-size parts. The object is to mechanically squeeze out excess epoxy for a good-ratio part with maximum weight savings and strength.
The Cost to Build
When a kit airplane or plans purveyor provides an estimated cost to complete a project, consider it with a wary eye that's tempered with real-world experience.