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
Mark Cook revisits George Happs RANS S-19 project to see how the Rotax 914 installation has panned out.
Page Turner
Every homebuilder knows how important it is to document your build to meet the FAAs 51% rule, but how you do it can range from handwritten notebooks to custom web sites detailing every rivet and pin stripe. By Marc Cook.
Around the Patch
Marc Cook discusses the loss of Geared Drives Bud Warren and his daughter, as well as his decision to step down from his position as Editor-in-Chief.
Legacy Act
Marc Cook takes a close look at Erik Larson’s Legacy and finds out why Lancair’s rework of its seminal 200-235-320-360 design is as swoon-worthy as its predecessors.
Around the Patch
Editor-in-Chief Marc Cook discusses the magazines new approach to the Alternative Engines Buyer's Guide and the blowback from his commentary about these engines in the May issue.
Prefab Choices
If you're contemplating buying a used homebuilt, consider the mission, find a mentor, review the logbooks and, most importantly, take your time. By Marc Cook.
Around the Patch
With the endorsement of five major EFIS manufacturers, Vertical Powers new all-in-one-box VP-X controller is almost certainly assured to be a success. By Editor-in-Chief Marc Cook.
All About Avionics: EFIS Dreams 2011
The industry holds its own while waiting for the economic recovery to kick in. By Stein Bruch and Marc Cook.
News Brief: PS Engineering’s PAR100EX Audio Panel
KITPLANES talked to PS Engineering's Mark Scheuer about the new PAR100EX Experimental-class audio panel with a communication radio.
News Brief: Sebastien Heinz at Sun ‘n Fun 2011
KITPLANES talks with Zenith Aircraft's Sebastien Heintz at Sun 'n Fun 2011.
In Case You Missed It
Electronic Ignitions
As electronic ignitions become more popular, some homebuilders will want to consider making the switch (especially given the potential savings in fuel costs). Tom Wilson provides an overview of the marketplace and offers a “cost-benefit” analysis.
Safety is No Accident: Lancair Designs
Author Ron Wanttaja uses NTSB data to illustrate how Lancair designs of all varieties stand in the ratings of aircraft accidents vis--vis other homebuilts.
