Matt Johnson
Matt Johnson is a private pilot who is currently building his first kit aircraft, a Van’s RV-7A. He is the C.T.O. for a technology firm and lives with his wife, Melissa, and two kids in San Antonio, Texas.
The Garage Mahal
If the RV-7 turns out half as well as the workshop in which it is being built, itll be a winner. By Matt Johnson.
In Case You Missed It
Van’s RV-12
In typical fashion, Van’s Aircraft refused to rest on its laurels after the RV-12’s prototype debut last year, and sought to improve on an already good design. The new production airplane has changed (beyond its color), with a castering nosewheel, toe brakes instead of a grip, reshaped control sticks for better clearance, ground-adjustable seats fore and aft as well as in tilt, and the list goes on. Best of all, this day/VFR machine is still a delight to fly; by Ed Kolano.
Here We Go Again
Looking ahead to the aircraft kits and plans—for airplanes and rotorcraft—available for 2025