Paul Lamar
Paul Lamar worked in the aerospace industry on Polaris missiles, and later took a dream job as an engineer for Chaparral Race Cars. He owns a Cessna 182 and is building a Mazda rotary-powered KIS Cruiser.
Makes You Go Hmmm
Rotary-engine enthusiast Paul Lamar details the benefits and efficiencies of using rotary power for homebuilt aircraft.
Return of the Turbo-Compound
Everything old is new again. Paul Lamar looks at the turbo-compound engine, developed in the post-WW-II era. Thrown over for jet engines, it may yet hold promise today as we search for more energy efficient ways to get the most out of increasingly expensive fuel.
In Case You Missed It
Switch Blade
Weighing just 11 pounds for a hub and three blades, the new carbon-fiber prop from Whirl Wind Propellers improves the performance in both climb and cruise on a RANS S-7.
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.
Roll Your Own
Weight and balance, taxi tests, first flights and debriefings. This is what it all comes down to when you design and build a one-of-a-kind Experimental aircraft. Happily, the airplane lives up to its builders expectations… and then some.
Editor’s Log
Mary Bernard discusses the challenges companies face when they try to improve an existing design, let alone develop a new product. The Glasair Sportsman TC is a case in point.