Scott Spangler
Scott Spangler A pilot since 1976, Spangler was the founding editor of Flight Training magazine. In 1999 he launched and edited NAFI Mentor for the National Association of Flight Instructors, and for seven years was editor in chief of EAA publications. As a freelancer he’s written for Air & Space Smithsonian, Overhaul & Maintenance, Aviation for Women, Twin & Turbine and a number of non-aviation titles.
The Big Toot
The Big Toot Tommy Meyer built is not the two-seat biplane his father envisioned. “It was going to be a side-by-side version of Little...
eBay Biplane
“Around 2006, I was on eBay quite a bit,” said Doug Eastman of Thornton, Colorado, looking for parts for the “first airplane I ever...
Minnesota Mission
Creating a bespoke airplane is one benefit of building from plans; when assembling a kit, builders cannot make many changes.
Fixed Formation
The Bel-Aire 4000 flies on lower wings from a Piper PA-22 Colt and upper wings from a PA-12 Super Cruiser.
In Case You Missed It
Light Stuff
Heres one instance where the sound of silence (as in no engine noise) wont signal the need to start scoping out a place to set down. The Urban Air motorglider offers a compromise that makes the best of both worlds: fuel-efficient powered cruising and exciting powered-off soaring.
Build, Test, Refine and Fix—Part 1: Ground Tests
At some point, a configuration of the airplane is frozen, a prototype is built and testing begins.