Stuart Fields

Whole airplane parachute systems are a viable option for homebuilts.

When I was young, dreaming of being old enough to solo, then old enough...

Columnist Dan Checkoway appreciates the flexibility of owning a homebuilt rather than a certified aircraft. On a recent condition inspection of his RV-7, he detected small cracks in the front spar of the horizontal stabilizer. A week later he was working on replacing it, without any intervention from the FAA.

In some of the impressive projects described in this issue, and the dedication and passion of their designers and builders, Editor-in-Chief Mary Bernard finds reasons to be hopeful about the future of aviation.