Tom Wilson
Pumping avgas and waxing flight school airplanes got Tom into general aviation in 1973, but the lure of racing cars and motorcycles sent him down a motor journalism career heavy on engines and racing. Today he still writes for peanuts and flies for fun.
Scalebirds Teases P-40 Kit After P-36 Success
Scalebirds teases P-40 kit at AirVenture—a bulkhead mock-up hints at roomy nose and post-P-36 production plans.
Sitting Up Front Again
From hot rods to homebuilts, a new editor takes the stick at KITPLANES—with steady hands, clear skies, and a love for hands-on aviation.
Snapshots From the Whirlwind
Pilots demand ADS-B privacy, sport air racing shifts to weight-based rules and affordable Oshkosh and Roswell travel tips.
BARC Gets Ready To Bite
The Biplane Air Racing Class (BARC) is back for 2025 with new rules and new racers—including two-seaters with big-block engines. Expect to see them at Roswell this September.
600 MPH Jet Racing?
A concept 600 mph jet course spotted at Roswell hints at a new level of pylon racing—think faster jets and 14-mile laps. Bring it on!
New Course, Familiar Winds: PRS Lands in Roswell
Roswell’s first Pylon Racing School offers a dry run of the new course, with light turnout, big ambitions, and plenty of dust in the air.
Mack Daddy Cassutt
Andy Mack and Leah Sanfillipo bring new life to a Cassutt racer—next stop: Roswell Pylon Racing School with Cheap Thrills.
Catching Up
Hangar tightens as a Murphy Moose build begins, sparking shop upgrades, parts hunts, and reflections on wind and freedom.
Putting Off the Tailwheel Spring Repair
After decades of delay, a cracked tailwheel spring finally forces long-overdue upgrades on a well-worn Starduster Too.
In Case You Missed It
Alternative Energies
Chip Yates is a man with a plan—to follow Lindbergh’s historic transatlantic flight in an all-electric plane. The flight’s planned for 2014; in the meantime, there are battery challenges to solve. By Dean Sigler.
Soaring with Sonex
Sonex Designer John Monnett returns to the motorglider scene with the two-place Xenos.
ELTs of Tomorrow Today
The FAA mandates the use of emergency locator transmitters so that downed aircraft can be found and assistance provided. But times are changing, and its important to understand the nature of the new technology so that you can best equip yourself; by Bob Fritz.