Headlong For Headers
Tom Wilson, an avowed hot rodder, details his foray into the world of custom exhausts and the performance gains found on his Lycoming IO-540.
Firewall Forward: Choosing Your Engine
Many factors go into choosing the right engine for your homebuilt. In Part 1 of this new series, Dave Prizio provides an overview of the options available in Lycoming and Lycoming-type engines, and what you need to consider when making a decision.
Free Flight
Perfection is unattainable for most builders, yet it is what many strive for. Paul Dye posits that sometimes “good enough” may be just what you need to finally get out of the shop and into flying.
The Dawn Patrol
Dick and Sharon Starks help a fellow member of The Kansas City Dawn Patrol ready his WW-I replica aircraft—a Mariner amphibian in 1918 Curtiss Seagull livery—for its FAA airworthiness inspection.
Build It Better: What’s Your Backup Plan?
The word “redundancy” is often heard in aviation, and with good reason. But a well-thought-out backup plan involves more than just having two of everything.
Ask The DAR
DAR Mel Asberry answers a reader’s question regarding the Experimental/Amateur-Built eligibility of an airplane he’s building with parts salvaged from a Cessna 175.
Super Cub Kit Comparison
Super Cubs are beloved by many a backcountry adventurer, and several kits offer options to meet the demand of builders interested in these sturdy workhorses.
Understanding Experimental Light Sport Aircraft
Dave Martin explains the different designations of factory-built and Experimental Light Sport Aircraft and how they continue to evolve.
All About Avionics
Stein Bruch explains how bringing smart phones and tablets, with a bevy of aviation apps, into the cockpit have helped him become a better—and safer—pilot.
Finding the Source
While on a routine technical counselor consultation, Paul Dye discovered hidden treasure: Richard VanGrunsven’s original RV-1. He details a bit about its history and preparations for its planned tour this summer.
In Case You Missed it
Designing Minds
You've invested thousands of hours building your airplane, and now its time to pick a paint design that will show off all that hard work to best effect. But how do you go about selecting one of innumerable designs? Susan Brunner offers some tips on not only how to narrow the field, but also how to make sure you get the paint job you envisioned.
Safety Is No Accident: Buying a Previously Owned, Flying Homebuilt
Ron Wanttaja looks at the accident data to determine whether its safer to buy than build an Experimental, and he identifies the key factors to ensuring a successful outcome.
