Exploring

Home equity loans, building loans, credit cards: These are only a few of the ways that one can finance an airplane building project. But beware: Each option has its benefits and disadvantages, and the wise builder will consider these carefully before signing on the dotted line; by Dave Higdon.

The Light Aircraft Manufacturers Association presented its 16th annual Presidents Award to Rotaxs Eric Tucker at Oshkosh/AirVenture this year. Tuckers history dovetails with LAMAs history, and each will play a significant role in the growing Light Sport Aircraft market; by Dave Martin.

There's always something new to be had in the field of aviation-related equipment, and this year we stay on the beaten trail and wander off of it a bit with a new EFD/MFD, a build-it-yourself headset, a readily stowable inflatable tent, a headset boom light, a digital attitude indicator, an electronic flight bag and spiffy, low-draw LED landing lights; a Staff Report.

Editor-in-Chief Marc Cook weighs the relative merits of perfectionism in building and maintaining homebuilts versus using the aircraft for its intended purpose: flying.

While he admires and uses them, author Norm Ellis laments the lack of user-friendliness in todays GPS units. Editor Marc Cook counters that argument and extols the virtues of GPSes, complications or no, and their value in the cockpit.

Getting a handle on it; by Marc Cook.

Illuminate your panel, a new EFIS, and a Subaru-based firewall-forwaard engine package; edited by Mary Bernard.

Bob Fritz reviews Sport Pilot Airplane, a new book from Carol and Brian Carpenter, which covers Light Sport Aircraft from selecting an airplane to pilot and aircraft requirements, meteorology, aerodynamics, flying characteristics, transition to new aircraft and FAA paperwork; by Bob Fritz.

Shopping for a new airplane is never easy and there is much to consider. This article details one mans purchase decision, as he systematically weighs the pros and cons of various designs and ultimately decides on the Flight Design CT; by Dave Martin.

Taking a measured, conservative approach to the development of new technologies and basing decisions on real-world experience rather than hearsay is the best way to move forward in homebuilding.