![Ten hours of dual instruction in a tailwheel-equipped aircraft is usually required for proficiency. [Credit: AdobeStock]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/AdobeStock_354747155.jpg?w=534&h=462&crop=1 "Learning How to Drag Your Tail")
![The alternative to bending down as the propeller is pulled through the compression stroke is to keep the back straight and bend the knees slightly, stepping away in a crouch. [Credit: LeRoy Cook]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/IMG_1519-scaled.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Manual Starting Methods")
![The newly-restored F-24 enjoying the morning sun. [All Images Credited to Mike Davenport]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/DSC_0001.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Golden Age Revival")
![[Credit: AdobeStock]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/AdobeStock_176619176.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Instructional Inflexibility")
Coping With Fear
Aviation, especially Experimental aviation, carries along with its benefits an intrinsic risk that is hard to completely dismiss.
Parts of the Problem
Building airplanes involves a lot of stuff, as we all have noticed by now. There are the special materials and finished goods required by...
Dispatches from Florida
There was a time when we had multiple airshows and events in a year that had at their center (or near to it) Experimental...
Light Up
When I first started construction on my RV-10 in 2007, old-school incandescent lights were making their way out of the market and LEDs were...
Terms and Conditions
“Customers are always right except in matters of money.” Those stark-but-telling words were emblazoned on a sign in the break area of a fast-food...
Flat Broke
It was just two days before standing down for an annual inspection, so I thought to take the ol’ box kite out for a...
Fueled Again
Not a moment after sending our April issue to the press, my editorial “Avgas Next Steps” became partially obsolete. In it, I said that...
A Visit With Glasair Aviation
I had a reason to fly up to Arlington, Washington, to see the current state of affairs at Glasair Aviation. As you might remember,...
Shelving Progress
By introduction to his Civilisation television series, Sir Kenneth Clark made a case for the most trustworthy window on a society being its art,...
Archive: May 1988
An impressively tight shot of the Prescott Pusher homebuilt made sure our May 1988 cover was dramatic. There, we promised a flight of the...
In Case You Missed It
Contributors
Doug Rozendaal Right place, right time. Thats Doug Rozendaals kinda luck this month. Quite...
An Icon Passes
Chris Heintz left behind a legacy of innovative, functional design and successful kit-company strategies that relied on keeping the designs simple and costs low.
Gear of the Year 2008
Most of the attendees at Oshkosh AirVenture each year seek out the latest, greatest, craziest, most innovative gear they can find, and our KITPLANES crew is no exception. This year we've come up with some brand new gadgets and some items that have escaped our attention till now but shouldn't have; a staff report.
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.