Building Trust—Reliability vs. Redundancy
It is hard to fly without a little trust. Call it faith if you will, but we fundamentally can’t leave the ground without some...
Let’s Get Dirty
Some—perhaps even many—pilots of Experimental aircraft never operate their artfully homebuilt aircraft on any runway surface not considered “improved,” meaning asphalt or concrete. That’s...
Help! You Need Somebody
This topic came to me in a dream, probably triggered by a New Year’s Eve chili-and-pumpkin pie-eating binge. Still, it’s rooted in reality, and...
A Guide to Guides
While it never feels good to be stuck in the ribs, when you deserve it, it hurts even worse. That was our feeling when...
Fleeting Thoughts
When we talk about Experimental/Amateur-Built aircraft with “regular” pilots, it’s common for the conversation to imply that our world is a mere tiny speck...
Kit Confidential—Hardware Kits
I may be guilty of sitting on this story too long. In 2003, on the eve of my employment in the kit-aircraft industry, an...
Dollars and Sense
In my decades in aviation, I have come across individuals representing a wide financial demography—from folks who could buy a Boeing with a personal...
On Mechanics
Given the benign nature of newer homebuilts and the wonders of a repairman certificate, there may be a good number of us not beholden...
Demand and Supply
We’re all tired of talking about the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m certain, but there’s no denying it’s reached into every corner of our society, impacting...
Minimax to the Rescue
It's not easy to find a tug/tow bar assembly substantial enough to handle the job adequately and still be portable enough to be carried aboard.
In Case You Missed It
Engine Mounts
Many factors go into designing and building good engine mounts, including consideration of the engines thrust line and gyroscopic precession effects. They deserve our respect.
Van’s RV-12
In typical fashion, Van’s Aircraft refused to rest on its laurels after the RV-12’s prototype debut last year, and sought to improve on an already good design. The new production airplane has changed (beyond its color), with a castering nosewheel, toe brakes instead of a grip, reshaped control sticks for better clearance, ground-adjustable seats fore and aft as well as in tilt, and the list goes on. Best of all, this day/VFR machine is still a delight to fly; by Ed Kolano.
Firewall Forward: Installing the Firewall
Author Dave Prizio describes construction of the firewall itself, including the penetrations and the tools required.