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.
Shenanigans
”Experimental Two Sierra X-Ray, Oshkosh Tower, you are clear for touch-and-goes on any runway. Enjoy.”
That is one of a handful of ATC communications that...
In Case You Missed It
The Back Yard Flyer
When Dick and Sharon Starks found that Sharon's Airdrome Aeroplanes Morane Saulnier L Parasol replica was TPd at Oshkosh, the search was on to find the culprits. Along the way, they also discovered an innovative new ultralight from Valley Engineering;
Engine Beat
There's a lot to know about aircraft oil: what to use, when to use it, when to change it. Steve Ells sheds some light on this essential fluid.
