![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=534&h=462&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")
![sideview shows the Better Half with the full VW case. [Credit: Legal Eagle Airplane]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Milholland-V-Twin_Side-View.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Better Half VW")
Go Around
I just returned from my annual airline recurrent AQP, or Advanced Qualification Program, training. (We sure are an industry and avocation of acronyms.) One...
In-Flight Weather: Practice for Survival
This was going to get ugly.
Crossing southern Louisiana in the middle of the afternoon in late May is never pretty. Today was going to...
The One True Airspeed
True airspeed is coy. It hides behind the more obvious speeds who tart themselves up with a meaningless facade. It’s never overt. It makes...
On Getting Dark
Tyrants make memorable flight instructors, a good thing when the lessons being imparted need remembering. And I must say, my primary flight instructor was...
Statistics, Lies and Damn Lies…
Aviation is a numbers game. We fly the airplane by the numbers, we use numbers to navigate and we have to deal with numbers...
Headset Histrionics
I logged my first official instructional flight on June 17, 1975, at age 15. I already had my private and an instrument rating before...
What Capability Are You Building Toward?
New home, new airport—they present an opportunity to learn. This learning has been especially acute since the beginning of the year and my move...
The Decision to Polish
To quote a friend, “When you paint, the aircraft will never look better than when it leaves the paint shop. When you polish, it...
On Thanksgiving
One of the compelling reasons to aviate is it can demand the ultimate payment, and with an impartiality Hemingway appreciated. That alone elevates flying...
Small Screens, Big Deal
Just as we wrapped up our big-screen EFIS buyer’s guide in this issue, Garmin released its new GI 275. I’d heard rumors that Garmin,...
In Case You Missed It
Light Stuff
Roy Beisswenger takes a look at the maintenance requirements for the lighter side of aviation including ultralights and Light Sport Aircraft.
Light Stuff
Columnist Dave Martin introduces us to the new Eagle SLSA, whose high-wing configuration and yoke controls may immediately fit many pilots comfort zone.
Carving Fiberglass the Easy Way
Shaping fiberglass parts might be messy, but it doesn't need to be hard. When...