![[Credit: LeRoy Cook]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/IMG_2791.jpg?w=534&h=462&crop=1 "The Safety Triangle: Balancing Skill, Knowledge, and Judgment in Flying")
![A SubSonex personal jet in aerobatic flight. Thea design will expand with a two-place model kit in the months ahead. [Credit: Sonex Aircraft]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/SubSonex_Acro.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Sonex Reopens")
![A CubCrafter’s Carbon Cub headed to Sun ‘n Fun in the time-honored tradition. [Credit: CubCrafters]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Carbon-Cub-UL.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Sun ‘n Fun 2026 Highlights: Electric RV-10, Modular Avionics, and MOSAIC")
![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=265&h=198&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")
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,...
Just In Case
I’ve participated in countless conversations with homebuilders that included the phrase, “Just in case.” The phrase is usually used while discussing flight safety scenarios...
Cutting It Short
Recidivist readers will recall last month I went on a bender over a breeze in Mojave and how a single chock saved the day....
How About a Little Prop Talk?
Here’s something new for me. Until my recently acquired GlaStar, I have never owned an airplane without an adjustable propeller. True, the Pulsar XP’s...
The Fellowship of the Wing
In the classic J.R.R. Tolkien trilogy Lord of the Rings, a small band of intrepid adventurers are sent on a near-impossible mission—to save the...
Toolcraft
The best tool for certain tasks may require a bit of ingenuity and home shop fabrication.
The purpose of this treatise is twofold. First it’s...
In Case You Missed It
Risk Tolerance
There’s only so much we can do to eliminate risk, so it becomes more about risk tolerance, which is usually different for everyone.
Flight Review: Return of the Ultralight
A few hours piloting the Belite may make you reconsider your preconceived notions about ultralight aircraft. By Ed Wischmeyer.
Hamming It Up
Amateur radio enthusiast Chuck Deiterich explains how pilots can use the Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) to track their flights and stay in touch with loved ones for a modest investment.