![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")
Wanted: Engine Competition
Imagine a time not too long ago when pilots embarking on the delicious endeavor to build their own airplanes could consider multiple sources for just about any engine on the menu.
Precious Metal
My wedding might not make it into Vogue, but I’ll be damned if it doesn’t make it into KITPLANES!
The “Flying by Feel” Fallacy
Smart pilots embrace tools like AoA systems to reduce risk—not ego-driven notions of flying solely 'by feel.'
Here We Go Again
Looking ahead to the aircraft kits and plans—for airplanes and rotorcraft—available for 2025
Homespun Router Table
I’m drawn to the simple, low-cost end of the airplane market. The first airplane I bought plans for was the Evans VP-1. The first...
Venturing the Cup
Started in 1997 by Eric Whyte and Erik Anderson, the AirVenture Cup offers its own twist on the traditional point-to-point air race. Namely, it...
Flapjacks and Fly-Ins
One of the most enjoyable and useful “tools” is membership in a local chapter of the EAA.
Let Me Down Easy
Emergency Glide is a valuable tool to give the pilot some breathing room to troubleshoot in the air and have the controlled descent handled by the EFIS.
In Case You Missed It
Design Process: The Rudder
The fixed portion of the vertical tail of an airplane provides directional stability. The...
