![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=534&h=462&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")
![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")
Is the Future Here?
For ages one of the most common laments in aviation is we’re still flying around behind ancient engines. LyConsaurs they’re called, and when in...
What Now?
Our first indication of a problem was a sudden deceleration of the airplane. The oil indications, both pressure and temperature, were deceptively normal.
Little Buddy, You Can Fly
As a design matures, more and more “upgrades” and “improvements” are thrust upon successive builders by those who have gone before. What they are thrusting, really, are opinions.
Van’s Bankruptcy Update, Next Steps
We interview Clyde Hamstreet, whose company, Hamstreet & Associates, specializes in recovering companies in distress.
Commentary: An RV Owner’s Reaction to Van’s Bankruptcy Filing
It’s worth remembering that it’s not just Van’s we’re talking about, but a whole constellation of supporting companies that make good money from RV builders.
Manufacturing Automation at CubCrafters
On a recent visit to CubCrafters to help build a Carbon Cub UL, our editor in chief got a first-hand look at the company's...
How to Calibrate Angle-of-Attack on Garmin’s G3X Touch System
For pilots who fly with modern electronic flight instruments, having access to accurate, repeatable angle-of-attack (AoA) information can be transformative. But before you can...
Remembering Reno
Aviation just wouldn’t be the same without the races…no matter where they are held.
In Case You Missed It
What’s New
The new Lancair Evolution flies, and the Aircraft Electronics Association speaks out on ADS-B implementation. The Arlington Fly-In and EAA sign new agreement, and Garmin introduces the GPSMAP 495. Aircrafters LLC is the distributor for a new overhead lighting console.
Archive: October 1997
A sleek Lancair IV-P was on our October 1997 cover along with the blurb promising an over-gulf trip from Florida to Mexico.
Weight Watchers
There is no doubt that the lighter the airplane, the better it performs and the better it generally seems to handle.