Flight Reports

Part Husky, part Cub, the Bearhawk Patrol evokes 1940s-era shapes but with the benefit of today’s advanced manufacturing. By Chuck Berthe.

Builder Dave Klages’ Wag-Aero Sport Trainer remains faithful in most ways to the J-3 Cub that inspired it; by Marc Cook.

A few hours piloting the Belite may make you reconsider your preconceived notions about ultralight aircraft. By Ed Wischmeyer.

Amazing STOL performance in a plane you can live with every day.

In typical fashion, Van’s Aircraft refused to rest on its laurels after the RV-12’s prototype debut last year, and sought to improve on an already good design. The new production airplane has changed (beyond its color), with a castering nosewheel, toe brakes instead of a grip, reshaped control sticks for better clearance, ground-adjustable seats fore and aft as well as in tilt, and the list goes on. Best of all, this day/VFR machine is still a delight to fly; by Ed Kolano.

Bob Grimstead offers an appreciation of the VariEze and its designer, Burt Rutan. Both the man and the design were ahead of their time.

A closer look at the “Version 1.5” Sportsman.

Ten years of meticulous workmanship and a daughters dedication combined to result in a stellar example of a Sequoia Falco F.8L. Builder John Shipler enjoyed the fruits of his labor before his health declined, and his daughter Kris has continued to fly and maintain the airplane after his passing.

Marc Cook reports on the process of developing a new Lycoming O-233 engine package for the Kitfox Series 7 Super Sport and samples the result.

Seemingly two peas in a pod are the GlaStar and its factory-built derivative, the OMF Symphony. We flew both of these wonderful two-seat aircraft to get a handle on what either FAR Part 23 certification or the freedom of homebuilding means to those facing such a delectable decision. By Ed Wischmeyer