![The Hatz Biplane, NX71VH, re-engineered to be powered by a 124 hp radial engine. [Credit: Hatz Biplane Association]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Hatz-Bantam-Radial-124hp_1000004521-Topaz-Gigapixel-2x-scale.jpg?w=534&h=462&crop=1 "Airplane Almost No One Knows, Part One"){kind=tracking}
![[Credit: CubCrafters]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/DSC04228.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "CubCrafters’ New Turboprop MOSAIC LSA")
![A compact H3R Halon 1211 extinguisher, sized for a two-seat cockpit and safe on energized electrical fires. [Credit: H3R Aviation]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/mfr_H3R_A344T_Halon_1p25lb.jpg_preview-Topaz-Gigapixel-2x-scale.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Choosing the Right Cockpit Fire Extinguisher for Your Aircraft"){kind=tracking}
![The Zenith CH701 outside the hangar at SMX, fresh from paint. The stars-and-stripes theme marks America’s 250th and the CH701’s 40th anniversary. [Credit: Carson Stilson]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/IMG_1726.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Zenith CH 701: A Proof of Concept Homebuilt on a Budget")
![Low-level aerial view of AirVenture, looking down the main thoroughfare toward Boeing Plaza, with the flightline and runway 18/36 beyond. [Credit: LeRoy Cook]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/IMG_4521.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "AirVenture 2026 in Review")
Build, Test, Refine and Fix—Part 2: Taxi Testing
All aircraft testing, including taxi tests, requires planning and discipline.
Building an Addiction
The greatest of a successful builder’s attributes is an unshakable belief in tomorrow.
ScaleBirds P-36 Hawk
ScaleBirds, a newcomer to the kit manufacturing scene, chose to start their line of replica fighters with one of the first all-metal U.S. military pursuit ships of WW-II—the P-36.
Pie in the Sky
Now that the wedding is behind us and house projects have slowed, Brian and I have more time to focus on what matters most—airplanes.
James Aircraft’s State of the Art
Under new ownership, James Aircraft continues to support RV builders
Best of Both Worlds
Can we convert a certified aircraft into an Experimental so we can get the freedoms we really want?
Eating the Elephant
One person can’t imagine eating a whole elephant. It’s simply impossible. But the answer to the idiomatic question remains: one bite at a time!
The Iceman Cometh
Every pilot who has ever experienced icing conditions will remember their first time.
In Case You Missed It
Build Your Skills: Fabric
The fabric has been applied to the airplane structure, its been tightened properly, and now its time to apply the first chemical coat to seal it. Ron Alexander takes you through the process and also introduces the various ways of attaching the fabric.
Straight Floats to Amphibs
Fed up with the restrictions of being able to land on water only, builder Mervin Zinck came up with a design to add retractable gear to his floats. By Don Ledger.
Wag-Aero Sport Trainer
Builder Dave Klages’ Wag-Aero Sport Trainer remains faithful in most ways to the J-3 Cub that inspired it; by Marc Cook.