![[Credit: ChatGPT]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/What-did-you-miss-Topaz-Gigapixel-4x-scale.jpg?w=534&h=462&crop=1 "Last Bits"){kind=tracking}
![The best builders learn to combine both mindsets. They build like engineers but think like future mechanics. [Credit: Bill Wilson]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_0037.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Building vs. Fixing")
![[Credit: Wikimedia Commons]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/F-117_Nighthawk_Front.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Odd and Unusual Aircraft")
![After nearly 75 years, the basic Tailwind design remains sound. [Credit: LeRoy Cook]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_4636.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "The Wittman Tailwind")
![Trimming composites gets the full PPE job. [Credit: Eric Stewart]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/7-2.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "A Few of My Favorite Tools")
Rare Bird
A biplane designed in the 1920s inspires thoughts of aviations Golden Age, and for one pilot, its a perfect complement to his Aeronca Champ.
Making Peace with the Jabiru Engine
Keep it cool: That’s the secret to success with the Jabiru engine, which will reward your efforts by being a simple, powerful and smooth-running powerplant. Dave Prizio offers some suggestions for Jabiru care.
Future Fuels
Thanks to environmental regulations, court challenges and economic realities, an unleaded replacement for avgas is definitely on the horizon, but it’s still a distant horizon. Meanwhile, we still have 100LL, which remains widely available. By Paul Bertorelli.
Modern Exterior Aircraft Lighting
It’s your best way of letting other making your presence known to other pilots, so your exterior lighting system deserves careful thought and planning early on in the build process. Fortunately, there are choices for every plane and budget.
Firewall Forward: Electrical Systems, Part 1
Don’t be intimidated by the prospect of wiring—plenty of homebuilders didn’t know how to do it when they started their projects. Get yourself the right tools, then jump in and start learning. Dave Prizio outlines the basics.
Ask the DAR
What paperwork is necessary when a new owner makes an engine change? If floats are replaced with conventional gear, what does the change in gross weight mean for a plane's LSA status?
Aero ‘lectrics
If you want to keep your paint and other supplies from freezing next winter, try this relay and heater (made to work in conjunction with last month’s temperature sensor project).
Wind Tunnel
When unexpected drag is an issue, the cause could be gaps in the skin of your airplane. A simple seal might solve the problem.
Super Legend Cub
American Legends new Super Legend is almost a clone of the ever-popular Super Cub-the company even used Pipers original drawings for some of the Legends parts. The result: a well-balanced, easy-to-fly airplane, with a kit version to be released in 2013. By Paul Bertorelli.
In Case You Missed It
Aero ‘lectrics
Columnist Jim Weir has completed his solar-powered battery charger, and it works! It may not be the fastest charger, but it is certainly up to the task of keeping a battery topped off, even in winter.
Experimotive
Ben Haass STOL Zenith 801, featuring a Ford V-8 auto conversion, made quite a first impression at AirVenture 09. This month, he tells Rick Lindstrom what makes it all work.
