![[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")
Letters
Fish TalesConcerning Dean Sigler’s “Alternative Energies” article , he got one item wrong. Hydroelectric generators do not routinely “slice migrating salmon in their turbines.”...
New to Homebuilding?
With so many options available, how can you choose a kit aircraft to build? From financing to storage to operating costs (and don’t forget insurance), a few factors can point you to a project that will fit your needs. By Scott “Sky” Smith.
Amateur-Built Aircraft Safety Study
Ron Wanttaja digs into the details of the NTSBs safety study on Experimental/Amateur-Built aircraft to determine whether we got a fair shake. He also discusses its recommendations for the FAA and EAA.
Ready to Build?
You can begin your aircraft project right now—before even deciding on a kit. Here are 10 ways to get ready to build.
Firewall Forward: Fuel Systems
Simplicity is key in a good fuel system, but there's a lot to consider when creating even an uncomplicated setup, from primers to sniffle valves to gascolators.
Free Flight
Surprisingly, building a metal aircraft may also mean getting familiar with fiberglass. Here are some tips to make that portion of the build less painful.
Build It Better: Learning from History
Everything we know about aviation comes from the experience of designers, builders and pilots who came before us. Understanding their successes and failures can help us fly and build more safely.
Aero ‘lectrics
Don’t waste $250: Here’s all you need to know to install an inexpensive kitchen clock as a timer on your plane’s instrument panel.
Wind Tunnel
Nine simple rules, distilled from years of experience (making—and fixing—assorted mistakes), can help any aircraft designer avoid disaster.
In Case You Missed It
Contributors
Chuck Bodeen Chucks background is as an aerospace engineer and computer programmer. His love for...
Control Rod Interference
This was discovered on the initial airworthiness inspection on a Kitfox. No pitch...
Aero ‘lectrics
Its time to revisit the DIY wind tee project-but with improvements fueled by experience.
