![Careful planning and determination will get you to your goal of building and flying your own airplane. [Credit: AdobeStock]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Pulsar-Sunset.jpg?w=534&h=462&crop=1 "Last Bits")
![[Credit: AdobeStock]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/AdobeStock_262642207_AGCuesta.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Winging It")
![Lowell Farrand spent years serving as an FAA DAR and is in the EAA Hall of Fame. He offers sound advise to builders. [Credit: Bill Wilson]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/unnamed-4.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Think Like a Builder")
![The 160 hp turbocharged Rotax 916iS is a four-stroke piston engine with redundant electronic fuel injection and ignition. [Credit: BPR Rotax]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/PIC_916-iS_iSc-2.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "2026 Engine Buyer’s Guide")
![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")
Letters
Lam Best Many of us know portable radios work poorly in many aircraft. But never before have I seen the reasons behind it...
Here Comes the Judge
How do aircraft judges at the big annual events evaluate a potential prizewinner? You might be surprised. By Bill Repucci.
Give Me a Brake
When his Zenith CH 701 wouldn't stay put during runup and tended to roll on an incline, builder Chuck Deiterich came up with a do-it-yourself solution.
Ask the DAR
DAR Mel Asberry continues his discussion of aircraft operating limitations by looking at why we do what we do during those important Phase I tests.
Aero ‘lectrics
Jim Weir takes a look at the performance of a DIY ground-plane antenna versus a factory-built rubber duckie on a handheld GPS receiver.
Wind Tunnel
Involved in the flight testing of a friends aircraft, Barnaby Wainfan contemplates the consequences (and wisdom) of designing an aircraft around an engine that may prove unsatisfactory or, worse, unavailable.
Prefab Choices
If you're contemplating buying a used homebuilt, consider the mission, find a mentor, review the logbooks and, most importantly, take your time. By Marc Cook.
Time to Vent
When it comes to fuel-tank vents, there is a wide variety of choices. We look at the basic types and consider their relative merits.
In Case You Missed It
Dare To Be Bare
After checking with a variety of aluminum polishing aficionados, author Bob Fritz came up with a winning combination for maintaining the shine on metal airplanes. He details not only which products to use, but also how to use them for maximum effectiveness with minimal elbow grease.
Cooling Outlet Design
The design must focus on sufficiently cooling the engine while minimizing drag.