![[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")
What’s New
Sportys offers cockpit accessories, Patterson Aerosales introduces a new engine from Italy, and the single-place Onex prototype from Sonex flies. Edited by Mary Bernard.
Sebring at Seven
Now in its seventh year, the Light Sport Aircraft Expo, which gathers enthusiasts together each spring in Sebring, Florida, is still going strong. By Dave Martin.
Safety Is No Accident: Buying a Previously Owned, Flying Homebuilt
Ron Wanttaja looks at the accident data to determine whether its safer to buy than build an Experimental, and he identifies the key factors to ensuring a successful outcome.
The Dawn Patrol
Dick Starks reminisces about the aviation luminaries The Dawn Patrol has been privileged to meet at the annual Salute to Veterans Air Show.
Light Stuff
When you purchase a new light or ultralight aircraft, you should talk to the manufacturer or distributor about the flight training services they provide. By Roy Beisswenger.
Letters
Cub for the Linemen
In your Cub Comparison story (March 2011), the author mentioned that he had trouble shoehorning his 6-foot-3 frame into planes, and...
Wind Tunnel
How do the power-to-weight ratio, wing loading, drag effects and propeller choices affect an aircrafts climb rate and climb angle?
The State of Auto Conversions
We take a look at the current auto-engine conversions for homebuilt aircraft. By Patrick Panzera.
Pilot Proficiency
If you've spent years building instead of flying, type-specific training before that all-important first flight in your homebuilt is a must.
Hamming It Up
Amateur radio enthusiast Chuck Deiterich explains how pilots can use the Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) to track their flights and stay in touch with loved ones for a modest investment.
In Case You Missed It
Poison Alert
On January 20, 2022, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) petitioned the FAA with...
Record Opportunities
Disqualified from flying under the U.K.s strict aeromedical requirements, Steve Wood has nonetheless made a life of piloting his own airplane and promoting aviation while acquiring numerous world records along the way.
Which Fabric Are You Going To Use?
If you are building a fabric-covered aircraft, you have multiple fabrics to choose from:...
