![[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")
Soul of the Machine
Paul Dye argues that there is more between man and machine than just the hardware.
Light Stuff
Roy Beisswenger takes over the Light Stuff column this month, and quickly shows why hes the right man for the job.
Completion Secrets
Selecting the right build location, having a solid plan and making a realistic budget are just a few of the things you can do to keep your project on track.
Dressing Up an RV-12
Van’s RV-12 builder Dave Martin was inspired to add wheelpants to his airplane after seeing the company prototype with them.
Avionics Special: Garmins G3X Engine Monitoring System
Ponying up for the engine-monitoring portion of Garmins G3X EFIS suite requires careful consideration, but the result is a truly integrated solution. By Marc Cook.
Engine Beat
Do-it-yourself tips for how to keep those all-important plugs sparking clean. By Steve Ells.
Ask the DAR
Can a homebuilt whose core is a certified airplane fuselage ever be seen as an Experimental?
Aero ‘lectrics
Jim Weir offers a solution for how to regain reception when your rubber ducky antenna fails.
In Case You Missed It
Aero ‘lectrics
Next winter, keep your aviation supplies from freezing with this DIY temperature sensor.
All About Avionics
Todays homebuilt aircraft avionics packages often incorporate a number of boxes behind the panel, all requiring a particular type of wiring to go with them (not to mention all the other power draws such as lights, flap motors, etc.). Its advisable, then, to consider the length and nature of the wiring to be included in your project from the moment you start building. Avionics techno Stein Bruch explains the how and why of managing the wiring requirements for your aircraft.
