![Maintenance technician William Vergonet conducts an inspection on a Cub. [Credit: Lisa Turner]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/IMG_3535.jpg?w=534&h=462&crop=1 "Post-Flight Maintenance Debrief")
![Pat McKiernan has found that he and his dad who built this beautiful RV-7 simply learned to enjoy the build. [Credit: Bill Wilson]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Builder.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Life Lessons From Building an Airplane")
![[Credit: AdobeStock]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/AdobeStock_51865118.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "FAA MOSAIC Rule Fully Implemented")
![My 36 year old clipboard from when I started at Boeing. Engineering ruler and fastener/fastener hole cheat sheets. [Credit: Andrew Robinson]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Liaison_clipboard.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "What Is a Liaison Engineer?")
![At Sun ‘n Fun 2026, Viking Aircraft Engines surprised the crowd with its first complete kit — the V-42, a high-wing twin powered by two Honda-based engines. Here’s an early look. [Credit: Andrew Robinson]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/P1020293.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Viking V-42 Twin")
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.
It Pays To Heed Convention
Barnaby Wainfan looks at unconventional flight-control configurations in the cockpit and why they can throw even a seasoned pilot.
Building on a Budget
Building his VW-powered Zenith CH 701 taught Wayne Clagg a lot about the consequences of powerplant choices… and much more.
2011 Engine Buyer’s Guide
We take another look at the current offerings of traditional aircraft engines. Compiled by Marcie Moody with text by Marc Cook.
Flight Review: Return of the Ultralight
A few hours piloting the Belite may make you reconsider your preconceived notions about ultralight aircraft. By Ed Wischmeyer.
Around the Patch
Editor-in-Chief Marc Cook discusses his recent visit to a Zenith Aircraft factory workshop where he had the pleasure of flying some airplanes and pulling some rivets.
What’s New
New landing lights from AeroLEDs, a lightweight headset from MGL, the electric Waiex makes its first flight, and FatBoy offers throttle quadrants for Vans RV kit aircraft. Edited by Mary Bernard.
Safety Is No Accident: Fatality Rates for Homebuilt Aircraft
The accident fatality rate for homebuilt aircraft is higher than the GA rate, but why?
In Case You Missed It
Take a Ride In a Thorp T-18
Join Phil Mandel for a walkaround description and a brief flight in his Thorp...
Build, Test, Refine and Fix—Part 3: High-Speed Taxi Testing
High-speed taxi testing requires precise control, detailed planning and cautious execution as speeds approach stall and rotation thresholds.
Light Stuff
This years Sebring Expo was a harbinger of the future for Light Sport Aircraft, and it appears relatively steady. By Dave Martin.