News from Sun n Fun
Attendance may have been down a bit with the slumping economy, but that didn't stop innovators from introducing new products for homebuilt aviation. A Staff Report.
Letters
Sawtooth MythIn his article All About Avionics: EFIS Dreams Stein Bruch complains about the sawtooth altitude display on MGLs color EFIS. What he fails...
Around the Patch
Editor-in-Chief Marc Cook takes a moment to put lifes challenges in perspective as Senior Editor Bob Fritz enters the fight of his life with his characteristic positive attitude.
What’s New
CubCrafters ships CarbonCub kits; Forward Visions EVS-100 system will be available in RotorWay Experimental/Amateur-Built helicopters; and MotoPOD will produce cargo pods to haul a street-legal motorcycle underneath the RV-10. Edited by Mary Bernard.
Report from Friedrichshafen
625 exhibitors in 11 exhibit halls? Amy Laboda was up for it at AERO Friedrichshafen, Germanys extravaganza of a trade show. Engines of all kinds were the order of the day.
Product Review: Wicks Adel Clamp Pliers
No hangar assistants or third hand to wrangle those tricky wiring or tubing installations using Adel clamps? Wicks has come up with the perfect kit to help. By Marc Cook.
SPOT, Checked
Navigation expert Langley R. Muir, Ph.D.s in-depth study of the SPOT Personal Tracker reveals its capabilities…and what you need to know to use it most effectively.
Designer Spotlight: Lawrence B. Sperry
Amy Laboda takes a look at the life of inventor Lawrence Sperry, whose childhood fascination with a spinning top led to his development of critical flight control systems...and even the aircraft seat belt.
The Price of Power
More power! Bob Fritz takes a close look at what makes batteries go, what kind is best for your plane, and how to get the most out of your battery.
In Case You Missed it
Maintenance Matters
Veteran A&P Steve Ells explains the basics of setting up and organizing your home workshop, and the tools you'll need to complete and maintain your project.
Wind Tunnel
The way lift is distributed along a wing's span affects both the structure and its aerodynamics.
All About Avionics, Part 9
One of the final steps in getting your avionics suite to work is installation of some sort of antenna to capture various radio frequencies. Failing to choose the right antenna and install it properly can compromise the whole installation. Rather than focusing on the intricacies of antenna design, the author discusses the merits of internal versus external for particular equipment plus where to place them; by Stein Bruch