![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=534&h=462&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")
![[Credit: AdobeStock]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/AdobeStock_125628775.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Roll Recovery, Part 2")
Kerosene Dreams
Designer John Monnett has been waiting more than three decades for his SubSonex very short-winged glider to take off, and now it just might.
More Than You Bargained For
It doesn't take a fortune to get a homebuilt aircraft completed and flying, and we look at a few designs that prove the point. By Marc Cook and Mary Bernard.
Fly By Night
Equipping your homebuilt aircraft for night flight has become both more complicated and more flexible thanks to a wide variety of LED lighting solutions. By Mary Bernard.
Cover Story: Carpet and Panels
Now that you've fabricated your seat upholstery, its time to tackle the rest of the interior with a look at carpeting and door panels.
Europa Returns!
Europa Aircraft is gearing up for the future with new leadership, a larger, more sophisticated manufacturing facility, and a sales force on the move.
Around the Patch
Editor in Chief Marc Cook finds himself in the unique position of being able to compare performance of his GlaStar Sportsman with two different Hartzell props.
What’s New
DRE has a new ANR headset, Approach Fast Stack Pro-G Hub is issued a PMA, and the Hummingbird heli quickbuild kit gets FAA approval.
Alternate Pitch Control
When elevator control is lost, there are ways to get the plane on the ground safely using power and trim.
Fuelventure 400
Last years Copperstate Fly-In was the occasion for a race where speed was only one of the factors in winning. By Patrick Panzera.
Product Review: BrightLine Pilot Bag
The BrightLine Bag is the ideal accessory for pilots who like a place for everything and everything in its place. By Marc Cook.
In Case You Missed It
Unusual Attitude
As Dick Starks rouses the Dawn Patrol, he recalls his aeronautically inspired familiarity with grain crops, and a nimble performance of the Nieuport Stomp.
Build a Bear: Keeping It Real
Dave Prizio and his Build-a-Bear crew get the Texas Sport Cub ready for flight testing, and take to the skies.
Firewall Forward: Choosing a Prop for Your Project
Wood or composite? Constant speed or fixed pitch? The choice of propeller should be made just as carefully as the choice of an engine. Dave Prizio outlines some of the important factors to consider.