![[Credit: Lisa Credit]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Experimental.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Have You Seen Your Oplims?")
![[Credit: Andrew Robinson]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/737_VGs2.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Vortex Generators")
![[Credit: Van's Aircraft]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Vans_RV14A.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Something New On The Horizon")
![[Credit: Lisa Turner]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Chute-Topaz-Gigapixel-2x-scale.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Should You Consider A Whole Aircraft Parachute?"){kind=tracking}
Ask the DAR
Whats changed with the advent of the revised 51% rule? Fortunately, not as much as you might think.
Light Stuff
Having completed his Vans RV-12 ELSA, Dave Martin revisits a weekend Repairman Inspection course to prepare for his first annual condition inspection.
Letters
Tech Takeover? (Best Letter) Maybe its the general fascination with electronics these days, or maybe its just supporting good advertising revenues, but it...
Letters
Ask the Man Who Built One
A note to RANS boss Randy Schlitter: KITPLANES magazine just released the electronic version of their 2009 issue, which...
Cover Story: Designing Men
In this first installment of the upholstery series, the author looks at the basics: sewing machines, scissors, needles and thread, and more.
Aero ‘lectrics
What do you do if you need to monitor a number of audio signals, but you don't have room for an audio switching panel? Jim Weir finds the answer in a summing amplifier.
Wind Tunnel
Barnaby Wainfan offers an explanation of how tail surfaces can be subject to flutter and how to avoid the potentially disastrous result.
Seeing the Dream Through
Having earned a number of homebuilding trophies for his work constructing airplanes, Paul Muhle decides to share his experience with those who aim to win awards-or just look like they could.
In Case You Missed It
Firewall Forward: Installing the Firewall
Author Dave Prizio describes construction of the firewall itself, including the penetrations and the tools required.
Aithre Illyrian Smart Pulse Oximeter
For full-time SpO2 monitoring, stick the Illyrian under the headset and let the app do the rest.
Metal Magic: Should You Bother Priming?
Paul Dye wraps up the KITPLANES Metal Magic series with a discussion of whether...
Alternative Energies
The Grand Unified Airplane: Is it possible to extract energy from the act of flight itself? By Dean Sigler.