Magazine

Builders share their successes.

Using a real computer-assisted design (CAD) program to design your panel has multiple benefits.

Jim Weir continues the project he started last month as he attempts to bring a little intermittence to a homemade tone generator so that it will go beep, beep instead of one long beeeeeeeeep when alerting you to an out-of-norm condition.

This month Barnaby Wainfan turns his attention to the control system and how various aspects such as linkages, the elevator planform and tail aspect ratio, and trailing-edge treatments affect pitch control.

Rick Lindstrom revisits Canadas Dream Tundra, this time when its on floats. Dream Aircraft Founder Yvan Desmarais spent 10 years developing the prototype for this design, with the intention of building and kitting a better bushplane. Lindstrom says hes achieved that goal and then some.

Two builders helped each other build RV-9As, each employing significantly different outlays of cash. The results are impressive in both cases, but for different reasons. They help us ponder the question as we build: “What is something worth?” By Marc Cook.

Editor-in-Chief Marc Cook discusses the potential impact of changes to the FAAs 51% rule, which are the result of increasingly complex aircraft being constructed with the aid of builder-assistance programs.

The Jabiru LSA was certified, a new Sport Hornet is introduced, Vertical Power offers climate control in the cockpit, Cirrus is taking orders, an old favorite book title is back in print, the PT-6 firewall-forward package is now on a Turbo Grizzly, and an LED pilot pen lights the great write way; edited by Mary Bernard.

Few people have the opportunity to tour the kit manufacturers shop, let alone the manufacturing facilities of ancillary items such as engines, avionics and props. Author Bob Fritz remedies that last one by taking us on a tour of Sensenichs plant, and you'll marvel at the company's unique blend of old school and high tech.

Given the aviation accident statistics, its wise to stay sharp between flights, and one way to do that is to practice on a simulator. While that used to be cost prohibitive, todays simulators not only work well on your home computer, they offer homebuilt designs to fly; by Chuck Bodeen.