Magazine

Editor-in-Chief Marc Cook weighs the relative merits of perfectionism in building and maintaining homebuilts versus using the aircraft for its intended purpose: flying.

While he admires and uses them, author Norm Ellis laments the lack of user-friendliness in todays GPS units. Editor Marc Cook counters that argument and extols the virtues of GPSes, complications or no, and their value in the cockpit.

 Com Radio FeedbackDear Stein Bruch: Just read your article in the August 2007 KITPLANES . Nice work! A couple of quick comments: The Garmin...

Doug Rozendaal brings his considerable experience to a discussion of flight handling characteristics and his favorite aircraft. Among the factors designers consider are stability, control response, feel, personal preferences, FAA requirements, stick force, center of gravity, center of pressure, and the flight envelope. Every design is a compromise.

After checking with a variety of aluminum polishing aficionados, author Bob Fritz came up with a winning combination for maintaining the shine on metal airplanes. He details not only which products to use, but also how to use them for maximum effectiveness with minimal elbow grease.

As the project is completed and is readied for its flight home, the author reflects on the challenges he overcame and the lessons he learned during the build; by Rick Lindstrom.

Raconteur and avid WW-I-era airplane enthusiast Dick Starks regales us with tales of innovation and resourcefulness when he attempts to measure the pull of his and his compadres VW powerplants.

Author Bob Fritz explains how to set up a vacuum-bagging operation in your home shop, using readily available equipment and supplies, which will get you great results on small- to medium-size parts. The object is to mechanically squeeze out excess epoxy for a good-ratio part with maximum weight savings and strength.

Builders share their successes.

In his continuing series, author Bob Fritz discusses the ins and outs of threads including how to avoid seizing, types of threads, sizing, drilling holes, using a tap-drill chart, and matching fastener dimensions.