![Lowell Farrand spent years serving as an FAA DAR and is in the EAA Hall of Fame. He offers sound advise to builders. [Credit: Bill Wilson]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/unnamed-4.jpg?w=534&h=462&crop=1 "Think Like a Builder")
![Author Bill Wilson takes a break from measuring and cutting the Lexan windshield during his Onex build. [All Images Credit to Bill Wilson]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/image-2.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Think Like A Builder")
Breaking Bead
This month’s home shop project is a bead breaker for separating stubborn tires from rims.
Where’s the Best Place To Build?
You and your airplane kit deserve a comfortable workshop area for the many days of building that lie ahead. If you are a first-time...
Common In-Flight Failures, Part 2
This column is a continuation of common in-flight failures that I began discussing in the September 2024 issue. With today’s glass cockpits and all...
Unlabeled Switch and Circuit Breakers
For safety’s sake, all switches and circuit breakers should be labeled as to function and direction.
In Case You Missed It
What You Should Know About Screwdrivers
Screwdrivers come in many shapes and sizes. Wikipedia lists some 42 different types of...
Ask the DAR
Selling a project, Sport Pilot-eligible aircraft, recycling an N-number, Phase I testing.
Around the Patch
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.