![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")
Opening Aluminum Angle
It is not uncommon when building an aluminum airplane to need to adjust the finished angle of an aluminum extrusion a bit. Closing up...
Riveting Aileron Skins
I was assembling the ailerons for my RV-7A and reached a point where I needed to rivet the leading and trailing edge skins to...
In Case You Missed It
Cracked Landing Gear Weldment
Landing gear sockets should be checked regularly for those who fly off of grass...
Homebuilt Accidents: Evaluating Engines
Statistics show traditional certified engines have the best reliability.
The Case of Electrical Dropouts
Electrical gremlins can be tough to track down. This month’s case involved a non-builder...