![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")
Broken Tailwheel Chain Link
Tailwheels and their associated linkage should be carefully preflighted. Here’s a partially broken tailwheel chain link that has the potential to cause a complete...
A Pea Sea Bored?
Text and phonetically, yes. But if you will sit down, fasten your seat belt tight and just hold on, I will show you how...
Fly Cutting a Cove With a Boring Head
Fly cutting is a great way to put a “finish” on a flat and true face. The sweeping tool marks are not only instantly...
Homemade Open-End Wrench
Anyone who knows me is familiar with my love of homemade tools. It comes from my dad. He was a blacksmith in my youth,...
Those Rivet Holes
In a prior Plane and Simple article (“Debunking Deburring,” March 2023), we discussed the importance of removing the burrs created by drilling holes in...
Terms of the Trade
I’ve been a teacher most of my life, but my first paid gig in 1967 was teaching avionics (aviation electronics) at a community college...
Out-of-Date Hoses
As the fleet ages, many owners and builders forget to check the date codes on rubber hoses, especially in the engine compartment. Rubber hoses,...
In Case You Missed It
A Bit About Blades
Like a wing, a propeller blade is characterized by its area, planform, and airfoil cross section.
Firewall Forward: Engine Controls
Here's what you need to know to get your engine controls—propeller, throttle, mixture, carburetor heat, cabin heat—placed correctly and working properly.