![[Credit: Van's Aircraft]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_5238.jpg?w=534&h=462&crop=1 "Part 22 Gets Real: Van’s Delivers the First MOSAIC-Certified Airplane")
![Backcountry manners intact: the ULT sits on a grass strip with the turbine spun up, built on the STOL-capable Carbon Cub UL airframe. [Credit: CubCrafters]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Screenshot-2026-07-20-at-11.12.13-AM.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "The New Jetprop Carbon Cub")
![[All images credited to Mike Davenport]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/DSC_6716.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Glasair Sportsman 2+2, Part Two")
![Dragging it in low and slow for the STOL competition. [Credit: Andrew Robinson]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/SnF_dragging_in.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "Sun ’n Fun 2026 Recap: Avionics Upgrades, Thorp Kits, and STOL Action")
![[Credit: McFarlane Alaska]](https://www.kitplanes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/McFarlane_tailwheel.jpg?w=265&h=198&crop=1 "McFarlane Alaska Absorbs Backcountry Favorite T3 Tailwheel")
SilverLight Aviation Recon Kit
Backcountry Capability Meets Builder-Friendly Design
SilverLight Aviation is setting the homebuilt market abuzz with its Recon Airplane kit, launched nationally at Sun ’n Fun last...
Sonex Highwing Update
Practical Utility Meets Builder Flexibility
Sonex Aircraft’s new Highwing is fast becoming a phenomenon among experimental aviation enthusiasts, blending advanced utility with aerobatic handling and...
Hybrid Power: From Hype to Hardware
The VoltAero HPU 210 is a firewall-forward package that blends a supercharged Kawasaki H2SX-derived engine with a 60-kilowatt electric motor.
Zenith Homecoming 2025: Skills, Shop Tours, and Real-World Builder Knowledge
There are events that entertain, and then there are events that refuel a project.
Builder Demographics Evolve as Participation Patterns Shift
Participation in homebuilding remains strong, but the way people engage with the process is evolving, and so is the character of the community.
A Note From The New Editor
The primary focus of a new editor at a magazine like Kitplanes is where the work happens—not in an office, but in a garage,...
60 Years of Aircraft Spruce
Celebrating 60 years at AirVenture 2025, Aircraft Spruce’s Jim Irwin shares how the company grew from spruce lumber to a one-stop aviation parts source.
Zenith Aircraft Workshop Class and Fly‑In Gathering in Michigan
Hands‑on Zenith kit workshop and fly‑in set for October 10–11, 2025, in Howell, Michigan.
Unairworthy: Prop Blade Root
Neglecting constant-speed propeller overhauls can lead to hidden damage—like blade root wear from poor lubrication or extended inactivity.
In Case You Missed It
Wag-Aero Super Sport
The easy-to-build, high-wing Wag-Aero Super Sport CUBy combines the Cubs classic looks with modern technology and materials, increasing both maximum weight and payload. Using engines of up to 150 horsepower, the Cub offers great short-field performance, high roll rates and easy glideslope control-a great option for those who cant afford vintage prices.
The Dawn Patrol
When one email gets forwarded far and wide, an airport picnic (featuring a surfeit of fried green tomatoes) ends up attracting a mob. But The Dawn Patrol rises to the challenge.
