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Few homebuilders forget the first airplane they constructed, even if they go on to do others. That was the case with Mike Maxwell, who had pretty much given up on ever seeing his Lancair 235 again. But life is nothing if not full of surprises, and Mike was in for a big one.

It’s said that sailors make good floatplane pilots because they understand the nature of wind on the water. Sailboat racer and pilot Rick Orchard took that sentiment to heart in a big way when he decided to pump up an already large homebuilt (the Murphy Moose) by adding Aerocet amphibious floats and a 550-horsepower Pratt & Whitney PT6A-20 turbine engine.

Let your fingers do the shopping with the specs and photos for 297 designs, offered along with a cross-reference that lets you easily locate the manufacturer if you know the design name; compiled by Julia Downie.

There will always be people who want to fly, but who are looking for a more economical way to own their own aircraft. Plansbuilts offer an attractive option, and this year we give the specs and photos for some 175 designs you can build from scratch; compiled by Julia Downie.

In Part 3 of our Annual Buyer's Guides, we present a variety of homebuilt rotorcraft, among which are some Light Sport gyroplanes; compiled by Julia Downie.

In Part 4 of our Annual Buyer's Guides, we present a variety of aircraft engines, among which are alternative engines and engines in development. Compiled by Julia Downie.

Looking for a new project? This years edition of the Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide features a feast of 313 kit aircraft models you can build and fly. Compiled by Cory Emberson.

If you've got the itch to build from scratch, this years edition of the Plansbuilt Buyer's Guide features a buffet of 142 kit aircraft models you can build and fly. Compiled by Cory Emberson.

If your taste in aviation runs to the rotor, dig in to this years edition of the Rotorcraft Buyer's Guide which features a panoply of helicopter and gyrocopter models you can build from a kit or from scratch. Compiled by Cory Emberson.

The first of our two engine guides looks at the more traditional aircraft powerplants. Compiled by Cory Emberson. Text by Marc Cook.