Homebuilt aviation guru and Fly Baby aficionado Ron Wanttaja, well known to KITPLANES readers for the myriad topics he’s written on over the past 15 years, has published the third edition of Kit Airplane Construction, his venerable guide to building airplanes at home. Generally aimed at those in the audience whove yet to actually assemble a kit or build from plans, the book covers everything from an introduction to the Amateur-Built world and its regulations to the final considerations you should make before making your first test flight.
The book begins with the fundamentals of building an airplane and examines the pros and cons of homebuilts compared to purchasing a factory-built aircraft. Following that introduction, Wanttaja leads the reader through the major considerations and decisions that need to be made in, first, choosing to build and, second, choosing what to build.
The bulk of the book, however, is devoted to the hands-on nuts and bolts of building one of these beasts. A section on the basics of building examines those parts of the process common to all types of aircraft construction, and then specific chapters are devoted to each of the four major methods of construction: composite, tube and fabric, metal and wood. Tools required for each method are discussed, and Wanttaja offers a step-by-step examination of each of the major processes required for each medium. Even experienced builders will find value in exploring the construction methods they’ve yet to conquer. Along the way, Case Studies are presented-examples from real-life homebuilders on topics ranging from how to keep the family together while tackling a project of this nature to the trials and tribulations of the first flight of a homebuilt.
If you already own a copy of Kit Airplane Construction, heres what you can expect to find in the latest edition: updated costs and materials guides, details on current avionics, a new section on pilot and passenger comfort, details on the new Experimental Light Sport category, updated safety regulations and additional/upgraded photographs to illustrate building details.
Available on Amazon.com and other retailers.
