Jon Croke
Badland Aircraft Speeds Up Production
Badland Aircraft, a manufacturer of Part 103 legal ultralights with folding wings, have been working through an order backlog that has customers waiting months...
Flight Sensor Pack
RADIANT Technology, headed by James Wiebe, has just announced a new pocket-sized artificial horizon instrument. Measuring less than 3” square, this extremely portable unit...
On the Level
A few months back in this very column, I suggested that pilots should keep a “retired” smart phone in their aircraft as an all-in-one...
That’s Shear Nuts
The aircraft bolts we use to build our projects will always be paired with an appropriate nut to complete the mission of holding components...
Consider a Second Look
I would chance a guess that most aircraft kits are primarily built by one person. While some projects are constructed by groups or teams...
The Best Multi-Tool for your Homebuilt
I am going to describe the best multi-tool you can own for your homebuilt aircraft—whether flying or building. In the “old” days, a multi-tool...
Can You Keep It Together?
Part of your aircraft kit-building journey will require you to temporarily fasten various components together. For example, maintaining precise alignment while drilling parts that...
Blind Rivets: Look Closely
Many aircraft kits are designed around the use of blind rivets—also known as pulled rivets or “pop” rivets (POP rivet is a trademarked name)....
Make That Aluminum Shine
If there was a way to make metal parts look even nicer than they looked coming out of your aircraft kit’s shipping box—and the...
What’s the Deal With AN Hardware?
As a new kit builder, you may have wondered about that gold-colored AN hardware that must be used. What’s so special about this grade...