Marc Cook
Marc Cook is a veteran special-interest journalist who started as a staffer at AOPA Pilot in the late 1980s. Marc has built two airplanes, an Aero Designs Pulsar XP and a Glasair Aviation Sportsman, and now owns a 180-hp, recently modernized GlaStar based in western Oregon. Marc has 5000 hours spread over 200-plus types and four decades of flying.
Around the Patch
Homebuilt aircraft manufacturers are sometimes reluctant to admit that they have created a less than perfect design, let alone offer a fix. Arion Aircrafts Nick Otterback is bucking that tide; by Marc Cook.
Three Bearhawks Make Maiden Flights on the Same Day
We're not sure what it is about Bearhawks, but they seem to arrive in clumps. Back in 2007, five new Bearhawks flew in a...
Take Aviation Consumer’s Headset Survey, Win Valuable Prizes
Do you like the headset you own? KITPLANES sister publication, Aviation Consumer, would like to know. It is conducting an extensive customer survey on headset quality, performance and comfort. They would love to hear from readers everywhere about their headset experiences. The survey takes just a few minutes. Click here to take part.…
Take Aviation Consumer's Headset Survey, Win Valuable Prizes
Do you like the headset you own? KITPLANES sister publication, Aviation Consumer, would like to know. It is conducting an extensive customer survey on...
Around the Patch
Velocity Aircraft has been acquired by Rocket Racing Group, and Editor-in-Chief Marc Cook discusses the implications for the company specifically and the industry in general. Also, Dick Starks has a new book out that regales readers with tales of his wacky Dawn Patrol adventures.
Rocky Mountain Fly In Canceled
Promoters of the Rocky Mountain Fly In, scheduled for September 19-21, 2008, announced this week that the event has been canceled for this year....
Around the Patch
Have you checked your fuel system for leaks lately? Turns out there's a good reason to periodically conduct a thorough investigation. Incipient leaks may go undetected. Worse, when the O-ring on the fuel-selector valve goes bad, it could allow air into the system, which means your engine could misbehave at a most inconvenient time. Often, this malady is difficult to diagnose and the assumption is that the fuel selector is OK when it is not.
Marc’s Sportsman: Wrapping Up the Annual
When we last left N30KPs annual inspection, the pitot-static check had been completed and I was beginning work on the rest of the airframe....
Marc’s Sportsman: The Trim Saga
We left the end of the annual with a note about problems Ive been having with the electric pitch trim system in my Glastar Sportsman. For background, the Sportsman has what has become a fairly common setup among homebuilts. A small electric motor-a Ray Allen Co. T2-7A, to be specific-is connected directly to a movable tab for trim. The Sportsman has one small tab on the right aileron for roll trim, and one large tab…
Cub Crafters Introduces Carbon Cub Kit
In a utility airplane, the power-to-weight ratio reigns supreme, which is why Cub Crafters is making a big deal about its new Carbon Cub...
In Case You Missed It
Worn Out Manifold Hose
Almost all rubber hoses have a shelf life. Most are around eight years. The...
The Dawn Patrol
When you're the newbie of the group, you're going to get the tough assignments. But some newbies know how to exact payback (all in good fun, of course).
Wind Tunnel
Multiple engines complicate design, because not only must the airplane be able to maintain flight on one engine, but also the pilot must be able to control it. Lateral/directional stability issues are key;