Builder Spotlight

Owners of a certain type of Continental engine, the cam-at-the-bottom variety, are undoubtedly familiar with the annoying seepage of oil from swaged pushrod tubes and rubber pushrod seals. Now there's a cure, and author Ron Darcey describes the fix.

A technology developed by ham radio operators, called automatic position reporting system (APRS), coupled with low-cost GPS receivers, a decent antenna and the World Wide Web, have made it possible to track light-aircraft flights without incurring access or subscription fees. Yes, you'll need to get a Technician license for radio operators, but thats a minor obstacle if this system is something you want or need to use.

Builders share their successes.

History's first aircraft were, for the most part, designed and built by individuals or a small group of experimenters. They were what we think...

Builders share their successes.

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.

Enchanted with the idea of building his own amphibian, Larry Woods came across a Ukrainian design, the Aeroprakt A-24, which seemed to fit the bill. After much research, he got a hold of a kit, built it, and then liked it so much that he became the Canadian distributor.

Fabric has been used to cover a wide variety of aircraft since the Wright brothers first started tinkering with flying machines. But fabric-covering processes have changed a lot in the last century, becoming more systematic in addition to being more reliable. Part 1 of this new series by Ron Alexander details the evolution of fabric covering and discusses some of the basics of getting started.

Todays homebuilt aircraft avionics packages often incorporate a number of boxes behind the panel, all requiring a particular type of wiring to go with them (not to mention all the other power draws such as lights, flap motors, etc.). Its advisable, then, to consider the length and nature of the wiring to be included in your project from the moment you start building. Avionics techno Stein Bruch explains the how and why of managing the wiring requirements for your aircraft.

If you always wanted a custom exhaust for your homebuilt but were too afraid to ask, consider this alternative where you build the model and then send it in to the shop for professional fabrication. Author Bret Davenport found the Aircraft Exhaust four-into-one collector system for his Pitts S-1S more than satisfactory.