What’s New
ShareZen eases shared plane ownership, and marking wires is made easier by Bogerts tool. Edited by Mary Bernard.
Buzzwords
Pilots compensate all the time for aerodynamic effects such as ground effect, often without being conscious of it. By Ed Kolano.
Safety Is No Accident: Auto-Engine Conversions
Ron Wanttaja crunches the numbers to determine whether homebuilts powered by auto-engine conversions are inherently less safe than their traditional engine brethren.
The Dawn Patrol
Threatening weather at the annual Gathering of Eagles event in Gardner, Kansas, failed to subdue the antics of The Dawn Patrol, for better or worse.
Makes You Go Hmmm
Rotary-engine enthusiast Paul Lamar details the benefits and efficiencies of using rotary power for homebuilt aircraft.
Into the Coal Sack
Paul Dye discusses the ins and outs of landing at night on a narrow, obscured by trees private runway.
Helping Hands in the Plansbuilt Hangar
An appreciation for Steve Wittman's ingenious design and the community of those who build from plans.
What’s New
A new idle gear for the IO-540, Glasair sets Reno speed record, activate your engine pre-heater with a cell phone and more. Edited by Mary Bernard.
Portable Coms Compared
Which portable VHF transceiver comes out on top after a side-by-side test in the field?
Safety Is No Accident: Glasair and GlaStar
Ron Wanttaja examines the accident data for the Glasair and GlaStar designs and finds structural support may play a key role.
In Case You Missed It
The Ultimate Upgrade
With Lancair’s factory-authorized builder assistance program, new Evo owners Wendell and Martha Solesbee get a leg up on their project. Custom jigs and extra hands take weeks off the build time and ensure they’re ready for the next steps.
RAFE Celebrates Ten Rutan Designs
This year is the 50th anniversary of the VariEze but because the VariEze changed the landscape of homebuilt aircraft, this year is what Burt Rutan likes to call the “composite canard revolution”!