DIY Wind Indicator
Chuck Deiterichs description of a do-it-yourself wind indicator project includes tips, drawings, a parts listing, in-progress photos and a look at the finished product. His experimentation with the highly visible design takes the guesswork out of doing it right.
Unusual Attitude
Oshkosh AirVenture gave Ed Wischmeyer the opportunity to look around at the newest ideas in aviation and to think about the larger implications of what he was seeing. He speculates about what works, what doesn't and how manufacturers and consumers alike could make the world of flying a better place.
The Home Machinist
If your hacksaw has been relegated to the bottom of your toolbox, chances are its because you don't know how to use it properly. Author Bob Fritz offers a primer on the subject that may make you think more highly of this underused tool. A discussion of cam construction and keyless chucks rounds out this installment.
Aero ‘lectrics
Impressed by the quality of the cheap headsets he encountered on a recent commercial airliner flight, Jim Weir dissected the airline unit and has come up with a way to replicate it in your own shop.
Wind Tunnel
Yaw rarely occurs without rolling, and roll rarely occurs without yawing. This month Barnaby Wainfan discusses coupled motion, including adverse yaw, the spiral mode and Dutch roll.
Lancair Evolution
When Joe Bartels bought the company from founder Lance Neibauer in 2003, he knew it was time for a change. The goal was to find a high-performance aircraft that could be flown by the average pilot in the target market. The solution can be found in the company's newest product, the Pratt & Whitney-powered turbine Evolution; by Doug Rozendaal.
Around the Patch
Eventually even the best company founders want to retire, and Dick VanGrunsven of Vans Aircraft is no exception. Editor-in-Chief Marc Cook discusses the succession plan and why the future continues to look bright for this Pacific Northwest luminary.
What’s New
An Aussie Outback SLSA debuts in the U.S., a floating battery eliminator works with the Lightspeed Zulu headset, and Trio Avionics introduces the Pro Pilot autopilot.
Homebuilt Aircraft Safety 1998-2008
Far be it from Ron Wanttajas experience to be complacent when it comes to aircraft accident statistics. In this article, he updates two previous articles on the subject of homebuilt aircraft safety and digs deep to find meaning and context for the numbers.