Another Week, Another Prop
This week, we’re flying the new “Explorer” three-blade composite prop from Hartzell on our RV-8.
Titan IO-340 Engine Unboxing
Ever wonder what it's like to get a factory-fresh engine delivered? Is there fanfare and a marching band? No. But it's still exciting. KITPLANES...
ABC: Always Be Curious
I’ve spent so much time at the nose of my GlaStar, what with the engine change and all, that I was starting to get...
I Spent How Much? Oh… OK…
I just placed an order with our favorite major aircraft parts vendor for some tires. Small, little tires. A couple of tailwheel pneumatic tires...
The Little Things Can Get Ya’…
When I was a teenager, I was a member of an Aviation Explorer Post that was sponsored by an FBO. We got to spend...
Clocks & Timers
Recently, a friend who owns both a certified airplane and a homebuilt asked my advice on what to do about the timer mounted in...
No Charge – No Kidding!
Crimps are important, and as much as we hate it, you need special tools to do them right.
Ready for Main Engine Start!
That’s a phrase I haven’t heard since my space shuttle days, but it ran through my head yesterday as my wife got ready to...
How to Save 24 Pounds – and Look Great Doing It!
Our loyal RV-8, the Valkyrie, is rapidly approaching the 2000 hour mark on the Hobbs, and all of that time, she has been flying...
Puttering in the Shop
The dog days of August means that its hot in the shop in the afternoon! Out here in the Nevada hinterlands, it doesn’t pay...
In Case You Missed It
The Home Machinist
Charlie Taylor, the Wright brothers trusted right-hand man and machinist, made their early powered flight experiments possible. And he built the engine using only a drill press, a lathe, a simple scale and more than a little ingenuity; by Bob Fritz.
Forward by Degrees
I’ve ridden the early adopter bus before—found the seats uncomfortable, the ride jarring and...
Build Your Skills: Composites (Part 11)
Author Bob Fritz offers a middle way to paint your airplane yourself, without surrendering your first born or breaking the bank. Hint: Preparation and the right equipment are essential.