Formed in 2009, the Archive Team (not to be confused with the archive.org Archive-It Team) is a rogue archivist collective dedicated to saving copies of rapidly dying or deleted websites for the sake of history and digital heritage. The group is 100% composed of volunteers and interested parties, and has expanded into a large amount of related projects for saving online and digital history.
EDITORIAL BLOG
We Keep Killing People…
I guess it’s a Monday Aviation Journalist thing – time to get grumpy and complain. Over on our sister publication, AVweb, Rick Durden is stomping out Old Wive’s Tails and Bertorelli is complaining about what constitutes a “Game Changer” in aviation… I want to talk about this continued fascination with the “Impossible Turn” – turning […]
Alternative Energies
Electric Light Sport Aircraft are few and far between, owing primarily to the heavy batteries eating into LSA weight restrictions. The Alternair Amp is poised to change all that. By Dean Sigler.
Onex
The Onex is an economical single-seat sportplane that feels like a baby fighter. By LeRoy Cook.
Understanding Experimental Light Sport Aircraft
Dave Martin explains the different designations of factory-built and Experimental Light Sport Aircraft and how they continue to evolve.
Subaru Sonerai
If there was an Iron Butt award at the Alternative Engine Conference held at French Valley Airport in Temecula, California, Joe Williams would have been in the running last Saturday. True, he flew his Sonerai II just somewhat over two hours from Casa Grande, Arizona, but in such a diminutive speedster that’s sure to be […]
Corvair Pietenpol
There’s not a lot “alternative” about a Pietenpol Air Camper with a Corvair engine in it these days. In fact, it’s probably been the norm for this time-honored airframe for a while. But it is an auto conversion, as was the original Model A Ford mill spec’ed in the plans, so the gorgeous example on […]
Pegasus O-100 Nearly Here
Last year we reported the “1/2 O-200” Pegasus engine’s technical details. The news at the Alternative Engine Conference this year is the highly-anticipated Pegasus Power DP-1 engine should soon hit the market. How soon? The engine should first take to the skies by the end of October and go on sale at Sebring January 2016. […]
Remaster 2300 Turbo
Joe Horvath of Revmaster gave his usual excellent, fact-filled briefing at the Alternative Engine Conference. And as always, it was a pleasure to listen to his voice of experience; it’s clear he and his partners know what they are talking about when it comes to VW engines. For 2015 the big Revmaster news is the […]
Sling Goes Big
Four-seat homebuilt crosses the Atlantic to show its stuff. By Paul Dye.
It’s a Cub Thing
With a bigger engine and lighter airframe, CubCrafters’ Carbon Cub EX kit aircraft takes the Cub experience to a higher plane. By Marc Cook.
Flight Review: Mustang II
When Don Caskey recognized that a passel of his neighbors had built and were flying Mustang IIs, he got the bug and constructed a custom-made version of his own. By Ed Wischmeyer.
SeaRey LSX Amphibian
Progressive Aerodyne has a new version of its kitbuilt amphibian, the SeaRey LSX, and the updates to the design live up to high expectations. By Ed Wischmeyer.
Free Flight
Paul Dye argues that there is more between man and machine than just the hardware.
Kitfox with a Rotec
The Rotec-radial-powered Kitfox Super Sport taps into our nostalgia for radial engines but with a modern touch. By Marc Cook.
SkyView to the Rescue
When Stan Peternel’s Blue Mountain EFIS proved unreliable, he decided to bite the bullet and invest in a Dynon SkyView system. Editor-in-Chief Marc Cook discusses the numerous challenges of the retrofit.
Product Review: J.P. Instruments EDM-740
JPI is offering a new compact, capable engine monitor that is built and priced for the homebuilt market. By Marc Cook.
Product Review: PS Engineering PMA5000EX
At its heart, the PMA5000EX is a four-place stereo intercom in an audio panel that supports two each of coms, navs, switching aux inputs, music inputs plus having five unswitched aux inputs and a front-panel input for a music source or cell. By Marc Cook.
Flight Review: Horse Perennial
LeRoy Cook flies Larry Kinder’s award-winning Mustang II, a fast and fun homage to the legendary P-51 Mustang.
Flight Review: Mission Ready
Bush plane? Heck, yeah! Bill Repucci flies Just Aircraft’s strong, tough and fun Highlander.
Zenith STOL CH 750
Changing with the times, Zenith Aircraft has introduced an improved version of a design that debuted some 20 years ago. With a larger payload, more robust landing gear and greater visibility among other features, the CH 750 is tailored for today’s sport pilot; by LeRoy Cook.
A Witch’s Brew
Liquid consumables for the shop. By Eric Stewart.
Aero 'lectrics
Repairing a malfunctioning headset may be not only inexpensive, but completely doable. By Jim Weir.
Calculating Weight and Balance
This lazy man's guide removes some of the headaches. Sample weight & balance spreadsheets included.
VamPLIERS Solve Problems
In our many decades building (wrenching on) airplanes, we’ve run into our fair share of stripped and buggered up screws. Getting them out has always been a challenge – especially since the typical “EZ-Outs” tend to be for bolts and fasteners larger than #6 or #8. So we were excited to give the VamPLIERS a […]
Kitplanes Magazine Sponsors Zenith STOL Competition
STOL competition highlights festivities at Zenith Open Hangar Day festival The second Zenith Aircraft Open Hangar Day STOL Competition is set for Friday, the day before official Open Hangar Day at the Mexico, Missouri Airport (KMYJ). On Friday, September 18, those who fly (KMYJ) or drive in to the Zenith factory (1881 Airport Rd, Mexico, […]
1,000 RV-12 Kits Sold
On August 27, 2015 the shipping department at Van’s Aircraft Inc. had several orders to fill. By the end of the day, they’d rolled the 937th RV-12 kit empennage package onto the shipping dock, where it was picked up by a customer from Washington State, Richard Bangsund. What’s the significance of “937?” Well, combined with […]
Coming For Christmas — A Million Drones
As many as a million new toy drones could be given as Christmas gifts this year, an FAA official said at an Airlines for America event in...
FAA Funding Extended Through March
The U.S. Senate passed a bill late on Tuesday, one day before funding was due to run out, that will extend current levels of funding for the FAA...
The Weekender: Where To Go For Breakfast
If you're looking for one more fly-out weekend this season with semi-rustic camping, The Weekender found some invitations on SocialFlight. Join...
Investors Support XTI Startup, Wheels Up Growth
XTI Aircraft, a startup company that aims to develop a new certified six-seat aircraft capable of vertical takeoff and landing, said this week it...
FAA Strengthens Foreign Partnerships
The FAA has signed new agreements with EASA and Transport Canada that will make it easier for TSO-approved changes to aircraft to be accepted by...
Kitplanes magazine editor-in-chief Paul Dye is a former NASA flight director, but he’s also a passionate homebuilder, currently working on a Dream Tundra. At AirVenture 2015, he gave his six top reasons for joining the homebuilt community.
At AirVenture 2015, Superior Air Parts provided a progress report on their new Gemini three-cylinder diesel, showing off an installation in an American Legend Cub.
No one was expecting it, but at AirVenture 2015, Rotax introduced a new engine, the 135-hp turbocharged 915 iS. The company says it’s expected to be available by about 2017. Rotax/BRP’s Marc Becker gave a briefing on the new engine.
When Kitplanes was given the opportunity to fly and review the Subsonex, we brought along Paul Bertorelli, our Editorial Director to capture the sights and sounds of the little jet for our readers. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed flying the airplane. Our full review will be found in the August […]
Van's Aircraft has a new VIRB action camera interface in the RV12 that works with the newly introduced Garmin G3X Touch avionics suite. Larry Anglisano took the system flying at the 2015 U.S. Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, Florida, for a closer look.
With the 912 iS and new iS Sport engine, Rotax is making gains with new products. Reporting for KITPLANES, Paul Bertorelli visited the factory last summer and produced this video explaining how the engines are built.
IMPORTANT CUSTOMER SERVICE NOTICE TO KITPLANES SUBSCRIBERS:
All mailed correspondence, including subscription invoices, renewals, and gift notices, will bear our address:
PO BOX 8535
Big Sandy, TX 75755
Third parties claiming to be selling KITPLANES subscriptions are not legitimate.