Experimentals

When you add high winds to a STOL competition, the results can be pretty amazing. Every February the Healthy Bastards Bush Pilot Championships at Omaka Aerodrome near Blenheim, New Zealand, attracts the country’s top precision pilots in an event similar to those popular in Alaska. This year, a howling wind blew down the grass runway […]

Choosing which airplane to build is something deserving of serious consideration. There are so many cool designs and differing capabilities, it can leave you scratching your head. Taking a systematic approach to selection can eliminate the pain and error from the process. Let’s explore what’s involved and how to get off to a good start. […]

Sometime between mid-January and mid-February, the tourist hordes descend on Florida to escape the winter miseries of the northern tier. They’re often disappointed to learn how sporting a winter cold front can be in Florida, sometimes all the way to Key West. Great news this year, though: The 13thannual Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring had […]

EAA and the FAA are building on the STC awarded to EAA allowing installation of experimental Dynon avionics in certified aircraft. EAA’s Sean Elliott spoke with AVweb’s Russ Niles on a Jan. 17 meeting that could set the course for more affordable access to new technology by certified aircraft owners. Duration: 7:30 File Size: 6 […]

One issue that comes up with building an aircraft is where and how the pilot learns to fly the aircraft. Many believe it’s the old adage of “kick the tires and light the fires.” But speaking from the insurance side…I don’t think so. When a person is working on their license, they are required to […]

There are many reasons why you might want to buy a used homebuilt instead of building. Those who have built their own airplanes know the satisfaction of spawning a flying machine with their own two hands. But the reality is, some folks are either not in a position to build, or they simply aren’t interested. […]

I hauled the Cub over to Sebring on Saturday—that takes most of the day, one way—and hung out at Tecnam’s big hangar there. I’d flown over to fly and shoot Tecnam’s latest light sport aircraft, the Astore. Nice airplane. I first saw it at Aero in 2013 and didn’t spend enough time with it to […]

In perfect weather and overlapped with the NBAA convention in Orlando, the Deland Sport Aviation Showcase opened Thursday morning with about 100 exhibitors. This is the Showcase’s first year and it’s clearly positioned to compete with the Sport Aviation Expo to be held in January in Sebring. With broad support from the Deland Airport, show […]

With a few weeks having passed since my ditching on the way to Catalina (KAVX), I finally had time to calm down and reflect on what happened. It all began with our typical debate about where to fly for Saturday lunch. Someone suggested Big Bear Lake, a nearby resort nestled in the San Bernardino Mountains. […]

Tier 1 Engineering has flown a battery-powered manned helicopter for a five-minute cruise flight, the company recently announced. The aircraft flew to 400 feet altitude and reached a peak speed of 80 knots during its first flight, which took place in late September in Costa Mesa, California. “I’m very pleased to achieve this historic breakthrough […]