Experimentals

Despite its rich red plumage, the slight, single-seat biplane often goes unnoticed amidst a tied-down flock of homebuilt aircraft. In its three-point pose, its 20-foot wood wingspan and narrow, 16-foot-4 tube-and-fabric fuselage are hidden in the rakish and modern shadows cast by taller, flashier metal or composite creations. But when the other airplanes fly off, […]

Producing electrical power from the sun has come a long way, and solar cells are getting remarkably efficient. But where to put all that power remains the issue for pure electric aircraft. AVweb’s Paul Bertorelli spoke with Rich Kapusta of California-based Alta Devices about the issues and the opportunities. Duration: 9:02 File Size: 8.5 MB […]

Kitplanesmagazine recently flew the SubSonex, the world’s only currently available single-seat personal jet. In this video, Kitplaneseditor Paul Dye talks about what it’s like to fly this unique aircraft and air show veteran Bob Carleton describes the engine and airplane development. view on YouTube

Have you ever had these thoughtsrun through your mind while getting ready to fly an airplane? “I hope this thing flies.” “I hope I will be able to handle this thing when I get it off the ground.” “I hope I’ll be able to land it.” Have you ever had these thoughts in flight? “I […]

Pipistrel’s all-electric trainer, long known as the “WattsUP,” has acquired a commercial designation, the Alpha Electro. And according to chief engineer Tine Tomazic, she’s ready to meet the public. Tomazic gave us the lowdown at Aero in Friedrichshafen, Germany. view on YouTube

Autogyros are big in Europe — but in the U.S., not so much. The reason for that is primarily regulatory. The U.S. light sport rule doesn’t include rotorcraft. As Paul Bertorelli discovered on this AVweb flight demo, that’s too bad. Gyros are fun and easy to fly, but they do take specific training for the […]

It’s probably safe to just come right out and say it: Walter Treadwell is not your typical homebuilder. In fact, he’s something of a legend around his local airport. And there is so much to his story. In the April 2008 issue of KITPLANES, the late Bob Fritz got a good leg up on Treadwell’s […]

Airtime Aircraft of Florida has brought wind-in-your-face fun to amphibious flying with its Cygnet weight-shift amphib. CEO Michael Percy describes the aircraft and its niche. view on YouTube

Sonex Aircraft has shipped its first SubSonex JSX-2 personal jet kit, launching the initial set of deliveries from the microjet’s first production run as a quick-build kit. The SubSonex’s arrival to Redge Greenberg of Durango, Colorado, “marks the conclusion of an intense six-month effortto bring JSX-2 from prototype aircraft to a fully-developed quick-build kit product,” […]

For want of a nail, the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe, the horse was lost; for want of a horse, the rider was lost… So starts the proverb, which instructs us about the importance of details. This little poem, which ends with the loss of the kingdom no less, goes back centuries […]