By MARK JONES JR. “…After battling headwinds for five hours, Arnold Ebneter calculated that the four gallons left in his fuselage wouldn’t get him anywhere near Fredericksburg…he was so close to finally finishing his dream.” From “The Propeller under the Bed: A Personal History of Homebuilt Aircraft,” by Eileen A. Bjorkman. For almost 16 hours, 82-year-old Arnold […]
homebuilt aircraft
A pair of Patrols
For 23 years now, Donna Svoboda and Dennis Reynolds have traveled the country together, in different airplanes. She in her Citabria, him in his Pacer. No longer. Sort of. After nearly four years of building, Donna and Dennis now fly the skies in their matching — but different — Bearhawk Patrols. Delivery of their kits was in February 2013 […]
Homebuilt accidents continue to decline
EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — Fatal accidents in experimental category aircraft continued their decline in the 12-month period ending Sept. 30, according to figures just released by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). The totals, which include fatal accidents during the 2016 federal fiscal year (October 2015 through September 2016), showed that fatal accidents in amateur-built aircraft […]
Work begins on homebuilt for disabled pilots
On Sept. 10, 2016, members of Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1083 in Salisbury, N.C., began building a Zenith CH 750 Cruzer at the chapter’s hangar at Rowan County Airport (KRUQ). Joining the build was John Robinson, the founder of AV84All, a non-profit dedicated to providing access to general aviation airplanes for everyone. The Cruzer will […]
Hayden’s storied Spokane Parasol
A silver Heath Super Parasol shimmered in the late summer sun as it flew by Antique Airfield. Its 20-year-old owner/pilot, Hayden Newhouse, felt the breeze ruffling through his hair, and couldn’t help but smile as he listened to the Continental A-40 humming happily along and the wind whistling through the Parasol’s wire-braced wing struts. Gazing […]
Homebuilts to be featured at DeLand Sport Aviation Showcase
Homebuilt aircraft — and their owners and builders — will share the center stage at the first DeLand Sport Aviation Showcase, set for Nov. 3-5, 2016, at Florida’s DeLand Municipal Airport. Nearly 100 exhibitors from Maine to Washington State and the Czech Republic to Brazil have confirmed their participation in Showcase 2016, according to organizers. They will […]
Videos: From kit to flight in seven days
In just a week, the folks behind The Airplane Factory, creators and manufacturers of the South African Sling aircraft, built and flew a Sling 4 at the Sywell Aerodrome, United Kingdom. The build happened during the 70th anniversary rally for the Light Aircraft Association. A complete Sling 4 aircraft kit was packed in South Africa and […]
FAA audits Sonex models
OSHKOSH, Wis. — Sonex Aircraft recently hosted the FAA’s National Kit Evaluation Team (NKET), as it audited the new Sonex and Waiex B-Model kits, and the new Xenos Motorglider Quick Build Kit. NKET evaluation is used to establish a kit’s compliance with Experimental Amateur Built aircraft “major portion” or “51%” rules. FAA NKET Amateur-Built Fabrication and Assembly Checklists for the new Sonex […]
360° video Zenith flight, factory tour
“While I don’t think VR [virtual reality] will ever replace the real thing, it’s a way to attract new people to sport aviation, and allows existing pilots to share the great experience of flying in a light airplane,” said Sebastien Heintz, president of Zenith Aircraft Company, about the release of a new 360° virtual reality video […]