KITPLANES

Your Homebuilt Aircraft Authority. We cover topics relevant to anyone who has ever dreamed of building or owning a homebuilt experimental aircraft.

THE CLASS OF ‘86 • THE ZENITH CH701 TURNS FORTY THIS YEAR. HONORING IT AND THE COMPANY IT KEPT.

KITPLANES

GLASAIR SPORTSMAN 2+2 PART THREE • A PERFECTIONIST’S BUILD AND FIRST FLIGHTS.

HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN? • COMING BACK AFTER A LAYOFF FROM FLYING

THE BIGGEST NEWS FROM SUN ‘N FUN 2026

SONEX REOPENS • ONLY FIVE WEEKS AFTER SONEX WENT DARK, THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON IN OSHKOSH. A NEW OWNER, A FREED-UP DESIGNER, AND 80 CUSTOMERS WITH DEPOSITS ON THE BOOKS — HERE IS WHAT THE REVIVAL MEANS FOR BUILDERS, WITH THE FIRST FULL HIGH WING KITS NOW TARGETED FOR THE DOORSTEP IN LATE JULY.

TRIANGLE OF SAFETY • THE COMBINATION OF SKILL, KNOWLEDGE, AND JUDGMENT ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO FLYING SAFETY

FORTY YEARS OF THE SKY JEEP • THE ZENITH STOL CH 701 TURNS 40 THIS YEAR — AND THE AIRPLANE CHRIS HEINTZ DREW BEFORE STOL WAS A YOUTUBE CATEGORY IS STILL TEACHING THE REST OF THE FIELD HOW TO FLY SLOW.

YELLOW • EVERYWHERE I LOOK AROUND THE AIRPORT I SEE A LOT OF YELLOW AIRPLANES.

VIKING AIRCRAFT V-42 TWIN • VIKING’S FIRST COMPLETE AIRFRAME IS AN AFFORDABLE, EASY-TO-BUILD HIGH-WING TWIN POWERED BY A PAIR OF DE-RATED HONDA ENGINES.

LIAISON ENGINEERING • YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT SKILL WILL GET YOU HIRED.

THE RULES ARE NOW IN PLACE • A FIELD GUIDE TO THE MOSAIC ERA FOR THE HOMEBUILDING COMMUNITY

MORE THAN AN AIRPLANE • WHAT MANY BUILDERS DISCOVER… IS THAT THE AIRPLANE IS ONLY PART OF THE PROJECT.

SUBSCRIBE!

DEBRIEFS • SHOULDN’T YOU INCLUDE MAINTENANCE?