Heading Indicator

Heading Indicator

All aircraft must have a magnetic compass that tells you which way you’re going relative to magnetic north. However, if you’ve ever used a compass you know that it has many inherent problems. It has lots of drift and slop, swinging back and forth before it settles down; especially in a vehicle that’s turning, climbing,…

Engines and Props

Engines and Props

If you’re building your own experimental aircraft, plan to spend one third to one half of your budget on the engine, sometimes called the power plant. The exact cost depends on how much of a mechanic and a machinist you are. You can buy ready-to-install power plants designed specifically for experimental aircraft or you can…

Colleges and Universities

Colleges and Universities

Want to get serious about flying? As sport flying grows you will see it as an option at colleges and universities that already have aeronautical programs. In fact, many will offer one-semester or quarter-semester courses that will earn the student a sport-pilot certificate. Their motivation will be to bring private aviation—and aviation careers—into the realm…

Flying for Business

Flying for Business

Technically, you cannot fly your private aircraft for pay. You can’t carry passengers or freight for money. However, you can accept remuneration of their fair share of costs (fuel, oil, etc.). To fly passengers for profit you’ll need to step up to a commercial rating. But you can use your aircraft in your business, if…

Meet Regularly

Meet Regularly

It’s a good idea to meet with your partner(s) once a month to pay bills, work out the next month’s flying schedule, and discuss any upcoming expenses such as annual maintenance or required repairs. You also can discuss anything about flying in general, or clean up any problems to keep your partnership friendly.

Boating By Plane

Boating By Plane

Had to sell your boat to buy your new aircraft? Pilots living in areas with navigable waters can do both by installing floats to land on lakes and rivers. Of course, you’ll need to get your logbook endorsed for seaplane (a.k.a. floatplane) operation, which requires additional instruction and practice. However, it can combine the best…

Taking Possesion

Taking Possesion

There are a couple more pieces of paper that need to be completed during the purchase of your sport aircraft. The first is an aircraft bill of sale which the seller should have. If not, you can get one through your lender, or directly from the FAA, and prepare it yourself. Once you’ve registered your…

Engine

Engine

Both a car and an airplane have engines that power them. Aircraft engines that power sport pilot-eligible aircraft can be two-stroke or four-stroke. It is common to find both air-cooled and liquid-cooled engines in lightweight sport planes. The car engine power is passed on to the transmission and then the wheels to pull it along…

Zodiak XL

Zodiak XL

The Zodiac XL is a low-wing, side-by-side, light-sport aircraft with tricycle gear. It has a gross weight of 1,232 lbs. with an empty weight of 690 lbs., meaning you can pack it with 542 lbs. of pilot, passenger, fuel, luggage, and whatever. It has two 12-gallon fuel tanks for a range of about 600 miles…

S-Turns

S-Turns

S-turns are ground-reference maneuvers designed to improve your flying skills when confronted with wind, which is most of the time. If there were no wind for this maneuver you would simply fly half a circle on one side of a road or other marker, then level out, turn, and fly the other half of the…

Thrust & Drag

Thrust & Drag

Thrust is what moves your car or airplane forward. Thrust is applied to a car’s wheels to rotate them and move the car along the road. Thrust is applied to an airplane’s propeller to spin it and pull or push it through the air. Drag is a real drag. We all know that a car…

Need Some Help?

Need Some Help?

Among the many benefits the EAA offers is a mentor program for those who are building their first custom aircraft. You can ask to be assigned to a member who lives nearby or one who has experience building the model you want to build. If you’re lucky, you’ll find both mentors in one. It’s a…