KITPLANE CONSTRUCTION

This book by Ron Wanttaja, a Boeing systems engineer with a passion for small airplanes, provides lots of good, common-sense advice on selecting the right homebuilt. His premise is that the most important step in building an airplane is the first one: choosing the right airplane, the one whose construction demands, and finished perform- ance best match the individuals building and flying skills. Too many first-time builders bite off more than they can chew and end up never finishing a project or are scared of it once they get it airborne. Wanttaja gives well-deserved consideration to such important (and rarely discussed) topics as financing, powerplant selection, propellers, instruments and avionics, and how to prepare a workshop for action. He really excels in his detailed descriptions of various construction techniques and materials. Whether building a composite, metal-monocoque, tube-and-fabric or wood-and-fabric aircraft, each requires special tools, materials and skills. This book provides the kind of helpful information most builders learn the hard way: from expensive and frustrating mistakes, which is exactly what prompted Wanttaja to write this guide. He made many of the same mistakes he discusses in the book when he built his first airplane. 432 pages, fully illustrated.