Experimenter

April 2014

Experimenter is a magazine created by EAA for people who build airplanes. We will report on amateur-built aircraft as well as ultralights and other light aircraft.

Issue link: http://experimenter.epubxp.com/i/287214

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Is your family secure? Are you sure? Your current life insurance policy may contain an exclusion for pilots. EAA's Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance Plan will help fill that gap for less than a $1.50 a day. Take care of the people you love. Get an instant quote and purchase your coverage today at EAAInsurance.org. Personal Insurance Coverage is underwritten by Starr Indemnity & Liability Company, a Texas insurance company, has its principal place of business in New York, NY and is an admitted insurer rated "A" (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company. Administered by Falcon Insurance Agency, Inc. 16 Vol.3 No.4 / April 2014 BRUCE KING'S BRILLIANT BK FLIER 1.3 he said. "Download the one on flight testing and read it. The circulars tell you everything the FAA rep or designated airworthiness representative is going to be looking for. Hopefully you've taken lots of photos of the process and have documented your building. You should be completely prepared for the airplane's inspection. Convince the inspec- tor that you're honestly trying to comply with the rules and that you're not going to waste their time. Work with them, not against them, and develop a good relationship with your FSDO [flight standards district office]." The BK Flier's website, www.BKfl iers.com , provides a wealth of information: specifi cations, photographic builder's manual, parts catalog, videos, and even a section about his BK Flier cross-country trips. The tailwheel version (BK 1) is hand propped and weighs 60 pounds less than the BK 1.3, which has a nose wheel and an electric starter. Plans were released in 2013 and may be purchased for $375. A set of plans includes more than 320 pages of CAD drawings, full-size template of most parts, and checklists for prefl ight, inspection, and the fl ight-test program. The estimated build cost is $12,000 to $15,000 (including the Great Plains VW 1835-cc engine). Bruce's enthusiasm for the BK Flier is contagious, and he readily welcomes questions about the airplane or building process. He also actively encourages others to achieve their dreams as well, and he was pleased to hear that a Canadian homebuilder recently applied to Transport Canada and gained approval to certify his nearly completed BK 1. "Remember, I started building at 48 years old, and I was 52 before I flew my first homebuilt," said Bruce. "Now it's just like my life has been soaring; I've got three more projects on the drawing board, and they will be radically different from the BK 1.3. One will be a VTOL, and a future project is going to be a quick-build of a different design. I want to sell fuselages, wings, and other parts that are already built and hopefully get more people in the air. My mission is affordable flying, and safety and quality are part of that." He summed up his experience: "Just 11 years ago, I was a guy who could not afford to fly. I never realized it was pos- sible until I got the idea to build my own airplane. The goal of homebuilding is 'education and recreation,' and boy, you really get an education when you build an airplane!" Sparky Barnes Sargent, EAA 499838, holds a commercial glider certifi - cate with private single-engine land and sea ratings, and she personally restored her 1948 Piper Vagabond. E A A E X P _ A p r 1 4 . i n d d 1 6 EAAEXP_Apr14.indd 16 3 / 3 1 / 1 4 9 : 4 2 A M 3/31/14 9:42 AM

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