General Aviation Aircraft
Explore Plane & Pilot Magazine’s Aircraft section for trusted reviews, detailed pilot reports, and expert comparisons. From legendary trainers to cutting-edge designs, we help pilots evaluate performance, specs, and ownership experiences to make confident decisions in the air and on the ground.
INTERNATIONAL COMMUTER IIA “SAFARI”
STANDARD DATA: Gross wt. 1,300. Empty wt. 700. Fuel capacity 22. Rotor span 25′. Length 29′. Engine 150-hp Lycoming. PERFORMANCE: Top mph 100. Cruise mph 90. Climb rate 1,071. Ceiling 13,000. Range 200. The Commuter was designed by Harold “Pop” Emigh who includes among his accomplishments the Navajo and Polaris ballistic missile systems and the […]
JANOWSKI “DON QUIXOTE”
STANDARD DATA: Gross wt. 600. Empty wt. 291. Wingspan 24.93′. Length 16′. Engine 25-50-hp Volkswagen. PERFORMANCE: (23 hp). Top mph 84. Cruise mph 77. Stall mph 39. Climb rate 244. Ceiling 6,820. Range 310. Takeoff run 761. Landing run (50) 1,256. The prototype Don Quixote designed and built by M.R. Janowski was powered by a […]
JAVELIN “WICHAWK”
STANDARD DATA: Gross wt. 2,000. Empty wt. 1,280. Fuel capacity 39. Wingspan 24′. Length 19’3″. Engine 180-hp Lycoming. PERFORMANCE: Top mph 140. Cruise mph 127. Stall mph 45. Climb rate 1,700. Takeoff run 150. The Wichawk is structurally similar to the Boeing Stearman biplane and is stressed for up to 12 Gs positive and 6 […]
JEFFAIR “BARRACUDA”
STANDARD DATA: Gross wt. 2,200. Empty wt. 1,495. Fuel capacity 44. Wingspan 24’9″. Length 21’6″. Engine 220-hp Lycoming. PERFORMANCE: Top mph 218. Cruise mph 200. Stall mph 62. Climb rate 2,200. The Barracuda is a sophisticated enclosed-cabin two-seater in the image of the Thorp T-18 but with tricycle landing gear, all-wood construction, and a three […]
JODEL D-11 “CLUB”
STANDARD DATA: Gross wt. 1,290. Fuel capacity 10. Wingspan 26’11”. Length 20’6″. PERFORMANCE: Top mph 124. Cruise mph 114. Stall mph 35. Climb rate 800. Ceiling 16,000. Takeoff run 500. Landing roll 800. Range 300. This low-wing taildragger of all-wood construction comes from France where homebuilding was flourishing long before the movement took hold in […]
KELEHER JK-1 “LARK”
STANDARD DATA: Gross wt. 855. Empty wt. 555. Fuel capacity 12. Wingspan 23′. Length 17′. PERFORMANCE: Top mph 135. Cruise mph 122. Stall mph 55. Climb rate 1,000. Takeoff run 550. Landing roll 700. Range 300. The Lark is an enclosed-cockpit mid-wing monoplane. This single-seat taildragger is relatively unusual with its strut-braced mid-wing configuration. The […]
KRAFT “SUPER FLI”
STANDARD DATA: Gross wt. 1,450. Empty wt. 1,060. Fuel capacity 23. Wingspan 24’6″. Length 20′. Engine 200-hp Lycoming. PERFORMANCE: Top mph 185. Cruise mph 135. Stall mph 48. Climb rate 1,800. Ceiling 12,000. Takeoff run 800. Landing roll 1,000. Range 400. World-champion model builder and radio-controlsystem manufacturer Phil Kraft used his know-how to design and […]
“KITTIWAKE”
STANDARD DATA: Gross wt. 1,350. Empty wt. 925. Fuel capacity 26. Wingspan 24′. Length 19’8″. PERFORMANCE: Top mph 135. Cruise mph 115. Stall mph 48. Climb rate 950. Range 500. The Kittiwake single-seat low-wing monoplane was designed to make full use of all-metal materials and modern construction while retaining a simple design that lends itself […]
LACEY M-10
STANDARD DATA: Gross wt. 1,118. Empty wt. 638. Fuel capacity 20. Wingspan 20′. Length 20′. PERFORMANCE: Top mph 140. Cruise mph 120. Stall mph 55. Climb rate 1,000. Takeoff run 600. Landing roll 600. Range 440. The Lacey is one of the simplest designs for the homebuilder to construct. In the words of its designer, […]
