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Don't Forget!
Homebuilders Week
January 26-30, 2026
Our sixth annual EAA Homebuilders Week is almost here. Experts from every corner of the homebuilt aircraft community will bring their knowledge and skills to builders everywhere through free and interactive webinars. We have topics that will appeal to any homebuilder, whether you’re a newbie or a serial builder.
Check out the schedule of free webinars and save your spot today!
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| Monday, January 26 |
| 11:30 am CST |
Building an Aircraft — What You Need to Know
This presentation will go beyond the actual building process to educate you on the FAA rules that apply to building your own aircraft, as well as insurance, liability, the repairman certificate, and much more. Join EAA Homebuilt Community Manager Charlie Becker to learn the things every builder should know about building their own aircraft.Register › |
| 1 pm CST |
Composite Construction Basics
Qualifies for FAA WINGS and AMT credit.
Learn the basics of how to work with composites in aircraft construction projects. EAA SportAir Workshops instructor Scott Vanderveen will share what you need to know to be successful.Register › |
| 2:30 pm CST |
EAA Advocacy Update: Top Homebuilding Issues and MOSAIC, BVLOS, 100LL
Join EAA’s Jack J. Pelton, Sean Elliott, and Rob Hackman as they discuss current issues for owners and builders of amateur-built aircraft. In addition, they will cover MOSAIC/Sport Pilot 2.0, Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) proposed new rules for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, 100LL fuel replacement, and other challenges to the aviation industry.Register › |
| 4 pm CST |
Getting Your Project Finished and Flying
Serial builder Vic Syracuse will share strategies and tips for successfully completing your project. Vic is a nationally recognized expert in pre-buy examinations, condition inspections, and DAR services for amateur-built aircraft, and is the author ofPre-Buy Guide for Amateur-Built Aircraft,Are Your Nuts Tight: Guide to Identifying Problems on Your Amateur-Built Aircraft, andThe Maintenance Handbook for Van’s RV Aircraft.Register › |
| 5:30 pm CST |
Panel Planning and Wiring
Qualifies for FAA WINGS and AMT credit.
This presentation is for builders who want to know how to plan and wire their aircraft. Marc Ausman, author ofAircraft Wiring Guide, will cover how to start thinking about and planning for the electrical system.Register › |
| 7 pm CST |
Van's Aircraft RV-15 Update
Rian Johnson and Marc Cook from Van's Aircraft will review everything about the RV-15, the company's newest total performance aircraft. Designed as a STOL-capable, backcountry aircraft the RV way, with exceptional handling and cruise capability. They will update us on the status of kit production, shipping timelines, and a detailed discussion of the technical aspects of the RV-15.Register › |
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| Tuesday, January 27 |
| 11:30 am CST |
Wiring Basics
Qualifies for FAA WINGS and AMT credit.
EAA SportAir Workshops Electrical Systems & Avionics instructor Dick Koehler discusses the basics of aircraft electrical wiring and tips for planning out your aircraft electrical system.Register › |
| 1 pm CST |
Fabric Covering Basics
Qualifies for FAA WINGS and AMT credit.
Learn the basics of fabric covering aircraft from EAA SportAir Workshops instructor Austin Jones, who is a technical specialist with Consolidated Aircraft Coatings in Riverside, California. Austin will explain the Poly-Fiber covering process and products. This is great information for anyone doing a new covering job or repairing an existing Poly-Fiber covering process.Register › |
| 2:30 pm CST |
Sheet Metal Basics
Qualifies for FAA WINGS and AMT credit.
Sheet metal construction is the most popular material used in today’s kit aircraft. Mike Dooley will teach you how to work with sheet metal in this session. Mike is an instructor for the EAA SportAir Workshops sheet metal course and built an RV-8.Register › |
| 4 pm CST |
Dynon Avionics
After hundreds to thousands of hours working on your airframe, it's time to decide how to equip your panel. In this webinar, we'll cover general considerations such as matching your avionics to your flying and budget, product choices, and configurations from Dynon Avionics.Register › |
| 5:30 pm CST |
Painting Your Plane: DIY or Use an Expert?
Qualifies for FAA WINGS and AMT credit.
The design and quality of your paint job will be the most visible representation of your build. In this forum, Craig Barnett, CEO of Scheme Designers, will cover the elements and concepts of a great paint scheme design, and its impact on cost and ease of application to your aircraft. Ken Reese, owner of KD Aviation, will discuss tips to prepare your aircraft for paint, layout, painting, and detailing to arrive at the best possible outcome.Register › |
| 7 pm CST |
Propeller Selection for Homebuilts
Qualifies for FAA WINGS and AMT credit.
Steve Boser from Sensenich Propeller will discuss how to choose the right propeller for your experimental aircraft. He will explain the black art of propeller design and how to make good choices for your homebuilt.Register › |
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| Wednesday, January 28 |
| 11:30 am CST |
Flight Testing 101
Qualifies for FAA WINGS credit.
Paul Dye presents a look at the things a builder/pilot should consider in planning, training for, and executing a flight test program on their new homebuilt aircraft. This presentation looks at the goals and methods of flight testing, and how to manage potential risks to both pilots and the aircraft so that Phase I flight testing goes smoothly and productively.Register › |
| 1 pm CST |
TIG Welding
Qualifies for FAA WINGS and AMT credit.
The ability to make aircraft-quality welds opens up many aircraft designs for the homebuilder. TIG (tungsten inert gas) welding is ideal for building aircraft-quality parts. EAA Homebuilt Community Manager Charlie Becker and Shaun Walker, EAA’s SportAir TIG welding instructor, will cover the basics getting started in TIG welding 4130 chromoly tubing.Register › |
| 2:30 pm CST |
Hardware for Homebuilts
Qualifies for FAA WINGS and AMT credit.
When starting to build, the homebuilder will need to learn the basics of AN hardware and many other aviation specific fasteners. In this webinar, Dick Koehler will explain how to properly use AN hardware and many other fasteners not commonly used outside of aircraft.Register › |
| 4 pm CST |
Advanced Flight Systems
Rob Hickman from Advanced Flight Systems will discuss additional ways you can reduce your instrument panel installation time with an ADVANCEDPANEL.Register › |
| 5:30 pm CST |
Condition Inspections: Who and How
Qualifies for FAA WINGS and AMT credit.
Join Brian Carpenter from Rainbow Aviation Services, providers of light-sport repairman training, as he discusses who can perform maintenance, repairs, major changes, and annual condition inspections for experimental amateur-built aircraft. In addition, Brian will cover how to conduct the annual condition inspection.Register › |
| 7 pm CST |
Lessons From 200,000 Borescope Images
Qualifies for FAA WINGS and AMT credit.
The borescope is the gold standard for assessing cylinder condition. Savvy Aviation's Mike Busch, A&P/IA, demonstrates how to perform a proper cylinder borescope inspection. He discusses what to look for in borescope images, and offers analytical data obtained from the 200,000 borescope images that have been uploaded to Savvy's platform in the past two years.Register › |
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| Thursday, January 29 |
| 11:30 am CST |
Amateur-Built Aircraft Certification Process
Before you can fly your homebuilt aircraft, you need to complete both the FAA registration and certification process. Join FAA Designated Airworthiness Representative Joe Norris as he explains what a builder needs to do to successfully navigate the FAA’s required processes.Register › |
| 1 pm CST |
Insuring Your Homebuilt
In this webinar, Jim Stewart of Acrisure Aerospace discusses his most frequently asked questions that come up during AirVenture and other aviation events regarding insuring a homebuilt aircraft.Register › |
| 2:30 pm CST |
Sonex Aircraft Update
Get an overview of all Sonex products, including the new Highwing! Sonex offers basic, economical, easy-to-build aircraft. Single and two-place aircraft are available. Two models, the Sonex and Sonerai, are available as plansbuilt aircraft. Sonex even offers single-place and two-place jet aircraft. All designs are fully aerobatic when flown as single-place aircraft.Register › |
| 4 pm CST |
Garmin Experimental Avionics Solutions
A complete overview of the many offerings from Garmin for your experimental and light-sport aircraft. Topics covered by Brad Brensing, Garmin Experimental/LSA sales manager, will include screen selection, panel and remote mount avionics options, interface capabilities, and additional resources to help you in your homebuilt project planning journey!Register › |
| 5:30 pm CST |
Buying a Used Homebuilt
Qualifies for FAA WINGS and AMT credit.
Experimental amateur-built aircraft, aka homebuilts, are increasingly popular for non-builders to purchase finished and flying. Vic Syracuse will share with you the things you need to know before buying a finished and flying homebuilt. Vic is a nationally recognized expert in pre-buy examinations, condition inspections, and DAR services for amateur-built aircraft. He is the author of thePre-Buy Guide for Amateur-Built AircraftandMaintenance Handbook for Van’s RV Aircraft.Register › |
| 7 pm CST |
Lycoming Engine Installation
Qualifies for FAA WINGS and AMT credit.
Judson Rupert, principal engineer, piston engineering for Lycoming Engines, will cover the things to consider when installing a Lycoming engine on your homebuilt. Judson is an experienced aircraft owner and A&P mechanic.Register › |
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| Friday, January 30 |
| 11:30 am CST |
Staying Alive – Analysis of Homebuilt Fatal Accidents
Qualifies for FAA WINGS credit.
The EAA Homebuilt Aircraft Council provides an analysis of fatalities in experimental amateur-built aircraft over the past 13-plus years to identify common causes and elements of training or technology which could help reduce the chances of being involved in an accident.Register › |
| 1 pm CST |
Fly the Wing: AOA Demystified — Your Wing’s Real-Time Safety Gauge
Qualifies for FAA WINGS credit.
This presentation cuts through the mystery to flying with AOA. Michael Vaccaro will explain what AOA actually measures, why it’s more dependable than airspeed, and how it instantly shows whether you’re in the proper energy state for approach, maneuvering, or pattern work. You’ll learn how “on-speed” AOA keeps you in the ideal energy window, preventing a negative energy state when you’re too slow (stall risk) and avoiding excess energy when you’re too fast for landing. Most importantly, you’ll see how AOA gives you immediate situational awareness, allowing you to correct a bad trend long before it becomes a loss-of-control event. By the end of this webinar, you’ll walk away with simple, practical techniques you can apply on your very next flight, to dramatically improve stick-and-rudder precision, landing consistency, and overall safety.Register › |
| 2:30 pm CST |
Zenith Aircraft Kits & Plans
Zenith Aircraft offers both high-wing and low-wing kits that are fun to fly and easy to build. They also offer plans for those on a tight budget. In this session, Sebastien Heintz and Roger Dubbert of Zenith Aircraft will discuss their designs and engine options to help you decide if this is the kit to build.Register › |
| 4 pm CST |
Weight and Balance
Qualifies for FAA WINGS credit.
Joe Norris, amateur-built DAR, will cover the basics of how to perform a weight and balance calculation on your aircraft. He will then explain what calculations and paperwork the FAA inspector or DAR needs for your airworthiness application.Register › |
| 5:30 pm CST |
Can Homebuilt Accident Rates Be Fairly Compared?
Ron Wanttaja will use 26 years of NTSB data to compare the accident rates of common homebuilt types. The math is easy enough, but the problem lies in doing it fairly. For instance, the additional hazards related to water operations may cause more accidents, but it’s not really the fault of the aircraft itself. Similarly, a higher rate for a design that appeals to less-experienced pilots may not be due to the aircraft itself. Ron will discuss these and other factors as he presents a head-to-head comparison of homebuilt accident rates.Register › |
| 7 pm CST |
Common Builder & Maintenance Errors
Qualifies for FAA WINGS and AMT credit.
Vic Syracuse will discuss the errors he sees repeatedly on pre-buy and DAR inspections. Vic is a nationally recognized expert in pre-buy examinations, condition inspections, and DAR services for amateur-built aircraft. He is the author ofPre-Buy: Guide for Amateur-Built Aircraft,Are Your Nuts Tight: Guide to Identifying Problems on Your Amateur-Built Aircraft, andMaintenance Handbook for Van’s RV Aircraft.Register › |
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