89. The state of the homebuilt market, with Marc Cook

Experimental airplanes make up an increasingly large share of the general aviation market, and Marc Cook knows that world better than anyone. He traces the history of homebuilts, from the radical plans of the 1980s to the refined kits of today, and describes the current state of the industry. He also talks about the causes of Van’s recent bankruptcy ordeal, and shares why he’s very optimistic about the upcoming MOSAIC rule—but also why it won’t lead to $20,000 airplanes. In the Ready to Copy segment, Marc names the biggest mistake homebuilders make, chooses the most underrated experimental airplane, and explains why riding motorcycles and flying airplanes requires the same approach to risk. 

LINKS:

• Kitplanes magazine: https://www.kitplanes.com/
• MOSAIC update video: https://youtu.be/9FfylxAuK3c
• Sporty’s 2025 Pilot Training Courses: https://www.sportys.com/learntofly