Sources of information

No airplane builder is an island. Some of the old-timers complain that homebuilders nowadays don't have to try very hard to figure things out: we just go online and ask, rather than figuring out everything from first principles. We've wimped out.

Okay, give me my wimp card. I prefer to ask someone who's been there before.

For folks building a Buttercup (or a similar airplane) there are a few sources of information online that are very helpful:

• Yahoo Buttercup builders forum: general information sharing
• Yahoo Buttercup-STOL builders forum: One man's quest to build a Buttercup
• Yahoo Tailwind forum: Think of a Buttercup as a prototype Tailwind
• Wings forum Wittman Aircraft posts

And I assume that if you want to actually build one of these you know about the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). If you don't, start there first.

When it comes to building a Buttercup you will need a set of plans. These are available from Earl Luce. I also found it helpful to purchase a set of Tailwind plans as well, because many of the techniques are similar. Tailwind plans are available from Aircraft Spruce, which also sells material kits for the Buttercup.

If you want to get an idea of what's involved in building one of these, one good place to start is with Paul Poberezny's Techniques of Aircraft Building, which is available from Acro Sport Aircraft.