EAA SportAir Workshops Celebrates 25 years of Homebuilt Aircraft Instruction

As EAA’s SportAir Workshops series celebrates its silver anniversary in 2025, the program continues to be a driving force in making homebuilt aircraft projects more achievable through expert-driven courses. Since EAA acquired the program in 2000, approximately 20,000 people have attended the 1,750 sessions held at locations throughout the country.

“(I) found it informative, intensive, hands-on, and eye-opening. Perfection was not the goal: completing and understanding what a safe weld looks like is what we achieved,” said EAA Lifetime member Roger Stuckey. “I believe the SportAir Workshops EAA hosts around the nation are vital to educating and developing safe, correct building skills and the use of best building practices. This is an excellent program, and I absolutely recommend and support the SportAir Workshops as vital to our grassroots foundation of experimental homebuilders.”

The current lineup of courses includes:

• Sheet Metal: A two-day workshop that teaches basic sheet metal work including a practice riveting project and an airfoil kit.
• Electrical & Avionics: A course centered on the necessary skills for the installation process including soldering, connector installations, and multi-pin connections.
• Fabric Covering: A two-day course on general fabric covering techniques using multiple different processes.
• Fiberglass Techniques for RV Aircraft: A project-based course that provides training in composite techniques required for completion of non-composite aircraft kits, such as the Van’s RV series of aircraft.
• TIG Welding: A mix of classroom and hands-on instruction of the techniques to weld 4130 chromoly tubing and aluminum.
• Gas Welding: A two-day workshop that teaches practical welding theory along with hours of hands-on experience using oxyacetylene welding techniques.
• Composite: A course focused on presenting basic composite building techniques via hands-on training.

A calendar of events with reviews, FAQs, instructor bios, and additional information can be found at EAA.org/SportAir. EAA SportAir Workshops are sponsored by Aircraft Spruce & Specialty, Lincoln Electric, Poly-Fiber Aircraft Coatings, and Zenith Aircraft.