Popular Mechanics (November 2005)

139 Pages·2005·15.459 MB·English

by  Editors of Popular Mechanics

Scramjets! Bio Energy! 20 Inventions That Will Change the World
CHAIN SAW
FACEOFF
TECHNOLOGY SCIENCE AUTOMOTIVE OUTDOORS HOME
FLY THIS
PLANE
Fast, Fun,
Affordable
Plus: THE NEW
“SPORT PILOT”
LICENSE YOU CAN
EARN IN A WEEK!
Decoding Your
Car’s Clunks
and Rattles
Surprising
Carbon Monoxide
Dangers
pg 109
HOW TO
SEDAN
INSTALL SKYLIGHTS
TEST BUILD A CLASSIC BLANKET CHEST
REPLACE SHOCK ABSORBERS
KEEP YOUR WATER HEATER SAFE
ASSEMBLE A HARD DRIVE
S P E C I A L
JAY LENO
DODGE CHARGER,
TOYOTA AVALON, November 2005
A nd More … Salutes the Great American Gearhead $$43..9959 CUASN ADA/FOREIGN

CONTENTS PM
VOLUME 182 NO. 11
66
Planes for
the People
Out of the nearly 3000
show planes at this year’s
Oshkosh air show, 13 caught
our eye—because almost
anyone can fl y them, includ-
ing PM’s intrepid reporter
Jeff Wise. How the new
light-sport planes and pilot
licensing rules are making it
easier to take to the skies.
82
Room to Move
SUVs aren’t winning any
fans at the pump, and car-
makers are bringing new life
to, yes, the sedan. We took
four major new models, ran
them around the track, then
E) stuff ed them with people
G
PA and luggage for an on-road
S
HI workout. Here’s the result.
T
RDS ( 86 5 … 4 … 3 … 2 … 1
A
W
D When a building has to
E
EL go, contractors call in the
A
CH special forces: controlled
Y MI demolition squads. We tag
B
H along with one of America’s
P
RA top crews to learn more
G
O about the science and art
T
O
H of blowing stuff up.
P
N;
A 90
M What’s That Sound?
R
E
N B Thump, thump. Did you
A
BRI Breakthrough Awards 2005 hear that? Thump. There
Y it is again! Identify (and
B
ER decode) your car’s cries
COV PM salutes 10 innovations that promise to shape for help with our special
OT the future—transforming energy production, guide—and fi nd out how
P
DE empowering the disabled and opening new realms long you can go before
E
M of exploration. Plus: 10 true benchmark products. making the repair.
O
H
K;
O
O
Y C High-tech prosthetics, developed by Breakthrough Award winner Hugh Herr, are helping amputees lead more active lives.
M
E
R
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N Executive Vice President; Raymond J. Petersen, Executive Vice President; John A. Rohan Jr., Vice President and Group Controller. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and by adequate postage. AS A SERVICE TO READERS, Popular
O additional mailing offi ces. Canada Post International Publications Mail Product (Canadian Distribution) Sales Agreement No. 40012499. Send returns to Quebecor World,
TI P.O. Box 875, Windsor, ON N9A 6P2. CANADA BN NBR 10231 0943 RT. Registered as second-matter at the Post Offi ce at Mexico D.F., Mexico, June 20, 1950, © 2005 by Hearst Mechanics publishes newsworthy products, techniques and
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C current mailing label or exact copy to: Popular Mechanics, Mail Preference Service, P.O. Box 7024, Red Oak, IA 51591-0024. resulting from information published in this magazine.
POPULAR MECHANICS • NOVEMBER 2005 5

PM CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2005/VOLUME 182 NO. 11
T E C H W A T C H
22 R eady, Wet, Go!
A n American company builds a
groundbreaking aqua car.
U P G R A D E
33 W ill It Break?
W e drop and dunk a brand-
new Sony PSP to see if it lives.
C O L U M N S
42 S hock Therapy
D o defi brillators operated by
amateurs really save lives?
47 N ew Cars
H onda Civic’s four new fl avors,
Mitsubishi’s fi rst midsize truck,
and Jeep’s new Commander
(third-row seats are back!).
55 J ay Leno Special
J ay fi res up the Boss Hoss,
fi res off automotive wit and
wisdom, and supports auto
restoration craftsmen.
H O M E J O U R N A L
93 Heavens Above
C hoosing the right kind of
skylight—whether you go the
DIY route or call in a pro. PH
O
T
O
96 Blanket Coverage G
R
A
P ullout plans for a Colonial- P
H
style wooden blanket chest. S B
Y
M
100 Homeowners Clinic ON
T
A djusting water heaters safely; E IS
carbon monoxide dangers O
M
from home generators. (H
Y
D
R
A
C A R C A R E S
P
Y
113 Saturday Mechanic DE
R
R eplacing worn-out shock ), B
R
absorbers (the right way). IA
N
B
E
118 Auto Clinic R
M
W hat to do about fi nicky fans AN
and water in the gas tank. Plus: (B
L
A
transmission fl uid roulette. N
K
E
T
C
T E C H N O L O G Y H
E
S
T
122 Tech DIY ), JO
H ow to assemble your own HN
M O N T H L Y 14 EDITOR’S NOTES 106 KEEP IN TOUCH external hard drive. LA
18 LETTERS 108 READER PROJECT MM
20 TIME MACHINE 136 THIS IS MY JOB 124 Tech Q&A (JA
Y
Are digital pictures really gone L
E
N
forever after “Delete All”? O
)
8 NOVEMBER 2005 • POPULAR MECHANICS