Bit by Bit: Upgrading the GlaStar
My journey of upgrading the 2000 GlaStar "Woodstock" with a new Continental Titan XIO-340 engine, Whirl Wind composite propeller, and full Dynon panel.
February 23, 2026
Updated: February 23, 2026
By Amy Wilkins
I had no idea in 2020 when I picked up our bare-bones “barn find” GlaStar that six years later I would be jumping into the upgrades I am now thrilled to share with you. In my 13 years as an aircraft owner, I’ve been through more than a few minor upgrades, some by necessity and others by choice. I remember the thrill of flying my newly IFR-certificated Cessna 150M home from the avionics shop after installing a KX-155 radio with a KI-209 loc/glideslope. After a year of saving, I purchased a used radio and omnibearing selector (OBS) combo from eBay, which then sat wrapped in plastic above my desk for over a year, not because the avionics shop had no availability, but because I had to save up an additional year to pay for the install. I flew that 150 for years on frequencies and needles, no GPS, in and out of IFR conditions—an idea that is all but absurd these days. Still, I was proud of what my hard work had accomplished. After the purchase of the GlaStar, I desperately wanted to convert it to a tailwheel. After buying an affordable used set of landing gear, the Glasair community graciously stepped in and helped make the swap to tailwheel possible. I remember departing Arlington, Washington, absolutely beaming with joy in the “new” tailwheel
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