Affordaplane - A-Plane

[Gribble]

Hmm, didnt think about ebay, good work. :) Although, I would rather get an entire pacage together rather than in dribs and drabs, ive been doing that with cars for almost the last 15 years and im over that.

 

I did think about the handheald with headset idea, especially if your just going to be flying around the same area as I highly doubt any cross country trips would be done in it.

 

 

[starion81]

Hi all, my name is Neil, i am a new member, that is just starting to get my RA cert. I have also purchased the plans for the A plane, and have jus started the fabrication. It would be great to hear from any other builders, especially in the Perth region, cheers Neil

 

 

[old man emu]

Damn!

 

I've just sent a parts and price list for an Affordaplane to my computer's rubbish bin. I hope it is still there!

 

OME

 

 

[Danger Mouse]

Hi OME

 

Any chance you recovered the parts and price list? Just interested to know the cost involved.

 

 

[old man emu]

DM,

 

It's gone to the grat shjredder in the sky, however, I might have a contact who can give me the list. I'll try on Thursday.

 

OME

 

 

[Deskpilot]

More 'true ultralights' here plus a set of plans for free. Not beautiful aircraft but they get you into the air.

 

http://www.beaujonaircraft.com/

 

 

[Danger Mouse]

Have any of the people here completed an Affordaplane yet? I notice some said they were starting but I don't see any on the register yet. Any reports on ease of build or flight reports?

 

 

[old man emu]

DM,

 

I know a bloke who built one some years ago. He's the bloke I got the inventory from.

 

OME

 

 

[winsor68]

There has been one advertised online for sale for some time in WA... Google it... Could be an old add. Low hours I believe.

 

 

[eightyknots]

Hi Andrew,Normally no don't need brakes, on the flight they asked me when I landed to taxi to the hanger but forgot to warn me of the dip in the grass section, in frone of the hanger the aircraft ended in the hanger and i had worn out the shoes i was wearing, they said it was so funny to watch. I am sure there was smoke coming off my shoes too, ha, ha.

 

Bob.

The plane might be Affordable, but new shoes after every flight might not be!

 

 

[Pilot Pete]

How are you fellers going with the A planes?

 

 

[Raptorcat]

Looking at the A-plane, but an thinking of setting it up with trike gear instead of the tail dragger and also with a 'V'-tail. Already have the plans and am modifying the design. going to test the configuration in a 3d design sim before I try to build it, though. Also looking at something lighter than sheet aluminum for the cockpit skins. anyone have weight /ft2 comparisons for doped and painted fabric v thin fiberglass v .o24 aluminum sheet?

 

 

[bexrbetter]

anyone have weight /ft2 comparisons for doped and painted fabric v thin fiberglass v .o24 aluminum sheet?

I would suggest that people who specialise in each relevant field can do just as good as the other one can.

 

 

[Raptorcat]

I would suggest that people who specialise in each relevant field can do just as good as the other one can.

I understand what you are saying, but I am really looking at a realistic average. I am pretty good with glass work and metal, but am really interested in seeing if it is worth the extra effort in both cost and weight to go with one over the other. After all, with a U/L, it really is all about the weight.

 

 

[Deskpilot]

Had to look up the Javelin and found this video.

 

 

 

[Raptorcat]

Had to look up the Javelin and found this video.

The first one looks a lot like an idea that I wanted to do with the A-plane design, except making it a tricycle gear. The second one I've seen before when I went to Duxford, back in the early 80's. That one wasn't flying, though.

 

 

[microman]

I've just looked at some U-Tube videos of the Capella Javelin - what a great little ultralight - reminds me of the early days when I flew a single-seat Thruster - great fun, and a really good learning experience. Now I sit in a modern ultralight/microlight which cruises at a 100 kts but isn't half as much fun! I've decided that the ideal mix will be my Alpi for longer distance flights and the little HiMax I am building for paddock-hopping round the local area. Best of both worlds!

 

 

[Deskpilot]

The first one looks a lot like an idea that I wanted to do with the A-plane design, except making it a tricycle gear. The second one I've seen before when I went to Duxford, back in the early 80's. That one wasn't flying, though.

Unfortunately, there are no flying versions of the Gloster Javelin. Not because there aren't any reusable air-frames, but because there are NO spare engines.

 

 

[Raptorcat]

Unfortunately, there are no flying versions of the Gloster Javelin. Not because there aren't any reusable air-frames, but because there are NO spare engines.

More's the pity that there aren't many, if any at all, of a number of historic airplanes flying anymore. Funny how we can find engines for all sorts of pre-jet era engines, but never any post jet that were built for them in the day.

 

 

[Yenn]

We have a Mig at Old Station. Nothing wrong with the engine, but the airframe is out of hours. There is a bit of a move to get the hours extendes as the civil Migs never fly at anything like the operational weight they were designed for. Im' no holding my breath waiting for an extension, but it would be good to get it airborne again. We know the engine runs it was going at the fly in.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

We have a Mig at Old Station. .

I'm yet to ask for a MIG for display, I actually like my chances!

 

There's a number of them at various parks around China, it's great because you can crawl all over them and amazingly most of them still have the guns ...

 

 

 

 

[Raptorcat]

I'm yet to ask for a MIG for display, I actually like my chances!There's a number of them at various parks around China, it's great because you can crawl all over them and amazingly most of them still have the guns ...

Migs would not go over very well on display here in the US, except at air museums or restored for use at air shows. There was one, a MiG 21 at Fort Lauderdale executive airport (FXE), in Florida, that was waiting on parts for a restoration, about 20 years ago. I think that the people that owned it moved it to an air museum somewhere.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

There was one, a MiG 21 that was waiting on parts for a restoration,

The parks aren't locked at night, just saying ....

 

 

[Oscar]

We have a Mig at Old Station. Nothing wrong with the engine, but the airframe is out of hours. There is a bit of a move to get the hours extendes as the civil Migs never fly at anything like the operational weight they were designed for. Im' no holding my breath waiting for an extension, but it would be good to get it airborne again. We know the engine runs it was going at the fly in.

A Mig-15 went in at Canberra some years ago, killing both occupants and all but taking out around 200 people at a sports field, as the pilot sacrificed his life for the greater good ( RIP, that pilot).

 

Nostalgia for Warbirds is a powerful emotion, but frequently is utterly misplaced in terms of sense. A combat aircraft is designed for a specific mission - and longevity is NEVER one of the specifications. That is why there are thousands of 'retired' warplanes just outside Tucson, Arizona - for starters. Alloys that simply disintegrate over time were used in their airframe; engines with no real TBO were used at ratings that defied analysis, other than 'replace when it breaks'. We will NOT be seeing private F111's in operation.

 

You have a way better chance of flying safely in a 1930's warbird maintained by a savvy LAME than in a 1980's or onwards warbird. Live with it, or go against it and quite possibly die with it.

 

 

[bexrbetter]

. A combat aircraft is designed for a specific mission -

Blowing people apart into a thousand pieces.

 

I wonder the value of remembering them at all somedays, F4 and napalm anyone?