Advice sought about building costs and time

[Guest rocketdriver]

Would appreciate some ball park advice .... I am thinking of buying a project that has aluminium wings and a fabric covered fuselage. It is a small two seat a/c.

 

Now for the questions.

 

AS a proportion of the published expected build time, how much is likely to be in 1. the wings, 2. covering and painting, 3. Engine installation 3. Fit out?

 

Also what sort of costs should I expect to get it painted if I do the preparation? (I don't like the thought of those toxic compounds!)

 

 

[FlyingVizsla]

Hi RD,

 

Our last build - a RANS S7 - tube & fabric took 6 years on & off. A lot happened in that time - wife No.1 got ill and there was a lot of travel and time away ending in her death after chemo, then there was the courting of wife No.2 (that's me) and a lot of other distractions. It will take longer than you think. Then there is that period in the middle where you have lost your first enthusiasm, nothing much seems to be coming together and the light at the tunnel seems a long way off.

 

Several things will slow you up - inexperience being the most obvious. Covering the aircraft is an art. The best place to visit is Spotlight or Lincraft (girly places that sell dress material and craft). Here you will find the pinking shears, curved needles, awls, stretchers and things you will need cheaply and quickly. Take the missus if you don't want to look like the only man in the shop. Find someone who has done fabric work before. There's cutting, doping, glueing, heat shrinking, stitching - a whole world you've never dreamed of. Natfly sometimes has a forum on the process.

 

Paint - weighs a tonne and costs a tonne. There are several systems (for fabric) available and it is worth talking to people who have used them as some are more fiddly than the others. Metal paint is different - it doesn't have to flex as much. A bloke at Barcaldine painted his Kitten with canary yellow house paint and it slowly cracked & peeled. You will also need lots of coats on the fabric. Consider reinforcing around the areas where hands and feet will contact (around the doors) as these can start to look terrible from bumps & scratches and hand grease. Fortunately for us, one of my husband's ex motorcycle hoon mate grew up to be a professional aircraft painter (now retired) so he helped us no end.

 

If we had our time over we would go for vinyl decals rather than trying to spray paint straight lines.

 

Cost was about double the kit price. I could do some itemising if you are interested in the Rans type build.

 

Sue

 

 

[Guest rocketdriver]

Thanks FV ... I know about the twicwe as long and twice as much ... I built a road going road/race car about ten years ago .... rolled the Chassis into the garage and thought ... You Beauty ... another 3 months and we will be mobile!!!! 18 months later I visited the RTA to register it ..... the last 6 tom 9 months was very slow as I saved up for all the unbudgetted things ....

 

 

[gregrobertson]

Hi Rocketdriver.

 

I built a Skyranger 4 years ago, it took 3 months from delivery to ready to fly. I had a ball, it is the best way of getting to know your aircraft. Just go for it.

 

Greg