Aircraft available as partial kits

[Guest Howard Hughes]

Would like to try building an aircraft, but don't want to commit to buying a complete kit in case my aircraft building skills aren't up to scratch. Of course it will also allow me to spread the cost.

 

Just wondering what kits are out there available as partial kits?

 

Those I have found so far are:

 

-Vans

 

-Fisher

 

-Zenair

 

-Morgan

 

-Titan

 

-Sonex

 

Any others? Doesn't matter RAA, or GA.

 

Cheers, HH.

 

 

[Guernsey]

Morgans.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

Titan: Tornado or T-51

 

 

[Gentreau]

Just how 'partial' are you looking for ?

 

A "bolt on the wings and engine" kit or something less advanced ?

 

Have you looked at an 80% Spitfire ?

 

 

[Guest Howard Hughes]

Thanks Guernsey, I was looking at the website but couldn't find anything about partial kits, maybe I am blind!

 

Titan: Tornado or T-51

Very nice!

Just how 'partial' are you looking for ?

Easy (quick) to build, pre punched, etc... But most importantly available as seperate kits (tail, wings, fuselage, firewall forward), so I don't have to over commit myself financially at the outset. Then if I turn out to be completely hopeless at home building, then I am only down a few thousand, as opposed to tens of thousands.

 

[fly_tornado]

have a look @ the Tornado, its a 300 hour build.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

[Danger Mouse]

The Sonex family of aircraft can be purchased as sub kits and completed in stages

 

 

[Guest Howard Hughes]

Thanks DM!

 

 

[Bandit12]

How about the Team Mini-Max range? http://www.teammini-max.com/

 

Plans are free and I believe that they had a special recently for a $59 starter kit which covers the materials needed to build the fin and rudder of the model you choose!

 

 

[dazza 38]

Another thing to check for is how many Jigs have to be made to form or hold aircraft bits and pieces .If you go matched hole like the sonex Onex.As long as the holes line up , it should be straight & true.IMO having to make a jig every 5 minutes is a pain in the backside.

 

 

[jerrajerra]

Hi. I can't assist you in the building phase but perhaps this magazine could offer you something, "World Directory of Leisure Aviation".

 

Topics covered such as fixed wing/lsa, homebuilts, certified ac, ultralight gliders cert gliders, gyrocopters, trikes...

 

First time stocked at my local newsagency and they only ordered 2.

 

I've read through it many times checking out websites and it gave me good ideas on types of trikes I'd like to consider to buy if i went down that road which I hope I do if I move east to Mackay.

 

Thanks. Chris

 

 

[fly_tornado]

also check kitplanes.com.

 

 

[rankamateur]

you can buy a Zenith 701 rudder kit to try your hand for about $300. About afternoon tea time (after maybe two or three days anyway)you will be finished and you could order the rest.

 

 

[rankamateur]

Another thing to check for is how many Jigs have to be made to form or hold aircraft bits and pieces .If you go matched hole like the sonex Onex.As long as the holes line up , it should be straight & true.IMO having to make a jig every 5 minutes is a pain in the backside.

Works for ICP Savannah's, I am sure you could build a straight wing on the front lawn if you don't mind loosing a few rivets.

 

 

[rgmwa]

You may already be aware, but Vans also supply `quickbuild kits' where the fuselage, wings etc are already assembled. They cost more of course, but allow you to complete the build more quickly. On the other hand you miss the experience of doing the whole thing yourself. If you can build the empennage kit, I reckon you can build the rest of it too.

 

rgmwa

 

 

[rankamateur]

Downside is that you then have a 701 instead of a Savannah. You are too late to be the first person to try and modify a 701 to make it more like a savannah, that's already been done and done.

 

 

[Guest Howard Hughes]

I didn't realise the quick build option provided wings and fuselage already assembled. Have heard that the empennage kit is the hardest part and that if you can complete that the rest shoud be OK! Is that an accurate assessment?

 

 

[fly_tornado]

if you are serious about a Vans, keep an eye out on barnstormers and ebay, there are hundreds of abandoned RV6/7 projects out there that work out to be a lot cheaper than the factory kits

 

 

[metalman]

You can't go past an RV kit ,even the slow build pre-punched is a good thing, the RV12 is cherry max rivets aswell which makes it even easier. The Kitfox is a pretty good kit to by the look of them ,personally I wouldn't go near a Morgan ,had a look at some at various Flyins and they seem to be pretty rough to me ,although if you build it yourself you might be able to tidy it up a bit. I really like the sonex's too, they look nice and neat ,and go like a dog shot in the arze!

 

Met

 

 

[rgmwa]

I didn't realise the quick build option provided wings and fuselage already assembled. Have heard that the empennage kit is the hardest part and that if you can complete that the rest shoud be OK! Is that an accurate assessment?

No, the empennage is easy. But the good thing is that once you've done that, the other kits (which are harder) will seem easy too. Have a good look at the RV-12. It comes totally complete, including pre-wired harnesses, avionics and engine - all the hard work is done for you. But if you want to go faster than 120kts you will need to look at one of the other RV's. They take a lot more work to put together though. An RV-12 will take you 1000-1300 hrs, a -7 or a -9 will take 2,000-3,000. (You will also want a helper for the riveting with those too. The Rv-12 uses mainly pulled rivets which is a one-person job).

 

Another thing - the RV-12 is fine for RAA. The other ones are VH (there are a few examples where builders have shoe-horned them into sub 544kg, but probably best not to go there).

 

rgmwa

 

 

[dazza 38]

if you are serious about a Vans, keep an eye out on barnstormers and ebay, there are hundreds of abandoned RV6/7 projects out there that work out to be a lot cheaper than the factory kits

Also adding onto FT's post. There is a QB RV7 kit for sale in AUS for $24 K.I saw it on the Aviation trader.Web site.

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

Van's have the reputation of excellent back-up / technical support plus I love the fact you can buy so many aftermarket bits for them such as complete leather upholstered seats and interior panels. Again as FT says you can sometimes see partially completed quick build kits, less work to do (assuming what has been done is neat). If not local always a good excuse to visit the States to check it out... Apart from maybe Zenith and a couple of others I'd be wary of other US manufacturers, often the product is good but you need to check how many are flying and also once you buy it you may be on your own. Or buy an AU kit of course as others have mentioned.

 

 

[Tex]

Pipistrel

 

 

[boingk]

I believe you can buy various Hummel airframes precut/completed etc and by all accounts they seem to fly nicely once completed.

 

I think this includes their new somewhat larger offering, as the original Hummel Bird is somewhat restrictive on pilot size/weight.

 

Cheers - boingk