G'day all

[Guest FlyBlue]

I have always been interested in flying and owning a plane, 12 months ago one of my clients told me how cheap his DA40 was to run, (even though it is a GA aircraft) and got me thinking........ I figure RAA is the best solution and have just started with Narromine flying school.

 

Been reading your posts and realise the massive amount of combined experience and knowledge this group has, that beginners can draw from.

 

Only just joined as have minimal experience with flying and therefore minimal knowledge so not able to offer advice, but I do have some questions............

 

Have decided to buy a plane for business use and am hoping to get some recommendations (or ideas) on planes most suitable.

 

My preferences are as follows..... but as I am not an expert in this I am very flexible.

 

1 - nose wheel

 

2 - max amount of fuel

 

3 - new or low hours on all components

 

4 - speed as VFR and most of my trips have to take place in the winter months.

 

Following is an idea of what my missions would require, based on what I have been doing in a vehicle for the last 3-4 years.

 

Depart Narromine, fly 450-700km nonstop, land on wide farm roadway or grass strip, be on site for 2-4 hrs, depart site, fly back to Narromine and land before night fall. (obviously)

 

Looking forward to getting involved and gaining experience with time..........

 

THANKS FOR THE GREAT FORUM

 

FlyBlue

 

 

[BigPete]

G'day FlyBlue,

 

What you need is -

 

A Jabiru J170c.

 

1. nosewheel

 

2. useable fuel 130 liters (@15 per hour) most trips might be done with all fuel reuired in the aeroplane.

 

3. buy it new (should be good with the tax)

 

4. 100 kt cruise, 290 kilo payload (LSA), very strong undercarriage for rough strips (just remove spats and fit bigger, tougher tyres and keep nosewheel up on landing), High wing goes over the scrub. Good STOL capacity for the cruise speed required.

 

5. A J230c would be quicker (115/120kts) and not much thirstier for distance travelled, has a rear door and more room for baggage, but it is around $15,000 dearer and has less load capacity. (around 240kg)

 

regards

 

 

[Guest FlyBlue]

Thanks

 

Thanks for your reply Pete, the Jabiru 230 is one of the aircraft that I have high on my list of possibilities, what do you think of the Lightning?

 

More cruise speed, yet has similar stall speed

 

Less fuel, I would have to fuel up on site every time

 

Less luggage room, but still enough for my needs

 

www.lightningaircraft.com.au

 

 

[Guest Macnoz]

Nice craft -- if you have the time to build it!.

 

Non certified -- not a good reseller nor easy insurance.

 

Tecnam also worth a look as long as you dont mind a remortgage everytime the Rotax needs something or replacement. Another local -- Coffs Harbour is the Lightwing

 

Plenty out there but hard to beat the dealer support by volume alone of the Jab

 

 

[Guest FlyBlue]

Thanks Macnoz, do you dislike Rotax engines in general, or the cost to repair them?? I seem to hear some good reports on the 912ULS.

 

The demo Lightning shown on their web site is available around December, and has a J3300 engine but the fuel tanks realy are a bit to small for my needs.

 

What would you say about the Millenium Master?

 

 

[Guest airsick]

The Millenium Master is high (very) on my list of possibilities but endurance is only 3.5 hrs from Ians figures. Admittedly this gives a good range given its speed. And it does look like a really nice aircraft.

 

If you want range I am very impressed with the Pipistrel motorgliders. My brother has a short wing Virus with long range tanks and it seems to go forever. The tanks have around 100L useable and the plane burns about 12L per hour at 115 knots. You can get a bit more out of it speed wise but I am being a little conservative. This gives it a range of around 870NM (with 45min reserve). To give you an idea of what this means we can almost fly it from Canberra to the Gold Coast and back on one tank if we burnt the full 100L -this would get us around 960NM and the round trip is about 1000NM. They are a bit pricey but if you can claim it on tax it might work out quite well.

 

 

[Guest FlyBlue]

Thanks, had looked at the Virus, thought it was in same sort of class as the Jab as far as high wings, cruise speed, stall ect, but think the Virus does look better,

 

I can wait till about next Feb, will sit back and see what happens with the Master over the next few months.

 

My list (currently) goes -

 

Virus or Jab

 

Master, Lightning and another new one that looks like it might be OK, the new Cirrus SRS in the LSA

 

check out the SRS

 

 

 

[Matt]

My brother has a short wing Virus

Hey Airsick, your brother wouldn't be Phil by any chance? Regularly ran into a Phil at Canberra who had what I'm pretty sure was a Virus - he's an ex-Air Force pilot, currently/previously worked for Microsoft I believe.

 

 

I don't actually have anything to add to the topic...

 

Cheers,

 

Matt.

 

 

[Guest airsick]

Yep, that's him. Don't hold it against me though. He is acutally ex-Navy, did his training in CT-4's, Macchi's, etc. with the Air Force though. I keep telling him he wasn't good enough to be a knucklehead.

 

He used to get excited about your CT-4 whenever he saw it. Always wanted to fly it and relive his youth I think. It's too late though, he is old and you have gone. :big_grin: Do you know who owns the other CT-4 here?

 

 

[Guest palexxxx]

....... and another new one that looks like it might be OK, the new Cirrus SRS in the LSAcheck out the SRS

The Cirrus SRS is really a FK14 B Polaris built by Peter and Otto Funk. Cirrus has bought the licence to build them for the US market. Of course Cirrus will have to slow them down for the 120 knot max speed for LSA in America whereas the FK 14 B is capable of much quicker. see links below.

 

http://www.cirrusdesign.com/future/srs/

 

http://www.fk-lightplanes.com/html/fk_14_polaris.html

 

Also, you may want to look at the Air Noosa Sports Cruiser

 

http://www.airnoosa.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=35&Itemid=65

 

Peter.

 

 

[Matt]

I think 058 is still at Canberra Airport and it's owned by Frank Daniel. We never met him but regularly passed them taxying or found ourselves parking next to each other all the time!

 

 

[Guest FlyBlue]

That is interesting, I see what you mean Palexxxx, this little black duck likes the speed and style of the Master, will see what is happening later in the year.

 

Thanks anyway