Jabiru a Good Buy?

[RFguy]

Get a nice cover set  from Punkin.

[skippydiesel]

1 hour ago, RFguy said:

Get a nice cover set  from Punkin.

$2K (or thereabouts)

[APenNameAndThatA]

23 hours ago, skippydiesel said:

$2K (or thereabouts)

All part of the money you’ll save…

[Bruce Tuncks]

Yep if you are going to park a Jabiru outside, the best covers are a good idea.

Personally, I reckon parking anything glass outside is a bad idea.

GRP is strong against mechanical loads ( except crushing loads ) but is attacked by UV.

IF you are sure that it must be stored outside then a metal plane will fare better.

[Flightrite]

I used to watch a guy cover his Jab (stretched version) with a full cover set, took him ages especially if it was windy. The covers looked crap & faded, grass used to grow up under his plane so the extra work of keeping the off hard stand parking site serviceable and dealing with covers on and off for every flight would sure take the ‘fun’ out of it! 
I wouldn’t own a plane if I couldn’t keep it protected, in every sense of the word.

[F10]

Keeping a light RecAus aircraft outside exposed to theelements, is very risky…as it is with most GA aircraft too. A big attraction when I bought my Gazelle, was, it’s spot in the hangar was part of the deal. An advantage of the Skyfoxes and Kitfoxes to mention two, is wing folding does allow for minimal hangar space or keeping it at home in your garage. However, it is indeed a pain, when you have to spend an hour or two messing with unfolding or covers, each time you fly. 
I think the 160 is a nice aircraft, but although you like the Jabs, to me they are fairly pricey. If you shop around, there are some good deals to be had. If you’re looking for hours, a lot of very nice single seaters, will cost you a lot less?

I agree, despite the cost and the number crunching that doesn’t add up, it’s great to own your own plane! How do you value that? To me, it’s worth a lot.

I can tell you, I maintain my aircraft, with a lot more care and attention, then sadly, many LAME organisations. My Gazelle had many LAME invoices in the log book. All of them, showed the labour costs made up 50% of the total cost. This owner sold the aircraft because “it cost me too much”, which is sad because one big advantage of RAAus, is if you get your L1, most of this cost I saw could have been avoided by doing the work yourself.
For me, working on the aircraft is about as satisfying as flying it. I often look at this crazy little machine sitting in the hangar, with its delicate structure and that mysterious curved wing surface… and it blows my mind that an hour or so earlier, it was carrying me along, 3000Ft above the lovely countryside! It’s gotta be Pixie dust surely!

Anyhow, all the best with your aviation career!

[RFguy]

So Jefmel, what did you decide to do ?

Last week, I reminded my self just what Jabiru's are so crashworthy....Take out the seat cushions and carpets between pilot/co pilot completely. you will see.

 

There is a huge slab of fibreglass from one side the the airplane to the other on the seat backs.  The seats AND the seat backs  comprise a huge large panel brace across the fuselage - very strong passenger safety cell.  and you have the mains and the spring fibreglass beam just behind you on the same huge slab of 'glass.