Any suggestions?

[duncan_bayne]

Hi All,

 

I'm jumping the gun a bit here (not yet GFPT, let alone PPL, & won't have the money to do anything about it until next year) ... but I've already been exercising my imagination & trying to figure out what type of aircraft will do everything my wife & I want:

 

1. two up cross-country flying (even if a little cramped and slow)
    
    
   
2. basic aeros (eventually for both myself and my wife, who currently holds a CPL-H to which she's hoping to add a PPL + aero endorsement)
    
    
   
3. low purchase cost (<$50K ideally) and running costs
    
    
   
4. easy to fly for someone on a newly-minted PPL
    
    
   
5. built by somebody else (for I have precious little spare time, and struggle to make a wooden box that holds together)
    
    
   

 

 

I've gone hunting on the internet (as any good student pilot knows, everything you read on the internet is true ;)) and put together a spreadsheet with very rough figures, and have come out with the conclusion that the only aircraft that meets the above requirements is a 150 Aerobat.

 

Even then, the cruising range of a 150 with my wife & I abord (totalling ~ 180kg) would be profoundly limited - my SWAG (Super Wild Ass Guess) figures lead me to expect around 140nm including reserves, & that's based solely on MAUW calculations, i.e. disregarding balance entirely.

 

So ... I was wondering if anyone here has any suggestions? Is there something out there that will do all of the above? Or am I going to have to build time and experience while I save my pennies for an RV-series?

 

TIA,

 

Duncan

 

 

[Guest mike_perth]

Well I did my Ab-Initio training in a Tomahawk and liked flying it and there is a guy that keeps flying one out of Jandakot to build his hours - I think the issue you'll have with the 150 and the Tomahawk is the weight left over for fuel

 

good luck

 

enjoy

 

 

[djpacro]

I'm surprised that you haven't got more suggestions, Duncan.

 

Mazda is usually quick to promote Airtourers - where is she?

 

I bought an Airtourer prior to PPL - was a good decision.

 

Friends bought Airtourer and 7ECA Citabria prior to GFPT - not regretted it.

 

Friends bought prior to GFPT have learnt that cheap aeroplanes can be expensive and also that their perception of requirements change very quickly from GFPT to PPL and after flying around for a while.

 

I pottered around in a rented 152 Aerobat for a little bit before I bought the Decathlon - at the time the 152 seemed to make more sense but the Decathlon seemed to be a lot more fun.

 

Friend owned a 150 Aerobat for many many years and was very happy with it - only sold it quite recently due age/health.

 

Some say that you should not buy anything that you can rent.

 

Barnstormers is a good place for tyre-kickers - the more you kick tyres the more money you save too.

 

 

[Mazda]

Sorry dj, I've been off air for a while - moving!

 

Duncan I'd definitely say go for an Airtourer. I'd suggest at least a 115, same engine as the C152/Tomahawk. There are bigger ones around, 150, 160 horsepower, fixed pitch and CSU, but they are more expensive.

 

You will be able to get a Victa Airtourer 115 for under $50,000, probably a fair bit under that. They cruise at about 100 knots. They do lovely basic aerobatics and are nice tourers because you can see so much (plus they are a bit faster than the Cessnas). They are sweet handling, responsive and easy to land. Like the C152, Tomahawk and Citabria ECA, it has the Lycoming O-235 with a long time between overhauls. I've flown all those types and the Airtourer is by far the nicest to fly.

 

There's also a very strong Airtourer organisation for assistance (they have a website if you are interested), and you have that special feeling of flying a genuine Aussie aircraft, and a piece of history. They sure turn heads. Even on my very last flight, I had two guys racing over to see mine, one saying he actually did his first solo in my aircraft way back in the 60s, the other saying he also had one. People either come over to see some history, or they ask if it is a new design! They are so much fun to fly that anyone who has ever flown one will come over to look at yours everywhere you go. You don't see many C150/152 pilots going over to see another Cessna!

 

They are a two seat side by side seating low wing aircraft with a canopy. Tricycle undercarriage. Fixed seats, adjustable rudder pedals. One centre stick. One fuel tank, one fuel drain. +6 to -3 aeros. Full span flapperons, with extra flap under the fuselage.

 

One consideration is weight. There's only around 200kg between empty wt and aeros wt, and around 250kg between empty and MTOW, so you will have to do two up aeros without a lot of fuel (or go by yourself), and plan carefully when touring.

 

As dj says, the aerobat and Citabria ECA would also be possible choices. The 7GCBC wth a bigger engine would be more expensive I'd say. Depends what you want. The Citabria is tandem seating with the pilot up front. Tailwheel, fabric, and the ECA has no flaps.

 

 

[Guest Qwerty]

Hey Mazda

 

Your profile says you live in Bris and your airfield is Camden.....thats gotta be a bummer of a commute to go flying. :hittinghead:

 

Welcome back. Are you at Dunwich??

 

Cheers, Qwerty

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Mazda, ain't moving a bitch, but a change is as good as a holiday !! Are you sure those guys were running over to look at you're plane ??.............................

 

 

[HEON]

No, I do not own one but think Jab 170 would be the way to go.

 

Probably more initially but will seem cheap after a couple (or one!) 100hr on a older GA type.

 

If you can streech to new I think now 2yr/500hr "insurance" included.

 

Sorry, missed aero's...otherwise no contest!

 

 

[Mazda]

Moving is a nightmare alright Maj! It wasn't helped by the removalist backing the truck into the roof of the house. I think those men were coming over to see the plane!

 

Qwerty, at the moment that's about right, because at this stage all I've done is to fly into Dunwich - I flew out of Camden. I'm living on the mainland, not on the island, but so far it is great. Fantastic weather, dolphins, dugongs, whales, koalas.

 

 

[dazza 38]

Hi Ducan,hows the progression, have you found a nice flying school/plane that you like ?

 

 

[duncan_bayne]

Hi Ducan,hows the progression, have you found a nice flying school/plane that you like ?

I have indeed - just sent djpacro a thank-you for showing me around Moorabbin & introducing me to some of the folk there. In the end I went with MFT - did a flight with Dave Prossorin a C-152 & greatly enjoyed it.

 

I'll be getting back into training again in earnest in April (once I've had my first two invoices paid and have some money). In the meantime, it's back into the books to get my theory back up to GFPT level ...

 

 

 

[dazza 38]

Thats great to hear mate, Daves is a great Guy, he has helped us all, on this site.Cheers and good luck with your training, and study