Joys of building you own

[Guest highace10]

Hello,

 

Being my first post i would like to introduce myself and say hi. Im guessing most of the people around here have been interested in aircraft/flying since they were knee high to a grasshopper, well..... nothing is different with me. Im a relatively inexperienced pilot but with some special experiences that at some stage i would like to share. I am into all of this stuff so much i joined the RAAF and now i fix these things for a living...specifically the Hawk 127.

 

Now....onto my question.

 

I was wondering if people could share some experiences of building their own aircraft. A little while down the track i would like to build my own.

 

It would be good to hear from people around Australia especially with materials, kits etc being a little less abundant than the US.

 

Thanks

 

Ace

 

 

[mAgNeToDrOp]

Welcome HighAce10

 

Plenty of info and experienced people on the forum who can answer your q's. I'm still low on the hrs but hope to build on that

 

What aircraft are you flying? Good to see another pilot from WA

 

 

[Yenn]

Ace.

 

I am sure there are several bulders on this forum. I built a Corby Starlet from plans, but I think most nowadays buy a kit. Only lack of funds stops me buying a Cheetah kit from gary Morgan.

 

Most of the stuff I used came from Aircraft Spruce in the USA, including the spruce timber. It is OK to use Hoop Pine instead of spruce as it is stronger but slightly heavier, but unfortunately you can't easily use smaller timber sections as stiffness of the structure would be a problem. A lot of fittings can be bought in Australia, but my experience was that they cost more than those sourced from USA and also take longer to arrive. I have regularly ordered fittings on a Monday, by email from USA and they have arrived on Friday.

 

Engines are made in Australia, Jabiru and Rotec and Rotax are easily available.

 

I ahve just discovered a drawback with fafric covering, the cost of Stits materials is fairly high, but as thay are considered to be dangerous goods the freight cost is astronomical.

 

I think most of the overseas kit manufacturers ahve Australian agents or can be easily contacted. With the Aussie dollar buying over 85cents US now would be a good time to buy a kit and I would love to build an RV4, but I don't want to go back to GA piloting with all it's hassles and unless the weight restrictions are lifted the RV4 is too heavy for RAAus.

 

Any specific queries and I am sure you will get plenty of replies.

 

 

[Guest highace10]

Unfortunatley im not flying atm, it has about 5 years since i last flew. The cost has gotten out of reach for me which is a real shame. I do have the goal though of getting back into flying down the track but not in the GA relm.

 

I think the last thing i flew from memory was a R2160, loved aeros in that thing. I do find it frustrating to see these 22 year old pilots walk up to the Hawk and take it for a fly, i think they can see a bit of the jelousy on my face as i say hi. I got to live a dream of mine when i flew a Hawk from Darwin to Perth. Very cool and satisfying :-)

 

I guess building my own is a bit of a dream, hopefully down the track it will happen. I was curious what other people thought/think of building their own aircraft.

 

I like the Starlet, i saw a couple of them at the fly-in in Wagga back in 2005-2006. It reminds me of a homebuilt Porsche. How do they fly?

 

Ace

 

 

[pylon500]

There's plenty of choice if you build from plans, or a Morgan kit is good starting point.

 

If you can stay friendly with the Metal Bashers at Pearce, you could look at something like a Hummel Bird, or a Zodiac if you want something bigger.

 

Metal is much easier to come by than wood and fabric.

 

Have you been out to Bindoon?

 

Have a look at my links below, I was a Metal Basher at Richmond during the '80s.

 

Arthur.

 

 

[Guest Maj Millard]

Hey Arthur, Did you happen to run into Blue (Bruce) Wilkie during your metal bashing days ?..........

 

 

[Yenn]

Ace. The Corby is a pilots aeroplane and all the people who have owned them and then sold wish they had kept them. Even so I am thinking of selling to get a 2 seater.

 

The size of a Corby cockpit won't allow anyone of large size to get comfortable, cockpit width is less than 2' but they just fly as if you are part of them. Think turn left and the plane seems to do it. I have never set mine up to fly hands off and it has no trim, so it has to be flown all the time, but looking at the map is no hassle.

 

The very best thing is the low cost of flying, 10 to 11 litres per hour, negligible upkeep costs, oil, auto type plugs, filters and that is about it. There should be some in WA for you to see.

 

 

[skydog]

Plug for RV`s

 

Ace,

 

It sounds like you are into speed and aeros so I recommend the Vans RV kit aircraft which can be built at a reasonable cost in reasonable time. Check them out at.

 

Van's Aircraft - Total Performance RV Kitplanes

 

They average about 150kts at height and do good aeros.

 

They are a proven kit too with over 5000 flying I believe.

 

 

[Yenn]

With all the experts tipping that the Aussie dollar will be par with the US dollar soon, it will make tha RV's affortable. RV4 kit for 18 Grand at todays rate, but adding freight will lift it a bit.

 

 

[Guest highace10]

I should have updated my details earlier, it has been a while since i have logged on. I am in Newcastle now. I pretty much grew up in Perth but i also was at 79SQN for about 2 and a bit years.

 

Yenn: I think you hit it on the head when you said cheap way to fly. They look great also.

 

When it comes to building a Starlet, did you have to manufacture majority of the metal parts etc yourself, or is there someone out there that does a short kit of sorts?

 

Skydog: I love the RV4, one of my favourite aircraft. I have seen a few at shows etc but i have never had a good look through one. Im pretty sure there was a guy that has his own airstrip near RAAF Base Pearce that flies a RV4. He could really only fly on the weekends and maybe sneak out before the the restricted airspace was activated. From the way he flew he loved flying that thing. From memory it took him 10 years or something to build. Not bad.

 

Cheers

 

Ace

 

 

[Yenn]

Building the few metal bits there are in a Corby is not all that bad, there are only about 7 pairs of hinges, the stick and rudder control brackets. I got the engine mount with the engine.

 

 

[Guest highace10]

Thats not bad then really, i guess that would be one of the problems i would have is making the metal parts. I havnt too much experience with metal. Where abouts do you source a canopy from? What engine are you running?

 

Just had a good look on youtube.com for RV4 vids. Great looking a/c in the air, especially one bloke doing below tree top level down a river somewhere in the US. Pretty skilled bloke he must be. Ill try and find the link and post it.

 

Ace

 

 

[skydog]

High ace

 

An RV should take about 2 yrs to build for the average Joe.

 

They have fast build kits out now.

 

However quite often you will see advertised in 'aviation trader' Aviation Trader

 

kits for sale that people have not finished due to a multitude of reasons. This could be an extra cheap way of flying, saving on the freight costs and kit already started.

 

Cheers.

 

 

[Yenn]

Corby canopies used to be sourced from New Zealand, but I would have to look into it to find a current source. I run the 2.2 Jab with a Sweetapple prop. Full throttle for take off but I can't use full throttle in cruise as I would go over Vne. Best climb is about 80kts, but steeper at 70.

 

The hinges are all made from 2 different size square steel tube. One nests inside the other and steel washers are welded on for wear reinforcement. If you are thinking of building a Corby I have an easy way of setting up the aileron hinges, which could be a pain otherwise. The only real trap in construction is the position of a fuselage brace in the sides, which can foul the forward wing attachement points. I had to move mine.

 

 

[pylon500]

Hey Arthur, Did you happen to run into Blue (Bruce) Wilkie during your metal bashing days ?.

G'Day Maj., I know of Blue from my Wagga days, but he was an apprentice on a course following mine so we didn't really interact that much.

 

Arthur.

 

 

[Guest highace10]

Wagga was a great place, but the base wasnt too crash hot. Things would have changed a fair bit, rookes is there now so things are a bit more reggie.

 

Still hot in Summer and very cold in Winter.

 

Woud be nice to go for a fly around that area.

 

Ace