Any kit aircraft home builders here?

Any kit aircraft home builders here?

Author
Discussion

kurt535

Original Poster:

3,559 posts

116 months

Monday 20th March 2017
quotequote all
As in the title...

Love to know if you find it rewarding/want to kill it/do it again/fed up???

Wobbegong

15,077 posts

168 months

Monday 20th March 2017
quotequote all
Planning on building one biggrin

Looking at an X'air Hawk or a Skyranger Nynja smile

kurt535

Original Poster:

3,559 posts

116 months

Monday 20th March 2017
quotequote all
Cool..built at home or hiring a space?

lee_fr200

5,476 posts

189 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
Dad built a x air falcon I did some of the frame work with him and it was fairly easy going

Then he had a jabiru

And now he's just done a rans s6

What would u like to know?

He loves them and I think he likes been able to build it to his spec

The x air had a glass cockpit and proper carbon fibre floor ??

Reg was G-cdps (ps is his initials when he sold it there's pics on google I believe) edit: somehow even has him landing his heli at lowther!
Jabiru was g-jaby iirc
And I haven't even looked at his new one I only bought him a glass altimeter at xmas for it though

Edited by lee_fr200 on Wednesday 22 March 21:18

mikef

4,826 posts

250 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
Respect to your dad!

My next door neighbour built a Turbulent and flew it off his strip. Ended up in trees near the bottom of our garden. You have to have confidence in your engineering skills to fly a home-built.

lee_fr200

5,476 posts

189 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
He absolutely loves it all, he flies helicopters got his pilots licence for normal aircraft as well as microlights also done gyrocopters and he loves paragliding! You would think at 62 he would slow down but nope he doesn't he's already planning his next aircraft!


He does say it's more fun flying microlights over normal aircraft

mikef

4,826 posts

250 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
It certainly requires more skill when you can't just power your way out of any situation smile

kurt535

Original Poster:

3,559 posts

116 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
quotequote all
Im looking at the Groppo Trail MK2 but enthusiasm has definitely tempered after working out how much the kit has gone up due to £ collapse..frown

lee_fr200

5,476 posts

189 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
quotequote all
You live once!

When we pulled all his boxes in his garage and started unpacking them it was bloody daunting but we got there eventually then trailered it to rufforth and had its flight tests done,

Just do it who wants to be laid on their deathbed wishing they had done more!

It's only money at the end of the day

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
quotequote all
My father and I built one many years ago. Sadly, during it's maiden flight we somehow lost communication with it and it flew into the side of the house. That was the end of my career in model aviation.

Fastpedeller

3,848 posts

145 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
quotequote all
Is this thread relating to model aircraft or the real, full size item?

Boatbuoy

1,941 posts

161 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
quotequote all
Fastpedeller said:
Is this thread relating to model aircraft or the real, full size item?
Real/Full Size

Fastpedeller

3,848 posts

145 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
quotequote all
Boatbuoy said:
Fastpedeller said:
Is this thread relating to model aircraft or the real, full size item?
Real/Full Size
I'd been lead believe it was nigh-on impossible to get approval on a DIY built plane in UK - I'll have to get my glassfibre kit out!

lee_fr200

5,476 posts

189 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
quotequote all
Not impossible st all you just need to get it test flown and signed off the kit builds are getting even more popular due to their cheap operating costs

kurt535

Original Poster:

3,559 posts

116 months

Thursday 23rd March 2017
quotequote all
lee_fr200 said:
Not impossible st all you just need to get it test flown and signed off the kit builds are getting even more popular due to their cheap operating costs
especially when you stick a Sauer VW engine upfront that takes Halfords oil smile

eccles

13,720 posts

221 months

Sunday 26th March 2017
quotequote all
I've helped a friend build several Vans kit aircraft. They are getting quite popular these days due to the performance and maintenance costs.
It's quite satisfying sitting there looking out at a shiny wing full of rivets that you put together a few months ago!

kurt535

Original Poster:

3,559 posts

116 months

Sunday 26th March 2017
quotequote all
eccles said:
I've helped a friend build several Vans kit aircraft. They are getting quite popular these days due to the performance and maintenance costs.
It's quite satisfying sitting there looking out at a shiny wing full of rivets that you put together a few months ago!
How many years did they take? Im looking at getting away from continentals and lycomings due to the costs but was taken by the Sauer simplicity, etc

eccles

13,720 posts

221 months

Sunday 26th March 2017
quotequote all
kurt535 said:
eccles said:
I've helped a friend build several Vans kit aircraft. They are getting quite popular these days due to the performance and maintenance costs.
It's quite satisfying sitting there looking out at a shiny wing full of rivets that you put together a few months ago!
How many years did they take? Im looking at getting away from continentals and lycomings due to the costs but was taken by the Sauer simplicity, etc
My mate is quite motivated so they were built relatively quickly, usually 18 months to 2 years. That's evenings and weekends.

kurt535

Original Poster:

3,559 posts

116 months

Sunday 26th March 2017
quotequote all
eccles said:
kurt535 said:
eccles said:
I've helped a friend build several Vans kit aircraft. They are getting quite popular these days due to the performance and maintenance costs.
It's quite satisfying sitting there looking out at a shiny wing full of rivets that you put together a few months ago!
How many years did they take? Im looking at getting away from continentals and lycomings due to the costs but was taken by the Sauer simplicity, etc
My mate is quite motivated so they were built relatively quickly, usually 18 months to 2 years. That's evenings and weekends.
Wow. that's hammering it - literally. Which model was it? the 9 or 8?

Meant to add what size workshop too?

eccles

13,720 posts

221 months

Sunday 26th March 2017
quotequote all
kurt535 said:
eccles said:
kurt535 said:
eccles said:
I've helped a friend build several Vans kit aircraft. They are getting quite popular these days due to the performance and maintenance costs.
It's quite satisfying sitting there looking out at a shiny wing full of rivets that you put together a few months ago!
How many years did they take? Im looking at getting away from continentals and lycomings due to the costs but was taken by the Sauer simplicity, etc
My mate is quite motivated so they were built relatively quickly, usually 18 months to 2 years. That's evenings and weekends.
Wow. that's hammering it - literally. Which model was it? the 9 or 8?

Meant to add what size workshop too?
Built in a double garage. I've helped him on a couple of 8's and a couple of 7's. The wings/empennage were flat pack, and the fuselage was quick build (arrives half built). We're both lucky in that we do aircraft stuff for a living so have experience and tools, but the vans forums are very good for help and tools.