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Wood Construction or Sheet Metal?

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Joined
Jan 27, 2012
Messages
1,508
Location
Glendale, CA
Hello All,

I was going to post this in both of the construction specific areas, but figured one single post here was a better choice. Anyhow I am researching designs and seem to like some that involve all scratch building from wood, some kit based of wood and fabric and a few kits with metal construction. I do have a lot of composites experience (way more than wood or sheet metal), but for the type of plane I want there are just not any composite ones on my radar. Plus it would be nice to learn some new skills. I never considered a sheet metal plane until recently when I joined a local EAA club (#40) and began to help a bit on a Sonex and see that I do like the all inlcusive kit format and that the sheet metel work is not as hard as I thought. However most of my ideas of what I want in a plane tend toward tube and fabric or wood. I am a huge fan of the golden age of aviation and the Flitzer has caught my eye. Even more so the Cleveland 200 but the plans are long way away for that. I also like the skybaby and pretty much any plane that looks like it is from the 30's.. I also like the Rag Wing replica of the Church Midwing. I also have a good deal of R/C airplane experience and the Flitzer looks like a big model.

On the tube and fabric kit front I like the Super Skyraider and the Frontier. It is also a low time kit build in relation to an all scratch built wood airplane.

On the metal front I like the Sonex and Onex for the pull rivits. Also the CH750..

So back to my question. While I like everything about the Flitzer, I am affraid that a long build in wood will have more of a chance of me not finishing even though I like the plane the most of all my choices. Also I think (will look tonight) that my EAA chapter is better set up for a metal built plane over wood. I currently do not have a garage so would have to build in the EAA hanger to start until my living situation would allow transfering the project to a garage. My Father is an excelent woodworker and has the room and the tools, but if the project was 40 miles away from me then I also fear I would not finish it since I woudl be unable to work as easily after work each night. Need to keep family happy too. I am currently helping on the build of a Cygnet SF2a to build my skills.

What is nice about the Flitzer and Onex is that they are small enough to find a hanger to share with someone with an equaly small airplane. I live in the Los Angeles area and hanger fees are insane so sharing is my only hope. The onex can be fit in a tee hanger with a cessna which makes it a nice choice. Also th emore I think about it having a single place does actualy make sense for me since my dad and I are both heavy and tall so chances are any plane we would like to fly together could be rented. Same with the wife to be... Or a Sonex could be built (or bought flying) that could do a bit of both single place and dual but unsure if it could carry my dad and I together. Wife and or friends no problem.

Can anyone on here that has experience building and finishing a plane in either construction give me insights on the true scope of a home built project. While I really like the Flitzer, I would also need to build 4 wing sections. A kit built plane may be more practical, but there is something about that darn biplane...

Marc
 
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