Jet Black Aircraft - JB441 Single Place Aluminum sport plane

Someone suggested I start a discussion about this design so that people could give feedback and ask questions. There is a build log here: https://www.homebuiltairplanes.com/forums/member-project-logs/22500-jb441-aluminum-single-place.html

So, I'll give the dirty specs that I am shooting for:


Here's a three-view drawing plus isometric:


Some of the detail design in Solidworks:
(you'll notice though, that I had to move the wing forward about 4 inches and haven't fixed the fuselage or wing fairing yet)

Here are some parts and pieces I've made so far. Mostly, horizontal stabilizer parts.




So, nothing too crazy or new, but should be a speedy little scooter.

Here's how I want to set this aircraft apart from the others like it:

I'm sick and tired of seeing guys spend YEARS building a kit plane. You drop $40,000 on a project, it takes you 5 years of evenings in the garage or shop.... I'm an instant gratification kind of guy. So, here's the goal:

The above performance in a kit plane that is

1. All aluminum (except for wing tips, fairings, wheel pants, cowling - which all come with the kit pre-made)
2. Under $25,000 with an engine and basic instrumentation/avionics
3. Cruises close to 100kts or better.
4. Fun to fly (maneuverable and sporty)

Here's the kicker
5. Can be built by one person in 50-100 hours

If I have my way, in a couple of years at Oshkosh, I'll be demonstrating that one person can easily build and fly this thing in one week working 8-10 hour days. Save up $25,000, ask for a week off work, and end up with a flying airplane that's safe, reliable, and fun.

How am I going to do that? Good question. I'm afraid the 51% rule will be a bit hard to duck and weave around, but I want to try. Some thoughts I have are:

1. Flush, pulled rivets for ease of assembly
2. Possibly pre-dimpled skins (my punch press has the ability to dimple holes after they're punched so why not?)
3. I'm not a big fan of quick-build assemblies, but maybe things like the wing spar and canopy can be done for the builder at our shop. I've noticed the Van's kits spend a lot of time on fiberglass stuff like the canopy attachment, etc. I'd like to see none of that in this kit. Composite parts should glue or screw on with little to no sanding/filling/etc.
4. Of course all of the parts will be pre-punch, trimmed, and will fit together out of the box. Might have to come up with an easy way to prime or alodine everything for corrosion resistance.
5. Everything should be simple. Few parts, standardized techniques and methods so that once you've built the horizontal stab, the rest goes together pretty much the same way. One of my favorite quotes was told to me by Karl Bergey, one of the original designers of the Piper Cherokee line of aircraft. His favorite quote comes from Antoine de Saint Exupery, "Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." I look at a lot of kit planes and notice that things are done in an unnecessarily complicated way. Too many parts, lots of hand processes. I want to take advantage of the technology available in manufacturing to make sure this kit goes together as easily and quickly as possibly while maintaining the highest level of quality and safety.

Anyway, that's the idea. Let's hear your feedback. Be gentle.