GameBoy
Member
Hey guys.
I have wanted to get into stol and always lamented the kit prices but finally just thought why don't I just do the whole thing from scratch.
I am an aircraft engineer with experience in wood, aluminum and steel so material choice does not matter to me.
As for aircraft requirements.
Must haves.
1: Be a stol/bush plane or easily configured to be one.
2: Two seats.
3: Folding wings.
Nice to haves.
1: Cargo capacity over the two occupants.
Let me explain the requirements and then the mission.
The two-seat requirement is easy but as for the folding wing one it's a storage space constraint. I do not need it to be able to go on a trailer, but I do need to be able to fold the wings to go in a hangar and take up less space but doing something like fitting into a single garage is also not needed.
As for the mission, I have an interest in stol competition for landing and takeoff distance but only for fun the primary mission is just flying around landing on river beds, sand bars and beaches and having and enjoyable time.
So, let's get into my list.
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Meets Requirements.
Preceptor - Stoll King
Zenith - CH 701
Zenith - CH 750
- Raven
Las Brisas - Mohawk
- Kitfox Replica
Does not meet but investigating mod's that may meet requirements.
Bearhawk - Patrol
Bearhawk - LSA
Piper - PA-18 Supercub
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So, for a start you guys will get from that list the basic size of the aircraft I am going for so throw in your suggestions if you have an aircraft you would recommend.
The engines I am going for are in the 120hp area, my dream engine is the Apex 300ti from Edge Performance, but I can't afford that so ideally I would build a plane that can accommodate that engine down the road if possible.
As for my candidates, I know the Zeniths are well known and known good aircraft there are a lot around here in New Zealand and many fly around where I am, The Preceptor Stol King is a bit unknown but with searching while there are not many of them not a single bad word has been said about the aircraft, so I am confident in that airframe.
The three Avid Flyer/Kitfox like aircraft are a bit on a mixed bag that will take some more investigation to determine if they are good or not but seeing as how it's unlikely, I could even get older model Kitfox plans there is not really another way to get that aircraft.
As for the ones in the "do not meet" list the Bearhawks are good but as it stands, I cannot find anyone who has equipped either of them with folding wings or anyone who has even attempted and failed but I have found a number of folding wing cubs of various types with various ideas on how it can be achieved however I have yet to find someone who has completed a project like that.
If I had to put the top planes into order right now on what I would want.
1: Supercub (providing it can be modded to fold its wings)
2: Stol King
3: Ch 701/750
I will 100% likely build a Supercub if I can find enough on how to make the wing fold, It's not that they are the best it's that they are so well known. Any mod I could possibly want to do has been done to death and done right and wrong and there are parts from so many different places and so many options for parts.
Overall, I think the Supercub would be the easiest to modify to my heart's content with how prevalent they are and how prevalent the knowledge on them is.
I like the Stol King, It's a cool looking plane that would be a blast to fly and it's a bit unknown and that does draw me in a little as it's cool to have something no one else has.
The 701 and 750 are both great planes though I am not sure what one I would pick, there are a lot of them here in New Zealand so help with the aircraft in regard to ideas or troubleshooting would be easy, hell there is one getting a firewall forward refresh in the hanger I am working in.
Closing statement.
Well, that is my thoughts, if you guys have any comments on the aircraft in my list be they good or bad please do share.
And if you have information on folding wing mods for the Bearhawk's or the Supercub I would love to see it.
And of course, finally if you have a plane that I should consider that's not on this list please do share it.
Thank you in advance for your help guys.
(moderator note: edited to remove links to pirate plans site)
I have wanted to get into stol and always lamented the kit prices but finally just thought why don't I just do the whole thing from scratch.
I am an aircraft engineer with experience in wood, aluminum and steel so material choice does not matter to me.
As for aircraft requirements.
Must haves.
1: Be a stol/bush plane or easily configured to be one.
2: Two seats.
3: Folding wings.
Nice to haves.
1: Cargo capacity over the two occupants.
Let me explain the requirements and then the mission.
The two-seat requirement is easy but as for the folding wing one it's a storage space constraint. I do not need it to be able to go on a trailer, but I do need to be able to fold the wings to go in a hangar and take up less space but doing something like fitting into a single garage is also not needed.
As for the mission, I have an interest in stol competition for landing and takeoff distance but only for fun the primary mission is just flying around landing on river beds, sand bars and beaches and having and enjoyable time.
So, let's get into my list.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Meets Requirements.
Preceptor - Stoll King
Zenith - CH 701
Zenith - CH 750
- Raven
Las Brisas - Mohawk
- Kitfox Replica
Does not meet but investigating mod's that may meet requirements.
Bearhawk - Patrol
Bearhawk - LSA
Piper - PA-18 Supercub
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So, for a start you guys will get from that list the basic size of the aircraft I am going for so throw in your suggestions if you have an aircraft you would recommend.
The engines I am going for are in the 120hp area, my dream engine is the Apex 300ti from Edge Performance, but I can't afford that so ideally I would build a plane that can accommodate that engine down the road if possible.
As for my candidates, I know the Zeniths are well known and known good aircraft there are a lot around here in New Zealand and many fly around where I am, The Preceptor Stol King is a bit unknown but with searching while there are not many of them not a single bad word has been said about the aircraft, so I am confident in that airframe.
The three Avid Flyer/Kitfox like aircraft are a bit on a mixed bag that will take some more investigation to determine if they are good or not but seeing as how it's unlikely, I could even get older model Kitfox plans there is not really another way to get that aircraft.
As for the ones in the "do not meet" list the Bearhawks are good but as it stands, I cannot find anyone who has equipped either of them with folding wings or anyone who has even attempted and failed but I have found a number of folding wing cubs of various types with various ideas on how it can be achieved however I have yet to find someone who has completed a project like that.
If I had to put the top planes into order right now on what I would want.
1: Supercub (providing it can be modded to fold its wings)
2: Stol King
3: Ch 701/750
I will 100% likely build a Supercub if I can find enough on how to make the wing fold, It's not that they are the best it's that they are so well known. Any mod I could possibly want to do has been done to death and done right and wrong and there are parts from so many different places and so many options for parts.
Overall, I think the Supercub would be the easiest to modify to my heart's content with how prevalent they are and how prevalent the knowledge on them is.
I like the Stol King, It's a cool looking plane that would be a blast to fly and it's a bit unknown and that does draw me in a little as it's cool to have something no one else has.
The 701 and 750 are both great planes though I am not sure what one I would pick, there are a lot of them here in New Zealand so help with the aircraft in regard to ideas or troubleshooting would be easy, hell there is one getting a firewall forward refresh in the hanger I am working in.
Closing statement.
Well, that is my thoughts, if you guys have any comments on the aircraft in my list be they good or bad please do share.
And if you have information on folding wing mods for the Bearhawk's or the Supercub I would love to see it.
And of course, finally if you have a plane that I should consider that's not on this list please do share it.
Thank you in advance for your help guys.
(moderator note: edited to remove links to pirate plans site)
Last edited by a moderator:
