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Build, then design, then build

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addaon

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2008
Messages
3,976
Location
Kanab, UT
As some of you may have gathered from my questions, I have a long-term plan (5 year, hopefully, while doing my PhD) of designing and building a single-seat tailless design focusing on efficiency (goal of 160 kts on 4 gph, with all the compromises that entails). I'm now 95% set on a basic design, and 100% set on doing all-metal construction.

But I know that I'm a better theoretical engineer than I am a hands-on person. That can be fixed, of course, and I'm planning on going to all the local EAA workshops, and I'm very (very) excited to have signed up for a workshop this fall through tinmantech.com. Still, I can't help but wonder if I should do a kit build first, just to get the building time in. It seems to be a good idea...

So, here's the story. I'd want to keep both my "kit plane" and my "custom plane", and have them both useful to me. Since the custom is a single-seat, high-speed, nothing-near-STOL, IFR-ready, tri-gear design, the kit plane shouldn't be. However, the two should share the same construction (all-metal, blind rivets mostly) and engine (Jabiru 2200 and 80 hp). What I want from the kit plane, then, is:

1) A very good kit. Zenith or Rans level, from what I've seen described.
2) A reasonable price. I'm a college student, and there's no way I can afford this regardless, but there's different levels of broke.
3) All-metal, blind-rivet construction.
4) Reasonable performance on 80 hp, which probably means good 1040 lbs for happiness (just pilot) and 1200 lbs as an absolute max weight (with passenger).
5) Tandem seating. I really like being in the center line. Pilot sits in front.
6) Decent STOL performance. I don't need to be able to handle 300 ft, but I should be able to get into a 1000 feet field without stressing. Grass is a must.
7) Conventional gear.

Other than the construction, it's basically an Aeronca Champ. Other than the seating, it's pretty close to a Piper Cub. What's the closest thing in the "kitplanes by reputable companies" category?
 
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