Hi
I am a fairly experienced builder but have worked primarily in wood and fabric a/c, couple of complete builds, several partial builds. My only experience in tube and fabric is assisting in a Challenger II build. I just finished a Mini Max that I hoped I could make with easy, one man, assembly/disassembly, and built a nice trailer in theory to take it to and from the airport for each flight. I'm now 73 and the process is not easy enough for me, so i m going to have a test pilot put five hours on the Max and will offer it for sale. So that put me again on the hunt. I've very thoroughly combed all of the normal a/c sites for years, just out of general interest, always interested only in experimental and u/l, never conventional stuff. I had decided this time what I would like to get involved with is an aluminum tube and fabric build as I had not really done a full one. I wanted a true u/l, I wanted either true(as good as Kolb) wing fold or actual quick and easy removal of wings, tricycle gear a slight preference, and one that I would not have to pretend was u/l weight.
Recently on E-Bay I found an offering for plans for a u/l I was not familiar with, a Sportlite 103 originally produced by Freebird Innovations, then Freebird Airplanes, then Pro Sport. It had been offered as plans, as kits, and also as a two place. I bought the set of plans, cd, templates, 200 page manual etc. Have not receive it yet. According to all research I can come up with, this plane fits my listed criteria, including under u/l weight with a 447 engine which is relatively inexpensive and findable. The looks and design of the Sportlite are nothing to write home about but I need something to build so this is it. I just have never seen or heard of one and was wondering if anyone out there in homebuilt airplane had ever seen, flown, known of, a sportlite 103. I'm moving ahead with it even though its design is not really my cup of tea as it may in fact achieve a lot of things for me, 1. ability to avoid hangar costs 2. cheap flying 3 quick assembly/disassembly. Just looking for anyone's real life experiences with this aircraft. Company said 300 flying, maybe, maybe not, anyway, thanks for any and all comments
I am a fairly experienced builder but have worked primarily in wood and fabric a/c, couple of complete builds, several partial builds. My only experience in tube and fabric is assisting in a Challenger II build. I just finished a Mini Max that I hoped I could make with easy, one man, assembly/disassembly, and built a nice trailer in theory to take it to and from the airport for each flight. I'm now 73 and the process is not easy enough for me, so i m going to have a test pilot put five hours on the Max and will offer it for sale. So that put me again on the hunt. I've very thoroughly combed all of the normal a/c sites for years, just out of general interest, always interested only in experimental and u/l, never conventional stuff. I had decided this time what I would like to get involved with is an aluminum tube and fabric build as I had not really done a full one. I wanted a true u/l, I wanted either true(as good as Kolb) wing fold or actual quick and easy removal of wings, tricycle gear a slight preference, and one that I would not have to pretend was u/l weight.
Recently on E-Bay I found an offering for plans for a u/l I was not familiar with, a Sportlite 103 originally produced by Freebird Innovations, then Freebird Airplanes, then Pro Sport. It had been offered as plans, as kits, and also as a two place. I bought the set of plans, cd, templates, 200 page manual etc. Have not receive it yet. According to all research I can come up with, this plane fits my listed criteria, including under u/l weight with a 447 engine which is relatively inexpensive and findable. The looks and design of the Sportlite are nothing to write home about but I need something to build so this is it. I just have never seen or heard of one and was wondering if anyone out there in homebuilt airplane had ever seen, flown, known of, a sportlite 103. I'm moving ahead with it even though its design is not really my cup of tea as it may in fact achieve a lot of things for me, 1. ability to avoid hangar costs 2. cheap flying 3 quick assembly/disassembly. Just looking for anyone's real life experiences with this aircraft. Company said 300 flying, maybe, maybe not, anyway, thanks for any and all comments
