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Thread: Fun Aircraft?

  1. #11
    Anymouse's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wildhorsesracing View Post
    So... I am thinking about building a "fun" aircraft - I want one that is:

    [ ] at least two seats
    [ ] open cockpit or doors come off
    [ ] comfortable for two adults ~6ft 200+ lbs.
    [ ] could add floats someday
    [ ] preferably plans built w/builder support

    I have a few ideas:

    Breezy
    Woody Pusher
    Wag Aero Sport Trainer
    Volmer VJ 22


    Any others?

    PS. Anyone with one of these planes within 500 miles of Charlotte, NC - I'd love to come see yours.
    Not sure if you can fly with the canopy off, but you may want to look at the Osprey2.

    http://www.ospreyaircraft.com/osprey.htm

    The Searey is another possibility, and you CAN fly without the doors. Unfortunately, I don't think it's a kit only deal.

    http://www.searey.com/

    It's not a plans aircraft, and you don't want to fly with the doors open or off, or put floats on it, however I think the Tango is a fun airplane and mine is located in North Carolina.

    http://www.teamtangoaircraft.com/sit...raft/tango-xr/
    Someday I'll come up with something profound to put here.

  2. #12

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    Spacewalker
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  3. #13

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    You might consider the Kitfox, as it meets each of the items on your criteria list:

    http://www.kitfoxaircraft.com/

    I am building one right now. I am VERY pleased with the factory support and the online forum.

  4. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by Anymouse View Post
    Not sure if you can fly with the canopy off, but you may want to look at the Osprey2.
    The original George Pereira Osprey was open cockpit. Enclosing the cockpit made it much more practical, but where's the fun in that?

  5. #15
    Anymouse's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by martymayes View Post
    The original George Pereira Osprey was open cockpit. Enclosing the cockpit made it much more practical, but where's the fun in that?
    No arguments on either the history or the opinion.
    Someday I'll come up with something profound to put here.

  6. #16
    steveinindy's Avatar
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    Enclosing the cockpit made it much more practical, but where's the fun in that?
    Don't get me wrong, I don't mind flossing but I do mind fishing out bug parts while doing it after returning from a flight.
    Unfortunately in science what you believe is irrelevant.

    "I'm an old-fashioned Southern Gentleman. Which means I can be a cast-iron son-of-a-***** when I want to be."- Robert A. Heinlein.



  7. #17
    cluttonfred's Avatar
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    I terms of accessibility, I still think a parasol-wing design with a cockpit access door is going to be your best bet, even if it will look funny with a nosewheel.

    Have you considered a Mignet-type tandem wing design? There are no rudder pedals to begin with! Falconar Avia in Canada still offers English-language plans for the Lederlin HM-380L Ladybug, a modified version of the original Mignet HM-380. I think you could successfully argue that it is a taildragger that is designed for hand controls only, or the the steel tube fuselage would make a nosewheel conversion relatively painless. Only the earliest Mignet designs, however, used an open cockpit, as speed and control benefit from an enclosed cockpit to smooth the airflow over the rear fuselage and rudder.

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  8. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cobrajock24 View Post
    You might consider the Kitfox, as it meets each of the items on your criteria list:

    http://www.kitfoxaircraft.com/

    I am building one right now. I am VERY pleased with the factory support and the online forum.
    the Kitfox is a great airplane with lots of support.

    There are two at the local airport, I have sat in one and two adults over 200lbs would not fit comfortably with the doors on.
    -Jim

  9. #19

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    Jim,
    While I do agree with your term "comfortable" I still think the Kitfox will meet his requirements. I guess it really boils down to what is "comfortable!"

    My Cessna 172 had an inside cabin width of about 34" (listed as 39 1/2" width); the Kitfox IV that I am building has 38" inside (but listed as a 40" cabin width), and I think the new Model 7 Kitfox is a full three inches WIDER than mine.

  10. #20

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    My wife and I tried to sit in a wittman tailwind once. She got in and closed the door, I got it and when I closed the door I bumped into her shoulder and she bumped the door and it popped open. She swore she would never fly in a plane where she had to worry about falling out...
    -Jim

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