Close, if you're just looking at a straight line.Originally Posted by Byron J. Covey
Spinner through rudder trim tab, excepting the alternator and a few switches?BJC
Idea is to build a new fuselage with more cockpit room. 2" wider fuselage, incline the seat-back bulkhead and add gaposis to allow the seat to move back ~2-4" and recline. Extend the forward part of the fuselage to gain more leg room and compensate for the seat movement.
Should be able to completely re-use:
- Wings
- Horizontal stabilizer and elevator
- Landing gear and struts, tailwheel and spring
- Everything forward of the firewall, including the cowling and engine mount (the plans show how to incorporate the same mount on a wider fuselage). Remove the generator, block off the opening. Leave the starter.
Strip fabric for all re-used components for IRAN. Want a new paint job, anyway.
Partial re-use includes:
- Control hardware
- Turnbuckles (will upgrade some)
- Instruments, radio
- Welded metal brackets (strip and repaint)
- Electrical system components (except generator and regulator)
With the above, I figure the wood to build a new fuselage will be $1000-$1500. Covering, with a latex paint job, may be another $2000-$3000. So it's probably slightly more expensive than ADS-B out*, but on the upside I get a brand-new Fly Baby with a larger cockpit, no two-year transponder re-checks, and a Repairman Certificate that lets me do my own inspections.
Ron Wanttaja
* Everybody TALKS about low-cost ADS-B units, but no one is actually selling one yet. Those that claim to be require that the airplane already have a compatible transponder.
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