It will be hard to beat the C150/152 suggestion. If you want a project, get a sound 150 in need of new paint, plastic, radio, etc, and have a restoration project.
BJC
It will be hard to beat the C150/152 suggestion. If you want a project, get a sound 150 in need of new paint, plastic, radio, etc, and have a restoration project.
BJC
No, you're right. I was using "cheap" as a relative term. An RV-12 will cost you around $75K by the time you're done between the kits, tools, paint, freight, etc. So if you could build a Fisher Celebrity for, say, under $40K complete - which seems doable - that would be "cheap" by comparison.Originally Posted by 1600vw
There are other ways to go for sure, lots of them. The only gotcha with restoring an old certified plane (C-150, Chief, etc) as a first timer would be the need to have an A&P oversee and sign off. I guess whether building or restoring, if you're an EAA member and have people in your chapter willing to help out either could be a good route to go.
Measure twice, cut once...
scratch head, shrug, shim to fit.
Flying an RV-12. I am building a Fisher Celebrity, slowly.
Take a look at the Fisher line, too. Easy wood construction, like building a big model airplane. Most of their 2 seat models can use VW engines, further lowering the cost.
The lowest cost option is almost always buying somebody else's unfinished build. Partially built kits often sell for considerably less than the original kit cost.
+2
Your kiddie will be out of college before you finish. Get $15 - 18K and buy a C-150
Where have you fellas been? Thatcher CX-5: 2 place (okay, it's tandem seating, but a wee parabolic mirror mounted to the canopy frame will show you her big grin)), plans built, VW/Revmaster engine, CHEAP, all aluminum, very straight forward to build and fly. Great builder support, too. Most of the hard to fabricate parts are available for purchase, without having to pony up for a kit.
Zenith is NOT cheap (and I've witnessed many people on the flight line gasp, "that is the ugliest airplane, if it really is one, I've ever seen!") Rebuilding/restoring a certificated airplane can easily get wicked expensive.
Your girl won't be old enough to solo the CX-5 by the time you complete her, but you'll still be flying and enjoying your "other daughter" when she is (and nobody will ever call either one ugly). You WON'T be sorry, and you WON'T lose interest part way through the project.
A suggestion...
Consider building 1 or 2 RC planes first. Much cheaper, and a lot of the skills carry over to building a real plane (Go watch the remake of Flight of the Phoenix!!). Consider it a learning exercise. While you're doing that, you take your time scoping out other possible projects. I'm guessing we're talking about an 8 year time frame, right??
Someday I'll come up with something profound to put here.
Thank you all for the suggestion.
Yes, the plan is to build out of plans. We are trying to stay away from a certified plane if possible. I’m a mechanic but not an A&P.
Anymouse, I have done the RC thing. You’re right a lot of things do move over.
How about one of the Clipper/Pacer clones like the Wag-a-Bond or the Sportsman 2+2?
Lots of good suggestions. Let me throw you a curve. How about a glider? Barnstormers has a couple of pages of gliders and motor gliders right now. Everything from a couple of 1-26's for less than 10K for the lot. (Needs some work.) Ranging up to six figures for top of the line motor gliders. Some of those can blow the doors off an early Mooney. Rebuilding a basic glider is inexpensive, no engine. No medical certification is required for ANY glider operation.
I started my son in a Schweizer 2-33 when he was 14.
Bob
Gliders - for those who want all the thrill of an engine out situation on every single flight.
The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.
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