Steve Wittman built SIMPLE...Planes..... FAST is the 1956 W-10 Tailwind.....Slow is the 1938 Buttercup ( Moveable front leading edge-Also LSA class )
Tube and Rag...
Forums for Building help (Tailwind and Buttercup )
My signature has a Link to my Buttercup Building Log
Here are pictures of My Projects...
First one was a Kolb Firestar II ( Homer Kolb has planes in the SMITHSONIAN ...)
My Other project... Wittman Buttercup...
Yes , Oshkosh is held on WITTMAN FIELD
These are Both easy to Build...
My First one was a KIT... two part.
My plans-built aircraft is a lot more plane for less money.
It's kind of pay as you go.
This is just my too sense...
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Building occupies my mind and keeps me outa trouble
Gotta Fly...
PS Consider the Climate... Wood projects are particular about moister...
Another thing to consider... a rebuild... A strip down the fabric back to bare bones...repairs , blasting ,Epoxy Paint
When you start out...You have ALL THE PARTS...
My Buttercup is taking a long time... Once it's finally in the air... IF I attempt another , I'd like a rebuild I think.
And you get credit for the Repairman's Cert.
Last edited by planecrazzzy; 08-10-2019 at 09:51 AM.
That’s a sweet looking project! I think I finally nailed down what I want. I think wood would be bad in our humid climate here. I have doors and stuff around my house swelling all the time.
Anyways, I want to find a plans only with a decent support community of builders. I want it to be a taildragger, side by side seats, tube and fabric or all metal (tube and fabric preferably), and also would really like folding wings and the possibility to power with Rotax.
how do you like that Kolb. I was thinking along the lines of a more traditional aircraft, but that Kolb looks cool. I like the two seats.
Last edited by Bruinpilot; 08-10-2019 at 06:51 PM.
Now those are sweet, I mean SWEET !!! Except the last one, that's kinda scary !
Bob
I have the tandem seats with no controls in the back ... Other Kolbs have side by side
This flys like a plane... some light aircraft are more draggy.
Yes, when looking to build ....a Forum is mandatory for your safety.
Other builders and A&P's are on the forums....
They have helped me a lot.
Your plane might be a Kolb Mark or the Rip Snorting "KOLBRA"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5WSIm4Uc-s
Gotta Fly...
If you decide not to pursue a wood airframe, that is fine, builder's discretion.
But for clarification, a humid climate is not an impediment to building or owning a wood aircraft. I built four wood airframes in Alabama in a non-HVAC shop, a very humid environment. Aircraft-quality wood is stable with tight grain and it receives a sealer as part of the build process. From that point on it is impervious to climate changes. Lots of wood aircraft (and watercraft!) out there that have been in service a long time.....
I'm going to mention Sonex as having most of what you mention. Extensive community, many active builders, many flying examples (for sample rides & transition). Taildragger, side-by-side (1 or 2 sticks), all metal. They don't support Rotax, but factory support their VW-based engine & Jabiru, also that other brand (name escapes me). Big thing is plans build. Pay as you go, lower cost than kit, and really good performance for the money. As for lower storage costs, with ~23 foot wingspan, I always shared a 40 foot hangar with another plane to split the cost.
The new B design does support the Rotax. The B model cannot be scratch built, but I have heard good things about Sonex kits. The "issues" I have heard about Sonex were with the Aerovee Engines, and one instance of low quality construction on a quick build kit (but it was minor enough that I don't even think the builder returned it, he just fixed it).
My only biggest recommendation with Sonex is to in fly one before you get too far, they don't fly like most LSAs (which many kits of that size seem to try for). Reach out to them about finding a LODA holder if you cannot travel to KOSH.
1978 Grumman AA1C w/O-320
The Zenith CH650 light sport is configurable as a taildragger and the new canopy has plenty of headroom.
Zenith CH650 Zodiac
Last edited by Scooper; 08-17-2019 at 07:50 PM.
- Stan Cooper (K4DRD), Private Pilot ASEL, LSR-I, EAA 115792 Lifetime Member, EAA Chapter 124Experimental AMD CH601XLi-B, N601KE, KSTS
Those 650s look cool as a tailwheel. Zenith has some green one's on their website that are pretty good looking, even for a zenith.