Looking for a Project Plane

[rkirk77]

Greetings all!

I have always wanted to build a kit plane and I would like to ask the community what the best aircraft for a beginner to build might be?

[Hangar10]

http://www.inquisitr.com/wp-content/2012/02/paper-airplane.png

Ok, just kidding, but that is a wide open question.

Perhaps a few details about what you are looking for in an airplane would help bring some focused responses. If the criteria is just "easy to build", well that is pretty vague. All present various challenges can be simple or difficult based on a builders skill set.

Good luck with your search! Be sure to report back with what you decide.

[Dana]

To amplify what Mark said above, the "best" kit plane depends on you. Do you want to work with metal, fiberglass, wood? Do you want to go places fast in any weather, or putt around low and slow on a nice day, go into tight backcountry strips, or do aerobatics or soaring? Do you want to spend a long time enjoying the building process or do you want to spend a little more for a more prefabricated kit and get into the air as fast as possible? All these things will affect what is "best" for you.

[rkirk77]

Low to medium speed, 4 Seats, High wing that i fabricate most of the parts.

[Racegunz]

With those parameters a Wag-Aero 2+2 (I'm almost finished with my Wagabond/Vagabond project, so some bias here)would be a fine choice, plenty have been built and plenty of Piper parts around that you could work into the project. Warning though you'll probably have 40k in it at least when it's done. You can buy a fairly cheap high wing four seater, and build something more unique and smaller for "sport" flying ect. Good Luck!

[rv8bldr]

Checkout the Bearhawk as well. There is a quickbuild kit available, but lots of us are scratch building.

[rgmwa]

Greetings all!

I have always wanted to build a kit plane and I would like to ask the community what the best aircraft for a beginner to build might be?

It really depends on where your interests lie and how much you want to spend, but in terms of easy building and a very complete kit (including engine, avionics and wiring), it would be hard to go past Vans RV-12. You can fly it with a Sport Pilot License.

http://vansaircraft.com/public/rv-12int.htm
rgmwa

[Hal Bryan]

Low to medium speed, 4 Seats, High wing that i fabricate most of the parts.

I don't think it meets your criteria in terms of fabrication, and the looks aren't ... everyone's cup of tea, but there's also the CH801 (http://www.zenithair.com/stolch801/index1.html).

In addition, you can get plans for the Christavia Mk4 from Aircraft Spruce (http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/kitspages/christaviaMK4.php).

There's also the CF-4 Four Runner, which is usually referred to as "sort of a bigger, 4-seat Tailwind." Not many of them around, but a great looking airplane[/URL] in my opinion. There's an older article here: [URL="http://www.oshkosh365.org/saarchive/eaa_articles/1974_08_11.pdf"]http://www.oshkosh365.org/saarchive/eaa_articles/1974_08_11.pdf
(http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/371374.html)
I *think* that plans are still available...

[Chad Jensen]

Plans for the Fourunner are available from the designer, Callbie Wood. I have his metal wing plans for my Tailwind, and they are very good plans. I'm sure the CF-4 would be as good.

This is Callbie's contact info...

Fourunner Plans

Fourunner EW is 1250 lbs Empty weight
Gross Wt 2200 lbs.
Engine Lycoming 360 with Hartzell CS prop
Span is 28 ft,chord 5 ft. Airfoil same as W10 TW,
wing is aluminum.
Gear legs from Cessna 170
Full throttle speed @ 1000 ft 195 mph, cruise at 7500 ft about 165-170 mph
600-6 main wheels.
Plans $200

Send order and payment to:

Callbie Wood
10717 Old Bailey Hwy
Wilson, NC 27896
919-243-6708
jncwood@bbnp.com (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TailwindForum/post?postID=yQDsoze57Pr_OeJQxXVLGB6OX6jdx_bsjA5vFI wP6_PsBJ1Y42JX-9882BfzaxESUn5Lkkj3Q8g)