info on affordaplane

[c. richardson]

i am working on, the build of an affordaplane and would be interested in any helpful info and experience that you might share.
thank you charles

[pacerpilot]

I've seen several projects but I've never seen a true "A-plane" fly.

[Sam Buchanan]

I've seen several projects but I've never seen a true "A-plane" fly.

Here is one builder with a flying Affordaplane:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrhvVjxHZGo

But this A-plane is waaaaay over weight for Part 103. It seems the A-Plane cannot be built to conform to Part 103.

[Robert Dingus]

I am currently building this Aircraft now, i am roughly 80% complete with all major materials, and parts in hand.
where are you located, i am in central Ohio, and have a local A&P checking out my build for anything strange.

Robert

[mbond]

I've got the plans. Probably will never build it now.

The Belite seems like better bang for the buck and they don't see any reason the kit couldn't be registered as a home built. Or you can build/ have them build it as a true part 103.

[Robert Dingus]

Belite looks good, just a little costly for me.

i dont have the cash for the Belite, as it is now my current build will come out under 4,000.00 for the plane ready to fly, it will be a little fat and i know that going in.
i can try to shave off weight later, once i see how far over i am.

Robert

[c. richardson]

I do thank all of you for your interest and info. I live in east texas and i would like to ask robert dingus, about the material list on the a plane. The material list calls for a type of alum that i could not find, but i think that what they really intended to call for was 6061t6 alum 2"x2" with a 1/8 wall. If you could let me know what you used it would be great. They are also calling for 190 rivets 3/16x1/4 stainless steel, but they did not give the type of head for the rivets, i think that they might be calling for podruding heads? Anything that you had a problem with i would like to hear about. I have made all the gussetts and built the table and done the drawing of the outline of the plane. Thank you again charles richardson

[Robert Dingus]

charles i also used the 6061T6 in my build, it is a better grade of metal over the 6053 called for in the plans. yes those are pop rivits, normal dome head rivits, so you dont need any special rivit puller just a good hand version will do,

Robert

[VansRV4ator]

I remember seeing the plans on the internet.. I purchased a set a while back and I never did anything with them. I was considering on building one at one point but after looking at the design, it kinda drew me away from the project. I have read that alot of people have built them but I have never seen one fly. So that Is the main reason why.. But I would look at the Belite if I were going to build an Ultralight. But now, I am building a Vans RV-4..

[Victor Bravo]

Building an aircraft to be FAR Part 103 ultralight compliant is not nearly as important as it used to be. IMHO, Register it as an experimental amateur built, light sport compliant, with an N number. My reasoning for this is:

1) The old 1980's idea of someone reading Popular Mechanics and building an "ultralight" and flying it without any instruction or training is simply not the right thing to do anymore. There were hundreds of completely preventable tragedies back then, and a far far safer way to do it now. If you go out to any modern ultralight air park or training facility, or talk to any ultralight manufacturers, they will ALL tell you to get some minimum amount of flight training for your own safety. 30 years of experience, wisdom, common sense, too many funerals back then, and much more safety now... will dictate that if you are a brand new or very low time pilot you should get some instruction. So unless you are being really stupid, you won't save a large amount of money on instruction by going the true ultralight route.

2) The difference between getting the minimum training to fly an ultralight safely, and the amount of training needed to earn your Sport Pilot (LSA) license, is not that much. Meaning that by the time you are safe enough for a US Ultralight Association member instructor to turn you loose in a Part 103 UL... you are likely halfway to the point of achieving your Sport Pilot license. The Sport Pilot license allows you to do many things than you cannot do with a 103 ultralight and no license.

3) Building a truly compliant Part 103 ultralight under 254 pounds, using the medium strength 6061 aluminum, square and round tubes, pop rivets, hardware store wheels, etc. is not easy. That is why most of them come out much heavier. More importantly, with that light of an aircraft, you will not have as much structural safety, and you will definitely have a very small low horsepower engine. Which means your performance will be marginal and your strength reserve will be less than most of the LSA airplanes.

4) Whether you build it as a Part 103 ultralight or an amateur build LSA, you will have the same "repairman" authority, because a 103 UL mechanic does not need any certification, and being the builder of a homebuilt LSA gives you the ability to have an LSA repairman certificate for that airplane. So you will not save any money on maintenance if you build it as a Part 103 UL.

[c. richardson]

charles again and i have been moving along, on my project. if i
did not state it before, this is my first experience, building a plane.
i am at the point of ordering the metal for the plane and i have been
advised to order all long pc,s of material at one time that are over 8
feet in length, because of the shipping cost. all that gets me to the
point of what type of wings i should build. as i understand, there are
2 ways to build the wings, one is to use tubing, with a number of cross
tubing, the other way would be to use tubing with foam spacers. i would
like the best wing that i can build. if you have time to give your
thoughts on the subject it would be greatly appreciated

This message has been

[c. richardson]

charles again i need info on building the wings. i am going to buy the metal for the plane and i need to know if i should build the wings of tubing only or use tubing and foam to build the wings, i want to build the best wings, that i can. i am advised that it is best to buy all the long material at one time to reduce shipping cost. i am sure that several of you have, info and experience that would be of great assistance in this matter.
thank you for being ready to help. charles

[Robert Dingus]

charles this depends whether or not you have a foam hot wire cutter, or are more comfortable making the alumanim version for simple assembly.
you can mass cut the foam ribs with 2 good clean templates, and a nice long bow. it is possible to cut all you need in 1 session.

what are you the most comfortable with doing.

[Mr_Intensity]

Oooh! My first forum post. This is so exciting!

I also bought a set of affordaplane plans a few years back ($7.95, and it included a builder/serial number - what a deal!). I have been looking them over again lately, and am considering building one.

That seat freaks me out a little - a fiberglass shell seat bolted to some angle iron on a 2x2 beam. What if the seat breaks? What if I fall out of the thing? Splat is bad. No seat belts in the plans, and really no where to connect them if I add them. I'm considering adding a little more of a "cabin" around that seat. Not much of one, mind you, but something.

Love that aluminum tube wing. Probably the simplest wing build I've ever seen.

@c richardson: The plans author also recommends the 6061-T6 tubing. He mentions that in the corrections/updates to the plans, located at http://affordaplane.com/general.html Like I said, I love the aluminum tube wing due to ease of assembly. Plus it would be more sturdy than a foam wing, albeit a bit heavier. I guess there really is no "best" wing, as you can argue the merits of each. I like the aluminum, but that is my opinion, nothing more.

@Victor Bravo: The only issue I have with EAB is I am within 30 miles of class B (PIT), and would have to outfit the aircraft with a mode C (or is that ADS-B?) transponder. I mean, a radio "stack" could be a handheld nav/com velcroed in there, but what do I do for a transponder? Yeah, I know I can get a waiver, but if I am flying around class B I'd rather be transpondered. Then there is the whole issue of a power source for the transponder.

Question: Is there a difference between EAB and EAB-LSA?

[Audubon96]

Here is one builder with a flying Affordaplane:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrhvVjxHZGo

But this A-plane is waaaaay over weight for Part 103. It seems the A-Plane cannot be built to conform to Part 103.
I’m looking for an affordaplane already assembled I wouldn’t trust myself building one. I’ve seen one up close they are hefty looking build.

[Sam Buchanan]

I’ve seen one up close they are hefty looking build.

And therein lies the problem..... ;)