first build suggestions

My middle kid is turning 8 next month and when we ask her what she wanted for her birthday. She said an airplane she could fly in. So, we told her that we get her a set of plans and build one as a family. So now I need help finding one we can afford.

It needs to have 2 or more seats.
BE easy to fly so she can learn to fly in it.
Price will be a big factor.

So far I have been looking at the Pietenpol air camper, Wittman tailwind, and the buttercup.

Thank you for any suggestion or advice would be helpful.

P. S. Sorry if this is a double post.

Oooh, I like the look of the Buttercup!

I'd rule out the Pietenpol because it's tandem seating and you won't be able to see your daughter's big grins.

The Wittman looks like it would fit the bill as well, but I like the sexiness of the Buttercup. The Buttercup looks more new pilot friendly as well.

Proviso: I am totally unqualified to speak the merits of the Wittman versus the Buttercup. I'm just going off of stats and looks.

Why don't you build me up, Buttercup baby.

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Originally Posted by smilemikey

My middle kid is turning 8 next month and when we ask her what she wanted for her birthday. She said an airplane she could fly in. So, we told her that we get her a set of plans and build one as a family. So now I need help finding one we can afford.

It needs to have 2 or more seats.
BE easy to fly so she can learn to fly in it.
Price will be a big factor.

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Buy a C-150.

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Originally Posted by martymayes

Buy a C-150.

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+1

If you want to build rather than buy, Fisher has some pretty nice wood 2-seaters. Airdrome has a couple as well, if open cockpit works for you.

It might be just me, but I can see building something out of wood as more of a "family project" than welded tubing and aluminum. Maybe not. Depends on what you're after, I guess.

Sounds like your looking for a plans built, but if not, RV-12.

Zenith would be my choice. These are really easy builds with holes drilled in the parts and all. You just assemble the kit. They build one a year at Osh in seven days. I have a friend who built a Zenith 750 in a 20 foot camper turned into a shop. It took him about one year. He did this in his spare time after work. He used an 0-200 for the power plant.

Tony

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Originally Posted by gbrasch

Sounds like your looking for a plans built, but if not, RV-12.

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I highly recommend the RV-12 in every respect except one... the cost. It's a super nice airplane, and I love mine, but he did say price was a factor and it's not a cheap build.

Nothing about aviation is cheap. Some are just not as expensive as the other. I know my buddy has over 20 grand in his Zenith and this is just the kit. Extra's like engine and such are not included in this cost.

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

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Originally Posted by 1600vw

Nothing about aviation is cheap.

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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.

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.

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.

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Originally Posted by wyoranch

+1

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+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??

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.

;)