Suitable aircraft on a P2F

BJ · Post by BJ » Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:37 pm

Aircraft required.
Short field ability vital.
2 seater all thats required.
Generous cockpit very important..

Suggestions?

Rich Valler · Post by **Rich Valler** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 10:53 pm

You are describing the Aeronca Champ

Extract from a US Pilot report:

Once on board, the immediate impression will be of visibility and a cheerful airiness. The wing and skylight is so high and the pilot sits so far forward, there is none of the "Man trapped in an airplane" feeling of so many of the Champ's contemporaries. This is definitely the airplane for a big person.

Unfortunately I am not aware of any on the market at the moment ....

Rich

ben.fitzgerald · Post by **ben.fitzgerald** » Tue May 05, 2009 6:43 pm

Whilst I can't claim to be unbiased - the SportCruiser must be close to the top of your list. It is comfortable (the wide cabin was designed with Americans in mind so plenty of room for us Brits), well built, economical, looks the part & flies equally well (with great short field performance).

We flew one into Otherton last Friday, which is traditionally a microlight field, but had no probs with the SC using only a portion of the runway length available.

Regards
Ben

JonKil · Post by **JonKil** » Tue May 05, 2009 6:58 pm

Rod1 · Post by **Rod1** » Tue May 05, 2009 8:14 pm

Come on BJ your spec covers 30% of the LAA approved designs. What is your budget, is it living under cover, how much weight do you need to lift, what speed do you want to go at, do you want to fly aerobatics, do you have to have a micro, etc.

Rod1

Rich Valler · Post by **Rich Valler** » Tue May 05, 2009 11:23 pm

I certainly covet a SportCruiser

, it looks superb and apparently has excellent all-round performance ..... but at £50K'ish for the kit, plus the cost of the ensuing divorce ..... I'll stick to my 'umble Champ.

Simon Clifton · Post by **Simon Clifton** » Wed May 06, 2009 12:29 pm

Rich

Get a 4-man syndicate, and your SportCruiser will cost only 12K each

It does not matter if you get a divorce, you can be sure of attracting all the ladies you want (and maybe some you you don't) when you land at your first fly-in.

Simon C
~~~~~~

ben.fitzgerald · Post by **ben.fitzgerald** » Wed May 06, 2009 2:17 pm

What's all this about divorce and the SC? The SportCruiser is a plane for keeping relationships (there is another well known LAA aircraft which does have a reputation for causing divorce, and I think everyone knows what it is).

The SportCruiser is the perfect thing for taking your wife or girlfriend (or for lady fliers vice versa) into somewhere like the private airfield of Chateau Chasagne - see http://www.chassagne.com/cenglish.html .

On the financial side the SC also stacks up as a good investment - the aircraft hold their value very well, and have low running costs thanks to mogas and the Rotax 912.

Regards
Ben

Donald Walker · Post by **Donald Walker** » Wed May 06, 2009 3:24 pm

ben.fitzgerald wrote:
On the financial side the SC also stacks up as a good investment - the aircraft hold their value very well,

Haven't seen any for sale. Is there a black market for them?

Donald

mike hurn · Post by **mike hurn** » Wed May 06, 2009 4:18 pm

http://www.chassagne.com/cenglish.html

Shame its closed till 2011

Mike

ben.fitzgerald · Post by **ben.fitzgerald** » Thu May 07, 2009 9:47 am

That is a pity about Chasagne - must be quite some refurb if it going to take that long. Hope it doesn't loose any character as some modernisations do.

Re second hand market for SC's - there are few that come up complete as people buy to fly on the whole, but we know of a few kits that people have purchased but then not proceeded with. For example one chap bought two one to build and fly (which he loves) and another to form a group around - which unfortunately fell apart between order and delivery.

The SC is a true Quick Build Kit (of the 50 odd delivered last year, about half are now flying), so it is not the type of plane to languish as a project for many years.

Internationally there are some SC's for sale complete, but it is very important to check the specs - there are some of the prototypes around which do not same the same spar as later production models.

Regards
Ben

John Green · Post by **John Green** » Thu May 07, 2009 10:33 am

BJ#

Zenair 701. It is so STOL, it outperforms a Harrier ! Or, Ikarus C42.

John Green

ChampChump · Post by **ChampChump** » Sun May 10, 2009 10:53 pm

Let's hear it for firstly the Champ - and then Jodels, since I'm a temporary convert and someone will mention them soon enough anyway.

Both of these are more affordable than many equivalent (in performance) aircraft. Jodels offer side by side seating too, if that's your thing, with glider-like visibility. Neither is made of new-fangled materials, which might be seen as another plus. You might even by able to find a Jodel for sale, unlike our coveted Champs...

It would be interesting to see the second-hand price of a Sport Cruiser. Will their proud owners hang on to them for decades?

Rich, did you know there's a Champ owner near me who's just got a SC cleared to fly? He's taking a lot of flak....