Anyone in the market for a $30,000 turbine?

James331

Ejection Handle Pulled
Joined
Apr 18, 2014
Messages
20,309
Display Name

Display name:
James331
All I can say is wow.

Beats the hell out of a old 172N or a 182, plus turbine reliability, classic lines and 120kts with a initial climb rate of 1500fpm!

IMG_1669.jpg


 
Because Innodyne turbine conversions have been sooo successful.
 
Love it! It'd get a lot of double takes on the ramp when you fired it up.
 
Interesting disclaimer from the original builder regarding this listing:

http://aviationestatesale.com/t-luscombe-speedbird/

A One of a Kind Airplane… Not Air Worthy… $30,000
E-Mail from the original builder…

I originally built this experimental aircraft as a test bed and proof of concept. I operated it for just over 200 hours, and I attempted to qualify several high time talented pilots in the aircraft.

None were successful at safe and consistent operations. The aircraft was unsafe to operate due to the engine and propeller, and gearbox problems. The propeller has wiring and computer defects. The gearbox has tolerance defects that cause gearbox failures/issues every 50-100 hours, and the engine will flame out if overloaded by the pilot during take-off or climb operations (very easy to do with sudden pitch or propeller control inputs).

Because I determined the aircraft was unsafe to operate after three engine failures and off airport landings, I dismantled the aircraft and it was sold at auction for ~20K. The court supervising the sale ordered that it be sold as parts ONLY, NOT as an aircraft, and that it was to remain a non-flying aircraft.

The purchase was consummated WITH those restrictions in place, and these court restrictions were later ignored by the buyers. That said, I am advising you of the safety defects and issues relevant to the aircraft with the intent that you honestly represent what it is to any potential buyer.

As the original constructor of the aircraft, and the one who grounded and dismantled it for safety reasons, you are advised that I hereby disavow any representation of airworthiness or legality for flight operations at all, and especially in the certified or experimental / restricted / exhibition categories.​
 
So, would this be a good plane for me to buy and learn to fly in..????
 
Lol, y'all flying Pistons, and are commenting on a turbine, meh, ok lol
 
Maybe you ought to read the article first before posting it.

I did, it's was worrying about the high dollar lawyer debutants, not the reliability of the engine.
 
Woah...this is SO weird. So that’s at KDVT and I was literally in a covered tie down right next to this airplane before we got our hangar at KDVT. I used to walk over and look at this thing all the time. It was dusty as hell and looked like it hadn’t been flown in a long time. Tires flat, some rust, etc. I noticed it wasn’t a normal piston and I remember my A&P saying that was actually a turbine. Wow what a small world. No joke my Cherokee was literally tied down next to that thing.

Lol I can’t get over that...

Just showed my dad this and he got a real kick out of it as well

Lol the ad makes it look a lot nicer than it was too. Thing was kind of a turd in real life.
 
Last edited:
So I went on that Facebook group and that guy doesn’t even provide a link to Don’s letter. That seems pretty misleading to me.
 
Last edited:
This is why y'all can't have anything nice.
 
This is why y'all can't have anything nice.

James you should buy it and GoPro your flights. Maybe put some floats on it. I’ll even give you a high five when you get back from the first test flight.
 
Lol, yeah it needs a little work for sure, but heck, still a ton of plane for the money. It is odd to hear it was tied down outside after someone dumped all that time and money into it.
 
Lol, yeah it needs a little work for sure, but heck, still a ton of plane for the money. It is odd to hear it was tied down outside after someone dumped all that time and money into it.

Yep I used to touch the prop and make turbine noises every time I walked by it. Covered in dust and accompanied by Charlotte’s web on the throttle quadrant.
 
That's nuts, all that time and money in that thing.....
 
That's nuts, all that time and money in that thing.....

Just like race cars. Time and money then the next season the rules change making it obsolete. Pull the engine and a few other good parts, then out into the weeds it goes.....

Which makes me think, maybe I should buy this plane and install the turbine in my old chevy pickup. Then maybe I can win the burn out contest at the local Sonic....
 
Zeldman, remember Granatelli's turbine Indy car?

1200px-STP_Turbine.jpg
 
Lol, y'all flying Pistons, and are commenting on a turbine, meh, ok lol

Seems like the builder didn't think it was very good, either, with gearbox failures every 50-100 hours.

Turbines are great and very reliable when designed correctly, but it's difficult to design and manufacture the parts correctly. If they were easy, we'd be seeing a bunch of good turbines coming out of China for cheap. Instead, the ARJ21 and C919 (Chinese domestic market aircraft) use GE/CFM engines.
 
I'm sooo confused...how much of this thread is tongue-in-cheek? Surely no one is really proposing this as a good deal, right? :eek:
 
Think the OB is completely off the legal hook if someone flies and dies in it?
Or is his letter & actions enough to absolve him?
I know a few exp aircraft that were chopped up out of liability fears.
 
I'm sooo confused...how much of this thread is tongue-in-cheek? Surely no one is really proposing this as a good deal, right? :eek:

Why isn't a good deal for 30k?

Presuming it could get up and flying for not too much $$
 
Just because it says turbine, doesn't mean it's synonymous with reliability. These are APU / GPUs converted for aircraft propulsion. While I think this particular setup (APEX T-62 engine) can be reliable, it's obvious that this aircraft has had engineering issues. Besides some fuel control problems that were fixed years ago, everything I've read on the Helicycle / Mosquito applications, have been positive. Perhaps with a reliable PSRU and proper fuel control, this Luscombe could have the same results.
 
Why isn't a good deal for 30k?

Presuming it could get up and flying for not too much $$

the builder is calling it a death trap, in not so many words... and with parts failing ever couple of flight hours, where do you even conceive the possibility that " it could get up and flying for not too much $$"

I have other (more sane things) to do with 30K...
 
Pretty interesting as that guy who posted that plane on Facebook (as seen in James' original post) made no mention of the fact that it was unairworthy lol...not until I posted the link to that email from the original builder, Doug. Then he decided to post the link in the original ad lol. If someone wants to buy the thing, then cool, but at least give them the full story.
 
So what would you list as required things to check in the prebuy?
:popcorn:

Don’t ask me. Not sure why your treating me like the bad guy lol. I’m the one who told everyone on the ad about the email from the original builder.
 
the builder is calling it a death trap, in not so many words... and with parts failing ever couple of flight hours, where do you even conceive the possibility that " it could get up and flying for not too much $$"

I have other (more sane things) to do with 30K...

Seems pretty cool in the review

http://ronkilber.tripod.com/luscombe/luscombe.htm

But hey, buy it, don't buy it, I'm still going to order lunch just the same
 
Back
Top