Most fun plane ever?

B

Blueangel

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Jan 5, 2015
Messages
813
Location
San Diego
Display Name
Display name:
Scott
So today was a blast, a fellow San Diego pilot came by to let me hitch a ride in his Yak 52 and we did some basic acrobatics. What a rush! Sweet handling warbird and not that expensive to own one. It was a lot more fun to fly than the Cessnas, Pipers and Bonanzas I've flown before. Now if I was rich then sure an AT-6, T34 or P51 would be my dream ship but on a budget the Yak or Nanchang seem to deliver the fun goods.
 
Really depends upon what you call fun. Lots of folks get their jollies going to airshows and showing off their vintage aircraft. Setting in our lounge chairs watching the public ooo and ahhhing their aircraft is a lot of fun for me.

Fairchilds for ever.
 
If money were no object, I could have some fun in an F-22... or F-16... or F-14... whatever... any of them would be fun.
 
The Nanchang CJ-6 is about the best bang for the buck out there. You can get a nice one for $65,000 and it does nice basic aerobatics, cruises 145 KTS 13gph, big baggage compartment, and just a nice flying airplane. Parts are inexpensive and systems are dirt simple. I had one for 5 years and regretted selling it so now I have another. Don
 
While the Yaks / CJs are good starter warbirds, I'd say if you are looking for the most bang for the buck, you can't beat RVs / Glasairs. Same price but with more performance and less operating costs. Paint one up in warbird colors if that's your thing. And yes, they're way more fun than Pipers, Cessnas and BOs. Just can't haul much.
 
yakdriver said:
The Nanchang CJ-6 is about the best bang for the buck out there. You can get a nice one for $65,000 and it does nice basic aerobatics, cruises 145 KTS 13gph, big baggage compartment, and just a nice flying airplane. Parts are inexpensive and systems are dirt simple. I had one for 5 years and regretted selling it so now I have another. Don
Click to expand...

How are those registered? Experimental Exhibition, or something else?
 
Experimental Exhibition. But that is a pretty lax category and isn't a big deal. I sold my CJ to built and flew a RV7. Now I don't have the 7 but have another CJ. Completely different airplanes. Don
 
yakdriver said:
The Nanchang CJ-6 is about the best bang for the buck out there. You can get a nice one for $65,000 and it does nice basic aerobatics, cruises 145 KTS 13gph, big baggage compartment, and just a nice flying airplane. Parts are inexpensive and systems are dirt simple. I had one for 5 years and regretted selling it so now I have another. Don
Click to expand...

:yeahthat:
 
Most fun airplane I've ever flown was probably the B-25. DC-3 a close second.
 
Yeah the Yak 52 and Nanchang CJ6 are really just 1-2 hour fun planes to grab a burger or do acro. My butt was sore after an hour. Almost like why you'd need another plane for flying longer trips.
 
I had temperfoam seat cushions in my CJ6 and flew it cross country several times. Very comfy and it is rock solid and stays trimmed. Mine had the stock 40 gal tanks so had about a 21/2 hr range. The new one is going to have 60 gal tanks and the useful load is more like 850 for the CJ. There is over 125 lbs of stock radio gear and wiring to remove from the stock airplane. Don
 
Blueangel said:
So today was a blast, a fellow San Diego pilot came by to let me hitch a ride in his Yak 52 and we did some basic acrobatics. What a rush! Sweet handling warbird and not that expensive to own one. It was a lot more fun to fly than the Cessnas, Pipers and Bonanzas I've flown before. Now if I was rich then sure an AT-6, T34 or P51 would be my dream ship but on a budget the Yak or Nanchang seem to deliver the fun goods.
Click to expand...

Look at the Yak 11 TW. They put the flush CJ-6 gear under it.
 
Henning said:
Look at the Yak 11 TW. They put the flush CJ-6 gear under it.
Click to expand...

Henning, That's a YAK 52 TW your thinking of. The YAK 11 is about the size of a T-6 and stock has an 800 hp engine. I got to fly Tom Camp's and it had an 1830 in it. Don
 
yakdriver said:
Henning, That's a YAK 52 TW your thinking of. The YAK 11 is about the size of a T-6 and stock has an 800 hp engine. I got to fly Tom Camp's and it had an 1830 in it. Don
Click to expand...

Excuse me, you are correct, the Yak-52 TW. The clean gear looks so much better and why I'd probably choose the CJ-6.:lol: That with the 425hp M-14, it should be fairly awesome in vertical performance. I saw someone advertising an M-14 at 475hp, I was wondering how much boost they have to run to get that.
 
Most fun plane I've ever flown??? Clearly the C750 (Citation X). Fastest plane in the sky, good looking, sports car, the envy of all on the ramp. What's not to like? Yes, it can be tricky to fly for the novice, but that's another thread.
 
I love the T-28, AT-6 and T34 but these birds unfortunately cost 2-3x more to purchase and operate than the Yak or CJ. I'd probably get long range tanks and add the seat cushion to keep my butt from getting sore flying one. Is it possible to outfit one for IFR and complete an instrument rating in such a plane or would I need to buy a second plane for that? Lots of fun! We have a good A&P at Ramona who only works on Yaks so that's good. Yaks do leak a lot of oil however and some quirks like manually turning the prop to avoid issues with the engine. And the instruments are in Russian and metric system but since I can read and speak Russian not an issue for me.

Scott
 
For me, T-34C hands down. Can't think of an airplane before, then, or since, where I could open the canopy and do a loop with nothing but 1G of backstick pressure and a lap belt to keep me from falling out :)
 
35 AoA said:
For me, T-34C hands down. Can't think of an airplane before, then, or since, where I could open the canopy and do a loop with nothing but 1G of backstick pressure and a lap belt to keep me from falling out :)
Click to expand...

I've never flown an aerobatic plane with that much excess horsepower, must be fun.
 
Blueangel said:
I love the T-28, AT-6 and T34 but these birds unfortunately cost 2-3x more to purchase and operate than the Yak or CJ. I'd probably get long range tanks and add the seat cushion to keep my butt from getting sore flying one. Is it possible to outfit one for IFR and complete an instrument rating in such a plane or would I need to buy a second plane for that? Lots of fun! We have a good A&P at Ramona who only works on Yaks so that's good. Yaks do leak a lot of oil however and some quirks like manually turning the prop to avoid issues with the engine. And the instruments are in Russian and metric system but since I can read and speak Russian not an issue for me.

Scott
Click to expand...

What is nice about the CJ and YAKs is that they are experimental/exhibition and you can put something like a Dynon Skyview in them and have full IFR, two axis coupled autopilot, comm, transponder with ADS-B all on a big screen for around $15000. The Housia in the CJ is a pretty clean radial the M-14 I fly has a Darton clean kit on it and it stays pretty clean. You have to pull the prop through on pre flight on any radial.
Henning, the Housia and M-14 series are all almost identical except for the reduction gear ratios. The Housia is 285hp at 2300 rpm, the M-14P is 360hp at 2900 rpm. There is a stock 400hp M-14 with different blower gears and there are some mods to bump them up to 460hp. They are really smooth engines and we put over 500 hours on my first CJ with no problems and it required minimal maintenance. Don
 
Interesting, I wasn't aware that the Chinese engine was different. I knew it had a different power rating, but thought it was the M-14.
 
Velocity173 said:
While the Yaks / CJs are good starter warbirds, I'd say if you are looking for the most bang for the buck, you can't beat RVs / Glasairs. Same price but with more performance and less operating costs. Paint one up in warbird colors if that's your thing. And yes, they're way more fun than Pipers, Cessnas and BOs. Just can't haul much.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. My next plane is an RV-6, 7, or 8. Even if you don't want to do acro, they are a hoot to fly, and you can actually go places in them.
 
Anthony said:
Totally agree. My next plane is an RV-6, 7, or 8. Even if you don't want to do acro, they are a hoot to fly, and you can actually go places in them.
Click to expand...

I've flown T-34s, T-6s and a P-51 on demo flights. Had just as much fun flying a little RV or a Glasair. There's the cool factor of saying you're flying a warbird but g force and manuverability can be had for a much less price.

We had a guy at my old field who had a CJ6. The wanna be fighter pilot effect was in full force with this guy. High speed passed down the runway. Aerobatics...while in the pattern. One time I came into the field for work (UH-60) and he jumped me on base and said something like "that's a guns kill Army!" If I didn't have students on board, I would've been behind him before he could say "oh ****! I'm dead!" :yes:

I think the CJ / Yak aircraft are pretty cool though. Thought seriously about buying one years ago but like I said, cheaper just to go EAB. Plus, if I were to go the warbird route it would have to be an American one. Unfortunately unless you're taking the L series, they're outta my price range.
 
I've been racking my brain trying to figure which was the most fun, because really, most of them were fun. I think one of the most fun weekends flying though was doing the MES in the Beech 18 with Jojo Sheble. We always got along well and we made a lot of good noise splashing around on the river between Lake Mojave and Havasu. The Beech 18 is really a light control, well balanced, wonderful plane to fly even on floats. Woke Don Laughlin up flying patterns around his penthouse, he waved, he's a pilot. :lol:
 
Henning said:
Interesting, I wasn't aware that the Chinese engine was different. I knew it had a different power rating, but thought it was the M-14.
Click to expand...

Actually the cylinders, exhaust system and most accessories are interchangeable. The Housai has a mixture control on the carb and the M-14 is automatic mixture that I hate by the way. No way to clean up a plug on run up or lean on the ground taxiing.
 
Cool I did not know that about the radial engines. Lots to learn! Anyways, I would get either a Vans RV, Glasair or CJ/Yak. Need to fly a Vans and Glasair however first.
 
yakdriver said:
Actually the cylinders, exhaust system and most accessories are interchangeable. The Housai has a mixture control on the carb and the M-14 is automatic mixture that I hate by the way. No way to clean up a plug on run up or lean on the ground taxiing.
Click to expand...

Am I correct in remembering a fuel injection offering for the M-14? There was a dude hanging one on a Helio Courier that I thought was awesome.
 
I guess since it's experimental, you could build whatever FI system you wanted. You could put an aftermarket Holley or Edelbrock EFI system on your Yak pretty easily since they are TBI systems made to flow that HP range. You just need to adapt it to the plenum. Then you can lean with your iPhone.:D
 
Henning said:
I've never flown an aerobatic plane with that much excess horsepower, must be fun.
Click to expand...

yeah, it was a good little steed. Some of the most fun flights of my career were the solo aerobatics flights as a primary student, strapping into that thing with like 10 hours or whatever of military flight time. I've been lucky enough to fly several much more high performance aircraft in the years since, but none have been as much pure stick and rudder flying fun as that, at least most of the time.
 
Kritchlow said:
Most fun plane I've ever flown??? Clearly the C750 (Citation X). Fastest plane in the sky, good looking, sports car, the envy of all on the ramp. What's not to like? Yes, it can be tricky to fly for the novice, but that's another thread.
Click to expand...

BORING... Any ole airline guy can fly on of those. I bet if I got you in my Model 12 you would be smiling for days.
Do you smile big flying a boring jet straight and level?
 
pigpenracing said:
BORING... Any ole airline guy can fly on of those. I bet if I got you in my Model 12 you would be smiling for days.
Do you smile big flying a boring jet straight and level?
Click to expand...

No.... Not any ole airline guy can fly it. I was a check airman and witnessed that first hand.

I'm sure I would throughly enjoy your Model 12, although I will confess I'm not familiar with it. If you say I'll smile, I'm betting you're right!!

Yes, I smile flying the Airbus. I truly love my job.
 
We needed a CFI to get us proficient in a Fairchild PT19. I asked a couple friends who own a Pitts S2 to help us out. The 3 of them think the PT19 is the most fun they have had flying. One of them has many type ratings in airline planes and is a ACE avaluator, he rather fly the 19. I agree with them, I love it too.
 
Kritchlow said:
No.... Not any ole airline guy can fly it. I was a check airman and witnessed that first hand.

I'm sure I would throughly enjoy your Model 12, although I will confess I'm not familiar with it. If you say I'll smile, I'm betting you're right!!

Yes, I smile flying the Airbus. I truly love my job.
Click to expand...

I was just giving you a hard time :D
 
Yaks are a lot of fun and great affordable way to get into aerobatics and have a warbird at same time. I'm a big fan of the Pitts and Extra as well but these are double the cost.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top