Spirit Engineering SE-1 Whose getting one?

Kent Wien

Kent Wien

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Kent
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If I didn’t have a partner to keep me sane, I’d be buying one of these immediately.

Seeing as that’s not going to happen, I’d like to live vicariously through someone who IS going to get one. So… tell us all about the process and details!

I already tried to talk Kayoh190 into one. 7 hours I spent trying to convince him. I’m not sure I succeeded.

SE-1 Aircraft – Spirit Engineering, Inc.

spiriteng.com spiriteng.com

1757092513752.jpeg
 
I didn't know these existed.
I need one, especially at that price point!
 
Cool airplane. Like an all-metal Fly Baby. Looks like they've even got some "give" in the landing gear, that's certainly an improvement over the Fly Baby.

Two points I'll caution folks about. First, it *is* a single-seater. One of the more-common questions I get asked in the Fly Baby world is the availability of a two-seat variant. A lot of folks won't consider a one-seat airplane.

The second point is its taildragger configuration. A lot of folks will shy away from it, especially as there are no two-seat versions to get instruction in. The company says a trigear version is being developed, but I wonder how that's going to look....

Ron Wanttaja
 
RyanShort1 said:
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02SdKVdSa1vtxvzBxQ6NP1B5BSPhvUBZsLvQFjeraAReLpvnaH2aiHp6ctBRFsuS4El&id=61568951442263
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Nice pics! Am I correct that these things were flying out of that short ultralight field at OSH when you got those pics?
What it instantly reminds me of is the Globe Swift, an airplane I've always had a crush on. There was one parked by me at Oshkosh this year and I probably stared at it for a solid hour. They're just old timey and neat. Here's a random photo from online.
1757095908818.png

I'm really amazed by the engine horsepower. Only 42hp and it's flying safely in western Colorado where they build them? I trained in an LSA that had 100hp, which was wayyyy more than enough power for flying solo. But 42 horses seems low?

IDK... the idea of getting an aircraft for 70k$ plus about 7k$ of their add-ons (ADS-B, ACLs/nav lgts, and rain fly) AND being able to register it as an ELSA to work on it yourself and getting a LSRM... Taken together that idea is super tempting. Gives me something to research this weekend...
EDIT: Oh and it burns 2.2gph of Mo or Avgas versus my 10!
 
wanttaja said:
The company says a trigear version is being developed, but I wonder how that's going to look....

Ron Wanttaja
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The tricycle gear version will use the same main landing gear, just turned around. They're working on the nosewheel, but the owner laughed and asked, "who would want that?"
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
I'm really amazed by the engine horsepower. Only 42hp and it's flying safely in western Colorado where they build them? I trained in an LSA that had 100hp, which was wayyyy more than enough power for flying solo. But 42 horses seems low?
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It's 2/3rds the horsepower of a stock Fly Baby, but it is about 250 pounds lighter. It also has less drag than the Fly Baby.

Ron Wanttaja
 
I took ground photos for EAA at Oshkosh. I can't share them all yet, but I'll share one that shows a very cool feature!
54697134139_8ccaf5e3f3_b.jpg
 
Lowflynjack said:
The tricycle gear version will use the same main landing gear, just turned around. They're working on the nosewheel, but the owner laughed and asked, "who would want that?"
Click to expand...
Seems like just turning the main gear around would be awkward...
1757096552130.png
Drag of the wheel hitting the ground will tend to open the knee, not compress it.

Ron Wanttaja
 
wanttaja said:
Seems like just turning the main gear around would be awkward...
View attachment 144806
Drag of the wheel hitting the ground will tend to open the knee, not compress it.

Ron Wanttaja
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Yeah, not sure how it will work, but the owner/designer told me it's designed to turn the main gear around. Maybe they change the trailing-link gear section?
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
Nice pics! Am I correct that these things were flying out of that short ultralight field at OSH when you got those pics?
What it instantly reminds me of is the Globe Swift, an airplane I've always had a crush on. There was one parked by me at Oshkosh this year and I probably stared at it for a solid hour. They're just old timey and neat. Here's a random photo from online.
View attachment 144804

I'm really amazed by the engine horsepower. Only 42hp and it's flying safely in western Colorado where they build them? I trained in an LSA that had 100hp, which was wayyyy more than enough power for flying solo. But 42 horses seems low?

IDK... the idea of getting an aircraft for 70k$ plus about 7k$ of their add-ons (ADS-B, ACLs/nav lgts, and rain fly) AND being able to register it as an ELSA to work on it yourself and getting a LSRM... Taken together that idea is super tempting. Gives me something to research this weekend...
EDIT: Oh and it burns 2.2gph of Mo or Avgas versus my 10!
Click to expand...
I see more similarities to the PT22--

1757096812797.png
 
Baked Potato said:
Also... open cockpit, a la WW1 (WACO owners, yes, I know...)
Does it also come with a can of whale grease for frostbite prevention?
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Hmmmff. Been flying open-cockpit airplanes for the past 40 years, and haven't had to render any whales. You just have to learn how to dress for it...
1757096738077.png
I'm wearing a spandex ski mask in this photo, and it does an excellent job of keeping my face warm. You'll see the sheepskin flying jacket as well.

The Pacific Northwest has relatively mild winters, but I've flown in temperatures down to 15 degrees F with good comfort.

One thing that impresses me about the SE-1 is the snugness of the cockpit. From the statistics, it looks like there's plenty of room, but the sides do seem to close up and minimize the pilot's exposure.

Ron Wanttaja
 
wanttaja said:
One thing that impresses me about the SE-1 is the snugness of the cockpit. From the statistics, it looks like there's plenty of room, but the sides do seem to close up and minimize the pilot's exposure.

Ron Wanttaja
Click to expand...
The cockpit is snug, but I'm 5'11" and 205 lbs and I fit well. It would fit a bigger pilot than me.

I'm sure you've seen the photos, but the top opens for you to climb in, then when you close it, you have a nice small opening to keep most of the wind out.
gnd_lt_pilot-1-scaled.jpg
 
Lowflynjack said:
The cockpit is snug, but I'm 5'11" and 205 lbs and I fit well. It would fit a bigger pilot than me.

I'm sure you've seen the photos, but the top opens for you to climb in, then when you close it, you have a nice small opening to keep most of the wind out.
gnd_lt_pilot-1-scaled.jpg
Click to expand...

Slick!
 
Lowflynjack said:
My friend's boss bought that one! They're going to offer tailwheel training in a 170, a 140, or a Luscombe. If you get three hours in the Luscombe, you'll be qualified, and allowed, to fly the SE-1.
View attachment 144805
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Well, that's the plan at least. I have more than three hours in the Luscombe and was going to come down this past week but it sounds like they're still trying to figure out insurance. If that works out, I'll be going down.
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
Nice pics! Am I correct that these things were flying out of that short ultralight field at OSH when you got those pics?
What it instantly reminds me of is the Globe Swift, an airplane I've always had a crush on. There was one parked by me at Oshkosh this year and I probably stared at it for a solid hour. They're just old timey and neat. Here's a random photo from online.
View attachment 144804

I'm really amazed by the engine horsepower. Only 42hp and it's flying safely in western Colorado where they build them? I trained in an LSA that had 100hp, which was wayyyy more than enough power for flying solo. But 42 horses seems low?

IDK... the idea of getting an aircraft for 70k$ plus about 7k$ of their add-ons (ADS-B, ACLs/nav lgts, and rain fly) AND being able to register it as an ELSA to work on it yourself and getting a LSRM... Taken together that idea is super tempting. Gives me something to research this weekend...
EDIT: Oh and it burns 2.2gph of Mo or Avgas versus my 10!
Click to expand...
It's the real deal. I know three of their employees and it's legit.
Yeah, I was at the ultralight field with some of their team for that flight.
 
So this is what... $200-$300k? For a single seat? You can rent a 172 for your entire PPL life and not spend $200k

Looks neat, but in the grand scheme of things is just another male mid-life crisis purchase... get the ZR-1 or the shiny single seat that's 25 inches wide lol
 
pfarber said:
So this is what... $200-$300k? For a single seat? You can rent a 172 for your entire PPL life and not spend $200k

Looks neat, but in the grand scheme of things is just another male mid-life crisis purchase... get the ZR-1 or the shiny single seat that's 25 inches wide lol
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No... It's $69k new.
 
pfarber said:
So this is what... $200-$300k? For a single seat? You can rent a 172 for your entire PPL life and not spend $200k
Click to expand...
$69K for the base package, and at cruise you're burning 2.2 gph, AND you can store it in a trailer, and do 100mph and climb over the mountains if you want.
 
pfarber said:
So this is what... $200-$300k? For a single seat? You can rent a 172 for your entire PPL life and not spend $200k

Looks neat, but in the grand scheme of things is just another male mid-life crisis purchase... get the ZR-1 or the shiny single seat that's 25 inches wide lol
Click to expand...
You could have clicked the link in the OP.
 
Lindberg said:
You could have clicked the link in the OP
Click to expand...
I did, was quickly unimpressed. The cockpit is 25 inches wide. lol no

Its a useless airplane (to me). Other than being shiny it solves no known problem other than 'how can I spend $70k on a toy I will fly 5 hours a year'.

Does anyone really think people are gonna spend HOURS polishing that al?
 
pfarber said:
I did, was quickly unimpressed. The cockpit is 25 inches wide. lol no
Click to expand...
My half of a Piper Archer cockpit is 21”. No, no desire to own one as my only airplane but given I fly the Archer locally alone 90% of the time I have to say there’s a market
 
pfarber said:
I did, was quickly unimpressed. The cockpit is 25 inches wide. lol no

Its a useless airplane (to me). Other than being shiny it solves no known problem other than 'how can I spend $70k on a toy I will fly 5 hours a year'.

Does anyone really think people are gonna spend HOURS polishing that al?
Click to expand...
To each their own I suppose, but I find the aircraft truly impressive.

Personally, I love the idea of doing my $100 hamburger runs and commutes from Chicago to Michigan in this little guy. Can comfortably go low and slow with a great view. And you have a 500 foot takeoff roll and 750fpm climb, so you can comfortably get into some pretty small airstrips.

That said, I love my arrow too, but it gobbles up 10gal per hour carrying around empty seats, creature comforts and other mass I don't need on most flights (though in winter time, I doubt I'm flying open cockpit airplanes). This aircraft is not a bad alternative for someone operating on a budget or who wants a brand new low and slow plane IMHO.
 
pfarber said:
I did, was quickly unimpressed. The cockpit is 25 inches wide. lol no
Click to expand...
Realize, though that that is five inches more than a front-seat occupant in a Cessna 172 gets. Forty inches wide at the shoulders, divided between two people. The SE-1 is three inches wider than my Fly Baby.

pfarber said:
Its a useless airplane (to me). Other than being shiny it solves no known problem other than 'how can I spend $70k on a toy I will fly 5 hours a year'.
Click to expand...
Like you said, it's useless to you. But it exactly describes my flying for the past 40 years. Other than an eighteen-month dalliance with a shared Stinson, I've been flying single-seat "toys" since about 1986.

Why? To quote Johnathan Livingston Seagull: "I just like to fly." I love wrapping up in leather flying coat, scarf, helmet and goggles. I love puttering above Puget Sound, looking for whales. I love watching the fall colors from above. The hum of the engine. The caress of the slipstream. The excitement of slipping in to land at a new airport. And the pride when "Moonraker" gets swamped by kids at a local fly-in.

I understand you have different uses for an aircraft, and can accept that. But my entire life, I looked at airplanes as something to have fun with...never justified ownership for utilitarian reasons, even when I owned my first airplane (a 150) and was partners in the Stinson. I bought my Fly Baby for $10,000 almost 30 years ago. That comes out to $333 a year. Not bad. My hangar rent was more expensive that the airplane itself; at the time I moved in June, I was paying $7200 a year.

And spending a lot of money on toys isn't unusual, in America. My cousin recently reposted this at on FB:
1757107918223.png
Forty *thousand* dollars for an off-road vehicle. You'll find the same sort of prices on other items, like motorcycles, boats, jetskis and any number of modern toys.

If the person can afford it...why squawk?

My wife is fully aware of how much money goes into keeping my airplane. We can afford it, so why worry? I don't go to Vegas, I don't drink or smoke, and don't chase women. The airplane is my vice, and she's good with that. I could probably afford an SE-1; I could probably even talk my wife into letting me get one. Already tried her on a Carbon Cub. She wouldn't budge, but this sounds a LOT more affordable.....

But...it's just pure fun, and a lot of people need that, nowadays.

Like I mentioned, I move to a new airport a couple of months back. It has some challenges, even with my little airplane. I put together this video to help explain what's happening to my Fly Baby buddies. But can you watch this and NOT think it's fun????

Ron Wanttaja
 
pfarber said:
I did, was quickly unimpressed. The cockpit is 25 inches wide. lol no

Its a useless airplane (to me). Other than being shiny it solves no known problem other than 'how can I spend $70k on a toy I will fly 5 hours a year'.

Does anyone really think people are gonna spend HOURS polishing that al?
Click to expand...
What a ray of sunshine you are. I’m not into it either. That’s why I didn’t post on the thread about it. *gasp* But I will post about someone trashing it for no good reason. :D
 
ArrowFlyer86 said:
What it instantly reminds me of is the Globe Swift, an airplane I've always had a crush on.
Click to expand...

That's funny - Kent and I were talking about these yesterday, and conversation went to Swifts. It definitely reminds me of a Swift as well.
 
Wow, that's a thing of beauty, and the price is right. My wife already said "go ahead!" I'd buy one, immediately re-register it as E-LSA, and then ceramic coat it to keep it shiny without a lot of effort. Man, maybe it's time to sell the Cherokee (which I just upgraded with a bunch of nice avionics, dammit), join the local club that has IFR-capable Cherokees to keep that capability, and then buy this little gem to reinvigorate my love of flying. Hmmm. Damn, I may just be talking myself into this.
 
It's a pretty cool looking airplane, and I'll bet they sell a bunch. Not thousands, but enough to keep them afloat for a while. Doesn't fit my specific requirements, but if I didn't really like flying Young Eagles and in the winter I'd seriously consider it.
 
Everything Ron said. 80% of my flying is solo. The insurance on this airplane would have to be incredibly low. Park it under a friend’s wing for $150 a month. Besides paragliding, I can’t think of a cheaper way to have fun in the air.
 
pfarber said:
So this is what... $200-$300k? For a single seat? You can rent a 172 for your entire PPL life and not spend $200k

Looks neat, but in the grand scheme of things is just another male mid-life crisis purchase... get the ZR-1 or the shiny single seat that's 25 inches wide lol
Click to expand...

Hey, bro would you be interested at $125k? I can get you a nice deal.
 
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