Where do you get kit planes?

MidwestBob1389 said:
Yup that's why it's scheduled. It's not any medical issues it's past convictions issues.
Click to expand...
If those past convictions involve alcohol or drugs, do NOT go to a medical exam until you understand the ramifications. Lots of info in the medical section here. Get a medical denied and you can't fly even as a sport pilot until it's resolved via a special issuance medical, which can take lots of time and money.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
I was right. College kids ARE much younger nowadays.


With a welding / fabrication background, you may feel more comfortable with a fabric covered tube structure such as a Wittman Tailwind ( https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/pdf/WITTMAN W-10 TAILWIND.pdf ) vs. something composite or aluminum (lots of rivet banging). But the rag and tube designs tend to be less kittish and more build from plansish. You can buy tubing / materials kits but it won't have as many pre-cut parts as say an RV-Somenumber. https://www.aircraftspruce.com/categories/building_materials/bm/menus/kits/index.html
Click to expand...
LMAO!! And yeah i am stick, mig, and tig certified back in the day. Can tig mild steel, stainless and aluminum.. not as good as my buddy, but he does it daily and tigs up specilized parts in the Colorado Springs area. It would be pretty neat to have that as a project! Thank you for your HELPFUL information in regards to the post I made.
tsts4 said:
Based on your background building a kit is probably not beyond your ability. You’re, IMO , simply putting the cart before the horse a little bit. Building is an endeavor not to be taken lightly as the commitment both in time and money can be significant and quite frequently leaves very little free time beyond the project—and it usually takes years for all but the simplest makes/models. I say this not to discourage you, just to help you prioritize your focus of your aviation journey.
Click to expand...
Thanks Bud, but hobbies are hobbies and if you don't have time to do them, then make some. But your right, that is your opinion. You do you boo and ill do me. But none of your response is any sort of an answer to my question. More like a concerned father or from your own experiences. I have been taking and putting engines and things that move together for a couple decades. Thanks for your concerns though.
 
Dana said:
If those past convictions involve alcohol or drugs, do NOT go to a medical exam until you understand the ramifications. Lots of info in the medical section here. Get a medical denied and you can't fly even as a sport pilot until it's resolved via a special issuance medical, which can take lots of time and money.
Click to expand...
Yup have read quite a few and talked to several people, lawyers and all that. I appreciate your feed back!
 
Well OK then. I thought I was helping point you in the right direction but I’ll shut up now. And to be clear in my last post I was agreeing with you on your ability to build a kit. All I was saying was as a non-pilot go onto it with eyes wide open. Good luck.
 
Last edited:
As you're an accomplished welder, after you get your PPL, look into Bear Hawk Aircraft. They are all tube and fabric and have a wide variety of models. I think you can get plans only all the way to ready to weld kit. They also accept a wide range of engines. Just be sure you have your tailwheel endorsement first.

Your daughter might be in college when you finish. :)
 
Are you a pilot? Do you have any experience maintaining and working on airplanes? What do you know about control systems, wing structures, fabric covering, aircraft riveting, etc?

My current kit plane arrived with the airframe welded. We hung the wings and figured out the cable runs, fuel tanks, etc. With wings, landing gear, and tail loosely attached, two of us worked on it for two weeks before it was ready for powder coat. An average guy wouldn’t have recognized what was missing and would have started assembly. That would have led to lots of problems. Building a kit is not a simple process. Mine took two guys two years and includes more custom made parts than I can count. Building it in a shop that had a mill, lathe, and a big three-way sheet metal machine was useful every day. If you’re not familiar, you have no idea what you’re getting into. That’s true for lots of kit buyers. They have no idea how to build an airplane and no concept of how expensive it is. The kit cost is only the beginning. FWIW, I’ve been doing the airplane thing for 35 years. Mine wasn’t my first build.

The mantra of an airplane builder- Put it together, take it apart, put it together, take it apart…. We do it because we love the process, not because we want to get somewhere.

The day your crate arrives is when the reality hits. “Holy ****. What did I get myself into?”
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2121.jpeg
    IMG_2121.jpeg
    2.2 MB · Views: 7
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top