BRM Bristell User Comments 915iS

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Worldwide trade

Pre-Flight
Joined
May 19, 2012
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36
Location
Naples FL
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WorldWiseTrade
Would appreciate any comments on user experience with the BRM. Also resale values down the road. Seems like a nice bird, typical limited functionality ( LSA limitations), any other big gotchas? Cockpit ventilation? (FL and no A/C is a concern). Sold my DA62 and SR22T, looking for something to keep me in the air.

Happy Holidays!
 
Love my Bristell. It’s got a comfy cockpit and well equipped and capable plane. The AC concern is warranted, especially coming from your previous birds but I taxi with the canopy open and that mitigate most hot days.

I have the 914T and have flown the 915is it’s insanely capable. Fully loaded we were climbing above 1500ft/min

plenty of room for a weekend trip and the range solo with 31 gallons is well beyond my bladder.

They are holding resale values extremely well. If you registered e-LSA and get IFR you can still do IFR.

You do have the LSA limitations but they “might” be able to increase those w mosiac depending on where the FAA lands.

send me a dm happy to give you my number and talk more
 
I lusted after this particular Bristell at a Light Sport Expo in 2015. Seemed very well thought out and well made.

30492083403_357b95df3d_z.jpg


Turns out it recently ended up in the hands of a friend of mine, Paul Shuch, who runs a flight school in Lock Haven, PA. I'm pretty sure he would not mind chatting about his experiences with the plane so far.

https://avsport.org/cfi/chiefcfi.htm
 
FastEddieB said:
I lusted after this particular Bristell at a Light Sport Expo in 2015. Seemed very well thought out and well made.

30492083403_357b95df3d_z.jpg


Turns out it recently ended up in the hands of a friend of mine, Paul Shuch, who runs a flight school in Lock Haven, PA. I'm pretty sure he would not mind chatting about his experiences with the plane so far.

https://avsport.org/cfi/chiefcfi.htm
Click to expand...
Doesn’t he have a nose gear too? Love that TDO
 
FastEddieB said:
I lusted after this particular Bristell at a Light Sport Expo in 2015. Seemed very well thought out and well made.

30492083403_357b95df3d_z.jpg


Turns out it recently ended up in the hands of a friend of mine, Paul Shuch, who runs a flight school in Lock Haven, PA. I'm pretty sure he would not mind chatting about his experiences with the plane so far.

https://avsport.org/cfi/chiefcfi.htm
Click to expand...
Paul bought the taildragger??
If so, it likely could not have ended up in better hands. He did the pre-buy for my bird.
 
I have a bit of time in a few different Bristell’s and while I really like the airplane, the pricing is out of hand and I personally wouldn’t pay $300K even if I had the money.

I have a friend who just took delivery of a 915 Bristell that I hope to go up in soon.

I would also recommend checking out the Tecnam P2008 and Astore 914 LSA’s.
 
Part of their business plan is to prop up and support the used segment. They recognize that if the prices were to fall too far, too fast that it would put off potential buyers. Keep in mind, they've also recently certified a higher weight category aircraft which could, potentially wind up in an expanded category under MOSAIC (if you believe all the hype.)
 
wheaties said:
Part of their business plan is to prop up and support the used segment. They recognize that if the prices were to fall too far, too fast that it would put off potential buyers. Keep in mind, they've also recently certified a higher weight category aircraft which could, potentially wind up in an expanded category under MOSAIC (if you believe all the hype.)
Click to expand...
Which higher-weight aircraft? Do you mean the high-wing?
 
I would be leery of buying a lsa airplane right now. The lsa rules are going through some changes and when they come out it is going to kill the resale value on anything that cant be recertified to a higher weight or faster speed. Basic med was the first nail in the coffin for lsa manufacturers. An opening of increased weight or speed is going to put many others out of business when they cant compete against all the used standard category aircraft that will fall under the new rules.
 
kmacht said:
I would be leery of buying a lsa airplane right now.
Click to expand...

I understand your logic, but many have already been waiting years for the new rules, and have lost years of enjoyable plane ownership waiting for rule changes that may or may not happen and which are poorly defined guesswork at best right now. And prices continue to ratchet up across the board - the $75k Sky Arrow in 2007 is now more than double that. Waiting has its costs as well.
 
kmacht said:
I would be leery of buying a lsa airplane right now. The lsa rules are going through some changes and when they come out it is going to kill the resale value on anything that cant be recertified to a higher weight or faster speed. Basic med was the first nail in the coffin for lsa manufacturers. An opening of increased weight or speed is going to put many others out of business when they cant compete against all the used standard category aircraft that will fall under the new rules.
Click to expand...
I thought the same thing which made me wait a year to buy. I regret that decision to wait, it seems nobody including the FAA knows what the final rules will look like, and while I have concerns that it may affect the market it might not. I have a 2 place plane with the latest in avionics. While I would love a 4 place bird, I would be going to a MUCH older aircraft and 6 pack instrument to goto any 4-place certified aircraft to stay in the same price range. I can also convert my S-LSA to E-LSA and take advantage of cheaper upgrades and everything else with experimental. I can't do that in say a 182. I'm hopeful that my Bristell will be one of the ones that get a bump in weight, but I'm not holding my breath either. We might be waiting another two years and for me, I'm hopeful that I have another 200 hrs of flight time and cheaper insurance should I choose to go another path.
 
kmacht said:
An opening of increased weight or speed is going to put many others out of business when they cant compete against all the used standard category aircraft that will fall under the new rules.
Click to expand...

There are some distinct advantages to SLSA & ELSA aircraft as opposed to standard category aircraft where maintenance is concerned. Even if the MOSAIC for light sport would allow six seats (carrying only two persons), 200 HP at 150 knots, and I could afford the airplane, the cost of maintaining a standard category aircraft would likely put me out of that game.

Having an ELSA or light sport compliant experimental aircraft saves me a lot of money and I get to be the mechanic on my airplane. I enjoy the fact that I have the option (with a certificate) of doing & signing off the maintenance/condition and/or have a A&P look at it.

The money might not be a factor for many people but certified aircraft parts with A&P maintenance can get expensive for the little guys like myself.
 
Bristell looks like a very attractive plane. Their part 23 version looks attractive from a performance standpoint. Good on them for making improvements and pressing forward with new revised models, even into part 23.

https://www.bristell.com/bristell-b23-turbo/
  • 153 kts max speed
  • 628lb useful load
  • 1100 ft take-off with 50 ft obstacle
  • Sips unleaded fuel
  • Dual Garmin G3X EFIS
 
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