Need an airplane

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Sundancer

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Sundog
Could be opening a religious can of worms, but. . .
I need an airplane. Or rather, I need your recommendations/ideas for one. For less (hopefully a LOT less) than $100K. My mission is:

1. Travel, 300-400 mile legs. No particular hurry (speed not a factor)
2. Alone 99% of the time. Anything over two seats is wasted.
3. IFR capable. Preferably with an autopilot, or at least a wing leveler.
4. TC or Experimental is fine. No Cessnas. I'm high-winged-out after multiple decades in them.
5. No Jabiru engines. Rotax 9xx are OK, or a non-orphaned Lycoming or Continental
6. Something with quite a few flying.
7. Nose dragger.
8. For TC or EAB a strong community and/or company still in business.

I've shopped a bunch, such as LongEZ, Varga Kachina, CH601 XLB, Grumman AA1x, even RV4, though I'd have to get a tail wheel endorsement. Oh yeah, probably parking outside. I love the Emeraude look, but they seldom come up, and usually aren't IFR. Pazmany PL2, same issues.

Opinions?
 
Your list seems contrary to your rule 6. How many is quite a few?

Under 100k, probably an RV-6.400 mile legs, cruise speed matters when you still have to tangle with headwinds and other weather. If you want cheap and slow, grab a sonex with your preferred engine.
 
masloki said:
Your list seems contrary to your rule 6. How many is quite a few?

Under 100k, probably an RV-6.400 mile legs, cruise speed matters when you still have to tangle with headwinds and other weather. If you want cheap and slow, grab a sonex with your preferred engine.
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Good point - there are not a lot of Varga Kachinas about. I just like them. The rest are well enough represented - I think. LongEZ, etc.
 
luvflyin said:
Why?
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Visibility, the esthetics of it - just tired of the limited view in high wings. Too much time in 172s and 182s, where the view is great - if you're looking down and left.
 
I love Vargas, great little machines.
 
TrueCourse said:
Tomahawk? I’d focus on the Tomahawk II. Put some wheel pants on and gain a few knots. Add some new interior plastics. Most don’t have autopilots but surely a basic one can be installed for a reasonable price and still be way under budget.

https://www.trade-a-plane.com/searc...ton&make=PIPER&model=TOMAHAWK&s-type=aircraft
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Maybe an option - I have some time in them from way, way back - if I find one with an IFR GPS already in, the expense of an autopilot and a second nav/comm could still keep me way under budget.
 
Sundancer said:
just tired of the limited view in high wings
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I must be high winging it wrong.

Other than in the patternand even then not really that much, how can a high wing be more visibility blocking than low wings? Ive flown Cessna and Piper. Both block views in the pattern. But for cruise Cessna all day long for better visibility.
 
Beech Sundowner or Super. Sierra's are over your budget due to the line becoming popular. Plenty of great support in the type club, lyc engine, your range, IFR, if you want only two seats the Sport.
 
Sundancer said:
Visibility, the esthetics of it - just tired of the limited view in high wings. Too much time in 172s and 182s, where the view is great - if you're looking down and left.
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What? There are other places to look?
 
IFR certified, 400 mile legs, auto pilot, LOT under $100k that won't be a rusted out bucket with a burned out engine?

I don't know that really exists. Realistically I'd go for an RV12 and install a GTN something to make it IFR. Add an autopilot. As Experimental instruments are going to be much cheaper, figure all in about $130k.

Buy a tomahawk for $45k, put $30k of GTN in it. Don't know about an autopilot.
 
masloki said:
If you want cheap and slow, grab a sonex with your preferred engine.
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I would agree except for the IFR part. A Sonex is fun to fly but it would take someone with the mentality of a guy that would cheat on his private pilot exam to fly a Sonex IFR. :crazy:

Engine choices are limited but the factory does support the Rotax 912 series. I have a William Wynne Corvair conversion on mine that has been real good to me.
 
A Socata TB-9 Tampico? Pretty slow and not many of them around, but Socata is definitely still in business, and you could even find one with an autopilot
 
Forget anything fiberglass (long eze, glasair/lancair, etc) if you’re keeping it outside. Uv does bad things to fiberglass left in the sun. I’d get a $45k traumahawk and put in an AP for less than 20 amus…$65k total and checks all your boxes.
 
pfarber said:
I must be high winging it wrong.

Other than in the patternand even then not really that much, how can a high wing be more visibility blocking than low wings? Ive flown Cessna and Piper. Both block views in the pattern. But for cruise Cessna all day long for better visibility.
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For me the common Cessna's (150,152, 172, 182) seating position is poor - the 150 and 182 are particularly bad - like sitting against the rear wall of a one-car garage and looking out the door. At 3,000 AGL the low wing blocks part of your view below for 3K feet - the Cessna blocks it above you to infinity. But yeah, Piper's have vis limitations - I'm not looking real close at those, either.
 
WDD said:
IFR certified, 400 mile legs, auto pilot, LOT under $100k that won't be a rusted out bucket with a burned out engine?

I don't know that really exists. Realistically I'd go for an RV12 and install a GTN something to make it IFR. Add an autopilot. As Experimental instruments are going to be much cheaper, figure all in about $130k.

Buy a tomahawk for $45k, put $30k of GTN in it. Don't know about an autopilot.
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Sorry, wasn't clear on range - most trips would be 400 miles or less in a day - a fuel stop is fine, I don't need 400 mile range on one bag of gas. The AA1x series has REAL short legs. I hear fun to fly, but not so hot as an instrument platform.
 
SoonerAviator said:
Screams Vans RV to me. Pick whatever model you want, but I'd recommend a taildragger on principle alone. Pick side by side or tandem seating. Speedy cruisers, miserly on fuel, aerobatic if desired.
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Yep, they have to be on the list - better examples of the later models are pricey (for good reason).
 
Country Flier said:
Forget anything fiberglass (long eze, glasair/lancair, etc) if you’re keeping it outside. Uv does bad things to fiberglass left in the sun. I’d get a $45k traumahawk and put in an AP for less than 20 amus…$65k total and checks all your boxes.
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That's the rub on the LongEZ - it checks ALL the boxes and a lot of them are very well equipped. Faster than I need, with real long legs, but that isn't a negative. I'd have to find a hangar somewhere - I've heard of them being on tie-downs and holding up, but . . .
 
Sifossifoco said:
A Socata TB-9 Tampico? Pretty slow and not many of them around, but Socata is definitely still in business, and you could even find one with an autopilot
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Had not occurred to me - thanks, I'll research. Just checked and saw two on tradeaplane, none on barnstormers.
 
Sundancer said:
8. For TC or EAB a strong community and/or company still in business.

I've shopped a bunch, such as LongEZ, Varga Kachina, CH601 XLB, Grumman AA1x, even RV4, though I'd have to get a tail wheel endorsement. Oh yeah, probably parking outside. I love the Emeraude look, but they seldom come up, and usually aren't IFR. Pazmany PL2, same issues.

Opinions?
Click to expand...

Say you'd like something with the company still in business...and then immediately list 5 models that aren't in business. And 3 of which most mechanics have probably never heard of.

My vote is rv12
 
Sundancer said:
That's the rub on the LongEZ - it checks ALL the boxes and a lot of them are very well equipped. Faster than I need, with real long legs, but that isn't a negative. I'd have to find a hangar somewhere - I've heard of them being on tie-downs and holding up, but . . .
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As a previous fiberglass canard owner I've heard of many stories of them NOT holding up outside...I wouldn't do it.
 
Racerx said:
Say you'd like something with the company still in business...and then immediately list 5 models that aren't in business. And 3 of which most mechanics have probably never heard of.

My vote is rv12
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"For TC or EAB a strong community and/or company still in business." Rutan doesn't sell LongEZ plans anymore, but there is a big commumity of owners and suppliers. I think the older Grummans have a type club, etc.
 
Country Flier said:
As a previous fiberglass canard owner I've heard of many stories of them NOT holding up outside...I wouldn't do it.
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Yep; even if it looked OK and passed the "rap" test, I'd be wondering about it. And when it's time to sell I'd want to be able to say it had been hanagred.
 
Racerx said:
Say you'd like something with the company still in business...and then immediately list 5 models that aren't in business. And 3 of which most mechanics have probably never heard of.

My vote is rv12
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I had kinda dismissed the RV-12, based on price versus capability - looked like there were equal/better options for less, but you got me looking again. Found one RV-12 factory built, which the owner has moved to ELSA, so it's good to go for IFR, if so equipped. Got an email out to the seller asking specifics about the equipment. Lot of reading this morning to determine ELSA is pretty much the same as EAB as far flying IFR is concerned. That took some digging, as there is a lot of conflicting info. Seems some people project the SLSA limitations onto ELSA when it comes to IFR.
 
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