Piper sport

[flyingcheesehead]

Wow, that's a direction in which I didn't see them going. Maybe they're trying to pick up the back end of the Matrix/Mirage/Meridian/Jet progression, when pilots lose their medical and have to go back to the basics. Interesting.

Under the old CEO, Piper was focusing solely on the high end. Advertising materials had the Turbo Saratoga at the LOW end. Cherokee production was quietly winding down.

Now, with new investors, the new CEO is taking a "full line" approach. The Archer is back, and now they have an LSA.

Also interesting that this is the same approach Cirrus adopted then dropped (rebranding an existing LSA).[/QUOTE]

Cirrus will probably still do their LSA once the jet is finished and/or the economy improves. I hope.

The difference is that Cirrus was going to start with an FK14 Polaris and modify it because the Polaris does not meet the LSA specs. The SportCruiser aka PiperSport was built as an LSA from the beginning.

I really think this is a great move for Piper. They actually chose the aircraft I thought Cirrus would choose. I haven't flown one yet, but I really like the design and specs. I think they'll do well with it.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Nobody buys a new Archer if they aren't running a flight school. I'd buy a DA40 or S20 before an Archer.

Yeah, there's that. Hopefully Piper will eventually produce some more modern entry-level certified airplanes.

Heck I'd love to see them take the Comanche-based Ravin 500 design and certify it. And then make a twin-engine version too.

 

[Geico266]

While I would love to build my own, I can think of a few reasons:

1) I don't know if I have the skills to build my own aircraft.

2) I don't have a place to build my own aircraft.

3) I don't have the time to build my own aircraft.

4) I don't know enough about experimentals to know if the aircraft
built by someone else is ok.

1. If you can read & follow instructions, turn a wrench, and know your left from your right you can build an airplane. The whole process is a learning one. There are many resources to help you when you get stuck. The fun is figuring it out. The biggest obsticle is between the ears. (Not you personally, in general staying motivated.)

2. I build my -12 in a 1.5 car garage, I'm sure you could rent or borrow a one car garage. Start saying yes, rather than no.

3. That can be a problem, but like anything in life priorities need to be placed. IMHO you need to dedicate at LEAST 1/2 hour a day to stay focused. Even if you just clean the shop, you need an hour a day. The -12 is a 850 hour plane until flying. 20 hours a week = 1 year and you are done.

4. This is the easy one. There are more people to help you than you can shake a stick at. At the popularity of RV's grows (nearly 7,000 built now) there are many A&P's that work on them and can assist you in prebuy inspection. There is no difference in buting experimentals or certified. Local EAA chapters are full of good people to help you. I owned several RV's before I decided to build one. If you find one you want me to look at just let me know.

The speed, reliability, operating cost savings, and ease in flying makes RV's exceptional aircraft to own and fly.