I am currently looking at purchasing an airplane to time build in, would love to make it fun, but also looking for an airplane that will last and not have expensive maintenance issues. I will be buying this aircraft with a friend, and we are considering purchasing either a Grumman AA-1 Yankee or a Searey Classic Experimental. I know, very different airplanes. I am rooting for the Searey because I think it would be a fun airplane to build time in, while he is rooting for the Grumman because its faster and certified by the FAA (We are both college students and I feel like an experimental would be better cost wise on maintenance). Any expert opinions here that can sway this argument? We are about to get a prebuy inspection on a Grumman this week, would love to hear opinions.
Timebuilding Airplane
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Daleandee
Final Approach
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Dale Andee
I'm an experimental guy and it has worked well for me but I know several pilots that won't fly in experimentals because of the perceived danger. Admittedly there are a number of experimental planes that I won't fly in. One guy at our airport has told me several times, "man you can fly my plane anytime you want." I told him I couldn't do that and when he asked me why I was honest and said, "I've watched you work on it."
Seaplanes are a blast. Are you near seaplane friendly water? As land planes, they are pretty compromised. Also, have you priced insurance? Insurance for even a high time ASES holder is scary.espically an amphib.
I have an AA1A and it is 5he perfect time builder.
I have an AA1A and it is 5he perfect time builder.
Exactly the reason I won't buy someone else's eab
ateamer
Pattern Altitude
Don’t own a plane unless you can afford to spend a minimum of five grand at any moment.
How do you guarantee that?
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Initial Fix
I flew a yankee for a bit. Fun plane. Get a good pre buy and go fly the wings off it
DaleB
Final Approach
I wouldn’t buy one unless I had someone of known skills and expertise, familiar with the type (used here in the English language sense, not the FAA sense), who I know and am whose judgment I trust.
In fact, that’s exactly what I did. I had a friend, who is an EAA tech counselor and has built several planes and who had recently completed a beautiful RV-12, inspect the RV-12 I was considering. I got his honest - indeed blunt - evaluation and bought it, knowing what I was getting into. There were still surprises, but they were relatively minor ones.
Daleandee
Final Approach
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Dale Andee
To be fair there are certified planes that I'd never own too. An airport guy some years ago had a C-150 that he replaced all four jugs on it as it sat under an open air shade hangar with a dirt floor. When he was finished it ran but had a strange whining sound from the engine.
After his passing it sat for a long time and then it was sold. I didn't see it fly away but was told the buyer came, put in some fresh fuel, got it started and away it went ...
Crashnburn
Pattern Altitude
With an E-AB, you can do all the work on it yourself, but you'll need an A&P to do the annual condition inspection, if you don't have the repairman's certificate, and as you didn't build it, you won't.
However, just because you can work on it doesn't mean you should. Thus, you'll probably spend as much on maintenance with an E-AB as on a certified aircraft, all other things being equal. Also, you're a lot more likely to find a A&P/IA who is willing and able to work on your certified plane than your E-AB. I've heard some A&Ps will work on E-ABs but refuse to sign the logbooks.
My vote, if you are just getting into aviation, is to go with a certified airplane.
However, just because you can work on it doesn't mean you should. Thus, you'll probably spend as much on maintenance with an E-AB as on a certified aircraft, all other things being equal. Also, you're a lot more likely to find a A&P/IA who is willing and able to work on your certified plane than your E-AB. I've heard some A&Ps will work on E-ABs but refuse to sign the logbooks.
My vote, if you are just getting into aviation, is to go with a certified airplane.
Pinecone
En-Route
Buy a new plane with a warranty.
