Any Affordaplane builders?

[Bluto]

Anyone out there built an A-plane? My wife bought me the online plans but I'm not sure if I'm going to take the plunge and start putting money into an ultralight. Anyone with good (or bad) A-plane experiences? For those of you who aren't familiar, the website is: http://www.affordaplane.com/ What do you guys think? Is this a good way to get started in homebuilts?

 

[:-)]

I don't know about this bird, but there are others out there in the same range. If you can find info on a Teenie Two, you might like that one. Simple, no tooling required, etc.

I've lost touch with most of my EAA contacts, I didn't have any money nor time, so I don't know his current contact info; but there is a man in Brookshire TX named Leonard Millholland that has a similar airplane to the affordaplane. Leonard developed the "affordable 1/2 VW" engine and has a small airframe in which to install his engine. I'll make a few calls and see if he is still around.

edit, I've got to stop using crew hotel computers

Hey Calvin sign out next time

 

[domino]

affordaplane builder

Anyone out there built an A-plane? My wife bought me the online plans but I'm not sure if I'm going to take the plunge and start putting money into an ultralight. Anyone with good (or bad) A-plane experiences? For those of you who aren't familiar, the website is: http://www.affordaplane.com/ What do you g uys think? Is this a good way to get started in homebuilts?

Am in the construction stage of the A plane. Fuselage is mostly finished as well as the tail The process has been interesting but frustrating at times, the plans leave a lot to be desired in the way of important details, having model building experience is a plus as well as some wood working tools. The materials list is lacking some necessary items, it will pay to give the plans a good looking over to decide what materials to order. I went mainly by the list when I ordered,then discovered I would be short some tubing and many bolts and pieces of hardware. The plane seems to be designed well enough and I believe will be fun to fly. I haven't been able to get any information from the designer as to contacting other builders, I keep hearing of people building the plane but no one has any contact info. Maybe this message will help.

 

[avbug]

I believe Leonard Millholland designed and marketed the Teenie Two. I never flew it, but had an associate who built and flew one. He said it was an eighty knot airplane. Took off at eighty, cruised at eighty descended at eighty, approached and landed at eighty.


Edit: having just visited the Afordaplane web site and read the FAQ's, I have only one question for you. Are you out of your cotton picking mind???

What kind of covering is used on the Affordaplane?

Answer:We recommend the Jerry Bunner method of covering. This system uses 1.7 ounce dacron, heat shrunk, and uses 3 coats of latex house paint diluted with 30% Floetrol to fill the weave. Then you apply two coats of gloss enamel house paint over that. The paint is applied using a foam roller from Wal Mart. The UV protection comes from a one gallon can of Son-Of-A-Gun. It works great and is very inexpensive.

And yet the guy is proud to say he only uses aircraft grade hardware. Good thing he's going with the walmart latex housepaint...apparently he's been sniffing too much dope to use it any more.

 

[RightPedal]

Add the cost of what it will take to bury yourself after that thing kills you and you could have had a real airplane.
If you're going the kit ultralight route, look into an airbike, http://www.barnstormers.com/cat.php. I have a buddy that has one of those and it's a well built, good flying machine.

 

[Bluto]

Thanks Domino, good luck. Avbug, Rightpedal, thanks for the tips and kind words it looks like I'm out of the airplane building business for a while but I'll take all that information into account.

 

[avbug]

Bluto,

Don't get me wrong...experimental aviation has an increadible amount to offer, and merely because it isn't production industry standard, doesn't mean it's a bad idea...experimental aviation has laid the backbone for much of our current light single engine airplane production fleet today, and has been at the heart of everything from the Wright Brothers efforts and successes to Mr. Melville's excursion in the first private vehicle in space (or nearly so).

I have to draw the line in common sense at doing fabric covering with Walmart paint, however. There are limits. There's no reason you couldn't complete the design, if it's a proven one, and cover it with Stits or ceconite. No reason at all. It's simple, relatively inexpensive, easy to do, and you will easily be able to find help in the experimental community around you (sadly, few mechanics have much of a hand in fabric work any more).

If I understood you correctly at the outset of this thread, you have purchased many of the materials. That the designer intends to use aircraft grade hardware is a good thing...I'd go so far as to use aircraft grade rivets, too...unlike the previously mentioned teenie two, which appears to have used mostly ace hardware blind rivets. Then again, lots of ultralight framing is done that very way.

I'm making extremely slow progress (read, stopped altogether, for now) on a Sorrell Guppy, presently...also plans built with hand drawn plans at that...I mean, free hand drawn plans. On 8X11 sheets of paper, no less. Xeroxed...you get the idea. There's no reason you can't build a workable aircraft...just be careful, don't take anything for granted, try to speak to as many builders of the same type design as you can, and in the process, get as much consultation from knowledgable mechanics, builders, and counselors (EAA has an excellent counselor network) as you are able.

Remember that designers of experimental aircraft and other builders often have little experience themselves...don't assume anything has been tested or engineered beyond what an eyeball and pencil and eraser could do...but don't re-engineer without getting some good experienced insight into what you're doing.

The case of the fabric would be a definite place to start stepping outside the plans. I don't care how proven they think it is, coating a fabric surface with walmart houseplaint and sealing it with anything called "son of a gun" can't be good...and there are time proven methods readily available to you that are safe, easy, inexpensive, and durable. Go with those, under the tutelage and support of someone who has done it before.

Don't get discouraged this early in the game. You've got plenty of long evenings to go that will give you plenty of time to get discouraged in the future. If you can just get the fuselage on the gear and sit in it, you can close the garage door, make airplane noises, and will yourself through the remainder of the project. Good luck!!

 

[domino]

Hello Avbug
As you suggested I just finished a short imaginary flight in my A plane. I don't have a seat yet, the 2"square tubing didn't fit my anatomy, that's the reason for the short flight.
Rest assured that all hardware is A/C grade, the Walmart paint didn't impress me either, I,ll be using the Polyfiber system I'm sure the plane won't meet 103 weight limits, since I'm using an HKS700 4 stroke engine which is heavier than a Rotax. I'll have to go E/LSA and sport pilot if they ever get things rolling on that.
I'll keep you posted..

 

[Bluto]

Avbug, thanks for the sound advice and encouragement. I haven't actually started construction or even gone beyond pricing some of the materials on the A-plane. Basically, I've read through the plans a few times and thought through the construction process. My primary problem is financial. I don't want to cut corners on cost. Additionally, I don't have the space, or time to build an airplane (even an "affordable" one) right now. I'd prefer not to settle for something I can barely afford, and would resent later but rather build myself a time-tested, sturdy airplane. Maybe a cub or something similar. Low and slow with the window open sounds nice to me.

 

[LAXSaabdude]

I've been thinking about this one for a while. Nice looking, good performance, and pretty inexpensive, too!

thatcher cx4

LAXSaabdude