Time is not always money - flying-directory.com

he economics are simple: a manufacturer’s specialist skillsand equipment greatly reduce the number of working hoursrequired to build an aircraft; the buyer and manufacturer effect

a mutually beneficial exchange of skills and wealth.So why does homebuilding continue to thrive? The reason is, again,very simple: homebuilders regard time spent on building as part oftheir aeronautical leisure time. They measure the payback not in cashterms but in intellectual stimulation and from the feel-good factorwhich always comes from feeling proud of your own handiwork.

It is difficult to comprehend the sum total of knowledge and skills required for a task ofthis kind. They are many and varied, and those in democratic countries who haveacquired such skills are accorded exceptional privileges with respect to materials, certification and maintenance. Many homebuilders rely on such people to plug the gapsin their own skills, so there’s a social aspect to homebuilding too. By the time the aircraftis ready for its maiden flight, the homebuilder will have acquired a range of contacts,skills and knowledge that transform him from amateur to expert. This expertise relatesnot just to his individual aircraft, but also to the procedures that ensure the general safety of aviation. He or she will, in short, feel a sense of empowerment, plus theimmense pride that comes from flying an aeroplane you have built yourself.The following pages provide a worldwide overview of the different types of aircraft suit-able for homebuilding, either from a kit or plans. The selection is huge. However, if youstill cannot find what you want, there remains the option of building to your own design.In so doing, you will join the small and very exclusive club of aircraft designers.Even if this is your intention, we are nevertheless certain that you will find this publication of enormous value, for there is not much new under the sun. Virtually every‘new’ idea is a development of something which has gone before.Have a good read!

Philippe Tisserant

LEISURE AVIATION - DIRECTORY

[ h o m e b u i l t s ]

Time is not always money

Let’s be honest about this: if you put a price on your labor, building an aircraft yourself is not acommercially viable operation. In this respect, the oft-repeated assertion that homebuilding is

the answer to the high price of leisure flying is plainlywrong. The homebuilder has to continue his or her normalday job during the one or more years that the aircraft isunder construction, and even if that day job is poorly paid,the goal of aircraft ownership could be achieved morequickly by working overtime and using the additional cashto buy an aircraft off the peg.

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EW Empty weight, kilograms (1kg = 2.20 lb)

WS Wing span, metres (1m = 3.28ft)

WA Wing area, square metres (1m2 = 10.8ft²)

TC Tank capacity, litres (1 litre = 0.264gal(US), 0.220gal(Imp))

Cert CertificationEng EngineHP Horsepower (hp)MTOW Maximum all-up weight,

kilograms (1kg = 2.20 lb)St Number of seatsVmax Maximum speed, kilometres per hour (1km/h = 0.622mph)Vc Cruising speed, kilometres per hour (1km/h = 0.622mph)Vs0 Stalling speed, kilometres per hour (1km/h = 0.622mph)Vz Climb rate

metres per second (1m/s = 197ft/min)FC Fuel consumption,

litres per hour (1 l/h = 0.264gph(US), 0.220gph(Imp))

Assembled Assembled priceKit Kit pricePlan Plan price

For a full list of abbreviations and metric/imperial conversions, see p.6

Remember! This is an internationalpublication, so all prices excludelocal and national taxes, eg VAT

and sales tax.

A B B R E V I A T I O N S

CLASS OF REGULATION

Shows the lightest class of airworthiness regulation for which the aircraft is eligible. Does not necessarily indicate thatcertification has been achieved. See introduction to fixed-wing section for full explanation.

> Manufacturers, Importers and advertisers are indexed at the back of this publication.

09homebuilt-AN.qxp 06/06/2008 13:05 Page 240


LEISURE AVIATION - DIRECTORY

[ h o m e b u i l t s ]

EW WS WA TC Cert Eng HP MTOW St Vmax Vc Vs0 Vz FC Assembled Kit Plan

AAT ADVANCED AIRCRAFT TECHNOLOGIESThe FD-500 project, initially drawn by Dietmar Fuchs, has now been developed by XX-Style Composites, who specializein aircraft and boats. This aircraft is sold as a kit which will need 600 hours of work. It is available in a solo version asshown here, or as a two seat. Performances are quite impressive. Price and engine are not fixed yet.

310 6.89 4.57 100 - Mazda RX 8 Wankel 200 405 2 550 370 115 15 25 - - -

FD 500 D

AAT ADVANCED AIRCRAFT TECHNOLOGIES GES.M.B.H Marokkanergasse 21/6 • 1030 • Vienna • AUSTRIATel: +43 (0)1 / 512 98 00 • Fax: +43 (0)1 / 512 98 [email protected] • www.aviator.co.at

242


ACROThis all-wooden Mignet-formula plane is a 3-4 seater, with tandem wheels to reduce drag. Others plans, some of themcovering microlight versions, are available. There's even a cargo variant, able to carry 450kg of extra weight with twopassengers. The company website details all the possibilities.

- 8.4 19 35 Cont Lyco 110 - 3-4 170 160 60 - - - - 450 €

BEC 07

ACRO Aérodrome de Mâcon-Charnay • 71850 • Charnay-les-Mâcon • FRANCETel: +33 (0)6 03 19 94 [email protected] • http://www.croses.fr/


ACRO SPORTThis aerobatic biplane can take two large occupants. Classic American style construction: spaceframe fuselage andwooden fabric-covered wings. There is also a single seater version. Materials and accessories are available from AircraftSpruce & Specialty, Wicks Aircraft and Sirius Aviation. Much additional information is available onhttp://plaza.ufl.edu/dhinten/Acrosport/

397 6.61 14 98 FAA-CNRA-LAA Lycoming 115-200 689 2 245 198 85 6 - - - $ 125

Acro Sport II

ACRO SPORT INC PO Box 462 • Hales Corners • WI 53130 • USATel: +1 414 / 529 2609


ACRO SPORTThe Pober Pixie was designed by Paul Poberezny, former president of the EAA. The original powerplant was the1835cc VW, with construction of welded steel for the fuselage and wood for the wings. The whole plane is covered inDacron fabric. The large wing and full-span ailerons make it very nice to fly and manoeuverable at low speeds. Manycomponents can be sourced at Wicks Aircraft and Aircraft Spruce & Specialty.

246 9.1 12.46 - LAA VW 1835 60 407 1 - 134 48.3 2.54 13.25 - - $ 125

Pober Pixie

ACRO SPORT INC PO Box 462 • Hales Corners • WI 53130 • USATel: +1 414 / 529 2609


ACROLITEThe Acrolite uses the classic construction of welded steel for the fuselage and tailpane with wooden structure for thewings. Aileron structure is in aluminum sheet, fabric covered. Normal engine options are a Rotax 912 or 582, but theteam has tested a version with a 120hp Skidoo engine to explore the aerobatics abilities of the plane. This is not rec-ommended for the inexperienced!

205 6.09 12.36 34 - Rotax 912, 582 80, 65 362 1 210 176 72 9 18 - - $ 170

Acrolite 1C

ACROLITE AIRCRAFT 50 Airport Road, PO Box 181 • Kakabeka Falls • Ontario • P0T 1W0 • CANADATel: +1 807 / 935 2587 • Fax: +1 807 / 343 [email protected] • www.acrolite.ca


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Time is not always money - flying-directory.com