newbee comming out

[Aitch1969]

ok i am new to this forum have read ALOT and commented on a few points.

 

Who am I, Where am I, What am I doing?

 

Hedley Pepper

35 Years Old

 

Nottingham

England

 

Have been building, Designing and flying model aircraft since 1975

have been learning to fly as finances allow since 1990

Have been looking into home building since 1994

 

after much research in 1994 i fell in love with the cozy this has not changed, it is difficult in the UK to do anything out of the norm and back in 94 they (PFA) would not allow me to build a MKIV this is now allowed but only as a two place aircraft at 2000lb max weight (they say the back seat is not reinforced enough (ANY COMMENTS ON THIS) and 200hp max (up to 250 if i can convince PFA airframe will take it) if I want to use infinity retracts i will ave to provide structural analasis (proof) that the spar is sufficiently reinforced

 

COSTS lets be real here for the amount of hours i will fly the most cost effective route is to hire a plane as needed that way all the costs are spread.

but having decided i want to build because i want build not because i want to fly. then the cost of the build and subsequently operation are my concern.

 

ENGINE i looked at the delta hawk some years ago and my fuel cost comparison for operation in europe is still quoted on their web site it looks like these engines are finally about to be available and without doubt any I/C engine running on jet A will pay for itself in no time and more than make up for the high maintenance costs of a certified engine

Petrol (gas) in the uk is close to $8 gallon compare this to jet a fuel and factor in improved (reduced) fuel flow at a given power setting

All of this said i dont have $30000 in one go so i am looking seriously at the 13b turbo or renesis n/a but the thought of fuel cost at around $80 per hour of flight is kiling me, a price i will pay if i have to i dont want a kri kri

 

in all i intend to build airframe almost entirely to plans put as much time as necessary (and cash) into engine and avionics i want some kind of glass cockpit this doesnt have tobe expensive http://www.maddyhome.com/canardpages/pages/alwick/glass.html

as for retracts the jury is out but i kinda think i will go fixed per plans

 

WHEN WILL I BEGIN i am now in a financial position that will support this project but have nowhere to build untill I move house, i do have a friend with space to build a workshop on his land but i will have to work on that one and see how mch rent he'd want, another option s to build a single garage at present location and get started

 

HELP anyone in the uk know of supplier for the glass resin etc can only imagine shipping costs from us.

[Jon Matcho]

Welcome to the club. I wouldn't worry so much about the 2-person limit, unless of course, you have more than 2 people to carry. Sounds like retracts would seriously delay your project if you need approval.

 

On the shop topic, I would definitely recommend setting up a work area close to your living area, even if it's small for now. It's so much easier to "go to the shop" when it's like that. If you need more space, another option would be to setup a temporary workshop, as did Jerry Schneider here. You can get quite a lot done in a single garage space.

 

Welcome!

[COMPOSITEPRO]

HELP anyone in the uk know of supplier for the glass resin etc can only imagine shipping costs from us.

drop me a line im a composites engineer in the uk who like yourself i starting out on this plane building trip i have a lot of contacts and suppliers to reccomend to you a bit too much to list here also depends on what production process you want to use