This Highlander is for sale on Barnstormers:








It could be the perfect little bush plane for what I want to do. I want to build one. (Hell, its the only way I could afford one! Bastards are pricey and seem to be in high demand too.) This one is a nice example. I like the idea of burning mogas and a 2000 hr TBO on the rotax. 700 lbs useful and takeoff/landing roll of 300 ft are sweet too.

Here is the link:
http://barnstormers.com/classified_751920_Best+Just+Highlander+Built+.html

Beautiful plane and very tempting, but you could build one yourself for much less than half that price if you go with the non-turbo 100hp Rotax 912 or better yet a big VW, Subaru or Suzuki/Geo auto engine conversion and a modest instrument panel. And your fun per dollar ratio will be a lot higher!

Sorry, Mole, but $80k is about what it costs to build that 100 hp Highlander.

$35k Kit
$25k Just's price for a 100 hp Rotax firewall forward kit.
$20k Finishing - Interior, instruments, paint, bush wheels, etc.

As to the VW or other "cheap" motors, there's a reason you never see them in a Highlander or Kitfox type plane: they don't work well in that application.

Those airplanes are incredibly expensive. But, you get what you pay for in performance.

Super nice looking plane, unfortunately for someone looking to fly under SP rules, this plane is not eligible for the Light Sport category due to the electrically adjustable prop.

15-20 years ago it was considered common knowledge that to save money on an experimental you just let some one else build it and all you needed was patience to wait for one with a for sale sign. In earlier times a completed scratch built experimental was often worth only the cost of its individual components with no consideration for the builder's time. It would probably be that way yet if factory quick built fuselage and wing kits had not advanced overall homebuilt quality the way it did bringing more money to the market. A measure of standardized production for homebuilt components has elevated the quality of the fleet.

Still, there is always someone caught reaching for more airplane than they can hold on to and buyers can still be in the right place at the right time. The lowest priced Highlander I know of was bought a year ago locally for 60,000. Minimally equipped but had bushwheels and a 100 hp Rotax. That price still made eyes roll across the skyline to the other side of a few mechanic's heads.

WWhunter wrote:Super nice looking plane, unfortunately for someone looking to fly under SP rules, this plane is not eligible for the Light Sport category due to the electrically adjustable prop.

A placard that says "ground adjust only" or a 10 min prop change is all it would take to fix that.

Sorry, Av8r3400, but I don't agree. The Highlander kit with all the options is less than $27k per their web site, the Rotax and prop about that much again, and you don't have to spend $20k to paint and put a panel in a basic VFR plane, $10k would be plenty. So that's $27k + $27k + $10k = $64k without even going to alternative powerplant. Something like a Subaru, Suzuki or the Eggenfeller Viking Honda conversion would still knock $5-10k off the Rotax price, which gets you almost exactly to half the advertised price above.

Av8r3400 wrote:Sorry, Mole, but $80k is about what it costs to build that 100 hp Highlander.

$35k Kit
$25k Just's price for a 100 hp Rotax firewall forward kit.
$20k Finishing - Interior, instruments, paint, bush wheels, etc.

As to the VW or other "cheap" motors, there's a reason you never see them in a Highlander or Kitfox type plane: they don't work well in that application.

Those airplanes are incredibly expensive. But, you get what you pay for in performance.

Highlander Pricing (U.S.A. and Canada only. Contact the Company for International pricing.)
Description Price
Standard Tail Wheel Escapade kit:
Includes everything to build a complete airplane ready for firewall forward & painting.
Features include:
Two 9 gallon wing tanks
Fibreglass wing tips
Tires 800x6 & bungee landing gear
Matco hydraulic disc toe brakes
Elevator with manual trim & linkage
Flared doors with Windows
Push button flap handle
Streamline struts
Aluminium trailing edges for wings. Includes:
Flaps & ailerons
Fiberglass leading edges for flaps & ailerons
Seat Harnesses
Aluminium turtledeck
Fabric & fabric adhesive
Structural adhesive
Basic embroidered seat cushions.
$19,800.00


Highlander Upgrade: Extended Wings, Heavy Duty Extended Main Gear w/1.25” Axles, 8 inch Tail Wheel, Upgrade E Series Matco Wheels and Brakes, Large Elevator/Rudder Combination (Balanced), Gull Style Doors/Windows, and Vortex Generators. $3,000.00


Powder Coating $750.00
Quick Build Wings, Flaps and Ailerons $750.00
Wings set to Fuselage (only available with QBW, F&A) $600.00
Cowling - Rotax ( Jabiru - $1100.00) $900.00
Motor Mount (Jabiru Motor Mount - $900.00) $700.00
Shipment Preparation for Customer Pick UP $300.00
Example of Complete Build Pricing and Payment Schedule
Engine Options: (Contact the factory for other Options)
Rotax 912UL 80HP (Engine + Cooler and Radiator) With Firewall Forward* & Prop $22,746.00
Rotax 912ULS 100HP (Engine + Cooler and Radiator) With Firewall Forward* & Prop $25,668.00
Rotax 914UL 115HP (Engine, Cooler, Radiator with Firewall Forward* and Prop) $38,746.00
Jabiru 2200 85HP (Engine + Cooler ) With Firewall Forward* (less prop) $17,920.00
Jabiru 3300 120HP (Engine + Cooler ) With Firewall Forward* (less prop) $22,020.00
*Excluding Cowling and Motor Mount
See "Other Options and Accessories" List:
Instruments/Avionics Allowance Customer Choice
Paint and Supplies Customer Choice
Customer in-house build $400.00/month
Crating for truck shipment $800.00
Freight Charges Please Inquire

Payment Schedule
50% down with the order. (In the case of the Highlander this would be $26,800.00 / 2 = $13,400.00). The balance is due two weeks prior to shipping.
Payment on the Engine is not due until required by the customer at a later date when ready for assembly.
FINANCING AVAILABLE. PLEASE CALL 864-718-0320

Due to continued product development and improvement, price, specifications and performance figures are subject to change without notice. All prices are FOB Walhalla, SC, USA. Freight charges are freight collect unless prepaid in advance. Balances are due prior to shipment. South Carolina Sales Tax cap must be added for SC residents. Purchaser is liable for all sales, use or any other taxes resulting from this purchase that are levied by any agency for any jurisdiction which may apply to this purchase. All sales are subject to conditions of the Purchase Agreement and Release of Liability and Waiver. By signing below you are acknowledging you have read and agree to comply with the conditions of the order, purchase agreement, and Release of Liability and Waiver Form.

Just AirCraft | 170 Duck Pond Road | Walhalla, SC 29691 | (864) 718-0320 | Email: [email protected]

This was copied and pasted right off the Just Aircraft Website.

The options that I have chosen are highlighted in red. Granted this is minus avionics and paint.

My calculator says those options are gonna cost $50,568.00.
I realize my labor is worth something but that really doesn't come into effect until I sell it in my eyes. When I work for myself labor is cheap!
Oh, also the 29" ABW option is $2,900.00. Put me down for a set of those too!

Yeah, cool airplane but $115k is smoking crack!

My last Kitfox was a Series 7 and I put a brand spanking new 914 in it... D100, GTX327, GRT EIS4000, EKPIV, A210, leather interior, etc. I even chromed out my brake torque tubes and pedals. Prop was a 3 blade Airmasters electric CS (true electric CS) and again everything was new and I was into it $70k and sold it for $70k. Unfortunately my time is not worth anything but I enjoyed building it. I could see this Highlander going for about the same.

AvidFlyer wrote:

WWhunter wrote:Super nice looking plane, unfortunately for someone looking to fly under SP rules, this plane is not eligible for the Light Sport category due to the electrically adjustable prop.

A placard that says "ground adjust only" or a 10 min prop change is all it would take to fix that.

Yup. Or take the fuse out.

Darinh wrote:Yeah, cool airplane but $115k is smoking crack!

My last Kitfox was a Series 7 and I put a brand spanking new 914 in it... D100, GTX327, GRT EIS4000, EKPIV, A210, leather interior, etc. I even chromed out my brake torque tubes and pedals. Prop was a 3 blade Airmasters electric CS (true electric CS) and again everything was new and I was into it $70k and sold it for $70k. Unfortunately my time is not worth anything but I enjoyed building it. I could see this Highlander going for about the same.

Those look like good numbers to me. The non injected 912ULS is down around $18500 now and a Warp Drive ground adjustable prop so we can get it to $60k eh? That's about as little dough as I've been able to pencil whip on it. Good job on that one though. Sounds like about as good as it gets.
<a guy could get buy sittin' on a 11 foot sack though>
EB

Av8r3400 wrote:Sorry, Mole, but $80k is about what it costs to build that 100 hp Highlander.

$35k Kit
$25k Just's price for a 100 hp Rotax firewall forward kit.
$20k Finishing - Interior, instruments, paint, bush wheels, etc.

As to the VW or other "cheap" motors, there's a reason you never see them in a Highlander or Kitfox type plane: they don't work well in that application.

Those airplanes are incredibly expensive. But, you get what you pay for in performance.

Free labor?

Tom wrote:

Av8r3400 wrote:Sorry, Mole, but $80k is about what it costs to build that 100 hp Highlander.

$35k Kit
$25k Just's price for a 100 hp Rotax firewall forward kit.
$20k Finishing - Interior, instruments, paint, bush wheels, etc.

As to the VW or other "cheap" motors, there's a reason you never see them in a Highlander or Kitfox type plane: they don't work well in that application.

Those airplanes are incredibly expensive. But, you get what you pay for in performance.

Free labor?

Yup.

I know that the "sky is the limit" as far as avionics goes, but what (without a huge in depth argument) would a good quality (not the best, not the worst) VFR panel cost? How much would it cost to have it wired up/plumbed? I think that the ipad is could be a great backup, and I think at some point I saw some kind of system for engine monitoring for the ipad or was i hallucinating? There is all sorts of inexpensive "synthetic vision" out there, any thoughts on this one? Anyone use it/like it?

Airspeed indicator, tachometer, oil pressure gauge, cylinder head temperature gauge, compass.

You should be able to get all that stuff for a couple hundred bucks.


Map Ten Bucks.

There you go. VFR anywhere you had in mind.

I don't have any experience in buying a "kit" airplane but I have scratch built three others. Its hard to stay in the cheap mode when building. Airplanes gain weight and gadgets so easy you don't realize it till you put them on the scales and tally up the receipts. I have never kept track of shipping on various items but many forget to. I have a friend who has built two exp category cubs and kept track of every penny and shipping ends up being 12 to 17 % of his total cost. If your airplane comes in one big box then thats a one time expense. I wouldn't make a very good bean counter as I just buy things when I want them, especially when it comes to my airplane toy. If you are the type of person that can stay within a set budget on building a kit plane my hat is off to ya'.

And even if you want to go with something fancier, it certainly doesn't cost $10,000 to get a basic panel going. You can easily put together a complete VFR panel with analog "steam" gauges for all the functions Emory Bored mentioned plus oil temp, coolant temp (Rotax, perhaps that's was meant by CHT below), hourmeter, volts and amps for under $3,000. A basic EFIS without attitude or compass sensors (GPS-derived only) but with engine monitoring like the MGL Xtreme would fill all the roles above but the compass for about the same price. Monochrome LCD instruments like the MGL Flight 2 and E1 would do it for even less. For $1,000 more you could add a pretty nice portable GPS or a wifi-only iPad or iPad mini, GPS receiver and software. And you can afford the paper map and maybe a fancy compass/altitude or GPS watch for backup and still stay under $5,000.

Emory Bored wrote:Airspeed indicator, tachometer, oil pressure gauge, cylinder head temperature gauge, compass.

You should be able to get all that stuff for a couple hundred bucks.

Map Ten Bucks.

There you go. VFR anywhere you had in mind.

Emory Bored wrote:Airspeed indicator, tachometer, oil pressure gauge, cylinder head temperature gauge, compass.

You should be able to get all that stuff for a couple hundred bucks.


Map Ten Bucks.

There you go. VFR anywhere you had in mind.

FWIW: I kept track of every penny, including shipping, and had 43 K in my Rans S-7S when completed in 2007. 800 hrs free labor. Simple steam gauges and simple GPS, I'm NOT planning on flying any hard, or soft, IFR. Then I got the Bushwheels, and the wheel skis, but they don't count

Mole wrote:And even if you want to go with something fancier, it certainly doesn't cost $10,000 to get a basic panel going. You can easily put together a complete VFR panel with analog "steam" gauges for all the functions Emory Bored mentioned plus oil temp, coolant temp (Rotax, perhaps that's was meant by CHT below), hourmeter, volts and amps for under $3,000. A basic EFIS without attitude or compass sensors (GPS-derived only) but with engine monitoring like the MGL Xtreme would fill all the roles above but the compass for about the same price. Monochrome LCD instruments like the MGL Flight 2 and E1 would do it for even less. For $1,000 more you could add a pretty nice portable GPS or a wifi-only iPad or iPad mini, GPS receiver and software. And you can afford the paper map and maybe a fancy compass/altitude or GPS watch for backup and still stay under $5,000.

Emory Bored wrote:Airspeed indicator, tachometer, oil pressure gauge, cylinder head temperature gauge, compass.

You should be able to get all that stuff for a couple hundred bucks.

Map Ten Bucks.

There you go. VFR anywhere you had in mind.

Mole:

That's what I was getting at. A nice, functional, modern panel without breaking the bank, and also not just the "basics." Although, redundancy is important and I would never fly without my paper map.

I spent a lot of years flying ultralights with 2 stroke engines.It was fine to go spartan and forgo a full panel to save weight and cost. But now I fly fairly deep into the backcountry, over inhospitable terrain, and in changing mountain weather. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling to know my S-7 was built for my kind of mission and no corners were cut to save a few bucks. If a $70k plus aircraft is not in your budget, (mine either) there are plenty of lower priced ones that can fill the bill rather nicely. I would love to have a shiny $180k Carbon Cub in my hangar. But "it ain't in the cards baby". I am ,however, very pleased to have a well built low hour Rans S-7 sitting there at 1/3 the cost. "Simple steam gauges and simple GPS" as well but not cheap either. Do I think that particular Highlander is worth 115K? Absolutely not. But I suspect no one else will either and it will sell for considerably less. Time will tell. Meanwhile, it is a beautiful cool clear spring day. I think I will spend some quality time with my new plane trying to make friends with the little wheel in the back.