What are your suggestions on a HW-TD that can go as fast and far as possible?

I;m not looking for STOL capabilites per se as I'll be landing at remote grass strips (3,000ft elevation max or so) rather than creek beds or high mountains. I'd like to get 800mi or so on a tank (the more the better). Going 800mi would be the rare trip, 400mi round trip max would be the much more common trip for me. I;d be flying around the plains of Southern Brazil... gaucho country

Also, I want the 2 -person sitting up front like the KitFox has, I like the idea of having the significant other by my side (dog haha). The Kitfox has caught my eye as it seems very economical.. I;m a young guy so some of the higher-end stuff is outside my price range (wants vs needs). I just need to get to point A to point B and want to enjoy doing it, hence HW-TD. Don;t have any interest in the low wing stuff. Once my days are done flying this mission profile I'd return home and head for the high mountains from which I'd then transition to the STOL stuff.. oh, and it must be a stick, no yoke! ..sorry Maulers

lets make it a budget of $150,000 (ok lets say 200,000). As I understand I could get the Speedster factory-built in or around 150k (premium), build myself for 70k or so (minus labor of course)

any suggestions outside of a KitFox? Open to both kit planes or otherwise..

thank you!

Kitfox S7 speedster - 130 mph cruise. 7 hour duration though, i highly doubt it unless you weigh 100lbs and install ferry tanks. How much money and/or time do you have? That is the biggest decision on selecting an aircraft, performance and seating comes second. Nothing exactly cheap about a kitfox either except maybe fuel burn. Are you looking at spending 20K or 80K?

Welcome!

bubbrubb21 wrote:oh, and it must be a stick, no yoke!

Why?

Remember you will have more than a weather limitation with a light taildragger, you will also have a cross wind limitation. 800miles, running on fumes, tired, 15 gusting 25 crosswind. What do you do?


Need a taildragger to have fun? P51 or a cessna 150, they are all fun!

lets say a budget of 150k..

800 mi round trip would be the very rare occurence... 90% would be 300-400mi max

800 mi round trip would be the very rare occurence... 90% would be 300-400mi max

CamTom12 wrote:Welcome!

bubbrubb21 wrote:oh, and it must be a stick, no yoke!

Why?

i feel a stick is alot more fun.. I just want the rudimentary setup. To me it's a nostalgic thing. Yoke seems too real-world. I grew playing MS Flight Sim on a joystick so I just want to live out that childhood dream I guess?

There is NO airplane at any price, that I can think of, that meets all your requirements.

G44 wrote:There is NO airplane at any price, that I can think of, that meets all your requirements.

KitFox S7 Speedster? Would just be myself in the plane.. 6"2 220lbs. KitFox would do everything I understand. What would be your closest airplane budget-wise?

Glasair Sportsman will do it, by their book anyway.

http://glasairaviation.com/sportsman-performance-spec/

Well I'd say a C180. But your stick requirement quashed that... if you could get over that, a C180 really would fit that mission great. With LR tanks 800 miles is doable, and 400 miles is a breeze.

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Wow. Good luck.

180hp Glasair Sportsman taildragger. It’s a high wing, side by side, 158 mph cruise, 829 statue mile range, it has sticks. The 210hp ones are faster and still over 700 mile range. They can be found for sale well within your budget. There is one on TAP for 90k.

http://glasairaviation.com/sportsman-performance-spec/

Edit:looks like Gbflyer beat me to it

A1Skinner wrote:Well I'd say a C180. But your stick requirement quashed that... if you could get over that, a C180 really would fit that mission great. With LR tanks 800 miles is doable, and 400 miles is a breeze.

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That and a 185 was my first thought as well! Until he said sticks.

7 hours in a Kitfox sounds miserable, I've done 8 hour days with 4-5 fuel stops in my Cub and that's not a fun way to travel. I'd ditch the high wing and get an RV, or ditch the stick and get a Cessna 180. Or ditch both and get a 182 and have a boat load of fuel money left over.

CenterHillAg wrote:7 hours in a Kitfox sounds miserable, I've done 8 hour days with 4-5 fuel stops in my Cub and that's not a fun way to travel. I'd ditch the high wing and get an RV, or ditch the stick and get a Cessna 180. Or ditch both and get a 182 and have a boat load of fuel money left over.

90% of the time it would be 3hrs round trip.. the rare occurence would be 700mi+, it would be nice to be able to do in one shot.

4-place Bearhawk with aux tanks would be close (72 gal fuel).

robw56 wrote:180hp Glasair Sportsman taildragger. It’s a high wing, side by side, 158 mph cruise, 829 statue mile range, it has sticks. The 210hp ones are faster and still over 700 mile range. They can be found for sale well within your budget. There is one on TAP for 90k.

http://glasairaviation.com/sportsman-performance-spec/

Edit:looks like Gbflyer beat me to it

Great minds![emoji106]

TAP?

edit - nevermind... trade-a-plane