sierrasplitter wrote:Spent the weekend at HSF and got to do some flying in a Carbon Cub. Saw a lot of aircraft and some great people. tried to narrow down types of planes I may want and of course those I can afford.
Just for conversations sake, I like this eye candy but I'm sure at this point its a bit over my head but if you would can you tell me your thoughts on this one

https://www.barnstormers.com/cat.php?mode=listing&main=

Hope that link works. Its a Kitfox 3

I am getting close to buying something. Maybe a plane I spend a couple of years in and then move to something else

That thing begs for a Rotec radial.

I never said I didn't like folders. I said you, or anyone towing a plane to the strip setting up, flying, taking down and towing home isn't engaging in the easiest kind of activity to sustain over time. Heck I don't ever want to own a boat for the same reason, unless it was kept in a slip. You are better off doing 1 of two things. 1. Get a full set of covers and just cover and uncover.... repeat as neccessary, (safer than dragging it all over too) 2. Find a nice all metal luscombe of 140 or even a metalized tripe, or vag. And just tie down outside with a cabin cover. Unfortunately those of us that fly, are not in the endeavor to save money. Can you find a hanger mate in Lancaster or somewhere else in the desert?

Sorry I don't agree, as any sailplane pilot rigging and de-rigging is ops normal

Building and flying a kitfox is what made flying affordable for me. I kept it at home and trailered it 10 miles one way to the airport for every flight. except for a couple years when I shared a T hangar with a Sonix.

The Sonix fit under the wing of the Kitfox which meant I could leave the wings spread but it had to go in the hangar first. I had to open the hangar doors, push the sonix out, push the kitfox out, push the sonix back in and close the hanger doors. Then do it in reverse when I got back from the flight.

My hangar mate was a College student and left town when he graduated. I didn't continue renting the hangar and look for another mate because it was just as much monkey motion as trailering the kitfox from home.

Maple, I love to soar, I dont care for that rig de-rig process either, it's just one perspective, I'm just saying I've seen alot of planes and sailplanes in garages and backyards that were only flown a time or two after purchased. Seems like a pricy prospect for displaying dust.

Sierra,
What's the likelihood you can pop smoke and escape socal? Lots of economical hangar space here in UT and ID. Probably better back country flying too.

That's what a hanger up here costs too.... so I'm heading out later tonight to sweep the 8" of snow off of it....

My likelihood of moving from SoCal is zero. My family is in east Texas where it would be so easy to do this. But I moved to San Diego about 27 years ago and I have a Wife , daughter and Grandkids that aren't going anywhere.
But < I'm an odd lot when it comes to stuff like this. You mentioned trailering a boat , I have a 21 foot boat I use to go surfing with. I could just drive down to the beach in my car, but a lot of days I take the boat . It does turn a 3 hour surf day into a 5-6 hour surf/boat day but jumping from the swim platform and paddling in towards shore to get waves is a great way to catch your surf buzz . Totally different experience. I also like hanging out with the smaller crowds that our boat only surf spots produce.
I'm also a Backcountry Snowboarder....................I live in San Diego aka Mexico . Not much snow around here but I get my fix with a 7 hour drive to the north a couple or three times a month during winter. That was another group of hardcore folks I worked my way into. Didn't know anything about it when I started twelve seasons ago but now I have a group of friends who regularly ride in " No Fall" terrain all over the western U.S,
And flying will be like that for me too. Not in the right place, don't know crap about buying or owning a plane......don't have the skill set needed to do this kind of flying ect

But, I will buy a plane, land on dirt , develop skills needed

yeah, I don't know why I do the things I do ................... But that's what keeps me going

Cool I lived my whole life in central an socal until 15 years ago. Now I live where I ski fly and play, i only travel now to surf and dive. Trade offs everywhere you turn.

Minden or Gardnerville Nevada would be my choice. Close to Tahoe, No state income tax and lots of play area around

I'm a big believer in the concept of "the easier the plane is to get in and go, the more you will fly it!" I have two, one in a hangar that takes about 1 minute from the time I roll up to the time the plane is in a position to go flying (preflight not withstanding), and the other involves a 15 minute ordeal of shuffling another plane, managing a tricky Tetris game of getting the beast out the door and down a ramp, putting the other plane back in, etc. etc., and then the reverse when it's all over. Can you guess which one is flown more?

My fear with the "folding wings, trailer, etc. to go flying" concept is it turns "let's go flying on a whim" into "I can't just do this on a whim there are too many logistics to manage". Granted, I am young and basically live at the airport, so flying on a whim is 50% of the flying I do. But it allows you to jump on opportunities. Just something to consider...because it really sucks to go through all the effort of getting the plane to the airport, assembled, the trailer parked, etc. and then the weather goes south and you end up spending a lot of time mucking around and never fly.

Buy an OK airplane (experimental preferred, vintage taildragger a close second), get a cover for it, tie it down on the ramp, and fly the heck out of it. That would be my vote. KSEE is dry enough to park it outside.

I still need to ride in a C-120, 140 or 170 to completely make up my mind wink wink

sierrasplitter wrote:I still need to ride in a C-120, 140 or 170 to completely make up my mind wink wink

If you find yourself in the new England area, I have a 140 that is willing and able for demo rides!

I'm working towards having a 62 150/150 on conventional gear. Something like that would be perfect for your mission requirements, and with a cover you could keep it on the ramp.

Was asked about a four way partnership on a 1946 J3 Cub. 90 hp stroker motorb and new steel prop. Cloth and interior is nice. A hanger is also available at 400 a month which is doable with a four way split
It’s not really the aircraft I would want in three or four years but could be an excellent trainer for the next two -three years as I’m a long way from Backcountry strips
It would also put me in a group of more seasoned pilots as partners
Haven’t discussed off airport landings or tundra tires which would make it more of a sweet offer
It would be cheap flying for the next couple years and I can always sell my part at any time


Concerns I have - soloing from the back
Haven’t tried it so I don’t know how it would be.
No transponder - not required Im told due to the age of the plane and no original electrical system but I don’t know how cool that would be in SoCal or how you can fly into D and C class without one

But it is cheap flying

I could hold out a few months and buy outright what I want up to 40 K but couldn’t afford a hanger
Won’t need tundra tires for a while as I’m just now starting to venture out to other paved runways

If the other three people are decent partners, it's probably a great opportunity.

Forget tundra tires or off-field landings for a while. No sane partnership will consider such a thing, and you're so far from needing such things that I wouldn't even bring it up.

As for the electric...do you need it where you fly? If for some horrible reason I had to fly into So Cal, I'd take Jet Blue, electric system or not.

Cubs are fun to fly and will teach you a lot. Cheap flying is more important than just about any other attribute for the new pilot.

good luck!

I’m in mode C vail. KMYF or KSEE. I started doing some instruction from a guy who owns 2 cubs here both without transponders
He is the one who said if the plane didn’t come with one your ok (1946)
But what I can’t get out of him is how you go about entering and exiting any of our local airports. Just by announcing “Cub” tgey May think you don’t gave a transponder ?

Other than that yeah I think it’s a Great training opportunity at less than 12 K

The opportunity to join a partnership in a J-3 is exactly what you should be searching for. That plane and (hopefully partners) should get you off to a great start in aviation and at that price it is a no-brainer.

The answer to your transponder query is in the regs

http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guida ... kup/91.215

Sounds like a good opportunity. You need to go fly a J3 to see if one will suit you. Lots of folks love them, some folks don’t.

sierrasplitter wrote:-90 hp stroker motorb and new steel prop. -- 90hp is a definite plus. It will make the J-3 a rocketship, as J-3's go.
-soloing from the back --This is a valid concern. I don't really enjoy it and it's one of the reasons I'm not a huge J-3 fan.
-Haven’t tried it so I don’t know how it would be. --Red light.
-No transponder -This isn't a huge deal for where I fly, but it might be in SoCal or in any mode C veil. It's also cheap to add a xpndr. It's not cheap to fully modernize with ADS-b Out
-SoCal or how you can fly into D and C class without one -- Class D is easier than Class C. Just ask.
-But it is cheap flying --Yes, but not the only option.

See above.

You simply cannot beat a Pacer 150hp for value. I got mine for under $20K. It's a 4-seater which gives you tons of room and tons of options. Remove the rear seat and you can carry a car load. They perform pretty well even at max gross. Didn;t catch how big/tall a guy you are but that might be the only issue. I'm 6'1" 200+ lbs and I find it somewhat comfortable.

The J-3 would be a great play trainer though. You'd never have to deal with flaps.