I'd also look at the Aeronca Sedan

A Pacer will fit the bill with money to spare. I flew my wife all around Alaska in a 150 HP Pacer with 4 days worth of camping gear. With the right prop they perform well. The big issue when looking at a any rag wing is make sure someone nearby knows how to work on them. Find the IA you will be having work on your plane, then find the plane and make sure the IA approves of the new love affair
. DENNY

Fraser Farmer wrote:I'd also look at the Aeronce Sedan

Absolutely. The definition of cavernous interior. With 180hp they are an excellent aircraft.

S&L.....I also live in the central Texas area....T82...and would recommend finding a hanger very quickly....like now before you find the aircraft....hangers are bolted to the ground vs airplanes...with a credit card you can move one across the country in a few days...the group is steering you towards a rag wing Aircaft and Texas hanger space in our area is shall we say....Competitive....same for tech support. Good luck in your search....ownership makes flying a bit more special.....like being the only one who knows where the exit door is.....

I agree that having hangar space to store your prized aircraft is a REALLY nice addition.

That said, I’ve never met a hangar you could fly, and, while not optimum, keeping an aircraft outdoors is quite doable. Granted, if you own an award winning beauty of an airplane, parking it outdoors is not an attractive concept, but that’s not the type aircraft the OP is leaning towards.

Find a good, solid airplane FIRST, then as funds and availability present, find a hangar.

I kept airplanes outdoors for almost thirty years in some pretty harsh climates. Not ideal, without question, but I had airplanes to fly throughout.

And that’s what it’s about.

MTV

hardtailjohn wrote:108 Stinson!!! For that money, you can get into a big engined Stinson and have a real performer, with doors on both sides!! (my only real complaint about the "pacer", and yes I know they can be modified...$$$$) That Stinson is built wonderfully rugged and as an old mentor of mine said, is a gentleman of an airplane!!!
John

I just checked Stinsons on Barnstormer,
the very first one listed was a 108-3 with a 470R for $75K.
That's a lot of bang for the buck.
The other 108's listed seemed to be pretty reasonably priced also.

https://www.barnstormers.com/category-2 ... inson.html

That's a good deal. Although the prices on 180s are also coming down. There's a Canadian 180C in northern quebec on barnstormers for $117k USD with floats and skis. It would have to be re-imported which is an issue. Sell the floats and skis and you'd be into a 180 for not much more than the cost of that 108-3. A friend has a super stinson and they are sweet planes for sure.

hotrod180 wrote:

hardtailjohn wrote:108 Stinson!!! For that money, you can get into a big engined Stinson and have a real performer, with doors on both sides!! (my only real complaint about the "pacer", and yes I know they can be modified...$$$$) That Stinson is built wonderfully rugged and as an old mentor of mine said, is a gentleman of an airplane!!!
John

I just checked Stinsons on Barnstormer,
the very first one listed was a 108-3 with a 470R for $75K.
That's a lot of bang for the buck.
The other 108's listed seemed to be pretty reasonably priced also.

https://www.barnstormers.com/category-2 ... inson.html

hotrod180 wrote:

hardtailjohn wrote:108 Stinson!!! For that money, you can get into a big engined Stinson and have a real performer, with doors on both sides!! (my only real complaint about the "pacer", and yes I know they can be modified...$$$$) That Stinson is built wonderfully rugged and as an old mentor of mine said, is a gentleman of an airplane!!!
John

I just checked Stinsons on Barnstormer,
the very first one listed was a 108-3 with a 470R for $75K.
That's a lot of bang for the buck.
The other 108's listed seemed to be pretty reasonably priced also.

https://www.barnstormers.com/category-2 ... inson.html

The Canadian one; 0-470, fully metalized, full panel, floats & skis is listed in CDN, it converts to $79 USD, that's a deal

Realistically I’d buy a Cessna 172. In Texas there are not a whole lot of actual off strip areas that are public, of course unless you own the land or have permission.

Pull that back seat out and you have a ton of room. Tail wheel is fun yeah, but how often are you going to actually need it. I flew all over Alaska in a Cessna 150, with my camping gear, lots of places I went where flat landers wouldn’t in their 150k SuperCub. Skill not money.

The Stinson is a good choice, a while back they were snubbed at, now it’s catching on they are a very capable aircraft. And super easy to land. They roll great too, LOL.

I sure appreciate all the responses. A lot of great info for me to digest.

Also, this place is awfully friendly compared to another popular aviation forum…y’all sure you’re doing this right? Haha.

You’ve just discovered the “hidden gem” that the BCP site is, a welcoming community

Slowandlow wrote:
Also, this place is awfully friendly compared to another popular aviation forum…y’all sure you’re doing this right? Haha.

We have our moments. I suggest not reading the Whidbey Island thread

Zzz wrote:

Slowandlow wrote:
Also, this place is awfully friendly compared to another popular aviation forum…y’all sure you’re doing this right? Haha.

We have our moments. I suggest not reading the Whidbey Island thread

Ah man Zzz, don't be hang'in out all the BCP dirty laundry for the new guy to see.

Mapleflt wrote:

Zzz wrote:

Slowandlow wrote:
Also, this place is awfully friendly compared to another popular aviation forum…y’all sure you’re doing this right? Haha.

We have our moments. I suggest not reading the Whidbey Island thread

Ah man Zzz, don't be hang'in out all the BCP dirty laundry for the new guy to see.

Shoot. Now I'm going to have to go check out that thread.

I would NOT go for a metalized converted Stinson, it will lose lots of its light handling characteristics that make it such a sweet plane

Before I got my 185 I looked at making my 108 make more power and be /G

End of the day I would have a shitty Stinson that didn’t have that light feeling, and it wouldn’t be as fast or IFR as the 185

Be a stick or be a bug

I’d get a Franklin fabric Stinson and enjoy it

Or get a different airframe, some good deals on the smaller maules too

Good article that summarizes a lot of information.

https://www.aviationconsumer.com/aircra ... our-needs/

In defense of the short winged Pacer for STOL. Forget the book short final approach suggestions for short winged airplanes. If we pitch up enough to slow down enough to get a good sink going, it will take a lot more power than a longer winged airplane to hold the glide angle using a STOL power/pitch approach. This extra relative wind blasted over the wing is what makes the Pacer short final approach speed compare with the Cessna. That is the Short Landing. For Short Takeoff, fabric is generally lighter than aluminum and low ground effect will get either off the surface well with good acceleration. For obstacles, more weight requires more power where runway length is insufficient to develop zoom reserve airspeed before Vx or Vy pitch attitude is necessary. Relative wind over the wing here is all technique as power is full for either wing length airplane but more wing is an advantage at the same weight. Bleeding zoom reserve airspeed with excessive altitude over the obstruction, however, defeats either airplanes Short Takeoff capability. Getting over obstacles and into tough terrain with an airplane that cannot maneuver makes little sense.

A nice-looking Sedan was posted just today on Bstormers, I'd link it for you but as I recall that a BCP no no since I'm not the seller.

Mapleflt wrote:A nice-looking Sedan was posted just today on Bstormers, I'd link it for you but as I recall that a BCP no no since I'm not the seller.

Holy guacamole! That’s a LOT of airplane for $68 K

MTV

mtv wrote:

Mapleflt wrote:A nice-looking Sedan was posted just today on Bstormers, I'd link it for you but as I recall that a BCP no no since I'm not the seller.

Holy guacamole! That’s a LOT of airplane for $68 K

MTV

Certainly well worth taking a deeper dive into the specifics if it’s a “make & model” of interest to anyone. One advantage it has over the Stinson is any expansion into float operations. As I recall the float fittings for the Sedan are much like all the other Aeronca models, bolt on. Unfortunately adding float fittings to the Stinson is a bit more “involved” than simple bolted on provisions.