I'm kind of doing it backwards, since I started asking questions before introducing myself.
I'm a private pilot in Seattle, and am thinking about building a biplane, probably out of wood and fabric. As you can see from my signature, I'm eyeing a few different models. I'm here because it looks like an interesting place, although my interest is in low-n-slow and not aerobatics, so we're not necessarily all talking the same language. Maybe I should get some aerobatics training before I make any build decisions...
Right now, I imagine that I want the following characteristics in a project:
* Relatively simple to build, so I stand a chance of finishing it
* Reasonably efficient (under 4 gph is the goal), probably under 100 HP
* Capable of carrying myself and a passenger (I will definitely want to share the experience with non-pilot friends/family if I go to all the trouble of building an airplane)
* Enough electrical system for a starter, transponder and com
* Possibly night-worthy (more electrical, more weight, more complexity)
* I need to fit in it (6'1" and 220 lbs, football-player heavy rather than chubby)
* Folding-wing would be ideal
Note that speed and price aren't on my list. Price is important, but for the right design, I'd be willing to lay out some cash, particularly over time. Speed isn't very important, because I just want to fly in order to fly. I'm not trying to get anywhere in a hurry, and this plane will only be flown in severe-VFR conditions. The furthest I'm likely to take it is from Seattle to Portland (very roughly 150 nm).
If anyone has suggestions for models I haven't looked at yet, I'd love to hear 'em.
I'm a private pilot in Seattle, and am thinking about building a biplane, probably out of wood and fabric. As you can see from my signature, I'm eyeing a few different models. I'm here because it looks like an interesting place, although my interest is in low-n-slow and not aerobatics, so we're not necessarily all talking the same language. Maybe I should get some aerobatics training before I make any build decisions...
Right now, I imagine that I want the following characteristics in a project:
* Relatively simple to build, so I stand a chance of finishing it
* Reasonably efficient (under 4 gph is the goal), probably under 100 HP
* Capable of carrying myself and a passenger (I will definitely want to share the experience with non-pilot friends/family if I go to all the trouble of building an airplane)
* Enough electrical system for a starter, transponder and com
* Possibly night-worthy (more electrical, more weight, more complexity)
* I need to fit in it (6'1" and 220 lbs, football-player heavy rather than chubby)
* Folding-wing would be ideal
Note that speed and price aren't on my list. Price is important, but for the right design, I'd be willing to lay out some cash, particularly over time. Speed isn't very important, because I just want to fly in order to fly. I'm not trying to get anywhere in a hurry, and this plane will only be flown in severe-VFR conditions. The furthest I'm likely to take it is from Seattle to Portland (very roughly 150 nm).
If anyone has suggestions for models I haven't looked at yet, I'd love to hear 'em.
