Leaving the Certified world for Experimental!!

[gmonnig]

If you were to sell your beloved Mooney, what would be your Experimental aircraft of choice? RV10? Sling TSI? Velocity? I am kind of leaning towards simple design like the new Sonex Highwing or RV8. Just curious what Mooney drivers would lean towards.

[N201MKTurbo]

@ragedracer1977 just bought an RV14.

he loves his turbo 310, but, although it is an awesome traveling machine, you need a mission to go fly it. I’m pretty sure he is looking for something you can just throw around the sky for no reason at all.

[hammdo]

Velocity for me...

-Don

[gmonnig]

6 minutes ago, N201MKTurbo said:

@ragedracer1977 just bought an RV14.

he loves his turbo 310, but, although it is an awesome traveling machine, you need a mission to go fly it. I’m pretty sure he is looking for something you can just throw around the sky for no reason at all.

My dream plane has always been a 310D. I've came so close to pulling the trigger several times, but reality sets in. I don't have the mission for one and maintenance would be impossible to justify. I probably don't even  need a four seat plane anymore, hence the reason for this topic. My seats in the Mooney have been folded down since I bought it and the pull to experimentals has been exciting. 

[Andy95W]

Pietenpol.

[Red Leader]

Lancair - IVP - Speed better than Mooney and better useful load. Only one door but at least it is on the correct side. All the performance of a Mooney and the handling I miss from my AA5.

[exM20K]

15 minutes ago, Red Leader said:

Lancair - IVP - Speed better than Mooney and better useful load. Only one door but at least it is on the correct side. All the performance of a Mooney and the handling I miss from my AA5.

more like the handling from an AA1 with inop flaps. Yikes

I spent some time with the people at LX-7, who turn the LNC4's into reasonable aircraft.  Cool project. Long lead times.  Insurance more than a little difficult

I really like what they are doing, but the lead times killed it for me.  For this year, at least....

-dan

[DCarlton]

At this point in life, probably an RV8 just to have a little fun.  The new Sling HW looks interesting too.  Would probably avoid anything with relatively high landing or stall speeds. 

[kerry]

Panthera.  I sat in one and it was the most beautiful plane I've ever seen, and the performance is very impressive.

[gmonnig]

1 hour ago, Red Leader said:

Lancair - IVP - Speed better than Mooney and better useful load. Only one door but at least it is on the correct side. All the performance of a Mooney and the handling I miss from my AA5.

I've pretty much believed that I could fly any single piston plane without getting too nervous...... but there are a few that give me pause. The 4P, Glasair III, and SX300. They are just such hot ships that an engine out seems like a death sentence. I'd take the Lancair ES-P over the 4P any day. Fixed gear, bigger wing, 1500lb useful, pressurized, 240kts and way more docile in the pattern. The LX-7 fixed a lot of the 4P stuff but I guess it doesn't really matter. They are all hundreds of grand out of my price range!

[EricJ]

1 hour ago, N201MKTurbo said:

@ragedracer1977 just bought an RV14.

he loves his turbo 310, but, although it is an awesome traveling machine, you need a mission to go fly it. I’m pretty sure he is looking for something you can just throw around the sky for no reason at all.

Did he buy a kit or a complete airplane?

Either an RV-10 or an RV-14 would be on my list, although the new high-wing RV looks like it might be interesting if it ever gets released.

[toto]

1 hour ago, gmonnig said:

If you were to sell your beloved Mooney, what would be your Experimental aircraft of choice? RV10? Sling TSI? Velocity? I am kind of leaning towards simple design like the new Sonex Highwing or RV8. Just curious what Mooney drivers would lean towards.

With no price consideration, a used Epic LT would be a nice ride. 

https://epicaircraft.com/

I think I’m also partial to the LX-7, and the turbine reliability vs piston range would be a hard decision. I guess I’d just get one of each, for the days when the Epic was in the shop

 

[chriscalandro]

I sold my Mooney and bought a Glasair iii. The freedom of being able to legally work on your own airplane and the avionics and technology available in the experimental world made it a no brainer. 

[N201MKTurbo]

5 hours ago, EricJ said:

Did he buy a kit or a complete airplane?

Either an RV-10 or an RV-14 would be on my list, although the new high-wing RV looks like it might be interesting if it ever gets released.

He bought a kit.

[Pinecone]

I own the rights and plans to build a F.8L Falco.  The precursor to the SF-260

Unfortunately, the company supplying the plans and support and parts is no longer.  But the plans are very complete.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequoia_Falco

 

[gmonnig]

7 hours ago, chriscalandro said:

I sold my Mooney and bought a Glasair iii. The freedom of being able to legally work on your own airplane and the avionics and technology available in the experimental world made it a no brainer. 

How was the transition to that? I've never flown one and have only gone off articles over the last 20+ years. They seem like seem like the strongest, sturdiest of the ultra fast birds. 

[LANCECASPER]

Lancair IV-P with a turboprop would be an amazing traveling machine, but the insurance is a deal breaker and insurability really affects the values. The Evolution looked like it was going to be a lot better on accident rates and insurance, but not so. On the other end of the spectrum the Sling TSi is really a nice little airplane with a great little water cooled turbo charged Rotax (https://slingaircraft.com/aircraft/sling-tsi/).

[gmonnig]

35 minutes ago, Pinecone said:

I own the rights and plans to build a F.8L Falco.  The precursor to the SF-260

Unfortunately, the company supplying the plans and support and parts is no longer.  But the plans are very complete.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequoia_Falco

 

I love the Falco! It's a beautiful design and it's made of wood! Im very used to working with that material. A fellow Mooneyspacer and I both built a 23ft mahogany speedboat. Only problem is it took us 10yrs to do. 

[Fly Boomer]

10 hours ago, gmonnig said:

If you were to sell your beloved Mooney, what would be your Experimental aircraft of choice? RV10? Sling TSI? Velocity? I am kind of leaning towards simple design like the new Sonex Highwing or RV8. Just curious what Mooney drivers would lean towards.

RV because you can get support from a very large population.  More than 11,000 airplanes completed -- not kits sold.  Next decision is do you spend years building it yourself, or buy one that someone else built.  Third question is, if you don't build it yourself (or oven if you do), do you trust the guy who built it as much as you trust the Mooney factory?

[Will.iam]

40 minutes ago, LANCECASPER said:

Lancair IV-P with a turboprop would be an amazing traveling machine, but the insurance is a deal breaker and insurability really affects the values. The Evolution looked like it was going to be a lot better on accident rates and insurance, but not so. On the other end of the spectrum the Sling TSi is really a nice little airplane with a great little water cooled turbo charged Rotax (https://slingaircraft.com/aircraft/sling-tsi/).

VNE of only 155 just 7 knots above cruise speed? I’ve had gust  change my airspeed by 10 knots before. Not much margin over cruise especially if you are in the descent and happen to hit turbulence on the way down. 

[chriscalandro]

1 hour ago, gmonnig said:

How was the transition to that? I've never flown one and have only gone off articles over the last 20+ years. They seem like seem like the strongest, sturdiest of the ultra fast birds. 

It took a few hours to get used to. It doesn’t float at all, so coming from 600 plus hours in my C almost exclusively took some habit breaking. 
 

it’s fast, more efficient than the Mooney, and is aerobatic. 
 

I have the long tips with fuel so it’s also an excellent cross country machine. 

[67 m20F chump]

I have been looking at the new high wing Van’s.  The problem I keep coming back to is the cost.  For what you pay for the kit, engine, prop, avionics and paint you could buy a nice Bonanza/Mooney.  Then think about how much of your time you will sink into the kit.  I have tried to talk myself into building a few times but never can drop the hammer on it.  I’m not going to do aerobatic flying so other than doing my own maintenance what do I get thats better than what I have?

 

[Mufflerbearing]

I love the Epic. Though it's amazing, it's expensive.  The Viper Jet is also amazing and though there are a few for sale cheap, $2000/hr in fuel is discouraging for me. 

For me, the Screaming Eagle is perfect.  Nowhere to really go to.

[pirate]

RV is a great all around aircraft, excellent support,  decent cruise, fantastic climb rates,  low stall, low fuel burn, aerobatic for most. I installed extended range tanks in my 7 which should put my range OSH to DAL non stop. I’m almost done, just waiting on a extra heated hangar to open up so I can finish up.

[Pinecone]

1 hour ago, gmonnig said:

I love the Falco! It's a beautiful design and it's made of wood! Im very used to working with that material. A fellow Mooneyspacer and I both built a 23ft mahogany speedboat. Only problem is it took us 10yrs to do. 

 

 

 

Sweet.  Yeah, not a fast project.  If I had started when I bought the plans, I would have been flying it for many years.