Well, boys and girls, I may just beat the medical issue after all.

If (when?) that happens, I'll immediately start on a new Tailwind
(I sold my project a while back because it didn't look like this
was ever going to happen). So I'm jumping the gun a little bit, but
it's important to have a goal in mind when the fat lady sings!

Starting from scratch allows one to custom tailor the cockpit to
match the old bod. I'm fairly tall (6'2+some) and long legged.

The seating worked out well enough for a couple of hours at a
time, and Jim Clement's mods can increase the leg room by 2 inches,
and move the seat backs back about two inches. I think that would
make a much more comfortable cockpit for too tall Texans.

But I've also started considering a replica O-O Special like Rick
Crosslin is just about to finish up. The O-O is a bit bigger plane
to start with, and might be a better match to my desired mission.

Mr Wittman designed it to fly from Oshkosh to Ocalla(?), Fla nonstop.

At 50% power it was reported to turn in 215 mph and made that trip
with reserves to spare.

What I'd like to ask is how the price of an O-470 Conintental would
compare to an O-320 Lycoming. I suspect the RV demand for the O-320
has kept the price up. But there aren't that many planes that use an
O-470. I thought it might even be less expensive as a result of lower
demand?

Anyone have a feel for that comparison?
Or even a good engine they not longer need?


Thanks all,

Richard Lamb