Bob Fry wrote:
"HL" == Longworth writes:
HL For
HL us, the biggest flying expenses have always been maintenance
HL and upkeep.

A big reason why I'm embarking on building an RV-9A. Brand-new
airplane and I'll own the repairman's certificate.

And for cheaper flying you can throttle back and get good miles per dollar
(well you can do that in any plane, but the RV series are pretty efficient
airframes).

I bought the RV-9A plans set but just haven't been able to commit to it.
(Still a bathroom and kitchen remodel to do first anyway!) The only other
low-wing homebuilt that I keep considering is the Arion Lightning.

And now today I heard Randy Schlitter say the Rans S-19 was designed for a
1475 lb gross. So if one didn't need to stay within the 1320 lb LSA limits,
its heavier than expected weight of 820 lbs need not be held against it. Of
course it still couldn't keep up with the RV-9A or Lightning, so it would
be an inferior cross country plane to those two on a speed basis.

But yeah, I think the future of GA is in smaller planes and of course
homebuilts.