Questions from a newbie.

Don't give any money to Jim Bede. I believe you'll
find lots of people here that had deposits with him
for various airplanes he designed and didn't get anything
for their deposits.

As far as kits, your right, there are so many out there
that it will boggle your mind. I suggest Van's or Lancair
or Glasair for a kit. You want a company that has been
around a while and has the resources to deliver a complete
and well documented kit.

I bought a Team Tango kit and had to beg and threaten to
get all the parts I was due. I still don't have nor expect
documentation. The company has gone out of business and
other Team Tango kit builders have now taken over the
company. If I spent all the time building that I spent on
the phone I'd be 3/4's done by now.

Bart D. Hull

Tempe, Arizona

Check http://www.inficad.com/~bdhull/engine.html
for my Subaru Engine Conversion
Check http://www.inficad.com/~bdhull/fuselage.html
for Tango II I'm building.

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Andrew Tubbiolo wrote:

Hi All:

I've held my private cirt for a year now, and it's time to stop
renting, or time to start the process of stopping. Homebuilding is an
option. Which kit? The more I look, the more I see. I'd really like to
hear what you builders have to say as to which kits I should look at.

After about two hrs of reading on the BD-4, I have to admit I kind of
like it. A conventional design, lots of build options, all metal ( I have
a full machine shop ), and can be built from plans and raw materials.
However, I can't say that I'm too impressed of what I have read of Jim
Bede's operations, and his other designs don't push my buttons. I can't
seem to find how many were built, and I have not taken the time to
research the FAA accident archive. Does anybody know how many were built,
accidents etc? Any BD-4 builders/operators out there?

What's involved in getting a cirt for your own design? What would stop
me from basing a design on the C-172? How different must it be to escape
copyright infringment?

Any pointers would be helpful.