SLOL/LSA Expectations

Hi

I'm conducting a survey for my aeronautics course and I was hoping you all could help me out.

I'm focusing on smaller single reciprocating, nonturbine engine aircrafts and I wanted to know what are the most important features/expectations when considering a STOL and/or Light Sport aircraft? Whether you are looking to buy, build, or just fly.

Any and all opinions are appreciated. Thanks

aerojones wrote:
Hi

I'm conducting a survey for my aeronautics course and I was hoping you
all could help me out.

I'm focusing on smaller single reciprocating, nonturbine engine
aircrafts and I wanted to know what are the most important
features/expectations when considering a STOL and/or Light Sport
aircraft? Whether you are looking to buy, build, or just fly.

Any and all opinions are appreciated. Thanks




Glad to be of service.

Factors that I look for, mostly in vain, are
1) Low First Cost
2) Low Cost of ownership
(i.e towable home, or storable in covered trailer,
with easy, fast rigging)
3) Reasonable speed cross-country, with high enough cruise / wing
loading to minimize the bumps and grinds of flying on a hot day.

Sincerely

Brian Whatcott Altus OK

Brian Whatcott wrote:
aerojones wrote:
Hi

I'm conducting a survey for my aeronautics course and I was hoping you
all could help me out.
I'm focusing on smaller single reciprocating, nonturbine engine
aircrafts and I wanted to know what are the most important
features/expectations when considering a STOL and/or Light Sport
aircraft? Whether you are looking to buy, build, or just fly.
Any and all opinions are appreciated. Thanks




Glad to be of service.

Factors that I look for, mostly in vain, are
1) Low First Cost
2) Low Cost of ownership
(i.e towable home, or storable in covered trailer,
with easy, fast rigging)
3) Reasonable speed cross-country, with high enough cruise / wing
loading to minimize the bumps and grinds of flying on a hot day.

Sincerely

Brian Whatcott Altus OK


Add to that...

Repair-ability. Fabric is easier to fix a ding than aluminum.
Fiberglass (S and E glass) come nest. Carbon last.

Brian Whatcott wrote:
aerojones wrote:

Hi

I'm conducting a survey for my aeronautics course and I was hoping you
all could help me out.
I'm focusing on smaller single reciprocating, nonturbine engine
aircrafts and I wanted to know what are the most important
features/expectations when considering a STOL and/or Light Sport
aircraft? Whether you are looking to buy, build, or just fly.
Any and all opinions are appreciated. Thanks




Glad to be of service.

Factors that I look for, mostly in vain, are
1) Low First Cost
2) Low Cost of ownership
(i.e towable home, or storable in covered trailer,
with easy, fast rigging)
3) Reasonable speed cross-country, with high enough cruise / wing
loading to minimize the bumps and grinds of flying on a hot day.

Sincerely

Brian Whatcott Altus OK

I agree with the above. Thats why I am building a Sonerai IILTS
2004 estimates;
Total build costs 15K flying
Wings fold - take home for winters
Cruise at upper limit of LSA class
- - must be carefull on prop selection to meet LSA rules.
Build as 1 or 2 place

Rocky

On Feb 3, 12:54*am, Rocky wrote:
Brian Whatcott wrote:
aerojones wrote:

Hi

I'm conducting a survey for my aeronautics course and I was hoping you
all could help me out.
I'm focusing on smaller single reciprocating, nonturbine engine
aircrafts and I wanted to know what are the most important
features/expectations when considering a STOL and/or Light Sport
aircraft? *Whether you are looking to buy, build, or just fly.
Any and all opinions are appreciated. Thanks

Glad to be of service.

*Factors that I look for, mostly in vain, are
1) Low First Cost
2) Low Cost of ownership
(i.e towable home, *or storable in covered trailer,
with easy, fast rigging)
3) Reasonable speed cross-country, with high enough cruise / wing
loading to minimize the bumps and grinds of flying on a hot day.

Sincerely

Brian Whatcott * Altus OK

I agree with the above. Thats why I am building a Sonerai IILTS
2004 estimates;
Total build costs 15K flying
Wings fold - take home for winters
Cruise at upper limit of LSA class
* - - must be carefull on prop selection to meet LSA rules.
Build as 1 or 2 place

Rocky- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Be careful about the LSA requirement for stall speed. I believe it is
45 kts ( 51 mph ) at gross wt. I know some of the literature on the
Sonex lists a 50 mph stall speed, but I think this is in a lightweight
condition...not gross. But then again, if everything you have says
its 50 mph, who's gonna argue. Not like they can do a ramp check on
that.

Neal

"Rocky" wrote

I agree with the above. Thats why I am building a Sonerai IILTS
2004 estimates;
Total build costs 15K flying
Wings fold - take home for winters
Cruise at upper limit of LSA class
- - must be carefull on prop selection to meet LSA rules.
Build as 1 or 2 place

What engine are you going to use?

Do you have pictures, ect.?
--
Jim in NC

Morgans wrote:
"Rocky" wrote


I agree with the above. Thats why I am building a Sonerai IILTS
2004 estimates;
Total build costs 15K flying
Wings fold - take home for winters
Cruise at upper limit of LSA class
- - must be carefull on prop selection to meet LSA rules.
Build as 1 or 2 place


What engine are you going to use?

Do you have pictures, ect.?
Its designed for a VW. BUT I am not all that thrilled with the life span
of them.
I am going to use a Suzuki 1300cc (70 hp) with a belt reduction unit.
I had a Samurai for 14 years with this exact engine in it.
On the freeway its almost full throttle and turning 36- 3800 RPM hour
after hour.
Will be the same RPM in the plane at cruise.
All up engine wt is about 50 lbs LESS than the VW.
I am still welding the fuse so have few pics
Rocky

On Feb 3, 5:03 pm, Rocky wrote:

I am going to use a Suzuki 1300cc (70 hp) with a belt reduction unit.
I had a Samurai for 14 years with this exact engine in it.
On the freeway its almost full throttle and turning 36- 3800 RPM hour
after hour.
Will be the same RPM in the plane at cruise.

I know we might have been over this before, but...

3600 or 3800 RPM on the highway is a LOT different than
3600-3800 in the air. The highway vehicle is using about 25-35% of its
power capacity. Its throttle is maybe half open at the most. Check
yours again and see. In the airplane, 75% is more like it and the
throttle is three-quarters of the way open. The drag on the airplane
in cruise is far larger than the car's because of induced lift and
higher speed, and propellers also waste more energy than tires.
The proof comes in the cooling. The engine that was easy to
cool in the car is much harder to cool in the airplane because the
power output is so much higher and because some intelligent ducting or
baffling is needed to direct air through the rad without creating a
lot more drag.
That said, Raven Redrives have a couple of Suzuki conversions.

Dan

wrote

3600 or 3800 RPM on the highway is a LOT different than
3600-3800 in the air. The highway vehicle is using about 25-35% of its
power capacity. Its throttle is maybe half open at the most. Check
yours again and see. In the airplane, 75% is more like it and the
throttle is three-quarters of the way open.

Not necessarly true in the case of the Sameri. It is a boxy little car,
with tons of drag, and a little engine. He said it was near wide open, and
that would not surprise me.

That said, Raven Redrives have a couple of Suzuki conversions.

It seems to have proven itself, fairly well, in airplanes.
--
Jim in NC

"Rocky" wrote

I am going to use a Suzuki 1300cc (70 hp) with a belt reduction unit.
I had a Samurai for 14 years with this exact engine in it.
On the freeway its almost full throttle and turning 36- 3800 RPM hour
after hour.
Will be the same RPM in the plane at cruise.
All up engine wt is about 50 lbs LESS than the VW.
I am still welding the fuse so have few pics
Sounds cool. I would love to see it, if and when you put some pictures
somewhere we can see them.

I have to admit having given that engine some consideration. Now, I have
been thinking about the Chevy engine they are putting in the Cobalts. They
have a model that is turbocharged that would make a really cool turbo
normalized setup. Good thing, if you put it into a LSA, and put a steep
enough prop to keep it under speed at low altitudes, and let it crank up at
altitude. Zoom! g
--
Jim in NC