Sport Pilot Talk

So I often will pretend I have an unlimited budget and think about what light sport air plane I would buy. So, I am curious if you had an unlimited budget what light sport plane would you buy?

I did have an unlimited budget and I bought a Tecnam P2002 Sierra. I cost $182,000. On paper it was great. It even flies great. But the avionics still don't work, the cabin heat still doesn't work, the alternator and generator warning lights don't work, ...

My next dream plane is a Cirrus.

Interesting question, and yes I have had that same day dream.

But even with an unlimited budget I'd be torn between a few. I'd have to fly all of them to decide.

Tecnam P2002 (have time in it)
Tecnam P2008 (not flown)
Sportcruiser (or Bristell, time in this type)
Comet FK-12 (just for fun - not flown)

If funds were really unlimited, FK-12 and one of the others.

I have time in SportStars and Eaglets but not my dream planes.

Checkout this video, note the car and clothes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vf810gvZ3ik


Remember planes and boats alike have a similar trait.
'Wanting is sometimes better than having"

artp wrote:I did have an unlimited budget and I bought a Tecnam P2002 Sierra. I cost $182,000. On paper it was great. It even flies great. But the avionics still don't work, the cabin heat still doesn't work, the alternator and generator warning lights don't work, ...

My next dream plane is a Cirrus.

How long have you had the Sierra and how did the cost get to $182,000?

I'm rolling with fk12 is funds were unlimited

If we're talking a personal LSA here, rather than a flight school plane, I'd have to go with the Bristell. I flew it at Expo 2012, and loved the feel, fit, and finish. But, the funds would have to be pretty much unlimited, since I'd insist on having custom avionics installed at the factory - probably dual Skyviews, Dynon autopilot, Mode S with ADS-B in and out, plus a 430W or whatever is replacing it. And, of course, I'd ask the factory to equip it with the 912iS, and would have to make that worth their while...

VL Roberts wrote:

artp wrote:I did have an unlimited budget and I bought a Tecnam P2002 Sierra. I cost $182,000. On paper it was great. It even flies great. But the avionics still don't work, the cabin heat still doesn't work, the alternator and generator warning lights don't work, ...

My next dream plane is a Cirrus.

How long have you had the Sierra and how did the cost get to $182,000?

I got the plane in March 2012. I have a 10" PFD and a 10" MFD (AFS5600s), GTN650, ADS-B, 912S, heated pitot, alternate static, 406 ELT, differential foot brakes, and Trio Pro with auto trim.

If anyone at the EXPO looks at the Allegro I would like to hear what you have to say. From their web site I got the impression that the aircraft will run on 87 octane with 10 percent ethanol.

Thus far I am not impressed with the allegro... At least the ones on the rental fleet local to me... They are fine for quick trips to get current, as long as you don't need to touch the transponder or radio in the air, but with a center stick, and out of rig enough to not be able to fly hands off... The radio stack is on the right so you either have to take your hand off the control stick or reach across it to tune, which ended up with me turning the plane due to out of rig, or leaning across the panel with your left hand which ended up turning and decending due to leaning over the stick... Basically due to this I don't rent from them anymore, and when I brought it up they didn't even offer to explain, or suggest alternatives... Just "okay". I even asked for instruction on how the proper method looked... They said it wasn't something they could help with or fix...

Okay, I guess I will get this back on topic with my dream list.

1. Cub Crafters Carbon cub SS
2. Remos GX
3. Rans S-12 XL
4. Titan Tornado 2
5. Quad City Challenger 2

I know my list is a little surprising with 3-5 being light sport ultralights but I am attracted to them for some odd reason. I would also like to note I have never flown any of the aircraft on my list. I have sat in a rans S-12 and a challenger 2.

Now, there are many planes I would like to fly but not really own. Maybe that will be the topic of my next thread.

I think I'd get a RANS S-7LS. It's very useful and versatile airplane. Also, RV-12 looks pretty, but I need to get better acquanted with it. Another interesting type is Sky Arrow, especially the post-restart one. SeaMax is very intriguing too. But the rules are to select one.

Among legal ultralights, I would probably get the Gull. Heck, I would ask them to retrofit a 4-stroke in there. Unlimited budget, right?

In reality though, I'm flying out tomorrow in a rental Cherokee to have a look at a 1950 Bonanza. That's all I can afford.

The 2 craft on my short list are TL 3000 Sirius and Pipistrel Virus SW. The TLoffers good useful load even with a chute as well as creature comforts, and yokes (not sure yokes are a plus). Pipistrel seems to be on leading edge of light sport; Virus also offers good useful load and v speeds for normal ops and turbulence that others don't match.
Have not flown these machines but would love to see if they live up to their billing.

This is Phil Solomon of Tecnam. As usual I will not specifically enter into a debate with respect to any individual customer. Our procedure for dealing with issues with customers:

- Attempt resolution by carrying out additional work as needed
- Involve other professionals/suppliers for help if the issues are very complicated
- Seek independent assessment of the reality or otherwise of the issues and commit to have any real errors/issues resolved by a qualified party
- Offer mediation
- Offer Arbitration

To date no customer has gone beyond the "seek independent assessment" stage and provided a report that indicates fault with our workmanship. Does not mean that this could not happen - mistakes and misunderstandings of customer expectations are a fact of life in our business.

As always, check us out for yourself then make your own mind up.

Phil Solomon

CEO - Tecnam North America

276-952-5859

[email protected]

philsolomon wrote:To date no customer has gone beyond the "seek independent assessment" stage and provided a report that indicates fault with our workmanship.

[email protected]

The only reason it hasn't gone farther yet is my lawyer says to wait until all of the problems are fixed so we will know the total cost of the corrections. The difficulty is finding someone willing to work on problems caused by someone else's installation errors.

However if you are impatient I can file a complaint with the BBB and maybe the FAA (the plane is poster child of why the LSA self certification doesn't work).

artp wrote:

philsolomon wrote:To date no customer has gone beyond the "seek independent assessment" stage and provided a report that indicates fault with our workmanship.

[email protected]

The only reason it hasn't gone farther yet is my lawyer says to wait until all of the problems are fixed so we will know the total cost of the corrections. The difficulty is finding someone willing to work on problems caused by someone else's installation errors.

However if you are impatient I can file a complaint with the BBB and maybe the FAA (the plane is poster child of why the LSA self certification doesn't work).

Arts, I'm sorry that you've had a bad experience, but I can't agree with you comment about certification standards, at least as far as Cessna is concerned.

When I purchased the Skycatcher I expected there would be issues since it is a new model. I have had several SB's and warranty issues completed and resolved over the past year. Most of the work was accomplished while I waited ( plane usually ready by the time I finished lunch or breakfast) or during a scheduled inspection. The one exception being the wing strut SB, which took a week.

The information loop from the field to Cessna and back to the owner has been excellent and none of my warranty claims were questioned. Cessna has not ignored or downplayed any problems and has resolved all issues to my satisfaction. None of this has cost me a penny.