Signed a contract today ...

Talk about airplanes! At last count, there are 39 (and growing) FAA certificated S-LSA (special light sport aircraft). These are factory-built ready to fly airplanes. If you can't afford a factory-built LSA, consider buying an E-LSA kit (experimental LSA - up to 99% complete).

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MackAttack
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Signed a contract today ...

Post by MackAttack »

... and sent the contract and deposit to Tecnam. Decided to purchase the demonstrator 914 Astore that Tecnam has in Sebring. Here is a link to a Plane & Pilot mag article on the exact aircraft ... http://www.planeandpilotmag.com/article ... 08rMvnyuUk

Turns out the engine time is only 54 hours, factory owned and maintained. Logs looked clean to me, annual in Feb. Aircraft has a great interior, nice paint job, all the options I could want except a chute (which is a nice to have thing for me, not a must have). Price was right also ... saved over $30k compared to a new Bristell, for example, and no six-month wait. Taking delivery in early July (Tecnam needs time to get a replacement shipped) and will do transition training/flight review either there or elsewhere or a combo, depending on logistics.

Ultimately, it was a very close decision - I liked both aircraft a lot, had good service from the Tecnam and Bristell reps, but in the end I have to say that I felt a little more comfortable flying the Tecnams, and the availability of a low-time demonstrator at a substantial discount and no wait were very big factors.

If I had to order a new build aircraft, the decision would have been much closer...

Plan is to take delivery on my 57th birthday ... 8)

Now I have to buy all the stuff that goes with aircraft ownership! Oil, cleaning supples, hangar equipment, headsets. Why didn't you guys tell me how expensive this all was??? *laughing* and just kidding...

Actually, now the real fun begins ... starting with the training and learning process. The trip back to Houston along the Gulf Coast should be interesting too, if a little bumpy come July!

Cheers!!!
Merlinspop
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Re: Signed a contract today ...

Post by Merlinspop »

Congratulations! I know you'll have a great time with it. Pictures... we'll need a lot of pictures!

I grew up in SW Louisiana, so I know what you mean by July Bumps. You'll be flying the Dawn Patrol a lot, I bet.

Did I mention pictures?

Wooooot!
- Bruce
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MrMorden
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Re: Signed a contract today ...

Post by MrMorden »

Congrats, those are beautiful airplanes.
Andy Walker
Athens, GA
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2007 Flight Design CTSW E-LSA
MackAttack
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Re: Signed a contract today ...

Post by MackAttack »

Ok let me try the picture thing ... no promises!
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FastEddieB
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Re: Signed a contract today ...

Post by FastEddieB »

That is a gorgeous plane - one that would be on my short list if that counts for anything!

Congratulations!

Can I ask what the Empty Weight is?
Last edited by FastEddieB on Wed Jun 01, 2016 3:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Fast Eddie B.
Sky Arrow 600 E-LSA • N467SA
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Re: Signed a contract today ...

Post by Flocker »

Congrats!!!
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MackAttack
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Re: Signed a contract today ...

Post by MackAttack »

According to the pages I have - 405 kg.
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FastEddieB
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Re: Signed a contract today ...

Post by FastEddieB »

MackAttack wrote:According to the pages I have - 405 kg.
That converts to about 893 lbs.

With all those options I'm not surprised. You'll just need to be constantly aware of your weight and be prepared to fly with partial fuel when necessary and plan accordingly.
Fast Eddie B.
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MackAttack
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Re: Signed a contract today ...

Post by MackAttack »

Wait, wait, wait ... there's a WEIGHT LIMIT??? *laughing* just kidding.

I know - solo mission: me, full fuel (29 gals) plus 40-50 lbs of stuff depending on how I'm going on my diet. With me and my girlfriend, it's tabs plus an overnight bag, etc. So I'm good.

Me and another guy - well, not much fuel - and if they are big enough - none! ... I understand the issue, definitely!

Cheers!

PS - saving 5 gallons of fuel-related useful load is a good diet motivator!!!
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FastEddieB
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Re: Signed a contract today ...

Post by FastEddieB »

MackAttack wrote:Wait, wait, wait ... there's a WEIGHT LIMIT??? *laughing* just kidding.

I know - solo mission: me, full fuel (29 gals) plus 40-50 lbs of stuff depending on how I'm going on my diet. With me and my girlfriend, it's tabs plus an overnight bag, etc. So I'm good.

Me and another guy - well, not much fuel - and if they are big enough - none! ... I understand the issue, definitely!

Cheers!

PS - saving 5 gallons of fuel-related useful load is a good diet motivator!!!
Glad you're keeping it in (humorous) perspective!

I've posted this before, but its a "cheat sheet" for my almost-as-porky Sky Arrow:

Image

I keep it on the back of my checklist, for a quick check of how much fuel I can carry with any given passenger. Karen and I can go full fuel and a decent amount of baggage. I'd suggest something similar - mine's done in Excel, and I'd be happy to email it as a template if you don't want to start from scratch.
Fast Eddie B.
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Half Fast
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Re: Signed a contract today ...

Post by Half Fast »

Beautiful plane! I'm only an hour's drive from Sebring (Haines City); can I get a ride when you pick it up? :)
1/2
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designrs
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Re: Signed a contract today ...

Post by designrs »

Congrats. I sat in your aircraft at Sebring.
Very nice plane!
- Richard
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drseti
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Re: Signed a contract today ...

Post by drseti »

Let me add my congratulations to the growing list. I too checked out this plane during Expo, and consider it essentially a perfect 1-place XC platform. Dealer demos are absolutely the best buys out there (my new SportStar was also a demo, gently flown, well maintained, amazingly equipped, and reasonably priced).
The opinions posted are those of one CFI, and do not necessarily represent the FAA or its lawyers.
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David
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Re: Signed a contract today ...

Post by David »

Congratulations!!!!!!!!

Know we will be expecting pics and a detailed PIREP

Enjoy, she looks like a beauty
David
EAA 1250 KPTW PA
RV12 EAB - Maiden flight 8/30/12
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MackAttack
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Re: Signed a contract today ...

Post by MackAttack »

Thanks everybody for the kind words ... I'm very excited. And I'm not taking any passengers for a while until I get myself fully re-trained and sorted out with this aircraft, and fully familiar with my new airport home (3 grass runways in Class G airspace) and the nearby Houston Bravo ... Including getting a safety pilot for the trip back to Houston.

Note that my airport is in the Brazos River Valley which is flooding like crazy, if any of you are following the news about Texas weather ... fortunately, the airport is the highest parcel in the valley and so both it (and the hangars/aircraft) are dry. But the roads to and from, that's a different story ... should dry out in a couple weeks. Airport has excellent drainage as it happens ...

FastEddieB - thanks for your kind offer - your spreadsheet sounds like it would be quite helpful so please send me a pm at your convenience, no rush - and I will send along my email address in response.

Eyeflygps: I'm thinking that I may need to do something similar!!! would not kill me that's for sure!

Will keep you all posted!

Cheers!
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