advice or information on the HiMax

Hi Kurt,

I built a HiMax way back in the early 90s. It is one of the simplest planes you can build. If you've ever built a balsa wood model plane, it is the same process only larger. I was a first-time builder with minimal prior experience. It took me about 800 hours to build.

I don't think my cost numbers would mean much anymore but I seem to recall that I had about $5,000 in mine, including a used Zenoah engine and Tennessee propeller.

I never actually flew the plane but rather sold it as soon as I finished it. Once my wife realized that I was actually going to fly the plane I had built in our garage she told me I could by the Mooney I had been dreaming about, if I didn't fly the HiMax. So, I bought and flew the Mooney instead. However, the new owner reported that the plane flew very nicely and was a wonderful recreational plane.

Good luck with your project!

Keith

Hey Kurt,

I built and currently am flying a miniMAX 1600R, the mid wing that the HiMAX is based upon.  Here is a link to see my plane, http://www.jdtmini-max.com/builders/bogenhagen.php  I built the plane in the basement of my house over a 5 1/2 year period or 1089 building hours, varnishing, covering and painting were done in the garage.  I thought the plans were excellent and very easy to understand.  The plane can be easily scratch built or a kit of raw materials can be purchased from JDT MiniMax in Napanee, IN.  Building from a kit makes it easy and saves time because everything you need is already there.

I have 115 hours flying time since first flight in 2006.  It is a nice flying, lightly wing loaded, STOL light plane.  Mine is registered experimental amateur built, weighs 369 pounds empty, economy cruise is 70 mph buring 2.8 gph, stall is 35 mph.

I started building a HiMax a couple years ago after I finished the miniMAX.  I found a great price on a kit that was purchased some years prior but never started.  Its fun to build, and the HiMax is allowing me to keep building without alot of money invested.  These aircraft are a great value, not alot of money is required to complete them, and they are real nice light planes.  The obvious draw back of them is that they are single seat.  However, the only dis-advantage of that is you can not take a friend for a ride.  Single seaters are actually great because they are lighter, perform better, more maneuverable and cost less.  Think about the handling differences of a small sports car versus a larger 4 door sedan. 

I highly recommend the HiMax. 

Timm

KIRT:

I BUILT A FLAT TOP MINI SEVERAL YEARS AGO.  THE CONSTRUCTION WAS FROM PLANS & I FOUND THEM EASY TO FOLLOW AND UNDERSTAND.  THE BUILD TOOK ABOUT 500 HRS TO FIRST FLIGHT.

THE A/C FLEW LIKE A MINI P-51.  CRUISED @ 60 MPH, STALLED @ 27 MPH AND WAS A PUSSYCAT TO HANDLE IN THE AIR, OR ON THE GROUND.  WE USED THE ROTAX 447 ENGINE.

I NOW OWN A HIGH-MAX THAT I PURCHASED FROM AN INDIVIDUAL ALREADY BUILT.  I AM CURRENTLY DOING A TUNE-UP ON THE 377 ROTAX, AND INCREASING THE PITCH ON THE PROP FOR BETTER IN FLIGHT PERFORMANCE.

I AM IMPRESSED WITH THE EXTRA ROOM IN THE HI-MAX COCKPIT OVER THE MINI.  BOTH FUEL TANKS ARE WING-MOUNTED WHICH GIVES A 6 FT PILOT LIKE ME MORE LEG-ROOM, AND I CAN FLY EITHER OPEN COCKPIT OR CLOSED.

THIS DESIGN HAS BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS, AND I FEEL THAT IS BECAUSE THE PERFORMANCE IN RELATION TO COSTS INVOLVED ARE VERY IMPRESSIVE FROM THE PILOT'S SEAT.  YOU'LL LOVE BUILDING & FLYING THIS PLANE, AND IT ALWAYS DRAWS A CROWD AT THE AIRPORT.