Is this an impossible dream?

Brian,

I'm sure many others will chime in and my advice only goes so far since I joined a club building project well into it but . . .

I would start with the question to yourself - "What do you want to do?"   If flying is your supposed passion and building is a ONLY a means to an end, I suspect you will get frustrated.

Obviously you are going to pay to get your instructional time, so renting a plane should be an option for you.

As far as cost and the "about as much as a Camry", you really need to assume that whatever costs you can firmly document will then have some "premium" on top.  Do you own all the tools you will need?   Will you buy everything at once (materials, kits etc) or pace it out as you need it?  The more shipments, the more Shipping&Handling will take a bite.  How much free time do you have?  Do you have a support network (chapter, friend, etc) who can help you?  And the questions go on and on?

Instead, would you be willing to buy a used airplane (certificated or experimental) in your price range and deal with the implications of that?

Don't get me wrong - I'm not trying to discourage you from building - but build it for the pleasure of building AS WELL as a means to fly.  Otherwise, I think you will be disappointed.

I did a search in the archives (you can too - just go to the Members Only tab) and searched 2000-2008 for "affordable" and found these articles:

Entry Level Flying -

Plane Talk - Does Building Make You A Better Pilot -

Aluminum Dreams -

Buyer Be Aware -

Plane Talk - Where To Build An Airplane? -

Unraveling the Mystery (about insuring your plane) -

 Your Own Airplane (How to buy on a budget) -

http://www.oshkosh365.org/saarchive/eaa_articles/2000_08_02.pdf

And that is only through August 2000.  The archives are a wealth of knowledge, so don't forget about them. 

If you do decide to build, I would highly recommend a SportAir workshop.  Here is the schedule.   There is a series in October in Houston if that might be convenient to you.

Lastly - check out Barnstormers for Cubs and maybe Luscombes.  You might find them more affordable than you think.  And finding a tailwheel instructor who is willing to instruct in YOUR plane might be easier than finding a tailwheel instructor who also has access to a tailwheel airplane.  I don't know.   Try posting in Flight Instructor HQ with that question.

Good luck and clear skies!

Barry

Timeshare!  Are you kidding me?!?!?  You can't fly a timeshare.  You can't even use it most of the time. You were totally realistic right up until that word "timeshare" appeared.  You obviously need some counseling.

First, if the choice is between timeshare and flying, there is no choice.  Fly! Forget the timeshare!

Second, if you really want to go flying that bad, and you can afford a new Camry, then get on with it.  You ain't gettin' any younger. With your budget you won't be able to afford much in the way of fancy radios, but you can make do without and save up and add them later.

Third, the Zenith qualifies for light sport, even though you will register it as an experimental amateur built.  There is no problem there.  And the Corvair will work in the Zenith.  Just be sure to get the help of some people who have put Corvairs in airplanes.

Call Zenith and go over prices with to to verify your budget numbers.  Ask them who has a plane or project near you.  Go visit them and ask lots of questions.  Try to get a ride in one if you can.

Join the nearest EAA chapter and start talking to other builders.  The chapter members will probably be able to help you get started and then connect you up with an instructor when you are ready to get going with lessons.

And, BTW, where is it written that you have to be realistic?

Barry's post is great, and I hope you find a good deal of useful info there.  However, the point I want to distill out of Barry's post is this;

If you are building because you enjoy building and want to build, you're likely to be a successful and proud homebuilder.  If you're building solely because you want to FLY, you are in for trouble.  I've seen time and time again where a person felt that building was the only means to their end and ended up in total frustration.

Keep this in mind and you'll do well!

Cheers!

Joe

Thanks for the encouragement!  As far as building is concerned... here is an example of my mentality:  I play acoustic guitar, I have wanted a decent Martin for years, but I could not justify spending 5K or more for one.  I played cheap junkers because at least I could play something.  A couple of years ago,  I found out that Martin sells kits. So - I paid $455 for a "D42" kit.  I would rather play my "Martex" (inside joke for all of you Waiex/Corvair guys...) than any Martin that I could go buy in a store.  And everyone who has ever seen and heard my Martex can't believe it. 

I want to fly, yes siree, but, I also want to fly something that I put together with my own two hands.  And the only tools I DON'T have are a lathe and a milling machine (although I have been known to use a router in a vise or a drill press.)

Dave - I'm not sure if your kidding  . . .  but I think the he was referring to a airplane partnership when he said "timeshare" .  Not a condo in Ocean City!  

Barry

Yup. My Bad.  Like the ad in my EAA magazine that has the beautiful little Czech LSA, says "affordable shared ownership."

THANKS!! great links, info. - much appreciated!

so, is a "club building project" a joint ownership arrangement for club members?  That sounds potentially appealing... I will lookup local EAA chapters  I'm in Keller, TX  (DFW area.)

Brian,

I'm building a Rans S-6S with 5 other guys in North Atlanta.  We all met at a new EAA Chapter that was started at a local private field.  We formed an LLC that "owns" the kit and we each own shares of the LLC.  It's been a great experience so far.  We've been building for almost 4 years now and the end is in sight.  We each have $10K invested in the kit.  Monthly fixed costs per owner will be around $70 once we finish.  Flight time will be around $30/hr wet which includes an allowance for maintenance and engine overhaul.  If you can find some like minded individuals that you can work well with, I'd highly recommend the group build approach. 

Good luck...

Joe

When I got checked out in taildraggers,,,way back almost in another lifetime, I bought a Taylorcraft and the guy did a couple of circuits with me and turned me, a 50 hr C150 wonder, loose.

I got it home with out bending it but only because the runway was 150 ft wide and the groundloop was not bad enough to break anything.

A friend was watching and offered to check me out,,,properly.

We didnt fly the airplane we just taxied, once the tail is up it is just another airplane,,,it is on landing that all hell breaks loose.

So in the last 30 years I have checked out lots of people and never logged an hour doing it, we were not intending to fly so you dont have to log it.

Just drive it up and down the runway and when you can make it go where you want and pick up the tail and set it down again and keep it under control,,,you too will be a taildragger pilot my son.

Ray

I AM BUILDING A CH701 WITH A CORVAIR. I GOT THE PLANS AND HAVE BUILT THE PLAN FROM SCRATCH.

[MAKE THE PARTS] ZENITH SELL THE PLANS. http://www.ch701.com/   GOOD PLACE TO GET INFO.

  http://www.homebuilthelp.com/CH750/CH750BuildVideos.htm

  THEY ALSO HAVE VIDEOS ON MUCH MORE. WISH I HAD THESE WHEN I STARTED.

THE CH750 WILL BE A GREAT PLANE.  MAX

FANTASTIC REPLY!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!.

What a great response, these links are priceless...  I really want to find someone in the DFW area who is building a Zenith, I will gladly gofer wrenches, nippers, clecos, or whatever for an entire Saturday just for the privilege of being in the same garage/hangar with one of these babies.

Brian M