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Flying 120mph on the cheap - 12/20/2005 2:58:34 AM   
wingspan99



Posts: 501
Joined: 12/12/2001
From: Colorado Springs, CO, USA
Status: offline 		I've been flying a little experimental plane for about 9 months now, and it has been very inexpensive compared to the Cessna's and Grumman Cheetah I learned to fly in. The plane uses the same inexpensive engine as an ultralight, a 42hp Rotax 447, but it burns only 2.5gph of auto gas and cruises 120mph. (It'll reach 147mph at top speed but the fuel burn goes to the astronomical number of 5.5gph). I got my private pilot license two years ago but this kind of plane only requires the Sport Pilot license. I guess the cost of my PPL wasn't cheap but I figure my flying is averaging only about $20 an hour now including the fuel, oil, hangar, and maintenance. In aviation dollars, that's like flying for free. I have a web page devoted to it at Star-Lite Experimental Page.
If I were going to get into full-scale flying all over again though, I'd definitely get the Sport Pilot license in 2-place ultralights with an instructor then buy a single-place used ultralight to gain flight experience and have fun.
There's so many different ways to fly these days, that just about anyone can figure out a way to enjoy flying. I can tell you one thing though, once you decide to put your butt into the air, figure on spending a wad of cash up front for professional instruction so that at the end of the day you can sit in front of your TV with all your body parts still intact. It's a serious endeavor and requires a serious approach to do it safely.
-Tom

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Tom in Colorado Springs, CO
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RE: Flying 120mph on the cheap - 12/20/2005 6:02:36 PM   
Lowlevlflyer


 

Posts: 895
Joined: 5/29/2004
From: Davis, OK, USA
Status: offline 		That's a slick looking little aircraft. Good performance, too for a Rotax.

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RE: Flying 120mph on the cheap - 12/20/2005 7:02:24 PM   
Robinaire



Posts: 751
Joined: 9/7/2002
From: West Palm Beach, FL, USA
Status: offline 		Hi Tom; I thoroughly enjoyed you site and comments on the Starlite! The comparisons with the GA aircraft hit a note as I am a former GA dealer from back in the 70s> In fact, loloed my dear "spice" in a TR-2 on 12/28/71, as a 49 year old Gramma! But if they are responding that sluggishly on banks, I'd say you have "lazy feet"!! I found them to be remarkably responsive when compared to the Ds & Ps!! The trainers had a better than 90 deg/sec roll rate, not up to the Starlite, of course, but quiote acceptable. I had an older Yankee that I flew back from Santa Ana CA to Boca Raton, FL, in 20.5 hrs od actual flying time. Of course its lamonar wing made it considerably faster than the trainer. I lived at Antiquers Aerodrome, west of Delray Beeac, about 15 so. of W. Palm Beach, and had a neighbor, Bill Lumly, an Aerobatics professional. He wanted to see what it was like, so we took off one Sunday pm for a local jaunt. He said it ought to roll nicely. So I reached up for a coke I had set on the instrument panel, and he said "no need to do that, I'll do a barrel roll". A properly flown barrel roll is a positive g maneuver. So I just sat back, watched my coke, and he flew through it smoothly without spilling a drop. This was from LEVEL CRUISING FLIGHT! We landed, and he said is it for sale. I said yes, and he bought it on the spot!!! Easiest airplane sale I ever made!! My business today is building custom retract systems for large RC models, and I've built some for models almost the size of the Starlite!! HMMMMM! What if-----? Lee Robinson, W. Palm Beach, FL website www.robinairerc.20m.com.

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RE: Flying 120mph on the cheap - 12/20/2005 7:06:23 PM   
Robinaire



Posts: 751
Joined: 9/7/2002
From: West Palm Beach, FL, USA
Status: offline 		GAD Tom-- I should have proof-read that thing! Typos galore! That "Ds" should have been "Cs" ! Well I never did claim to be a typist!!! Lee

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RE: Flying 120mph on the cheap - 12/20/2005 9:28:36 PM   
Flyfalcons



Posts: 6100
Joined: 7/27/2002
From: Bonney Lake, WA, USA
Status: offline 		Tom, that is a nice looking bird. I have seen a Star Lite in one of the EAA toy chests in Oshkosh but have not yet had the chance to fly in one or in a Pulsar. They do seem like very nice, efficient planes.

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Cub flying - the new EXTREME SPORT!!! (evarrr)

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RE: Flying 120mph on the cheap - 12/21/2005 5:01:48 AM   
wingspan99



Posts: 501
Joined: 12/12/2001
From: Colorado Springs, CO, USA
Status: offline 		Thanks Lee. My first impression when I saw the Star-Lite is that is just an oversized model airplane. In fact, it is very much like sitting inside a model airplane when flying it. The stick inputs are so light and quick to respond. Heck the plane is only 282lbs empty. Inside it reminds of a Carden Extra since the fuselage is vacuum-bagged glass/foam sandwich.
I think you're talking about the 2-place Grummans, they do roll quite nicely, about 90 deg/sec. I had one of the four-place machines and even though it was definitely sportier than the C's and P's, it rolled only about 60deg/sec, including rudder inputs! I think if someone wanted a sporty 2-place certified plane, then a 2-place AA-1 Yankee with the 160hp upgrade is a great performer. I tried an AA-1 Yankee with the 108hp engine and although I know they have logged thousands of hours, I wasn't comfortable with the flat climbouts. And Thanks Ryan too. I think you'll see more about Star-Lite's next year, someone bought the rights and molds and is planning on selling kits.
I was able to prepare myself a bit for flying it by adding a six-inch extension on the RC flight sim controller for AFP. The stick in the plane is a side-stick about six inches long, so wrist movements only are appropriate. The arm movements used in most planes are about as appropriate for the Star-Lite as they are for an RC plane.
Lee maybe you could help me with a future endeavor, I would like to build a 20ft wingspan single-seat 747 with four AMT 50lb turbines for power. If the retracts were scale and able to hold about 500lbs gross weight, it would really add a lot to the scale appearance.
-Tom

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Tom in Colorado Springs, CO

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RE: Flying 120mph on the cheap - 12/22/2005 9:47:40 PM   
why_fly_high


 

Posts: 209
Joined: 3/24/2002
From: Guthrie, OK, USA
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: wingspan99


Lee maybe you could help me with a future endeavor, I would like to build a 20ft wingspan single-seat 747 with four AMT 50lb turbines for power. If the retracts were scale and able to hold about 500lbs gross weight, it would really add a lot to the scale appearance.
-Tom


I have thought it would be fun to do a simlar thing with a B-17 and 4 of these.

http://www.cactusaviation.com/Products/Engines/Classic/256/engine.html

Dan

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What size tank do you have in that thing?

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RE: Flying 120mph on the cheap - 12/23/2005 4:23:52 AM   
wingspan99



Posts: 501
Joined: 12/12/2001
From: Colorado Springs, CO, USA
Status: offline 		Oh those little radials would be VERY cool, four on a B-17. I thought about a B-17 using a couple of DA-100's but the radials would be even better, although probably cost three times more than the DA-100's, and with FOUR to buy... I think it only needs four 10hp engines to fly really well, four 20hp would be overkill. I bet two of those radials would fly a B-25 really nicely though. If you're willing to keep the VNE under 150mph you can build a very lightweight and well-performing single seater. I see some guys building 3/4 size warbirds designed to do 200mph or better, and they end up too heavy. I don't see any reason why a B-17 with four of those radials couldn't be built under 300lbs empty weight. What a hoot that would be. The pilot seat would have to be way up front, possibly laying prone to get the right CG.

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Tom in Colorado Springs, CO

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