It sounds like we have a lot in common on the full-scale side. I've got a Private pilot license, and A&P Mechanic license, and I've flown and built many kinds of experimentals and ultralights. I'd like to get my Sport Pilot Instructor rating next, I think some money could be made there, at least I could make a small fortune out of a large fortune. I have an experimental airplane I fly every weekend. Yesterday I did a 200 mile trip to Boulder, CO. I have some pictures of the plane and from my recent trips posted on a yahoo group's photo section. [link=http://groups.yahoo.com/group/starliteownersgroup/photos/album/9573070/pic/list]Star-Lite N166TA pics[/link].
Those guys in Mexico are smart, their hourly costs with an ultralight are nil, and at $30 a ride they're grossing $180/hr? That's about $100/hr more than you can do in the states. My hourly costs are about $10/hr including overhaul set-asides. I think it costs less than feeding a 60 size glow engine. Get a 2-place UL and go to it, there's going to be a bunch of E-LSA's for sale when the training exemptions expire in January 2010 (I think that's the right date, I know they do expire and require an S-LSA for training). I've thought about using E85 in my plane, except I'd have to blend pure synthetic oil, which is expensive and doesn't provide any corrosion protection between runs. (You probably already know this stuff). I'm already using E07 in the plane, all my parts are ethanol compatible.
I've been testing spark ignition on a Saito 120 with E-85. The E85 stoich is close enough to glow fuel that I can use the regular glow carb, and the spark ignition fires it off every time, very reliably with no glow plug costs. 10% castor is enough to lubricate the rod's lower end, probably because the lubricity of the 15% gasoline. I have to do some tach testing, I'm just waiting to get a spark plug boot that will hold on the little Rimfire plugs. I need a glow plug boot. -Tom