I’ve done a couple of hours on the older C42s the A model. Great fun to be had. This is a group aircraft and we don’t seem to have anyone that is happy regarding our current new price per hour. There is no IFR flying and most members take a 40 minute flight every two weeks, the average is 12-15 hours a year per member. My feeling is that there will be more airfields available to each member, and hopefully the cheaper flying, (half the price) will promote more hours by everyone. The back seats are never used and we left the country twice last year, each time with the same people on board.
Many thanks for the helpful information. We are a group and recently there has been a lot of complaints from the members that flying is becoming too expensive for them. Particularly over the last couple of years, costs of certified aircraft have risen dramatically, our maintenance costs are through the roof the cost of fuel would nearly run a C42 alone. The Cessna has hardly ever had someone in the back seats, in fact most of the flights have been to a nearby airfield about 40 minutes away which is a major Microlight center, our members are flying now only about 12-15 hours a year each, I'd love to see that number increase!
I was thinking that if we got something less expensive to run, they might enjoy some more hours of flying. Nobody is flying at night or in IFR. While we cruise at 110kts (we plan for 100kts) would the C42cs be nice to fly at 100kts, (plan for 90kts)? Most of our members are very much fair weather pilots (read very fair weather, don't like flying when the wind is over 15kts. At least that's what they say when they cancel at short notice.)
I have flown the earlier models of Ikarus, it is very stable, will take off and land as short as a Piper Cub, it is great in a cross wind, my only complaint was that it is cramped inside, although not more that a 172, and it is slow.