When I selected the 80 HP Aerovee to power the Sonex Waiex I built with my son, I really had two goals in mind:
- Economics. Cheap to buy, build, operate, maintain, and overhaul.
- Low performance for takeoff - good for learning.
The Waiex performs great with the Aerovee. It is basically a 2180CC VW bug motor. At light weights it climbs well, though it is no super cub. My thinking on the low takeoff performance is that if you learn in a super cub, no runway will ever seem too short and you don't have to do a great job to get off the ground and over the obstacles. Here is a high weight takeoff with a recently borrowed cruise prop. I am pretty happy with my son's airmanship and his learning progress.
In cruise we are turning 100kts at 4 gallons/hour. In the pattern we burn about 2 gallons per hour.