Poor Old VP's, they do get a ribbing don't they?
Strange thing is most of it comes from those who have never flown one and base their ideas on hearsay
. True, the climb rate is slow ... but it's no slower than a Luton Minor or FRED, which are two comparable aircraft. I tell you what ... I bet that even though they are not designed as STOL I could get my VP into and out of strips most aeroplanes could not! The climb rate "IS" slow, but once you get the technique right they get off and up to a safe height in a very short distance indeed. True also that they may not be good touring aeroplanes but again 70 knots is quite respectable for their class; compare again to the Luton (about 60mph) and the FRED (maybe 65mph). Of course you have to decide what you want from an aircraft? if as I suspect TKF is out to build hours cheaply then how can you knock a VP, or for that matter any other small single seat homebuilt?
No, I haven't used it to fly far, but a couple of hundred miles (which I have done) is OK. I do have a T31m I'm building and recently a share in a Falconar, but that would not put me off flying further afield in it for fun when it's flying again. Sure, as a serious go places aeroplane it would be a joke ... but at about £20-£30/hr all in, and the fact that it really is good real fun flying ... who can snigger?
SS
PS ... It may not look sexy either, but you'd be amazed how much interest a VP invokes from non flying and flying folk alike when you turn up at a fly-in.
