Hi all,
I've recently added Group A SSEA to my NPPL after 500+ hours flying flexwing and 3-axis microlights. I've been signed off for taildraggers and am having some major fun in a Citabria at the moment, but that's simply too expensive to fly regularly, so:
I have come up with the following wishlist and I'd be extremely grateful if anyone could suggest appropriate machines that might fit the bill. Many thanks.
NB: I'm just looking for something that I can safely throw around, not wanting to enter comps
1. Must be aerobatic and spin like a top, but semi-aerobatic is fine
2. Must be on an LAA Permit to Fly - I'm an experienced RAF aircraft techie and have neither the inclination or funds(!) to pay someone else to do my routine maintenance.
3. Ideally should have 2 seats, but a reasonably priced single seater would be a definite possibility
4. Must have reasonably benign handling and good spin recovery characteristics - I'm fairly sure that a Pitts is a little beyond me for the moment!
5. Should cost no more than £20K (but preferably quite a bit less)
6. I fly from a huge concrete runway, but would really like a machine with good STOL performance for visiting farm strips
7. I would prefer something which operates on MoGas but an AvGas burner isn't out of the question
8. Would like something that can trundle along at about 60Kts if required so I can keep flying with my microlight buddies
9. Absolutely
must have a stick not a yoke, and ideally a quadrant type throttle
I'm not sure if such an 'ideal' machine exists, but any suggestions most gratefully received. Thanks for your time.