I think the idea of a fifty or sixty year old home built is a terrible idea.
These structures are simply no longer safe.
The wood and glues have deteriorated to the point that their C of As should be pulled.
These things should all be hanging from the hangar rafters.
There are plenty of modern light sport aircraft that can be purchased used for very little money.
These Rotax powered machines will provide years of safe flying.
If you have to worry about how much fuel a plane uses, my guess is you really can't afford it.
For the least expensive thing you put into and aircraft is the fuel.
I operate an aircraft with a Lycoming O-320 E2D that I run on Mo-Gas (ethanol free 87 octane car gas).
It doesn't get any cheaper than that.
An O-320 if you throttle back to 2200 rpm will burn about 7 US gallons per hour.
A O-235 at 2400 rpm burns about the same.
US$15 an hour.
I wouldn't dream of ever flying a Volkswagen Beetle powered plane.
I value my life too much.
The absolute minimum I'd get in, is a Continental O-200 powered machine.
Remember it's not just your life that gets ruined when you crash and burn.
But that of your wife and children too.
There was a nice Robin H100 on eBay.co.uk last week.
It sold for about GBP12,000.
If you went in with two or three others.
Then this would be a far better idea than a Heath Parasol, I mean a Luton Minor.
Now a Morris Minor, split window, or a convertible.
Now that's a good idea.
Last edited by button push ignored; 25th May 2017 at 01:40.