Homebuild - am I going to die??

[Stunty]

Hey all.

I just bought a home build ultralight on floats. The gentleman that built it has unfortunately passed away, leaving me with little in depth knowledge of the aircraft. Some of his friends and past co-pilots have been passing on tips, and I will get proper float training before attempting to fly the thing.

But here is the deal. Im having trouble sleeping because im scared of the thing. I got it for a bargin basement price and if I find it is not airworthy I could part the thing out for more than I paid and could make a few grand. So why am I so stressed - I have no idea???? The thing is built well, it was originally based on a Fisher Super Koala, but the guy that built them built 8 (this was number 8) and each time it has been modified slightly, so now it has the same basic shape to the fisher, but is a very different machine. Common sense tells me if he built 8 of them and none are smoking wrecks, he must have been a half ok builder and the thing should be structually sound. I am having a proffesional AME that specializes in flabric and wood check it out and am awaiting his verdict, if he says it is sound I will fly it, but not without a tonne of worrying first.

This link displays a similar model on floats to what i bought http://www.geocities.com/markkusalminen/muitakoalia.html

Are my fears completely unfounded? Am I doing everything right - can people share their good and bad homebuilt ultralight expereinces.

And of course, in the back of my head I am thinking that I live near tonnes of water and lakes, so everywhere I fly will be 500ft over the water. If something goes wrong with the engine a landing is no worries, and barring a complete structual failure there is a fair chance I will swim out alive if I am only 500ft above water at all times.

[Monocock]

To be perfectly blunt.......

Get some training on it or....yes.........you might die

[josephshankes]

If you aren't a test pilot yourself, get one in to do the flying initially. That's presuming you can find someone to strap their backsides to the A/C.

[Genghis the Engineer]

A thought or two:-

- Whatever you've flown before, this is almost certainly draggier and lighter, and may well have less well sorted handling qualities. Get yourself trained in flying a similarly configured ultralight by an Ultralight or Microlight instructor, and also if you are used to "conventional" aeroplanes a good solid briefing on meteorology as it affects ultralights.

- Don't renege on your promise to yourself to get some floatplane training.

- Your LAME may well not understand the engine fitted, talk to a local ultralight club who should know somebody who understands whatever type of engine you have and can both check it over, and advise on how to treat it well.

- Having done those, get somebody to fly it first who is experienced ideally in ultralights, test flying and float flying. Then get them to check you out in it. The local clubs or national ultralight association wherever you are should be able to offer some advice here on who is trustworthy.

- Having done all that, I'm pretty certain you'll have great fun in it for very little outlay, it looks tremendous fun (and I speak as a well known connoiseur of very small aeroplanes, my record is a total take-off weight of 350lb).


You may well spend all you saved on training, but I think it's likely to be worth it.

If it helps your confidence, I've probably 60 or so separate homebuilt microlights in my logbook, albeit mostly in the UK where things are more regulated than most places. I won't claim that the experience has been universally uneventful, but I'm still here.

G

[Fly Stimulator]

am I going to die??

Yes, I'm afraid you are.

In spite of all the advances in modern medicine, even the most developed countries still find that overall mortality rates remain stubbornly pegged at 100%. ;)

[Gertrude the Wombat]

there is a fair chance I will swim out alive The book (Flying a Floatplane, C Marin Faure) does suggest that a fair proportion of floatplane accidents do involve a largely unharmed pilot but a very wet aeroplane.

[Stunty]

Thank you very much, comments very much appreciated.

I will get a normal aeroplane float rating on a super cub before even thinking about flying the ultralight. The super cub is about the closest certified aircraft I will find to the ultralight.

A test pilot is more difficult. I have located a very very experienced ultralight pilot who is very expereinced on floats and he has flown this particualar aircraft with the original builder. After my float rating I will have him do some training with me on the ultralight.

The aircraft already has 150 hours on the airframe. If it was going to fall apart I assume it would be most likely to do so in the first 20 or so hours.

The engine I am not concerned about. It is installed with the Subaru EA81 100hp engine with the specially made reduction gear. The engine was purchased from Stratus in the US who have a sound record of doing auto-aero conversions. Once again the engine has 150 hours.

Thanks again for comments

[Genghis the Engineer]

The Subaru may have worked well so far, but do find out how to look after it or it may cease to.

G

[Kingy]

Looks alright to me...!

With a 100hp engine the aircraft is not going to be that light.. more like a 'PFA' type home built.. Im guessing gross is around 1000-1100lb?. The things flown 150hrs.. what's the problem?

One word of advice though, check the W&B before you fly it - don't assume what you have is correct and just after take off is not the place to discover you are behind the rear limit!

Seriously, and I'm speaking as an owner of several homebuilts, every flight is a test flight - these things are not certified aeroplanes and as such have no POH - they may or may not have hidden corners in the flight envolope yet to be discovered. One of mine damn near killed me last year...! so if you are uncomfortable about the risk then don't fly it... It always pays to be a little bit scared of a flying machine, but being petrified is not a good way to be... this stuff is supposed to be fun!

At the end of the day it's your ass in the seat and it's your choice.

Kingy

[Stunty]

I have a pretty sound engine knowledge Genghis and Stratus provide excellent support to maintain the thing correctly. I also have some other experienced people around that run the soob as well.

Thanks for the weight and balance tip as well.

Stunty

[Kenny Rogers]

Don't worry, Mate! I'll go along with you for the first ride.;)

Kenny Rogers