Exactly why would/should you buy or not buy a Brumby?
 

Seems a reasonable question for Australia Day - pros and cons please.
Have a good day all.

all good, just make sure you pick a decent engine..

Australia Day you say?

Aren't they made in China or at least shortly will be?

It would be good if the Aircruiser was aerobatic, two up.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._NoEffects.jpg

Huh? :E

If I had the money I'd buy one.

Crap Service, Lousy Workmanship, Just For A Start.

Brumby Aircraft Australia

Which model are you looking at?

Wonder is they've actually produced an "Aircruiser", the images are computer generated not photos?

Turbine version of the Aircruiser seems optimistic given the turbine CT4 went nowhere.

Folks,
The Brumby 600 is about the only LSA that has been flight tested (by a highly qualified and certification experienced test pilot) throughout the full flight envelope, to the standards of a Normal Cat. CASR/FAR 23, and then some.

This alone is a major recommendation.

Structurally, they beat most of the competition hands down, that is why their empty weight is a bit up on the competition, but "you can't have one without the other", as the old song goes.

The aircraft could be certified in Primary Cat. (much higher AUW) with the only structural change being some minor increases in sheet metal gauge.

Being of aluminium, any repairs are straight forward, unlike, say, carbon fibre.
You have choice of three engines (counting the different models of Rotax as one), I would probably go for the Rotax, or the new version of the Jab., with all the bugs eliminated ---- true, it exists.

The Lycoming option does not have much history behind it, to tell us what it is going to be like in service, and is heavy.

As for the modernised Aircruiser, forget it, a market does not exist -- just add up the new aircraft of similar performance sold last year,world wide, it is a very small number.

Tootle pip!!

I sincerely hope so Leady, I really do ... It would be a great engine.

But back to the question, because you can go to the factory and talk to an Aussie.

Forky, your showing your age. Didn't those things go out of production a couple of decades ago?

It's not quite clear from the website if they currently sell anything that is certified. Anyone know?

It'd be interesting to know how the price of the 600 compares with the Rotax powered Tecnam (all-metal) P2002 which is available in a fully certified version and which has, on paper at least, very similar weights, speeds etc. It's a nice little thing to fly and, if someone could produce a similar aircraft for significantly less cost, it'd be a good recipe.

Certification builds confidence but comes at a big cost to the maufacturer. However, while the volume sales may be in the LSA sector, the success of the certified Tecnams (various models) shows there is a market. Good luck to Brumby for having a go and maybe with the Chinese capital they can crack both the LSA and certified markets.

tecman,
Yes, they are certified in the LSA category.
They meet and exceed the Normal category handling standards, including spin recovery, something few other LSA can boast.
They meet the Primary cat. (Part 23) standards up to a gross weight of about 750 kg, with only a small change of gauge in some sheetmetal.
Given my experience of some of the Tecnam, in my opinion the Brumby 600 is structurally superior, and one of the best handling aircraft around, regardless of certification category.
In my opinion, the Brumby aircraft will survive under Australian operating conditions to a far greater extent than other LSA, and some of the smaller Normal cat. aircraft.
Tootle pip!!

LeadSled, aren't they making them in or are going to make them in China soon?

Sqawk7700,
There was a good article in a recent edition of Australian Flying about the deal with Avic.
As I read the article, a lots of components will be manufactured in China, and I assume that aircraft for the Chinese market will be assembled in China. However, I think aircraft for the Australian and any export markets will be assembled in AU under the Brumby LSA production approvals.
Tootle pip!!

Sadly this will be on every Aussie manufacturer's mind. In any event some seriously good stuff comes from China these days.

Not fair Forkie. I happen to know that On Eyre owned one of those.

That I did Ozaggie. Pity they are not still made.
But back to the airborne version, the big question is will potential buyers die of old age while waiting on delivery ?

Would You Like To Wait 2 Years For One And Then Discover A Myriad Of Faults?

some of the brumbies delivered over 2 years ago are still going strong in the training environment.. the low wing one with the oleo strut undercarriage had some issues with off tarmac runways, but they no longer make that option..

i would happily own one.

I never knew they Brumby picked up the Aircruiser design. Would be great to see it in production, but I think it's along shot.

Interesting to see in the images that they seem to have redesigned the Airtourer wing tips.

From their own web site:

News - Brumby Aircraft Australia

All the spin in the world will not help if you cannot deliver in a reasonable time frame what is no doubt a good product.

It must be said that the Brumby AirCruiser shares the name only with the Victa designed and built AirCruiser. Additionally the Brumby named one has nought to do with the CT4 either.

There was only ever one AirCruiser built by Victa that eventually went to NZ and from that the CT4 morphed.

THE AirCruiser is again Australian owned and domiciled.

Tipsy

Tipsy are you referring to their page wording below?

I'd be surprised if these figures were achieved, as in, often adding 100hp doesn't always add a stack of knots.

I was making the point of historical accuracy.

The wording on the website is deceptively ambiguous.

You are totally correct when you say "adding 100hp doesn't always add a stack of knots".

Tipsy

Does anybody know, then, what relationship (if any) Brumby's projected AirCruiser has to Henry Millicer's Aircruiser design?

Stanwell, Brumby Aircruiser P/L of Cowra NSW are the Type Certificate Holders of T/C VA520. This is the latest incarnation of the original Victa owned Type Certificate 34-4 from 1967.

As to a relationship with Henry's original design, I think the photo's on the website answer that pretty clearly.

Tipsy:suspect:

If you look at the Aircruiser wing it becomes apparent where the CT4 came from.

Would be wonderful if the Aircruiser was produced.

Thanks, Tipsy.