Perfect aircraft
 

I was in the bath last night, and started thinking. Probably more information than you needed, there, but anyway - what would your perfect aircraft be? Not looking for an actual type, more like a wish-list, but try to keep it vaguely realistic!

I'll start. In something like order of importance:

• Must have loads of character
• Must be a taildragger
• Would be open-cockpit, but would have a cover I could put on for when it was just too cold
• Would be a two- or four-seater. (Or a three-seater, but there aren't many of them around)
• Would be at least mildly aerobatic
• Would cruise at a "sensible" speed, let's say around 150kts
• Ideally would have a stick, rather than a "steering wheel"
• Would be able to be kept outdoors without disintegrating. Or, even better, would be wood+fabric, and I'd live in an area where every airfield had copious amounts of hangar space available
• Would cost no more to operate than, say, a Piper Warrior

The closest I've found so far is a
WACO, but the $180,000 price tag for a new one is a little out of reach, and old ones don't seem to come up for sale too often! They sell a kit which is a little more affordable, but still way more than I have to spend, even if I did have a garage I could use to build it.

Anyone else???

FFF
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FFF
I too have spent many long hours thinking about this. There will never be a perfect aeroplane, Every aeroplane is a compromise. If I had my pick I would choose the Vans RV-4. A lancair 320/360 also rates highly, but there speed and small size doesnt make them the safest little plane around. The most appealing qualities of the lancair are looks and speed. both fairly important.
My wish list would go:
1. Taildragger, or retractable tricycle
2. Stick. none of that control column crap.
3. Tandem seating- it feels more like a fighter.
4. Aerobatic.
5. Sliding canopy.
6. speed.
7. range.
Cheers
PD

hmmm...... well, without the aid of a bath, i'd say......

1. Tailwheel
2. Stick
3. Good cruise 150kts+
4. Slow approach & STOL for those farm strips
5. Big strong u/c with big tough macho wheels for above.
6. Quiet in the cruise so I can listen to some nice music
7. Open air option
8. Floats that just clip on (or maybe an amphibian). would have been useful last winter)
9. Maintenance free (dang those engineers bills).
10. Nice quiet engine (no complaints) with a good power to weight ratio (getoffthegroundand climbkwik).
11. Range = bladder endurance & coffee addiction. Or inside toilet/coffeemaker.
12. Good forward visibility.

I just got out of the bath...

Socata TB-21 Trinidad GT.

Fast, Modern, Stylish, If only I could buy one :D

Mike

Poet Pilot

The Yak 52 has had (snow)skis fitted - presumably you could fit floats. Now comes with extended range tanks - it would pretty much fulfil all of the criteria you mentioned. You too Purple Dog !

Flying for Fun - Yak has just released a taildragger Yak 52....

Have I found the perfect aeroplane then ?("ducks for cover" <grin> ) :D

Yak 52 with floats ! Wow, that would look nice, something like the old german Arado floatplane. Lot of warbird street cred too. (should that be runway cred?). probably enough room in that cockpit for a w/c and coffemaker too.

"Yak has just released a taildragger Yak 52".

TW (sigh)

But just pulling back a little from fantasy and into the world of reality (ie well out of the bath and dried off).....

If you are Scrooge McDuck and don't mind no aerobatics, the Jodels continue to offer the best flying for the least money. I had a quarter of a DR1050 Ambassadeur for 10 years and it was excellent for touring. 120mph on an O-200, 3 adults or 2+baggage, good short field performance, stick & tailwheel. By no means a fantasy machine but I still regret parting with it.

In dreamland, just one aeroplane is impossible! The only thing that comes close to doing it all for me is the new Yak-52TW - full western spec, increased performance, prettier looks, faster, longer range, taildragger, far more aerobatic than I'm ever likely to be, etc. But it costs a fair packet - you could buy quite a nice used Yak-52 trike _and_ a Yak-50 for the same money. Dilemmas, eh!

In a more real world where I am most unlikely to win the lottery, what I most often see myself in is a Vans RV-8 on a nearby farm strip (it's similar to the RV-4 but more a full two ater than a "1+1"). If I could get a share in a nearby based TB-10 or Trinidad GT for family touring as well, I think the combination would do everything I'm ever likely to want.

Cut some holes in a Citabria sunroof and you have your aircraft...

Flying for fun,
I agree with everything you said and the WACO looks good. I would however add good visibility but also agree that tandem is best: its not good if you're offset to one side so the rear seat should be positioned a little higher than the front. It would also be best if it was a bi-plane. And of course a stick is essential. A control column on an airliner is not good but on a light aircraft its immoral.

However I dont think that any plane that conformed to all this could be better than something like a spitfire as they have such a history/importance behind them and are vintage planes. And they go at 400mph.

Have to be an AutoGyro for me. If not that then you can get some quite nicely maintained Pitts now for £40k'ish so that would do me. Don't want to travel - thats too much like the day job. I need either upside down or operating into/out of my locals beer garden. Actually 'out of' might be a bit of a problem...

WWW

A new build Yak 9 would do me :D

B.

I need a bath :D CESSNA 180/185, simple as that.

Kermie ;)

I am new to this Forum but I am really partial to my 1956 Super Cub. It gets me all over Alaska, both on and off airport. My signature is a pic I took of the plane two days ago on Alaska's North Slope. Until I figure out the signature thing here is the pic.
http://www.ptialaska.net/~ddwest/kiik.jpg

AlaskaCub

[ 24 August 2001: Message edited by: AlaskaCub ]

Nice picture! Can't do that in the south of England.... :(

MikeSamual

There's a Socata Trinidad GT that's been visiting Goodwood recently. I agree - looks rather nice :)

Anything designed by an octagenarian resident in Fl, who answers to Curtis or Pa Pitts!

Stik

Im beginning to like the look of your Cub Alaska Pilot. You might like to shrink the piccies a bit though. Interesting tie downs, do those drums leave much room in your aircraft for the camping gear?

Kermie :)

The Yak52 does it for me. And the 'super 52' with more power and longer range and a few other goodies like a bit of storage space might be my ideal.

I flew a Waco in the States; OK, but like the Stearman, a big heavy uninspiring beast to fly, but being open cockpit biplane, quite fun nonetheless ;~)

SSD

Kermit,

Those drums were left at that location by someone else. They have been filled with water to make them good to tie on to. The winds at that location can be strong at times. Cubs have very little room in them.

AlaskaCub I will shrink my pics.