Where do I begin!

[fastj22]

These things are simple kits. We don't engineer them, we assemble them. Some minor fabrication, but mostly put tab A in slot B. The assemblies are simple and easy to identify if poorly assembled. Its real apparent if someone cut corners.
I wouldn't worry one bit about a plane built in someone else's garage. Especially if its been flown a bit.

Also, if you are thinking of building to save money, its a fools errand. The amount of time, tools, rework, inspections (DARs charge $400 round here) you will easily outspend what you would on a completed aircraft with the same components. I have well over $40k in my plane. I'd be lucky to get $35k. Look at Charlie's $23k plane. You simply can't build one for that price.

[helifrek]

Man have I got a lot to learn! As much as I would love to build my own I know that it would be a huge commitment of my time. I am sure my wife would rather have us spend the time together and traveling and flying than building.
After doing some research I found I can do my own inspection on an E-LSA after I have a 16 hour course. I suppose if I am an A&P I can do my own inspections as well? I know a few I know a lot of A&P's!
I guess the other things I should start considering are total cost of ownership! hangar space, fuel and oil, insurance..... I can only imagine what airplane insurance would run me!
maybe I can get in the air sooner than I thought!
Sorry for all the new guy questions and bugging you guys. Everyone has to start somewhere and I need to take baby steps! I have been researching and reading as much as possible but I think I have been focusing too much on the plane and not enough on all the other aspects of aircraft ownership!

Thanks again everyone!

[fastj22]

No problem on the questions and comments.
There's a lot of misconceptions for newcomers that some of us all learned the hard way.

E-LSA is fine if you can afford one. The RV-12 will run you at least 80K to build or buy. You can't find any ELSA sonex anymore. There are a few that slipped through a loophole. Just to save $500 a year on annuals is not a good excuse to go there. And yes, you must consider total cost of ownership. Hangar, fuel and other consumables. Insurance (hull coverage) will run you around $1500/year until you get some hours in it, then around $1200.

There's a lot to be said about buying a $15k C150, using it to get your ticket and sell it for $15k when you are ready to move on.

[helifrek]

great, so now I am more confused! Is the sonex not a LSA? To fly a sonex will I need a full PP license or can I get my sport pilot license and be safe?

Also, $1500 a year is much less than I thought it would be. Just have to keep a cookie jar full of money for unexpected problems!

Will bother you guys some more once I do a little more research. I just can't wait to get home and go to the airport and start bugging people in person!

[fastj22]

great, so now I am more confused! Is the sonex not a LSA? To fly a sonex will I need a full PP license or can I get my sport pilot license and be safe?

Also, $1500 a year is much less than I thought it would be. Just have to keep a cookie jar full of money for unexpected problems!

Will bother you guys some more once I do a little more research. I just can't wait to get home and go to the airport and start bugging people in person!

This is indeed confusing. ELSA is a certification/registration type (Experimental Light Sport Aircraft). But not all experimental LSA are ELSA. Most are Experimental Amateur Built EAB, but still are light sport and sport pilots may fly them. Likewise, not all EAB are light sport. Ex: RV7.
All sonex are now EAB and cannot be registered ELSA. For a few years, there was a loophole in the regs that allowed you to register your EAB as an ELSA and a few Sonex did it. That loophole has been closed.
And to throw even more dust in the air, the Xenos can be registered as either EAB or self launch glider.

ELSA like the RV12 must be built exactly to factory specifications using only factory supplied parts. Same engine, EFIS, lights, brakes, tires, etc. as the factory specified. Basically just like a certified aircraft, just you built it. SLSA is the same aircraft but built by pros at the factory. If you deviate from the RV12 build like putting a Jabiru or MGL avionics in it, or a custom interior, you must register it as EAB. Its still LSA. AOK?

[vigilant104]

And just to clarify: If you buy or build a Sonex, it will qualify as an LSA and you'll be able to legally fly it using a Sport Pilot certificate. And, if/when you earn your PPC, you can fly it just like any other Experimental Amateur Built (EAB) aircraft, allowing you to do the things allowed by the PPC but not under Sport Pilot. E.g. fly at night (if it has approrpriate lights) etc.

[DCASonex]

When comparing to military aircraft, remember, they are built by lowest bidder, and by people that will never fly in them.

With your schedule assuming you plan to get at least a few hours sleep each night, suspect it will take you more than two years to build your own. Most people spend more hours building than flying. Elect to build only if you enjoy doing so.

David A.

[Bryan Cotton]

Sleep? What do you think coffee is for?

The only reason to build is if you enjoy building. Well maybe there are other reasons but money should be at or near the bottom of the list.

Financially I would have been better off to buy a Cessna 120 or 140 for $16K, or Charlie's Sonex for $23K. If I was buying a used homebuilt I would do a general inspection and look at the workmanship. I would also want to talk to the builder and see how nuts they were about getting things right vs hey that is good enough.

For me, I wanted to build. I also want to fly. They are two separate activities.

[kmacht]

I disagree with those saying that you can't save money building vs buying. You can but the trade off is time. I scratch built my sonex and all done (not counting the rediculous ammount I spent on paint) I am somewhere between 13 and 15k. If someone wants to sell me their sonex for that ammount of money I will gladly accept. The difference is that I took 9 years to build my airplane, have a very basic panel with everything bought used, did things like learn to weld my own parts, make my own upholstery, and kept an eye out for deals when they came along. I could have been flying years ago if I had takend a part time job at nights for a few years and just bought a plane but I would still have had more money invested in the plane than I spent scratch building it. When asked I usually don't recommend the route I took. If I were to start over again and it were my first airplane I built I would most certainly buy the full up kit from Sonex.

Keith
#554

[Sonex541]

Here is a quick story on how I started flying ,i always wanted to fly when I was 24 I a lesson in a 150. , one lesson yep that's it , it was exspensive , and time consuming I was in the middle of opening my own company and building a house so it went on the back burner , well about 4 years ago I went to a aviation fun day at my local airport and saw a good friend who I had raced stock cars with. And he had a few planes there on display and I told him I wanted to start to fly and learn so he said here I will introduce you to a cfi and he quad city challengers , well the following week I was 3 lessons into it and bought a used challeger for cheap money and a month later after the aviation day I was signed off to solo challengers and was having a blast flying everyday , morning before work and after work , and work towards my sport pilot license , well after a few months and 60 hours later , I was looking into a Sonex , fast , go place fast plane ,2 person , and cheap to maintain , so I bought a used one in Texas (Tailwheel) I spent 9 months goin thru every nut and bolt and wire , supposedly this plane was in flying condition , found a lot of issues , thanks god I didn't ferry it back to mass,we hauled it back up here , after 9 months it was ready to , I had 8 hours in a cub tailwheel and that is it ,I found a great cfi who is one of my best friends now to teach me tail wheel , and after about 10 hours he signed me off to solo the Sonex , I had no intentions of buying a tail wheel I got a great deal and figured what the heck I gotta learn how to fly the plane anyways what's one more thing to learn at this point ,
Go buy a used one , building is a great deal of time and commitment, if you wanna fly fast and soon buy a used one , you will never get the money you have into it when your done back , there are a lot of great deals on used ones , have it completely inspected ,do some changes and things you like and you will have a plane that you will enjoy , takes a lot to build , I don't have the time , or patience , wish I did tho ,
Adam simmons
Sonex541