|
|
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
<< Lancair Builders' Mail List >>
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<--->>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
hello,
i am a student pilot and prospective lancair builder. i had expected to
build an RV-4 as soon as my house (w/ garage) is built, but i'm having
second thoughts after seeing the lancairs at copperstate. in particular,
i was very impressed with the 320/360 when i saw it up close.
however, i have a number of concerns still that i'd like to hear how
others have addressed... please reply to me directly and not clutter the
list. (btw, i'm subscribed in digest mode).
concerns: my big concern is that i live in tucson, arizona. i'm not worried
about an aluminum airplane corroding here because we basically have no
humidity; but i am concerned about a composite decaying or decomposing.
i was told that i need to use UV-blocking paint and keep the plane hangared
if i go composite. first, do i need to do both, or would UV-blocking paint
be sufficient protection? second, is the UV-blocking paint available in
all colors, or limited? is it available as a base to mix with other pigments?
is it more expensive or harder to find than regular paint? is it simply the
primer coat? is it at all hazardous (my daughter is 16 months old) to work
with/around?
i was also told that the build time for a first-time builder would be around
1500 hours. i was a bit suspicious of that number; it sounds a bit quick.
how realistic is it for someone who has never done this kind of work before?
has anyone here actually flown both the RV-4 and the 320/360? how do they
compare?
how cramped is the cockpit for use longer than the few minutes i sat in it
at copperstate? with a passenger? if you're over 6' tall? (the stick did
seem a little off-center to me as well...)
the info pack from lancair doesn't go into detail in some areas... like,
is there an emergency gear deployment system if the regular system fails?
how is the pilot warned if he is about to land with the gear up? are the
flaps powered or manual? what options are there (the info pack says forward
tilting canopy - what's the normal canopy do?, larger wheels, canopy latch,
and wing tip extensions w/ fuel tanks)?
finally (and perhaps most importantly) can anyone put me in contact with a
builder working on one in or near tucson? i'd really like to get a feel for
the work (and perhaps i can help a little).
any and all replies are appreciated...
-D-
|
|