If you only want to talk about Beech aircraft, stop here. Otherwise, read on:
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I've been thinking of posting something like this for a while, but when Burns wrote this today, I said "It's time."



There are many posts here and on other forums that worry about the demise of GA:

- rising fuel prices
- horrendously expensive parts and pieces for certified aircraft repairs and maintenance
- avionics upgrades in the tens of thousands of dollars
- a good portion of GA planes growing old
- one GA plane manufacturer after another going bankrupt

At the same time, Experimental-Amateur Built (E-AB) planes are being produced in garages and hangars around the world in record numbers. In general, they are more fuel efficient than the average certified plane, and, importantly, they are not subject to all the restrictions regarding avionics, replacement parts, etc. that constrain the certified plane markets.

As a result, folks are bringing about 600 new Vans RVs to flight each year, and many other E-AB types are also being produced.

The accident rate of E-AB aircraft has been higher than the rate in certified planes, but that is improving since the NTSB and E-AB companies like Vans made several specific training recommendations in 2011 (and insurance companies got on board with those requirements).

OK, it only has 2 seats and it doesn't have air conditioning, and it's pretty light and won't handle bumps as nicely as the Bonanza. The seats are not as plush for a long trip (although my butt did fine on my recent around-the-country flight: http://youtu.be/6RpOKcqly1M )

Today, for less than $100,000, you can buy a finished, flying, BRAND NEW RV-7 that will do 175 KTAS all day long at 8.5 gph, and that sports avionics and autopilot as capable as the best Gx000 glass and KFC or STec A/P, Synthetic Vision, HITS, etc...

It's not $700,000, it's $100,000....or less. Brand new.

And, it can do rolls, loops, spins, and nearly every other aerobatic maneuver known to man. My -6 is so amazingly responsive to stick movements that I still can't believe it.

I've flown my RV-6 120 hours since I got it in February. As Burns surmised earlier today, this is amazing FUN. My aviation life and passion have been re-born!

With all of these E-AB aircraft hitting the skies now, can this be what saves GA?

Here's my 9th airplane, the baby I'm currently in love with:
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Arlen,
I have a fleet of RV-8s around me at my airport. Many of them do the big formation stuff at various venues.

While my mission demands the 36, I'd own one of these babies in a second. What I really admire is some of the AMAZING craftsmanship built into these things. There are subtle differences in all of them, little improvements over the last one they built...... etc. You cant do that with certified but its encouraged and celebrated with the experimentals. What a ball.

The newest "young" pilot at my field bought a -7. He loves it, and after flying it, so do I. Tons of fun and fast enough to go somewhere. Cheap and easy to maintain. Low entry cost.

What's not to like?

Yes.

Having just "upgraded" my panel to meet 2020 specs, I can honestly say certified aircraft are doomed unless they are allowed to start utilizing non-certified avionics. Your panel cost less than my upgrades and you have exponentially more capability Arlen. While I'm not really interested in assembling my own plane I am very interested in moving up to one like yours or a few other BTer's that have them under construction.

Can you buy a nice Bo for $100k - sure (unless your name is Ben ), but with that you get unpredictable annuals, complex systems, and in our state a huge property tax bill every year (homebuilts seems to be appraised at next to nothing - mums the word....)

Peace,
Don

GA is already saved. See

Cirrus
Pilatus
TBM
Embraer
Cessna

Yep, you need healthy FBO's to keep the smaller airports going and just three tanks of fuel from your Pilatus is about a years worth of gas sales from an RV-6.

Budd Davisson says the A-65 saved general aviation in the 1930's. With fuel prices what they are, the uncertain future of avgas, insurance costs and others, I think the Rotax 912 will be the next thing to save GA*. You won't get 175kts, but you get 5gph of ethanol-containing car gas and essentially no oil consumption. 120kts with a marginal cost of $18/hr is something almost anyone can afford.

And at the other end there are Glasair III's and Lancair VI-P's. Scary fast. Then there's the Questair Venture. Scary in every way!

There are some things to look out for, though. A friend had a beautiful RV-8A that he bought complete. The builder had evidently not spent a lot of time in other, certificated airplanes and was left to make some things up as he went along. So, for instance, the fuel selector was completely backwards. No big deal once learned, but you don't know where these little complications may lurk.


*We really need a term to differentiate "little guy" GA from "big guy" GA. It's no consolation to me that Pilatus is going strong.

It was pointed out in that other thread - there really is a lot of innovation in GA right now. I'm kinda excited about it.

Vans, Pilatus, Panthera, Diesels, and even the Cirrus. Some cheap, some expensive, many innovative- all pretty cool.

Honestly, I don't know what I'll be flying in 5 years, but there are lots of possibilities.

Good post, Arlen. I just combined my enthusiasm of your post with JC's.

I don't think so, Jason.

If we don't develop more pilots, and if they don't buy and fly airplanes, and if Avgas goes up a couple more dollars, then the Pilatuses and Embraers of the world won't be enough to keep FBOs open. GA needs many thousands of Avgas-burning planes hopping from airport to airport...

Finally saw an Evolution in person today. Very cool but VERY small. Backseat was teeny.
Why no bigger experimentals for 2014 sized people?

See the RV14.

But in general, the financial escape velocity to buy an experimental requires the plane do something a lot better than the certified market. Cheaper or Faster are high on the list of "better" qualities and neither of those fit well with lots of room. If what you want is a lot of room/payload, the certified market serves that pretty well at present.

Arlen,

You make an excellent point, the experimental has a huge advantage over the production planes. And the light sport could be another good thing... but still getting settled.

I've had a smaller plane on my mind for quite awhile, might get serious about that.

Yours sounds like a hoot!

I built and completed an RV and flew it all over the country and beyond. To answer your question Arlen I'd have to say that I don't think so. I just don't see enough people committing the time and perseverance to complete an airplane for it save the GA flying world. For example I worked four tens during the years that I built and got in three solid eight plus hour days a week in addition to a couple of hours in the evenings about twice a week. Working like this it took me 3 1/2 years to complete my airplane.

While it is proving out that buyers will pony up for a flying RV, there just isn't enough to be had if people started dumping their factory built planes in mass to buy one.

I don't think so, Jason.

If we don't develop more pilots, and if they don't buy and fly airplanes, and if Avgas goes up a couple more dollars, then the Pilatuses and Embraers of the world won't be enough to keep FBOs open. GA needs many thousands of Avgas-burning planes hopping from airport to airport...

Bryan,
Why did you sell the RV and buy a Vtail?