I'm finally in a position to buy an aircraft, but after weeks of research I find myself hopelessly mired down in information. The internet is a great place for rooting out stats, dates, numbers, facts and raw data, but it doesn't help much with discovering "experience"..... the application of data.
Long story short, I just got back into flying after a 20+ year absence. I live 3 minutes from a 3000 foot grass strip that has had the same hangar, planes and pilots for the last 50 years. It's a great place filled with great people. I'm looking forward to becoming a part of that community.
I need some help creating a short list of planes that fit most of my criteria. At 6', 2" and 240 pounds I'm having a lot of trouble finding a plane that fits me. I climbed in a 58 Champ 7ec the other day and it was fine except my knees were pinned against the dash. I could fly that plane as long as I twisted my knees together. I've read that the j-3 is even smaller.
I'm going to look at an older Citabria next week and I've been told I should keep an eye out for a Piper J-5, or PA-12. I flew an American Legend last week and I was ok with the size, but at 80,000 (used) I have a hard time justifying the cost. I keep reading that some aircraft are larger depending on what year they were built.
In a nut-shell .... I'm looking for the J-3 experience, slow flight (I have no where to go), windows and doors open or even better... off (I luv the wind in my face), great visibility, and fun to fly. All of this needs to fit my 6', 2" 240lb body. I know some will laugh, but the wind in my face is probably the most important.
Thanks for any ideas you can toss my way,
Lee
Long story short, I just got back into flying after a 20+ year absence. I live 3 minutes from a 3000 foot grass strip that has had the same hangar, planes and pilots for the last 50 years. It's a great place filled with great people. I'm looking forward to becoming a part of that community.
I need some help creating a short list of planes that fit most of my criteria. At 6', 2" and 240 pounds I'm having a lot of trouble finding a plane that fits me. I climbed in a 58 Champ 7ec the other day and it was fine except my knees were pinned against the dash. I could fly that plane as long as I twisted my knees together. I've read that the j-3 is even smaller.
I'm going to look at an older Citabria next week and I've been told I should keep an eye out for a Piper J-5, or PA-12. I flew an American Legend last week and I was ok with the size, but at 80,000 (used) I have a hard time justifying the cost. I keep reading that some aircraft are larger depending on what year they were built.
In a nut-shell .... I'm looking for the J-3 experience, slow flight (I have no where to go), windows and doors open or even better... off (I luv the wind in my face), great visibility, and fun to fly. All of this needs to fit my 6', 2" 240lb body. I know some will laugh, but the wind in my face is probably the most important.
Thanks for any ideas you can toss my way,
Lee
