| Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 7,197 Likes: 2 Member/5000+posts! | Member/5000+posts! Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 7,197 Likes: 2 | This is a step toward a homebuilt. Unless you plan to purchase a used homebuilt, building your own plane from a kit takes a lot of money and time. A (new) homebuilt that has equivalent features of a 150 will cost you around $50K in kit and engine, plus build time. On the other hand, homebuilds are very safe....most builders die or quit before completing the aircraft. Nice dream Hung...anything with the durability, utility, and versatility of a C-150 will run you closer to $100k by the time it's completed. Of course this would include a larger-than-O200-engine and a nice (but modestly equipped) VFR panel. AND...you'd have a brand new airplane. In my opinion the Sportsman 2+2 (formerly Glastar) is the ideal "C-150" of homebuilts...and getting $120k into one wouldn't be too hard.
Dan
Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities. (Mark Twain)
| | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 119 Member/100+posts | Member/100+posts Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 119 | Its been an interesting thread, but lets kill it. This is the Cessna 150-152 forum, and I'll keep it on subject.
I must say however, I've learned some things and solidified others regarding my ability to work on my 150 (soon to be first plane).
You've all been a big help and outstanding mentors.
By the way N46CA will be here (Ardmore 1F0) on Sunday 9:00am for a look over. History puts this plane in the Oklahoma Highway Patrol fleet, early in its life.
-corey | | | | Joined: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,497 Member/1000+posts | Member/1000+posts Joined: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,497 | True, but not only would you have a brand new airplane, you'd have 1000 lbs of useful load. You'd be able to customize it to your needs without an act of congress. As the builder, you could do your own maintenance and annuals. You would also know the plane inside and out. I've been dreaming of building a Murphy Rebel or Elite for a long time now. The Rebel is probably one of the closest planes to the 150/152, but it still has more useful load and you can choose which engine to run in it. No question that the acquisition cost is more, but the advantages of an experimetal are huge. This is especially true if you are not an A&P. Don't get me wrong, I love the 150/152 series, espacially my 150  It is however very frustrating at times to pay a mechanic to do things that I'd rather do myself. It's even more frustrating not to be able to make some modifications that would be perfectly safe and very beneficial. | | | | Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 7,197 Likes: 2 Member/5000+posts! | Member/5000+posts! Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 7,197 Likes: 2 | True, but not only would you have a brand new airplane, you'd have 1000 lbs of useful load. You'd be able to customize it to your needs without an act of congress. As the builder, you could do your own maintenance and annuals. You would also know the plane inside and out. I've been dreaming of building a Murphy Rebel or Elite for a long time now. The Rebel is probably one of the closest planes to the 150/152, but it still has more useful load and you can choose which engine to run in it. No question that the acquisition cost is more, but the advantages of an experimetal are huge. This is especially true if you are not an A&P. Don't get me wrong, I love the 150/152 series, espacially my 150  It is however very frustrating at times to pay a mechanic to do things that I'd rather do myself. It's even more frustrating not to be able to make some modifications that would be perfectly safe and very beneficial. Eric, you're preaching to the choir man!!! You'll get no argument from me on this subject. Corey, we don't kill threads here...they often die a lingering, off-topic, wandering death on their own. BUT...it's still fun to watch 
Dan
Civilization is the limitless multiplication of unnecessary necessities. (Mark Twain)
| | | | Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 25,389 Likes: 990 Member/25,000 posts | Member/25,000 posts Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 25,389 Likes: 990 | Nice dream Hung...anything with the durability, utility, and versatility of a C-150 will run you closer to $100k by the time it's completed. With my retirement coming in 5 years and a special-issued medical, I was considering building a ZODIAC [ zenithair.com] as something to do and to fly as an LSA pilot. But after spending money to put an overhauled engine in my 152 and thinking about the $3500 annual property tax I will have to pay on an $80K (market value) Zodiac, I kinda shelved that idea. I'll fight to fly my 152 as long as I can. Plus, my 152 will become an "antique aircraft" in 2009 and no longer incur propery tax. | | | | Joined: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,497 Member/1000+posts | Member/1000+posts Joined: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,497 | That's what makes it so interesting! Someone asks a question, gets a few well-informed answers. Then the fun begins. Actually, I was away from the computer for a while and never saw the request to kill the thread. Sorry Corey, but sometimes these things refuse to go quietly.  | | | | Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 18,962 Likes: 3 Member/15,000 posts | Member/15,000 posts Joined: Jan 2004 Posts: 18,962 Likes: 3 | Kill a thread?  We don't "kill" anything!  They might die in peace, but when a thread takes on a life of it's own, we can't control it! That's part of the fun. Some killjoy parliamentarians disagree, but I don't need that much structure in my fun!  :yawn: | | | | Joined: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,497 Member/1000+posts | Member/1000+posts Joined: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,497 | Hung, the Zodiac is a nice airplane. My original plan was to build CH701, so I went down to the Zenith factory for the builder's workshop [ zenithair.com] where everyone built a rudder for the plane that they were interested in. They took me for a ride in the STOL 701 and the Zodiac 601. It was short money for an educational experience. | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 119 Member/100+posts | Member/100+posts Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 119 | Hung, Did you (or anyone else) consider the Sonex [ sonexaircraft.com]from Sonex Aircraft? Pretty simple aircraft, with simple engines, and basic avionics. This will be my first homebuilt...well most likely. -corey | | | | Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 25,389 Likes: 990 Member/25,000 posts | Member/25,000 posts Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 25,389 Likes: 990 | Did you (or anyone else) consider the Sonex from Sonex Aircraft? A guy in our EAA chapter just completed his Sonex. He's unveiling it today at his hangar, but I had to be out-of-town. Plus, I'm not real crazy about its looks. | | |
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