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From: bob@ulose.UUCP ( Robert Bismuth )
Newsgroups: net.aviation
Subject: Re: Re: Homebuilts
Message-ID: <129@ulose.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 21-Oct-85 21:27:46 EDT
Article-I.D.: ulose.129
Posted: Mon Oct 21 21:27:46 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 24-Oct-85 00:29:06 EDT
References: <3024@mhuxd.UUCP> <1172@sphinx.UChicago.UUCP> <3097@hplabsb.UUCP> <689@alberta.UUCP> <807@terak.UUCP>
Organization: CADMUS Computer Systems, Lowell, MA.
Lines: 53

> 
> Ah, my favorite soapbox subject...   What kind of plane does "the
> common man" want?  Sorry, he doesn't want a 2-place plane with no
> room for luggage nor avionics.  What "the common man" wants is a
> miniature airliner.
> 
> Four to six seats.  Dual Nav/Comm's with ILS/DME/RNAV.  ADF.  LORAN-C.
> Transponder w/altitude encoder.  Backup vacuum and electric supplies for
> the full-gyro panel.  Long range tanks (1000 miles or so).  Huge useful
> load, with uncritical CG limits.  Plush interior, preferably with air
> conditioning.  Two engines would be nice, as would approval for "known
> icing".  Of course, it has to go fast, too.
> 
> In short, he wants an all-weather plane that will get him and his
> family wherever they want to go, as fast as possible, in as much comfort
> as possible.
> 
> Doug Pardee -- CalComp -- {calcom1,savax,seismo,decvax,ihnp4}!terak!doug


Everyone would like such a plane. One point though, you seem to imply that
homebuilts are only 2 seaters with no room for baggage. That isn't true. In
fact, until Rutan decided, for his perpetual fear of liability suits, not
to continue selling the plans, the Defiant is exactly what you have 
described.

There are several other examples of 4 seater homebuilts, but Rutan's was
perhaps the most attractive. (I understand that a set of plans is now worth
several thousand dollars, if you can get the owner to part with them ...)

Of course, the common man or woman doesn't want to really build it themselves.
However, I tend to agree with the original article - most of the inovation
I have seen in GA aircraft has been as a result of designs and ideas tried
in the amateur built category - after all, the GAMA manufactures get free
testing prior to a certification application by letting the homebuilders
try it first.

While it may very well be beyond my checkbook, the Beech Starship is really
nothing but the outgrowth of Rutan's homebuilding activities. I often
wonder if part of his deal with Beech for Scaled was an agreement not to
sell plans anymore through RAF - after all, it is difficult to convince
the business GA community to shell out 3 or 4 million for a "homebuilt"
design ....

   --  bob
       (decvax!ulose!bob)

Disclaimer: the right to anything is universal, but flaming is not intended
	    in the above. My employer knows nothing of aviation, even if
	    Scaled does use one of our workstations, and so these are my
	    opinions alone.