I started flying in the 80's on a Beaver, converted to weight shift, but always hankered after conventional 3 axis although trikes are immense fun.
Life went pear shaped 3 years ago & I battled along for a long time, but pulled my life together again.
Flying has been a lifelong passion & it was a terrible time to not fly, or to fly clandsetinely, due to my circumstances. With light in sight at the end of the tunnel, I took the plunge again.
I decided to buy 3 axis again with a view to buying a trike next year & started looking around at many different types.
I still have the option to buy into the Animal again & may do so instead of a trike, time will tell.
I started investigating the KR 2 & came up with a hornets nest. Many well respected pilots do not like them, but only one person I know that says that they are very hot ships has actually owned one. All the owners I have talked to say they are docile, with the obvious limitations that come with its small size. There are many examples available on the market, but very few have been built properly, the glues used may be suspect, the wood may be aged & there may be hidden damage due to accidents & there may be a multitude of sins hidden behind glass which are not visible.
The quest was on to find a good example. I wanted to buy an abandoned project & I missed a good couple of aeries in the process.
Then I found WPX, a well built, rudimentary & light complete flying aerie. She is in Stellies at the moment & I will trailer her back, or fly her back to the big smoke.
They are very small machines & 2 up I am limited to 1 hrs flying time in a cramped cockpit, but hey, I am flying
.One up she has 5 hrs endurance at 115kts tas.
The future will be that she gets the slings replaced for seats made as light as possible & she will get a gps & mgl panel & an autopilot cos she is going places. She will remain a taildragger & I will check the uc cos the retract version had problems I believe. She will also have dual brakes instead of pilot only brakes for instructor intervention whilst I learn to fly her.
I wish to keep my life relatively private so I have not said a word on avcom because the ex browses that forum, but she does not come here
I feel safe here though.I plan to go through her with a fine tooth comb till december & then take her down to fapa for the holidays & will spend about 20hrs dual there with Bob Ewing. From jan next year I will be flying with you guys practically every weekend. Unfortunately. she is too fast for formo, but there is fun to be had nevertheless.
Life feels good sometimes
.... would possibly then not have been dayglow orage nose dragging paperweight, and a F^&*$ heavy paperweight at that.... I miss my KR. It was first aerie I ever owned.... "High speed taxi tests" did not reveal the demon all spoke about..... but that may have been "bigginers luck".....
