Microlighters

Hallo all pilots out there,
I am seriously looking for an old trike to rebuild / rejuvenate for myself and the purpose of flying of course!!!!!!
I am aiming to get away with as cheap as possible for I want to build it with technical advice and -experience of qualified registered people.
Any idea what price range I can think about for I want to gain experience and knowledge of the aircraft as well as the capabilities of it. I also want to broaden my general knowledge regarding aircraft and aviation afore I set for the sky.
I am inspired by those who build up their own aircraft and experience the joy and sweet of own handworks. Kindly advise

Regards,
Leon van Zyl

Hi Leon,

just go to any airfield and you will find plenty in disarray! Usually when trikes stand for a number of years, the first thing to go is the Decron material of the wing, and thereafter the seals and rubber components of the engine. What I'm trying to say is that sometime it might be cheaper to purchase an older trike with more hours on that have actually been flying! Be very careful when looking at the old ones, but you might even be lucky to find some dust covered trike that might still be in fair nic!

Hope you come right!

H

Come and troll through the Hangars @ Microland. Ask Hans to take you to my hangar, have a look at the lime-green (barely visible from the years of dust) trike at the front, get the owners number and make him an offer. Please. I hate to see trikes dying, even more so when I am confronted with their demise every time I open the doors. It sickens me. Please - help me retain my sanity and go and save that poor thing..



(I have no time for people that allow their trikes to rot away in the hangar, while there are plane-less pilots yearning for the skies. Sies! )

Hi Asterix,
Thanks for invition and offer.
I am in Upington so how about picsand forwarding my e-mail address to some guys who wants possibly will sell?
leonvz

Hi Leon,

Although I am not a quailified or "registered" person I give you my humble advice....

Firstly, if you are currently without a plane, and this is your "first" purchase, then go buy a decent 2nd hand aircraft in the for sale section. A rebuild is a lot of work and can be expensive depending on certain factors.....you need to be in the air! Find the quickest way within your budget to achieve this so you dont lose interest in flying...

If however you have time to get it done, or this is maybe your second/third purchase, then take Asterix's advice and look around for one of these "dust covered cancer stricken" aeries rotting away in hangers all over the country. Most will require a complete stripdown just to rid them of dust. Engines will need extensive repairs and wingsails can be ripped off and used as groundsheets due to being perished.

Rebuilding is a BIG mission....as I have recently discovered. We have gone to great lengths and expense to make sure our rebuild will be done relatively quickly, but because we are using all new parts, the cost is huge.

When we are done, and back in the air , I plan to build a new trike for Stef and myself. (Then we can have 2 trikes ) I will slowly start looking around for a diseased plane, or perhaps a wreck lying somewhere....that we can over time repair/refurbish. With time, we can source most of the bits and pieces from other second hand stockpiles. You will be amazed what you can find lying around the hangers throughout the country....I walked into one AP's storeroom a while ago and found about 3 "complete" airframes worth of parts....some useable, some not. With time on your side, you can build up a frame for next to nothing. Then you slowly start looking around for a wing/engine/prop etc.

What I'm saying is that without the "pressure" of having to get back in the air quickly, you can take the time and find good deals on parts or even a complete aircraft. It takes time and effort though. The owners of those "dust covered Cancer Stricken" aircraft... (DCCSA's for short ) do not frequent the forums like ML? Sometimes they are not even known to their hanger buddies. There are at least 5 DCCSA's sitting in my own hanger at Microland....I've never seen or met their owners. The only way to get in contact is to travel to the various airfields and take a walk around jotting down the Reg No's of what may catch your fancy....CAA will give you the owner's details and then you contact them directly.

Just a word of caution to anyone buying second hand.... Check the status of the owners "Hanger fees"!!! Most Leases allow the owner of the airfield to hold the aircraft as security for unpaid fees....you may pay for a bargain only to discover that you now somehow have to get the old owner to pay in a couple R K before you can move your plane

Bottom line....if you've got the time and a flexible budget then I think building a plane must be one of the most rewarding flying experiences you can get....a real "blood, sweat and tears" moment when you take off for the first time