Microlighters

How about comments on the Aquilla 503 versus the 582 (pro's and con's) as well as which combination of wing is preferable (14' or 15')?
Have to get my mind around this difficult decision and I need as much input as neccessary.
Thanks

wart wrote:How about comments on the Aquilla 503 versus the 582 (pro's and con's) as well as which combination of wing is preferable (14' or 15')?
Have to get my mind around this difficult decision and I need as much input as neccessary.
Thanks

Wart, depends on where you flying, your body wieght, and what you wanna use it for. I fly at the coast, wiegh 80 kg, often have a egually weighted pax, and a 503 is fine. I find that when I am 1 up on the 503, it has alot of oomf, but 2 up is a little slower. cruise spd is the same, just the t/off roll and climd speed.

KB
I will be based at Cato; weigh 95kg and want to be able to do cross-country up to the Berg etc. I cannot say whether I will be 1 or 2 up but I am sure, knowing my mates, that it will be 2 up most of the time.
What size wing are you using?

It's the second time today I'm going to refer to the yanks "There is no substitute for cubic inches" so if its in the budget, the 582 is the one to have

Any comments on the reliability of the 582 vs the 503?? Also on life of the motor? 1000 hour 503s do not seem that uncommon.

I had an old windlass 503 with 800 hours plus on it when I sold it. I quite literlly thumped it keeping up with much faster aircraft during most of its life. It then went to a training school where it put on some additional 600 hours before the plane was sold to somebody in Botswana. I have no idea when or whether it was reconditioned.

My 582 only made 900 hours and then it became unbearable, begging for replacement. It was having starting problems and runnning quite rough.

I would say that nothing beats a 503.

Will 503 cope with heavy like me and pax.
Is it not betta to get max horses?
Cost does not appear much different from 503 to 582.
Are running costs similar?

In blik aeries if you add HP you have to add fuel and thus weight is it same with 582. M thinks the benefits of 582 are more than offset vs 503 - mayb more so than benefits of say 912 over 582?

PS
Anybody put Jab engine (80hp - 2200) on trike?

Bulk of my training was on 503 but have now purchased 582.

582 seems a bit more economical as probably not pushed as hard for same performance.

As for longlevity -503 was top class, 582 - time will tell!

I had 2 loss of power incedents on a 503 in a Basic I owned, apperently due to sub cooling, cutting the power to idle, decent, reapply power and nothing More recently in the Tbird 582 the full power rpm dropped from 6800 to 5200 in about 10min. Did precautionery landing waited 30min did ground runup no problem. The only explaination that we could think of was carb icing. Overhauled the engine anyway to be safe.

The runway i operate from is 800ft above sea level, i own a windlass 503 and tipping the scale at 112kg i am not a maergat. I took my brother for a flip the other day also a heavy at 95kg and we had half fuel. Took of in about 100m and climbout was at 48mph and 350ft pm. Normal fuel burn 1 up (me counting for 2) 8 lit/hr and 2 up 11 l/hr. All this said i would like to have a little more power to fly me out of trouble. I would say that if you have the bucks to buy a new trike i must agree with the "more cub inches" theory.