Aerotrike Scout opinions please

[allcylinders]

Am narrowing down the search on owning my first trike :D :D :D :D , have my eye on a Scout with Peter De Nieker? prop 503 Aeros Stream wing with sub 200 hrs on it around 2 years old. Would really like comments on the scout.... Did all my training on the Safari and like it, scout mild steel though. Any advice or comments would be helpful.

P.S. have been cruising this forum for a few weeks and find it highly addictive.... Thanks to everyone out there, any chance you could make it a little less interesting so I can get some sleep????

[Biggles]

SCOUTS ROCK

[Biggles]

Scouts don't rust, the frames are coated. I spoke to the manufacter and they assured me that they have not had any complaints with regards to rust on the frame... the frame is only marginally heavier than aluminium and orders of magnitude stronger than aluminium.

They are robust, strong.

But i am not biased

[Big-D]

How much?

Aerotrike make fine trikes - I know you can bounce a Scout and it don't break and apparantly lift is great.

P Prop is going to give you alot of thrust and good lift.

503 engine is great, provided you are not HEAVY and intend taking HEAVY pilots for flips.

Once again - Depends on price. There is a Cobra on this forum that is a bargain of note - Much nicer than Scout with 582 and Stranger 14.9 wing (My humble opinion)



D

[allcylinders]

I am currently 95kgs, plan to get back to 85 but thats another story. Scout am looking at has p prop stream wing sub 200 hrs 503 and will cost 65k. I have seen the cobra and would love to get her, but even if I used bond and stretched to that, I would not enjoy flying her as to scared to damage her, for me thats a lotta cash

I was set to get the scout, but two instructors I trust have both said its to much to spend on a 503 and scout, which they say is aerotrikes "cheapy" and small and the stream wing is heavy..... I'm feeling really confused now.

I don't want to rush into anything, the only two trikes that really fit what I am looking for spend wise are both sold. They sold about two weeks after I started looking. A Vipor with 503 stranger warp 3blade 380 odd hrs for 40k and Delta speed mk2 went for 50ish with chute.

How often do those kinda buys happen? itching to get flying again, but want to spend right. What to do what to do?????

[DarkHelmet]

Finish your training and keep looking around. Bargains abound and awesome trikes are coming up for sale very often.

Are you qaulified yet?

[Dre'man]

I know smiley has a plane at a good price, also 503 though but from previous correspondance he is heavier than you.

You won't be sorry on the Cobra, I will chat to you. Have sent cell Number in pm.

I am the one who will be sorry Was trying to make a plan for myself.

Anyone need about 2000 cellphone contracts pm me I need to by Cobra.

[ZULU1]

I used to fly one in Ladysmith a few years back, it had the Aeros Ukraine wing and a 582. It was really great fun to fly and climbed like a homesick angel. Maybe on the coast it could corrode from the inside. But otherwise its simplicity makes it a great trike..
eish Zulu1

[KFA]

Friend of mine has a 98 model spirit 2 with 582 for sale, excelent condition. engine was zeroed by aviation engines 150 or so hours ago. total time I think in region of 400hr's. R 70 000 neg. Very good buy

[allcylinders]

sounds good

Could you pm his or your no. please

[Tumbleweed]

Flip as many as you can. Don't be hell bent just on buying the first crappy bargain you lay your eyes on. Check the radio, intercom, GPS if any, otherwise another ten grand pothole.

Are you going to manage your biggest mate at 11h00 in the 503?

Many bargain hunters are now once monthly cabbage patch flyers.

[RudiGreyling]

Hi Mr Low time pilot that needs guidance,

Buy something easy to fly and easy to maintain as your first plane.
Watch out for other's recommendations about the hot and fancy ships. They most probably have a couple of 100 hours under the belt and might have forgotten how it is to start out.

The Scout and older Windlasses are great first airplanes. The good about the Scout is that it is much stronger, taking those hard landings a bit better until your finesse our landings.

Get into the hobby with an easy to fly reliable plane at a 'cheap' price, as you gain experience you can start to look at the fancy airplanes.

I've got a scout and it served me well as my first plane for 500 hours.
Go check out some of my micro movies to see you can have a lot of fun even with a 'lowly' scout!
http://www.rudigreyling.com/rudi_movies.html

If you can find a good mechanically sound airplane like what you are talking about, cheap, 2 years, sub 200hours, let an AP check it out, then take it and start flying.

Your flying career and lessons only REALY start after your finish your 25 hours instruction.

Good Luck
Regards
Rudi

[Biggles]

Guys just remember that the trike will be used at the coast... In thick wholesome sea air... not that thin, dirty hot stuff you call air!!!

My scout 503 at the coast with two big chaps and a load of fuel (on the legal limit)preformed without any hick-ups.

[PMarshall]

Hi Biggles

I have had a 503 scout at the coast for about 7 years and often land on the beach and fly low along the deserted coastline. I am not big on washing planes but rub it down with an oily rag(Q20) to keep the shine. The only surface corosion that I have experianced is on the aluminium parts of the Aeros Stranger 14.8 wing and some of the mounting hardware. I have had a few hard landings including dissapearing into a lagre hole after an engine out and experianced no damage or wear to the scout frame. The scout has carried 2 x 100 kg people with ease although head room at the back can be a problem on the older scouts. I would reccomend the scout over a windlass or aqilla any day if you are going to land on rough strips and put the trike through its paces. Remember aluminium corrodes quicker than mild steel when in contact with stainless steel or the anodising is damaged. The scout frame is galvanised and will outlast you unless totaly neglected.

So the long and the short of it is dont let the mild steel worry you. In my opinion all trikes with a full tank and a pax >60Kgs are a bit of a dog as they get heavy to handle although the climb performance even with a 503 at the coast is quite good <600 ft/min.

[vliegvark]

They are the toughest little plane in the world the rust is no problem it's not only coated but plated aswell and don't forget that the ally trikes the part that holds all the ally together are also mild steel so it's the same I will tell you if you buy it you will not be sorry and a friend parked it on it's nose in the Namib and it didn't even bend
strong like mama africa (she makes mother Russia look like a granny)