In article , wrote:

In article , "LFOD76" says...

Greetings,

I'm not exactly a newbie when it comes to kit built aircraft but I'm finally
looking for my own plane to build. I helped some and flew lots in my uncles
RV-4 and ever since have been bitten by the bug.

I think I want a 4 seat (any suggestions, concerns on this?) but that seems
to drive the price up. Ideally it would be 4 place, STOL, with a cruise of
around 150+. (suggestions?)

This forum was recommended to me by other builders as a good place to meet
people who have been there before. So here I am.

Thanks for the info!

-Dan

There aren't many 4 seat kits around. The best - and newest - is the RV-10,
just introduced last week. Other than that the STOL requirement limits you
slightly. Cozy and Velocity are out. Murphy Super Rebel and Moose, KIS
Cruiser, the new Jabiru 4 seat, the Express and the V6 STOL come to mind.


Dan - how do you define STOL? Are you just looking at performance
numbers, or are you also worried about the ability of the aircraft to
handle rough strips? If you don't need the rough strip capability, the
RV-10 might be worth a look.

Van has released performance numbers for the RV-10, after his initial
testing. With 260 hp, at gross weight, take-off ground roll is 500 ft,
and landing ground roll is 650 ft. At a two person & 3/4 fuel weight,
the distances are 360 and 525 ft. Is that STOL enough for you?

--
Kevin Horton - RV-8
Ottawa, Canada
http://go.phpwebhosting.com/~khorton/rv8/