"Stephen Mitchell" wrote in message . au...
I would not build one ... the #1 rule of homebuilt airplanes applies. If the
design is old (in the case of the Polliwagen circa 79 I think) and there are
not many flying don't waste your money on it.

Hi, all

I'm just getting into this (in the process of picking a plane), and
though I had not heard the #1 rule of homebuild aiplanes, it certainly
makes sense. I have a question very much in spirit of that rule.

I'm leaning towards one of the smaller Jodel models (or the Falconar
derivatives - supposedly they may be easier to build) or something
called the CA-61 Mini Ace which is supposedly very similar to
Wanttaja's beloved Bower's Fly Baby though slightly smaller.

I'm finding plenty of info on the net regarding the Jodel variants,
and the general consensus seems to be that they are truly wonderful
airplanes. People who've owned them and sold them really seem to miss
them. There have been plenty of them built all over the world, though
oddly apparently relatively few here in the US.

Info on the Mini Ace is much more elusive. It was designed in the
early sixties and instructions for building it were published in the
Nov 1965 Mechanics Illustrated. The full size plans still appear to
be available. The NTSB accident reports show only a couple incidents
for this plane (all non-fatal). The type designation for the plane
(CA61) seems to show up in a lot of different government documents, so
one might think that at some point there were quite a few of these out
there. In looking the FAA registration database, there only seem to
be eleven of them, though. That seems like a very tiny number, and
perhaps that says all that needs to be said about the design.

The designer is still alive though apparently splits his time between
the US and Europe, and right now he's across the pond. Anyway, I
guess I'd prefer to hear from people who've built them & flown them
(parents sometimes have a somewhat less than objective view of their
children, you know).

Is it possible the Mini Ace is a good design that history more or less
forgot, or should I stick with the road more traveled and go with a
Jodel? Any body out there with any experience with either of these
types of planes?

Rob