On 2005-08-08 16:57:27 -0400, "Barry" said:

IFR flyable.
lean towards four seat ... not mandatory.
approach 200mph.
quick build option.
Price is a moderate issue.
A Lancair IV-P fully decked out would not be out of reach but
truthfully more than I would be probably willing to spend.
safe and practical.
I don't need a plane with fighter like characteristics.

Barry, that is a good, logical list of requirements. Only you know,
though, how you prioritize them. For instance, some of the other
responces seemed to assume you would be flying hard IMC a lot. That's
not what I'm getting -- I'm getting you want to be legal to fly in the
system and current to shoot an approach if you need to to visit the
grandkids.

Bear in mind that instrument flying is a highly perishable skill. You
gotta be sharpening it all the time or it gets dull on you.

I would like add a full range of equipment that I would feel would make
it safer both VFR and IFR. ie GPS, Autopilot ( can you do this in kits
?) and IFR capable. Am I asking too much?

This is routine. Lancair Kit has had a lot of builders through their
(very excellent) Builder Assistance program, where they build major
parts of the plane on site with factory jigs and professional help as
required. And all but one of them (including Legacy FG builders, "the
bottom of the line") put in IFR panels.

The January 2005 Kitplanes has a breakdown on autopilots for experimentals.

I haven't flown in several years

Then you need to budget time and training to improve the most important
piece of safety equipment -- the pilot.

One specific plane I have been looking at is Van's RV-10. Any
comments on this? Really have not come across any other options.

The Lancair ES meets all your requirements. The comments others have
made about a high landing speed are also true. You can keep it down a
bit by building it as light as you can. The canards are the same way,
high landing speeds.

Also, why do you want to go 200 per? Especially, once you retire? I
suggest, since you are going to want to sharpen your pilot skills
anyway, you get a couple of new charts and pull out your E6B. Then
flight plan the flight you usually make or a typical flight you know
you'd really take. Call 1-800-WX-BRIEF and use today's weather. Flight
plan the same flight at 100 (Skyhawk), 130 (Skylane), 160 (210) and 200
knots. There's a big difference between 100 and 200 but... unless your
usual flight is from New York to LA you'll find that you usually have
to give up a lot to get a fast cruise speed.

Aerocomp builds a number of kits that are ugly but strong and
surprisingly fast.

One advantage of the RV-10 that can be adduced from other Van's
products is, that it is likely to have good resale value. Kit aircraft
generally have poor resale value and sell for little more than the
value of the motor and other certified/TSOd parts.

However, there are few RV-10s out there. Bear in mind that even good
designers occasionally lay an egg (as Chris Heintz did with the CH810).

Several others have suggested that if you want to fly, not to build per
se, you may be better off buying a plane. A Cirrus SR22 meets most of
your requirements, and with the auto-like interior and the emergency
parachute, you might even get your wife into it.

cheers

-=K=-

Rule #1: Don't hit anything big.