General Forums => Aircraft and Vehicles => Topic started by: earl1937 on September 30, 2015, 03:52:03 AM
Title: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: earl1937 on September 30, 2015, 03:52:03 AM
:airplane: I know that there are a lot of guys in this great game who have flown real aircraft in their lives and it would be interesting to see what someone thinks as the aircraft which they had the most fun flying. I have to go with the S-1 Pitts Special! A friend of mine who flew for Eastern Airlines, built one back in the early sixties and wow, until I got into that thing, I just thought I knew how to fly! LOL You don't get into the thing, you "strap" it on! You get a lot of lessons in flight real quick as you begin that first takeoff roll. Tail comes up real quick and the ole toe dance starts until you get used to applying the power slow and steady. Climb out is like a rocket ship, compared to some the things I have flown! I couldn't ever fly that thing like some of the guys do in air shows, but anything I could think of to do was a blast to say the least. Tail slides are a blast, but don't think I ever learned how to do one correctly, but was lots of fun trying! 8 point rolls were fun, "square loops" were fun to try to keep the headings and altitude where it was suppose to be! Landings were always fun and challenging, especially on that pasture runway we used to fly the thing! I couldn't get one picture to load correctly, so maybe someone will up load one for the guys who don't know what one of those things looked like!
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: Zimme83 on September 30, 2015, 10:08:04 AM
The competition isnt that hard but i say the Su-29 for pretty much the same reasons as Earl listed above.
A lot of engine power and superb handling. The plane just do what u tells it to do, without hesitation or trying to "fight back". No stick forces to talk of, a gentle pull on the stick and u pull 5-6G. I was of course not even close to the outer ends of the flight envelope for the plane but still. I :cheers: the Russians and their skills in designing aircrafts, its hard to do a better plane.
But the Pa-18 on floats offers a lot of fun too, in a very different way, the joy of leaving the controlled enviroment of airports and runways and use a "living" surface as water offers a lot of fun and an extra dimension to flying and u are more dependant on flying skills and "feeling" rather than standard procedures.
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: colmbo on September 30, 2015, 10:41:18 AM
The most fun? Probably the one I happen to be flying at the moment. :)
The Mustang was awesome, goes where you point it…..it's a Mustang -- enough said.
The T-6 I really like. You have to "fly it" instead of point it. Makes you pay attention on landing. Certainly a high point.
The B-17 and B-24 were….well heck, they're WWII bombers!!!
My 1/2 hour in a Super Cub was a high-light. I would love to have a Cub to go play in….I could get into lots of trouble with one of them. :)
The airplane that brought me the most joy, that I miss more than any is my 1957 Cessna 182. My wife and I had many great adventures with One Two Bravo….
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: Debrody on September 30, 2015, 10:56:35 AM
Would never ever fly an aircraft.Im that much afraid of real flying, havent ever been travelling on a liner. No kidding.
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: Zimme83 on September 30, 2015, 10:57:28 AM
A touch and go in a Citabria on floats: https://video-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xfp1/v/t43.1792-2/1021116_10202063331244417_1674171916_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjM5NzIsInJsYSI6NDA5NiwidmVuY29kZV90YWciOiJsZWdhY3lstudmuffinQifQ%3D%3D&rl=3972&vabr=2648&oh=f0e595bc6cb20c35753b31ef49a85abf&oe=560C2A80 (https://video-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xfp1/v/t43.1792-2/1021116_10202063331244417_1674171916_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjM5NzIsInJsYSI6NDA5NiwidmVuY29kZV90YWciOiJsZWdhY3lstudmuffinQifQ%3D%3D&rl=3972&vabr=2648&oh=f0e595bc6cb20c35753b31ef49a85abf&oe=560C2A80)
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: earl1937 on September 30, 2015, 12:03:14 PM
A touch and go in a Citabria on floats: https://video-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xfp1/v/t43.1792-2/1021116_10202063331244417_1674171916_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjM5NzIsInJsYSI6NDA5NiwidmVuY29kZV90YWciOiJsZWdhY3lstudmuffinQifQ%3D%3D&rl=3972&vabr=2648&oh=f0e595bc6cb20c35753b31ef49a85abf&oe=560C2A80 (https://video-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xfp1/v/t43.1792-2/1021116_10202063331244417_1674171916_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjM5NzIsInJsYSI6NDA5NiwidmVuY29kZV90YWciOiJsZWdhY3lstudmuffinQifQ%3D%3D&rl=3972&vabr=2648&oh=f0e595bc6cb20c35753b31ef49a85abf&oe=560C2A80)
:airplane: Excellant
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: earl1937 on September 30, 2015, 12:50:41 PM
The most fun? Probably the one I happen to be flying at the moment. :)
The Mustang was awesome, goes where you point it…..it's a Mustang -- enough said.
The T-6 I really like. You have to "fly it" instead of point it. Makes you pay attention on landing. Certainly a high point.
The B-17 and B-24 were….well heck, they're WWII bombers!!!
My 1/2 hour in a Super Cub was a high-light. I would love to have a Cub to go play in….I could get into lots of trouble with one of them. :)
The airplane that brought me the most joy, that I miss more than any is my 1957 Cessna 182. My wife and I had many great adventures with One Two Bravo….
:airplane: Great pic and good comments! One of the other a/c that I enjoyed a great deal was the PT-26! It really wasn't all that hard to fly, but to a young kid like me, its was tops! All control surfaces were mounted on ball bearing race's and gosh, it was smooth....that old Ranger engine wasn't much for power, but it was reliable and we had a lot of fun with that bird for about 3 years before the engine developed problems and the owner didn't want to put any more money into it.
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: colmbo on September 30, 2015, 07:53:39 PM
When I was learning to fly a guy was finishing a rebuild on a PT-19. I remember the push-rods and torque tube control system.
I got a short ride and a little bit of stick time in the PT-19. Also experienced my first roll on that ride.
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: danny76 on September 30, 2015, 09:03:32 PM
De-Havilland Chipmunk, RAF trainer when I was an Air Cadet, aged 13. Flew on an Air Experience Flight with a Navy Sea Harrier pilot, one of the most enjoyable and memorable times of my life, and I managed to retain my lunch :banana:
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: earl1937 on October 01, 2015, 03:57:04 AM
When I was learning to fly a guy was finishing a rebuild on a PT-19. I remember the push-rods and torque tube control system.
I got a short ride and a little bit of stick time in the PT-19. Also experienced my first roll on that ride.
:airplane: I guess you remember the "knife" blade tip test on the main spar also! A lot of those old Pt series of aircraft were sold as surplus over the years and if it didn't pass the knife blade tip test, you passed on it to something else! LOL
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: bustr on October 01, 2015, 06:10:40 AM
My father was friends with an IBM engineer who made his money reselling AS400's from his own startup company. He became well off in his 30's. He liked to collect and have refurbished planes like T34 and PT19. He was also arrogant and had a few minor fender benders with his rides. So the day his PT19 was ready, he fired it up and went off down the runway and flopped it into a corn field about a mile away from the field. He had a bad habit of not taking check rides or reading manuals. The FAA had warned him if he had another fender bender his license would be revoked for some time.
So the very day his PT19 took it's first flight out of the shop, he paid cash for a corn field near the airfield and over night a PT19 sized shed went up in the middle of the field. He also paid the farmer to plow the whole field under the same day the shed showed up to remove the slide path. And the farmer told the FAA "what plane would land in that field with that big shed in it" when they came around.
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: Busher on October 01, 2015, 09:22:33 AM
I missed out on the Pitts but I have some hours in a Christen Eagle. Supposed to be less rudder twitchy on take-off and landing. Just pure FUN!
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: hitech on October 01, 2015, 12:26:10 PM
I believe I like this one.
HiTech
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: Gman on October 01, 2015, 01:15:28 PM
Those RVs are amazing for the $. Still haven't been up in one.
A good friend here who ran Vintage Wings Canada (our largest warbird flying company) has a Citabria I quite like, and would buy. Other than that, maybe one of those STOVL kitplanes, so many variants, but all would be a lot of fun. Still think it's tough to beat HT's plane for the $ for a civilian.
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: Brooke on October 01, 2015, 03:24:37 PM
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: morfiend on October 01, 2015, 04:35:34 PM
I have a few hours in a 152 but the highlite was when I got a chance to fly a stearman!
I say I got 1/2 hour but it was closer to 45 mins.but it was my last flight. My neurological problem just wont allow my to fly and my vision isnt very good so it's best I stay on the ground!
The irony is I have the time and resources to pursue a PPL but I'm afraid it would be a waste as I cant handle all the sensations.
My body cant regulate it's temperature so whenever I have lots of noise,vibrations or stress I sweat profusely,looked like I peed my flightsuit when I got out of the stearman. My pilot asked if I was ok and I had to explain,so he said"well there's one for the bucket list,not many can say they flew in an open cockpit biplane! :aok All I said was it is what it is and I just had to give it a try. :devil
:salute
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: Halo46 on October 01, 2015, 09:39:21 PM
The funny thing for me is that I had more fun sitting in the cockpit of an F-14 Tomcat on the ground than I have in flights in various aircraft. My goodness, what it must be like to start one up and take off... Talk about super Viagra, it would probably kill me. That is one beautiful creation that fit like a glove.
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: earl1937 on October 02, 2015, 03:31:09 AM
:airplane: Nice HT! One of the things which we can measure our skill as pilots are some of the simplest maneuvers' you can do in an aircraft. My favorites are the "Cuban 8's", making sure the altitude are the same on both loop tops and the bottom is the same on both. Its tough to hold a "road" in line, but with a little practice it is pretty easy. The other that I like to sharpen skills was the "clover leaf", again, making sure top of the loop was the same for all 4 legs and the 90 degree turn in direction at the bottom was precise and crisp! I have never flown an RV7, but it looks like a lot of fun aircraft.
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: earl1937 on October 02, 2015, 03:32:22 AM
:airplane: Nice HT! One of the things which we can measure our skill as pilots are some of the simplest maneuvers' you can do in an aircraft. My favorites are the "Cuban 8's", making sure the altitude are the same on both loop tops and the bottom is the same on both. Its tough to hold a "road" in line, but with a little practice it is pretty easy. The other that I like to sharpen skills was the "clover leaf", again, making sure top of the loop was the same for all 4 legs and the 90 degree turn in direction at the bottom was precise and crisp! I have never flown an RV7, but it looks like a lot of fun aircraft.
Yea I do clovers when I have been fly lots,it's the only maneuver I typically have to add power from normal cruse. I also like to do the roll on the up line vs the down line. Forces you to use the side view for the 90 deg.
And I think one of the most gratifying feelings is when you hit your own prop turbulence at the completion of the loop.
HiTech
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: Bino on October 04, 2015, 04:18:23 PM
I managed to talk Mrs. Bino into taking a ride with me in a 1929 New Standard D-25, an open-cockpit biplane operated by the Old Rinebeck Aerodrome. (http://oldrhinebeck.org/ORA/biplane-rides/)
Cruising a thousand feet above the Hudson River at 60 MPH is great fun. :aok
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: earl1937 on October 05, 2015, 05:33:25 AM
I managed to talk Mrs. Bino into taking a ride with me in a 1929 New Standard D-25, an open-cockpit biplane operated by the Old Rinebeck Aerodrome. (http://oldrhinebeck.org/ORA/biplane-rides/)
Cruising a thousand feet above the Hudson River at 60 MPH is great fun. :aok
:airplane: Just something magical about a woman and a open cockpit aircraft being together!
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: earl1937 on October 07, 2015, 03:17:27 AM
:airplane: I know that there are a lot of guys in this great game who have flown real aircraft in their lives and it would be interesting to see what someone thinks as the aircraft which they had the most fun flying. I have to go with the S-1 Pitts Special! A friend of mine who flew for Eastern Airlines, built one back in the early sixties and wow, until I got into that thing, I just thought I knew how to fly! LOL You don't get into the thing, you "strap" it on! You get a lot of lessons in flight real quick as you begin that first takeoff roll. Tail comes up real quick and the ole toe dance starts until you get used to applying the power slow and steady. Climb out is like a rocket ship, compared to some the things I have flown! I couldn't ever fly that thing like some of the guys do in air shows, but anything I could think of to do was a blast to say the least. Tail slides are a blast, but don't think I ever learned how to do one correctly, but was lots of fun trying! 8 point rolls were fun, "square loops" were fun to try to keep the headings and altitude where it was suppose to be! Landings were always fun and challenging, especially on that pasture runway we used to fly the thing! I couldn't get one picture to load correctly, so maybe someone will up load one for the guys who don't know what one of those things looked like!
:airplane: think I have the photo I wanted to share:
Well, I wanted to print pic here without link, but guess I don't know how!
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: JVboob on October 26, 2015, 12:05:03 AM
I really want one of those supercubs.
My Gpa flew a PT19 we have one of the props above our mantle.
I really want to get my license and go in with someone on a plane either a super cub or the titan P51 kit. I dont have the finances for either though...wont stop me from dreaming though
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: LilMak on October 27, 2015, 11:34:20 PM
My current ride... (https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/12006100_10206529440387632_6710499578684447787_n.jpg?oh=528f3ed5a07da2b119da2f77686bf5f9&oe=56B30A77)
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: Latrobe on October 28, 2015, 08:47:46 AM
My current ride... (https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/12006100_10206529440387632_6710499578684447787_n.jpg?oh=528f3ed5a07da2b119da2f77686bf5f9&oe=56B30A77)
That doesn't look like a Jug. :headscratch:
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: earl1937 on October 31, 2015, 04:46:04 AM
My current ride... (https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/12006100_10206529440387632_6710499578684447787_n.jpg?oh=528f3ed5a07da2b119da2f77686bf5f9&oe=56B30A77)
:airplane: I hope that is not asbestos sprayed on the walls behind your ride! If it is, you need to get the hell out of that hangar.....what do you call this great looking aircraft. It looks like it has a laminar flow wing, with 0 degree dihedral, if so, must be a fun aircraft to fly...give us some spec's, speed, stall speeds, engine, etc and is it available in kit form or is just a custom design!
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: LilMak on October 31, 2015, 10:14:52 AM
I call it Rosie but it's a kit or plans built plane called a Sonex.
http://www.sonexaircraft.com/
IMO It's simply the most fun airplane per dollar you can find. This is the standard kit with a 120hp Jabiru engine on the front(80hp VW option as well) 2 seat side by side that cost me about as much as your average C-172.
Stall 42mph with flaps Climb 1500fpm Cruise 150+mph at 6gph Aerobatic +6/-3 197mph never exceed.
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: earl1937 on October 31, 2015, 02:54:10 PM
I call it Rosie but it's a kit or plans built plane called a Sonex.
http://www.sonexaircraft.com/
IMO It's simply the most fun airplane per dollar you can find. This is the standard kit with a 120hp Jabiru engine on the front(80hp VW option as well) 2 seat side by side that cost me about as much as your average C-172.
Stall 42mph with flaps Climb 1500fpm Cruise 150+mph at 6gph Aerobatic +6/-3 197mph never exceed.
:airplane: Thanks for the info, sounds like something I would enjoy...can you purchase one assembled, or do you have to put it together yourself?
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: LilMak on October 31, 2015, 06:38:06 PM
I bought this one from the second owner. It's one of the most popular kits on the market. And it's LSA compliant so you don't need a medical even with the 120hp engine. There are usually several for sale on Barnstormers. They have a V tail version, a single seater, motor glider, a single seat version, and a Jet (yes a jet).
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: JVboob on October 31, 2015, 07:52:42 PM
cheaper than the super cubs? and are they as fun as the super cubs?
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: LilMak on October 31, 2015, 08:44:49 PM
120hp Jabiru. Thing is a little rocket. Off the ground in 400ft climbing 1500ft/min. Handles like a Miata.
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: JVboob on November 01, 2015, 04:35:10 PM
I gotta find someone to go in 50/50 with me on either a sonex or a supercub. and I want to ge my lisence.
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: hitech on November 02, 2015, 08:32:10 AM
MY RV had been down waiting for an inspection. So I hadn't flown it since Feb. So my only wings have been my pa-32. Flew the RV again yesterday.
Wow it was like putting a glove back on. I had forgotten how much fun that thing is. I came home in the great mood after flying that bird. It's like going from a 18 wheeler to a Ferrari.
LilMak, Your plane sound like great fun! How much gas does it carry?
HiTech
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: LilMak on November 02, 2015, 10:05:11 AM
MY RV had been down waiting for an inspection. So I hadn't flown it since Feb. So my only wings have been my pa-32. Flew the RV again yesterday.
Wow it was like putting a glove back on. I had forgotten how much fun that thing is. I came home in the great mood after flying that bird. It's like going from a 18 wheeler to a Ferrari.
LilMak, Your plane sound like great fun! How much gas does it carry?
HiTech
For the longest time I wanted an RV 8. I just could never justify the cost. The Sonex is probably as close as I will ever get. I'm told the handling of the Sonex is on par with that of an RV without the raw power. My plane has a 16 gallon header tank giving me a two hour endurance with VFR reserves. It's not much of a cross country machine. There have been some guys that have outfitted them with ferry tanks to give them a little more air time. I use a very similar analogy as you when I compare the Sonex to my 170. My 170 had a 4 hour endurance but I rarely made it more than 2 1/2 hours before I wanted a break. With a full tank of gas and my fat butt in it, I can lift another 195 pounds before I go over max. I can get the same distance in 2 hours in my Sonex that I could in my 2 1/2 in the 170. I did the math once and came up with 26mpg in my plane. It's almost as cheap for me to fly places as it is to drive.
So, while it's certainly not an RV, it's about as close as you can get on my budget.
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: steely07 on November 02, 2015, 05:35:55 PM
One of these :)
(http://i.imgur.com/Z9nM5S8.jpg)
Spent every weekend in one from the age of 10 to about 17, doing aeros, cutting dunny rolls and generally having a great time with my Dad.
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: LilMak on November 02, 2015, 06:59:00 PM
Ahhhh. Peil Emeraude. Classic!
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: steely07 on November 02, 2015, 07:05:55 PM
I deliberately didn't name it, nice pickup LilMak!, it was a really solid aircraft, only issue we ever has was the cowl screws failing on takeoff once and the cowl going into the prop, we had plenty of room ahead and put it down without incident, but it was quite the butt-clencher!
Title: Re: The Most Fun Aircraft
Post by: LilMak on November 02, 2015, 08:22:12 PM
Saw one at Oshkosh that was perfect a couple years ago. They're good looking planes. If the old adage is true. It flies right too.