Two Avids are better than one

[TheDeltaFox 0]

I may have my wife convinced to let me buy the Airdale flyer kit.

I'll have to sell off the J3 restoration project I have in the garage but I think it might be worth it. I've been so impressed with the performance of this Avid especially in the off airport landings/ takeoffs that I would love to see what the Super Avid (Airdale Flyer) can do. Currently I don't have any sort of baggage area setup in my Avid, the STOL wings and one wing tank. I'd love to have more HP up front and some baggage space for camping/fishing supplies in the back. Right now as i'm set up, my Avid is just an around the local area machine and i'd love to upgrade it and go exploring while being able to carry enough fuel and supplies to overnight somewhere.

I'll probably have to sell off the old Avid STOL at some point but wouldn't mind holding on to it until I get the new toy flying.

Do any of you have any experience with the new Airdale flyer? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[EDMO 1078]

I may have my wife convinced to let me buy the Airdale flyer kit.

I'll have to sell off the J3 restoration project I have in the garage but I think it might be worth it. I've been so impressed with the performance of this Avid especially in the off airport landings/ takeoffs that I would love to see what the Super Avid (Airdale Flyer) can do. Currently I don't have any sort of baggage area setup in my Avid, the STOL wings and one wing tank. I'd love to have more HP up front and some baggage space for camping/fishing supplies in the back. Right now as i'm set up, my Avid is just an around the local area machine and i'd love to upgrade it and go exploring while being able to carry enough fuel and supplies to overnight somewhere.

I'll probably have to sell off the old Avid STOL at some point but wouldn't mind holding on to it until I get the new toy flying.

Do any of you have any experience with the new Airdale flyer? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

John Larsen, (sp?) who wrote articles on engines, was flying the Avid in Mountain Country. He coordinated with Dale to make the Airdale to his specs so he could have a stronger gear, a place to sleep in the plane, and other things. They stretched the Avid, and used a Stratus EA81.

I watched David Goode in Nikiski, Alaska, build his. Have lots of photos somewhere. Baggage door on left sid, bigger rudder, etc.

Sound thinking, IMHO, J3 baggage is only for a toothbrush, and soap!

Ed in MO

Edited 21 Jan 2012 by Ed In Missouri

[SuberAvid 617]

I may have my wife convinced to let me buy the Airdale flyer kit.

I'll have to sell off the J3 restoration project I have in the garage but I think it might be worth it. I've been so impressed with the performance of this Avid especially in the off airport landings/ takeoffs that I would love to see what the Super Avid (Airdale Flyer) can do. Currently I don't have any sort of baggage area setup in my Avid, the STOL wings and one wing tank. I'd love to have more HP up front and some baggage space for camping/fishing supplies in the back. Right now as i'm set up, my Avid is just an around the local area machine and i'd love to upgrade it and go exploring while being able to carry enough fuel and supplies to overnight somewhere.

I'll probably have to sell off the old Avid STOL at some point but wouldn't mind holding on to it until I get the new toy flying.

Do any of you have any experience with the new Airdale flyer? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Darcy, I have the Airdale Avid+ which is almost identical to the regular Airdale except that it is set up to use bungee gear instead of aluminum spring gear. It is 18" longer and 6" wider with a much larger balanced rudder. The mixer assembly is under the pilot seat and it uses push/pull cables to the flaperons so the area behind the seats is completely open. There is 6' from the seat truss where the bungees wrap to the rear of the cargo area. I have the Stratus Subaru EA81, 100 hp, in mine and it burns about 3 to 3.5 gph at cruise so it gives you good range out of the 28 gal fuel capacity. I kept my Avid MKIV flying while I built the Avid+ and that made it a great experience; I really enjoyed but I would probably been frustrated and a much less enjoyable experience if I didn't have the Avid to fly while I was building the Avid+. I attached some photos of fishing and camping with the Airdale Avid+. The great thing about the Avid+ is that is cruises hands off like an arrow; I have flown it 50 miles without touching the stick and you could do that until it ran out of fuel if the air was calm enough. Yet it still flies and handles like an Avid MKIV so It is just as fun to fly. I really love the plane but it is hard to keep from overloading it since there is so much room. The plane still flies great but takeoff and landings are longer and obviously it is not a good practice.

[EDMO 1078]

Actualy, I remember reading an article long ago that said John Larsen modified his Avid, and called it the "Pursang", and the Airdale was copied from it.

I would love to have a copy of the photo which shows the tent by the Airdale, but don't know how to get it to print.

Ed in MO

Edited 21 Jan 2012 by Ed In Missouri

[C5Engineer 1170]

Do you have the cargo bag? It's no baggage area but it offers quite a bit of room. I can get all my tools, tent, bedroll, pillow, jackets, ect into mine. When I go backcountry camping I use a backpacking style backpack. I have to pack light not for weight but just for the amount of space I have. Here are some pics of my set up. I did an 8 day trip once.

[marshawk 82]

Hi Darcy, I am building and Avid + right now and Randy and everyone else on this forum have big help. I fly a kitfox 2 now while building and it is a good idea to keep your Avid for flying since the building process can be kinda long. The Avid + like Randy says has a huge storage behind the Folding seats. I am presently trying to fit a Kitfox 5 cowl on the front and after that step is down things should move alot faster.

Good Luck Willis

[TheDeltaFox 0]

Thanks for all the replies. Over the weekend and a 6 hr car trip with the wife, i came to the decision to sell the J3 project and when that's gone get the Airdale kit. I really like the idea of having a 4 stroke and 100hp up front with the extra baggage room.

The "outlaws" moved to southern British Columbia this winter and it would be nice to go visit them for a couple weeks a year with the bigger plane and explore the hills and lakes around there.

I'd like to hold on to the MKIV while I build but not sure if that'll happen. Sure is a fun toy to have though.

Brett should hire you guys as his advertising team. Some of those photos of your plane sitting on a beach with the supercubs is awesome. It's like having a supercub at a fraction of the cost and you can do all the maint yourself in the bush or your front lawn. I'm sold.... Now off to find someone looking for a J3.