Trade Avid B airframe nice

[EZFlap 12]

At 2AM yesterday, sitting in the garage scratching my head... I finally figured out that the nice certified 4 stroke engine I wanted to use for the Avid B (Franklin 2A-120) simply will not fit this aircraft without a large amount of modification. The engine mount will either go through the oil tank, or go through the intake system. Any of this would require cutting up and modifying a perfectly good airplane.

 

The other good 4 stroke options (R-912, HKS) are too expensive (for my unemployed ass to afford) at this moment.

 

So the proper thing to do is to put this in the hands of someone who is operating in an area where a 2 stroke (582, Simonini Victor 2) would be safe, or someone who has access to a 912 or HKS engine.

 

I repaired the damage to the fuselage. I bought a new replacement set of landing gear. The airframe is now nearly in flyable condition. I'm willing to repair the one remaining damaged wing part, and replace the one remaining damaged wheel. This will make a really nice airplane for someone, and I'm pissed off that it won't be me.

 

Instead of coming up with a cash sale number, I'm specifically looking for trades. Do you have a Cassutt or C-150 and want to go Light Sport? Do you have a glider and want to fly powered aircraft? Do you have a nice car but really want a folding wing STOL bushplane? I will consider trades, but no large trade-plus-cash for a significantly more expensive aircraft.

 

Bill  victorbravo ^at> sbcglobal ! net

Edited 31 Jan 2015 by EZFlap

[Av8r3400 1179]

Did you know that HKS is back in production? These make an excellent engine in an early (light) Avid or Kitfox.

Here's an Avid C with one: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IOnOrQKaH6M

[1avidflyer 1983]

I've seen a few of them (HKS) on Barnstormers in the last 6 months or so for around $5000. Should be a nice engine on a light airplane. Jim Chuk

[C5Engineer 1170]

Key word being light. I have 20 hrs behind one and side by side the same machine with a 582 would outperform it in every aspect except fuel burn they sip gas. With two people on board it was marginal. I think it would be a better match for a single seat skyraider or maybe an A model.

[EZFlap 12]

Sounds similar to the comparison between the Lycoming 65HP engine and the Continental 65HP engine....

[EZFlap 12]

The Avid Flyer Model B is now up for auction on eBay, with a low starting price and a low reserve price. This will make someone a really nice little airplane. Good luck bidding.

[KFfan 151]

Will your law firm work on contract?

[EZFlap 12]

I do have that smart-ass gene, don't I

[EDMO 1078]

EZFlap,

I just got a call from a "Bill" in Arizona who wanted to ask about buying my Kitfox 1, because he has Kitfox 3 wings and tail to build from - I told him about your Avid on ebay - He was going to check it out. Guess I just lost a possible sale, but that's OK. I may just part mine out.

Where are you located? California? That's closer to him than Missouri, and I wont box mine to ship.

Is $995 the reserve price too?

I have his phone number if you want to talk to him.

EDMO

Edited 19 Mar 2015 by Ed In Missouri

[EZFlap 12]

Thanks so much Ed, I appreciate it.

 

No, $995 is not the reserve price I have a lot more money and time in that project than $995. Not trying to get rich, but trying to see enonugh out of it that I can get something else that is more suited to my needs.

 

I am in Los Angeles, 4 miles west of Van Nuys airport.

 

If he is serious he can call me, I put my phone number in the eBay listing. You have done more than enough by just telling him about the airplane on eBay, thank you sincerely.

[EDMO 1078]

Thanks so much Ed, I appreciate it.

 

No, $995 is not the reserve price I have a lot more money and time in that project than $995. Not trying to get rich, but trying to see enonugh out of it that I can get something else that is more suited to my needs.

 

I am in Los Angeles, 4 miles west of Van Nuys airport.

 

If he is serious he can call me, I put my phone number in the eBay listing. You have done more than enough by just telling him about the airplane on eBay, thank you sincerely.

I usually put my bottom $ as the starting bid - no need of wasting others time with reserves.

EDMO

[TJay 1041]

ya know Jabirus and vw are really nice engines too, they will perform great when set up right and neither are that expensive. You really don't need to sell your bird because one engine doesn't fit. There are many to choose from bud.

[EDMO 1078]

ya know Jabirus and vw are really nice engines too, they will perform great when set up right and neither are that expensive. You really don't need to sell your bird because one engine doesn't fit. There are many to choose from bud.

You could sell the engine that wont work, and buy one that will work when you can.

EDMO

Edited 19 Mar 2015 by Ed In Missouri

[EZFlap 12]

Small world!  Ed, the guy you pointed towards me is a very good friend of mine, Bill Reid. My favorite old cranky helicopter gunship driver. He called me, and I finally put 2 and 2 together. The Avid Flyer is definitely not going to be a comfortable aircraft for him. He is taller and larger than me, he's dealt with knee problems (2 new STC-PMA units installed), and would probably never be comfortable in it.

 

Another reason for my wanting to let the Avid go is that other cirumstances, life and aviation, have changed recently. I'm going to put my old Cessna 172 back into airworthiness in its original configuration, while waiting to complete the long certification process  for the tailwheel conversion parts. There will be a year lost waiting for that, and I'm tired of not flying... so I'll be flying the 172, carrying around an extra set of landing gear fittings buried in the belly, until I can finish the FAA stuff on the new taildragger gear legs. In plain English, that means I will have something to fly.

 

TJay, the Jabiru is too expensive for my budget and the VW is too heavy for an early short fuselage B model Avid. The 912 is also too expensive (and complicated) for my taste. I can afford a 582, but despite Joey's really kind and well-intentioned advice I still am not a 2-stroke lover. If for some reason I don't find a new home for it, and I have some other problem with the 172 that prevents me from flying this summer... then I might give in and put a 2 stroke Hirth or Simonini on it if I can find one at a price I can pay.

 

But there is indeed a lot of karma in aviation, and this Avid may be a dream airplane for someone that it is far mroe right for than me.

[Cropduster13 11]

EZ please stay away from hirth's if you go 2stroke there's only one way to go, ROTAX.

[EDMO 1078]

EZFlap,

I had the idea that Bill was an A&P just trying to fit his set of wings and tail onto something he could sell. He could probably do better by just selling the wings.

You probably know by now that I like nose-draggers and 4-strokes, and would sell that 172 tailwheel or use it for a boat anchor! Ha!

Good Luck on your Avid sale.

EDMO

Edited 20 Mar 2015 by Ed In Missouri

[akflyer 1427]

Lol, I'm pretty sure that ezflap is bill... he has a lot of people hanging on the edge waiting on the tail wheel stc. If I wasn't into floats, I would have a tw 172 with an 0360 in the nose in a heartbeat!

[EZFlap 12]

Yeah... about that...  Last week I learned that I would have to raise another $30K in order to finish the landing gear drop test series, pay for DER's, DAR's, and two more sets of very expensive landing gear parts for use in "destructive testing". I also learned that the FAA would take almost a year to do their part. This is after I've already spent about 50 grand worth of cash and engineering consulting time.

 

When I informed my wife of this, she said that this project was probably going to result in me getting a VIP ride in the back of a Cadillac station wagon. She was closer to being right than I would admit.

 

Having run out of money for the second time on that project in 3 years, I have to postpone it until I can raise the money to do it the right way. I've done everything first class so far, and I'm not going to cut corners now.

 

There are two Bill's in this episode... my friend Bill Reid from NV/AZ is the one who called EDMO about the KF parts, and the other Bill is me.

Edited 25 Mar 2015 by EZFlap

[EDMO 1078]

I think I have $200 invested in my Foxy nosewheel design and fabrication! Next, is me testing and approving it...

No STC for AB Experimental - That's the way I like it!

EDMO

Edited 25 Mar 2015 by Ed In Missouri

[SuberAvid 617]

This is not a great picture but what is that on the end?  I figured there must already be an STC to convert a 172 to a TD.

Edited 26 Mar 2015 by SuberAvid

[Av8r3400 1179]

Yes. There are a couple of tail dragger conversion STCs, I believe. Bill is attempting to offer a better mouse trap.

[akflyer 1427]

Yes. There are a couple of tail dragger conversion STCs, I believe. Bill is attempting to offer a better mouse trap.

Yes bill is trying to offer a better mousetrap... like we seem to have to find better things like wheels and brakes. Kinda like the Cleveland 6 bolt wheels and double puck brakes I got yesterday, I didn't have to have them, but for 500 bucks I guess it was worth fighting with the wife for 2 hours in the counselors office about yesterday. For some reason she thinks the shoe boxes in her closet are not the same thing as old tires stacked up in the shed

[KFfan 151]

Of course they are not the same.

The tires will probably serve some useful purpose!!!

[EDMO 1078]

My wife bought 2 books and an iron skillet this week on ebay - So she can stand on the books and hit me over the head for bidding on a propeller!

EDMO

Edited 26 Mar 2015 by Ed In Missouri

[TJay 1041]

must not have won it, your still around ha. or maybe she missed.