---------------------------------------------------------- L29-List Digest Archive --- Total Messages Posted Wed 06/30/10: 4 ---------------------------------------------------------- Today's Message Index: ---------------------- 1. 08:34 AM - thinking about buying again (David) 2. 08:43 AM - Re: thinking about buying again (RAMPEYBOY@aol.com) 3. 08:52 AM - Re: thinking about buying again (Bill Culberson) 4. 03:52 PM - Re: thinking about buying again (SD737@aol.com) ________________________________ Message 1 _____________________________________ Time: 08:34:26 AM PST US From: David Subject: L29-List: thinking about buying again I'm in the need/mood to avoid the airlines again. They make me so angry with their teeny tiny seats, handling people like cattle, and now EXTRA charges to take your luggage with you. I mean significant extra money. They want $25-40 *each* to carry my wife and my standard luggage on a flight out to see the grandkids. Plus, of course, we can't take our small dogs with us without HUGE extra money. It was cheaper to buy these 13 lb dogs a regular human's seat than go as a pet, but of course, they would not sell us one that way. Anyway, I want to fly my own anyway, so I'm thinking of several possibilities. The L-29 was my first thought (again,) but of course, the fuel is the killer for routine cross country flights. This particular time we/I'll be going from north Alabama to the south Denver area. Also, I want to stay out of class A airspace because I'm a curmudgeon, I guess. If the bird I get is unpressurized I'll need to stay below 12,500 our course because there are no oxygen solutions for the two dogs. With an L-29, my wife (who will be going commercial airliner anyway) will be giving her seat to the dogs. So a two seater with adequate baggage space will be fine. I want the L-29 for the fun factor and the speed, but the fuel is probably killer at 109 gallons/hour. I haven't done the actual flight planning yet but I think it's about 1800 miles, so at 17,500 feet that's what, about 5 hours each way in the L-29? So roughly 1,000 gallons of Jet-A yielding just *fuel* cost of over $4,000 roundtrip. I can't afford that on a routine basis. Another possibility is a Lancair 360 that just came on the market. It's about 200 kts cruise at roughly 10 gal/hr, according to the ad. Definitely affordable as far as fuel, but a lot of money to put into a single engine prop type. I have a Mustang Aeronautics Mustang II that I've converted to an auto engine but I need three small items from a fab shop but no shop in my area will build anything if i don't buy about a thousand units of each piece and I have to supply the original drawings. That is entirely impractical, of course. I don't need 3,000 widgets to pay for just to get 3 pieces. It should cruise at 170 mph on about 5 gal/hour if I can ever get it finished. It's airframe has 770 hours on it already so the plane itself is proven. Built originally in 1972 (the year I first started flying lessons.) Any other ideas, guys? Whichever bird I wind up with, I'll need to get my local instructor to help brush the cobwebs out of my rusty skills, and also to get my biannual. Thanks, David M. ________________________________ Message 2 _____________________________________ Time: 08:43:45 AM PST US From: RAMPEYBOY@aol.com Subject: Re: L29-List: thinking about buying again David, my Mustang II project has temporarily stalled. However, I still think in terms of transportation for one or two, it is near the best so far as economy/cost. You could build it for much less than some of the other kits, fuel will be competitive with other kits, and the speed can be excellent. Just my two cents worth. BTW, I love the L-29, but I'll never have the IFR rating, so it just won't work for me even if I had the dough. Boyce ________________________________ Message 3 _____________________________________ Time: 08:52:23 AM PST US Subject: RE: L29-List: thinking about buying again From: "Bill Culberson" Well, don't buy an L-29 for cross country use or because of the "spacious" seats. Also, I would NEVER put anything in the back seat that could accidentally turn off the fuel, instruments, and any other thing that goes on the back seat. The L-29's purpose is for tactical jet training and not for anything else. I would stick to the reciprocating types for your mission..... -----Original Message----- From: owner-l29-list-server@matronics.com [mailto:owner-l29-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of David Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 9:32 AM Subject: L29-List: thinking about buying again I'm in the need/mood to avoid the airlines again. They make me so angry with their teeny tiny seats, handling people like cattle, and now EXTRA charges to take your luggage with you. I mean significant extra money. They want $25-40 *each* to carry my wife and my standard luggage on a flight out to see the grandkids. Plus, of course, we can't take our small dogs with us without HUGE extra money. It was cheaper to buy these 13 lb dogs a regular human's seat than go as a pet, but of course, they would not sell us one that way. Anyway, I want to fly my own anyway, so I'm thinking of several possibilities. The L-29 was my first thought (again,) but of course, the fuel is the killer for routine cross country flights. This particular time we/I'll be going from north Alabama to the south Denver area. Also, I want to stay out of class A airspace because I'm a curmudgeon, I guess. If the bird I get is unpressurized I'll need to stay below 12,500 our course because there are no oxygen solutions for the two dogs. With an L-29, my wife (who will be going commercial airliner anyway) will be giving her seat to the dogs. So a two seater with adequate baggage space will be fine. I want the L-29 for the fun factor and the speed, but the fuel is probably killer at 109 gallons/hour. I haven't done the actual flight planning yet but I think it's about 1800 miles, so at 17,500 feet that's what, about 5 hours each way in the L-29? So roughly 1,000 gallons of Jet-A yielding just *fuel* cost of over $4,000 roundtrip. I can't afford that on a routine basis. Another possibility is a Lancair 360 that just came on the market. It's about 200 kts cruise at roughly 10 gal/hr, according to the ad. Definitely affordable as far as fuel, but a lot of money to put into a single engine prop type. I have a Mustang Aeronautics Mustang II that I've converted to an auto engine but I need three small items from a fab shop but no shop in my area will build anything if i don't buy about a thousand units of each piece and I have to supply the original drawings. That is entirely impractical, of course. I don't need 3,000 widgets to pay for just to get 3 pieces. It should cruise at 170 mph on about 5 gal/hour if I can ever get it finished. It's airframe has 770 hours on it already so the plane itself is proven. Built originally in 1972 (the year I first started flying lessons.) Any other ideas, guys? Whichever bird I wind up with, I'll need to get my local instructor to help brush the cobwebs out of my rusty skills, and also to get my biannual. Thanks, David M. ________________________________ Message 4 _____________________________________ Time: 03:52:45 PM PST US From: SD737@aol.com Subject: Re: L29-List: thinking about buying again Still cheaper and faster to fly the airlines. What's a few bucks for your bags? You could always ship your bags FEDEX or UPS and pay them twice what the airlines charge. In a message dated 6/30/2010 8:52:44 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, bculberson@staraviation.com writes: --> L29-List message posted by: "Bill Culberson" Well, don't buy an L-29 for cross country use or because of the "spacious" seats. Also, I would NEVER put anything in the back seat that could accidentally turn off the fuel, instruments, and any other thing that goes on the back seat. The L-29's purpose is for tactical jet training and not for anything else. I would stick to the reciprocating types for your mission..... -----Original Message----- From: owner-l29-list-server@matronics.com [mailto:owner-l29-list-server@matronics.com] On Behalf Of David Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 9:32 AM Subject: L29-List: thinking about buying again I'm in the need/mood to avoid the airlines again. They make me so angry with their teeny tiny seats, handling people like cattle, and now EXTRA charges to take your luggage with you. I mean significant extra money. They want $25-40 *each* to carry my wife and my standard luggage on a flight out to see the grandkids. Plus, of course, we can't take our small dogs with us without HUGE extra money. It was cheaper to buy these 13 lb dogs a regular human's seat than go as a pet, but of course, they would not sell us one that way. Anyway, I want to fly my own anyway, so I'm thinking of several possibilities. The L-29 was my first thought (again,) but of course, the fuel is the killer for routine cross country flights. This particular time we/I'll be going from north Alabama to the south Denver area. Also, I want to stay out of class A airspace because I'm a curmudgeon, I guess. If the bird I get is unpressurized I'll need to stay below 12,500 our course because there are no oxygen solutions for the two dogs. With an L-29, my wife (who will be going commercial airliner anyway) will be giving her seat to the dogs. So a two seater with adequate baggage space will be fine. I want the L-29 for the fun factor and the speed, but the fuel is probably killer at 109 gallons/hour. I haven't done the actual flight planning yet but I think it's about 1800 miles, so at 17,500 feet that's what, about 5 hours each way in the L-29? So roughly 1,000 gallons of Jet-A yielding just *fuel* cost of over $4,000 roundtrip. I can't afford that on a routine basis. Another possibility is a Lancair 360 that just came on the market. It's about 200 kts cruise at roughly 10 gal/hr, according to the ad. Definitely affordable as far as fuel, but a lot of money to put into a single engine prop type. I have a Mustang Aeronautics Mustang II that I've converted to an auto engine but I need three small items from a fab shop but no shop in my area will build anything if i don't buy about a thousand units of each piece and I have to supply the original drawings. That is entirely impractical, of course. I don't need 3,000 widgets to pay for just to get 3 pieces. It should cruise at 170 mph on about 5 gal/hour if I can ever get it finished. It's airframe has 770 hours on it already so the plane itself is proven. Built originally in 1972 (the year I first started flying lessons.) Any other ideas, guys? Whichever bird I wind up with, I'll need to get my local instructor to help brush the cobwebs out of my rusty skills, and also to get my biannual. Thanks, David M. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other Matronics Email List Services ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post A New Message l29-list@matronics.com UN/SUBSCRIBE http://www.matronics.com/subscription List FAQ http://www.matronics.com/FAQ/L29-List.htm Web Forum Interface To Lists http://forums.matronics.com Matronics List Wiki http://wiki.matronics.com Full Archive Search Engine http://www.matronics.com/search 7-Day List Browse http://www.matronics.com/browse/l29-list Browse Digests http://www.matronics.com/digest/l29-list Browse Other Lists http://www.matronics.com/browse Live Online Chat! http://www.matronics.com/chat Archive Downloading http://www.matronics.com/archives Photo Share http://www.matronics.com/photoshare Other Email Lists http://www.matronics.com/emaillists Contributions http://www.matronics.com/contribution ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- These Email List Services are sponsored solely by Matronics and through the generous Contributions of its members.