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This is what homebuilt aircraft should be about - True genius - simple solutions for a complex and expensive problem - building an aircraft. Totally awesome concept- Revolutionary! As soon as Vision has a 4 place with slotted flaps, I'm in or should I wait for a high wing version?
Wade Bush <wadebush@iowatelecom.net>

Bill,

Thanks for the contact and I'm glad you had a chance to be in touch with George. Scott Vanderveen is handling the four place people right now and you can contact him at arrow2411@comcast.net although I wouldn't be doing anything to convince you to sell your RV and start this. As you mentioned, we aren't pushing a product until it is done and flies and the RV has already done that. There isn't any magic in any of the planes out there and the numbers should be in line with anything of similar design but estimates are just estimates until they are proven. Please do contact Scott and keep up with his project as well as Greg Reid's 4 place. These seem to be leading the way and should have flying examples in a reasonable amount of time.

Steve

Gabe,

A manual built simple VFR plane with one of the inexpensive motors such as a used Lycoming O-290 can still be built for right around 20,000. There will certainly be many who put more than that into their instrument panels and who purchase every service and part they can but even those will be less than the cost of many current kits before they even start. The big financial advantage of scratch built planes is also in the ability to meter out the cost over time. This is what makes it truly affordable.

Mark,

I am in the process of changing hangars right now and the facility to make parts is out for a couple months. I can still do them in a small quantity but took the page down for the moment. You can still see it at http://VisionAircraft.com/Parts.htm and I will be looking to have them available by April in full quantity or for someone to license the rights to them and the Vision as a sister kit.

Gerrit,

I am happy that you have found the Vision site and I have your info pack/CD combo ready to go int he mail. The 2+2 program is being headed up by Scott Vanderveen arrow2411@comcast.net and none are flying or offered publicly at this point. Scott is heading up the beta builders who are pioneering the plane. None have been built with retracts and my feeling is that it would add unnecessary complexity with little performance result. On the other hand it should not be too difficult to accompilish so if it was still you wish then you are encouraged to make it a reality.

Steve, I've been to the web site so many times it makes me sick...Just bought a house with an airplane building facility (2 car garage). Vision plans for Christmas I hope! Maybe a Turboprop...anyone building one?
Joel Wilhelm <jwilhelm@teldatawest.com>
Phoenix, AZ USA - Friday, November 22, 2002 at 16:08:01 (EST)

While a STOL version could certainly be designed, it is hard to beat a high wing tube and rag plane for weight and rugged construction. The Pegazair seems to fit the bill well. I'm sure a motivated person could take the Vision manuals and add some wing area and flaps while taking off as much weight as possible but a low wing is not as suitable for use on fields where rocks and debris are thrown up by the prop and gear. It might be fun to deal with the challenges but they would certainly be there.

While a Vision could be put on floats and flown that way, a low wing presents such problems with docking, and spray over the wing in all but the smoothest water that a high wing on floats is a much more suitable solution. ........Steve

Chris,

You can always stop by my hangar and take a peek. I enjoy visitors but I am generally fairly busy somewhere on the airport so give a call a few days in advance and then a few hours before you arrive. I can't stress enough that at this time there IS NO 4 PLACE Vision. We have 5 people who are taking the plans and building their own version with some help but they are doing their own homework, solving their own problems, and working as a group. I barely find time to touch my own plane, much less be too involved in this with people who are not pretty self motivated anyway. As such, there are no predictions of potential performance. There is no guarantee that any will even finish or that I will have time to help. The only thing I can say is that landing speeds will be held down to Part 23 levels under 60 mph and top end will be based on engine and the degree of sophistication these folks choose to go to in order to achieve it. This is a completely different plane and, unless you would do this yourself anyway- with or without help- should not even be considered an option. Planes like the KIS Cruiser are already out there if you need a 4 place composite plane.

Steve

Dave,

The Vision construction method lends itself well to being modified simply. I am always willing to help someone working in a different direction on a development basis. This means that if you get started we will work to solve the problems and modifications TOGETHER. I can guarantee that I will NOT spend the time to sit down and design an entire new airplane that may never be finished when the main concentration must remain with the majority of people who are building 2 place side by side planes. It seems that too many people lose sight of their base group of builders while indulging their desire to create something new so, as is the case with the few 4 place builders, I will not sit down and design a new plane for you but will be happy to help you work out the details as they come up. On all the variations that are going on I prefer to see them done by builders who would do them on their own anyway but a tandem is a fairly small stretch (no pun intended). Experimental aviation was supposed to be a category that would breed new developments but airplanes that arrive in big boxes have tended to make us timid and lazy about changes. If you can create something new based on this platform then I fully support you and wish the best. Hope you can get her to go for the engine and prop ;-)

Steve

Hi Interested in your aircraft. What is the fuel consumption at cruise speed ...what is the stall speed (in knots) Approx all up cost, type of engine, approximate time to build for 1st timer,registerable in Australia? bagage weight allowed and do you know of any other builders in my area (Gold Coast Australia) SE Queensland. Thanks Derek
Derek Anderson <castle@bigpond.net.au>
Gold Coast, qld Australia - Monday, July 23, 2001 at 07:35:26 (EDT)

Derek--- With the EA 81 the fuel consumtion at 150 mph was around 5.5 gal/ hr. Sean Ponosnby's O-320 burned about 10 ga/hr at around 180 at Sea Level and a little over 200 mph at 8000'. Stall on a regular Florida day is around 43 -45 kt depending on wing and weight carried. Work is currently starting on slotted flaps which will lower that and allow a gross weight increase. Sean and I both built ours in 2000 hours all work included. I list higher numbers to allow for people procrastinating while building. Contact George Lendich or Derek Lobwein about Australian builders and feel free to read through the site for all these answers.

James, The Volkswagen may develop the hp but without gearing would not have the torque necessary to launch a plane the size of a Vision. There are a lot of smaller planes that a VW will work well with but the Vision is not one. A little further explanation can be had here.

Steve

Found you through Google/aircraft directory on page 2; manufacturers. You are right, I have looked at a lot of kits on line. Also, I have looked at classifieds for people selling partially finished kits. I found some of those I would like, but cannot contact them for one reason or another. Is it possible to use a VW engine, or Porche aircooled?
James A. (Jim) Meads <jam9817@hotmail.com>
Bryan, TX USA - Wednesday, June 06, 2001 at 08:30:42 (EDT)

I think it is a good idea to post responses to some of the questions. I tend to get a "little" long winded in explanations at times (I hear a few of my good friends laughing already) but will post some of them as a seperate web page when I have time and put a link on the guest book as a response. Thanks so much for the thought. I will follow through as best as I can.

Steve Rahm Vision001@VisionAircraft.com

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