Rumplestilskin here...

[Andrew G]

Worked at the Plymouth, MA airport since 12, eat, breathed and flew planes until 21, then off to college, moved to New York, got married, responsibilities piled up and now I am 56 living in CT and want to get back into flying. The planes I flew in the 70's are still very much on the scene. The big differences are; more rules (confusing), GPS/Weather (good), LSA rules (good), cool new LSA airplanes (good)... and I forgot pretty much everything I learned about maps, controller speak, and navigation (need start all over).

I was "this close" to buying a kit plane in 2011, but bought a fixer upper house instead. Now I am back on the scene and intrigued by all the LSA planes available. My goal is to buy a plane within the year. Mission; long trips with my oldest son who has special needs... but he loves to go on trips and fortunately physically able to do so. The two of us enjoy going to airports and watch planes takeoff and land. For his birthday last year we rented a plane and hired an instructor and went up for an hour... heaven.

Time for the old man to get back into it and I will be researching planes here on this great forum. I noted one challenge... can't fly very far with two men in an LSA by the time the BRS, luggage and Garmin are loaded.

Thank you, Andrew G

[Andrew G]

Thank you for the reply... to answer your questions;
I am 190 according to the pretty nurse's aid during my last checkup, but I swear I'm still 168...; ) son is about 160 = 350 lbs.

Good question about the mobility... he isn't terribly graceful, and I would have to guide him in/out... What I need to do is go to a Sebring or an Oshkosh and review the ins and outs of getting in and out. From what I can see on videos, the Tecnam 2008 looks quite easy for example... the Pipistrel not so much (for him). I prefer high wing (former c172 guy), but will look at the Vans 12 as that plane seems to be able to carry 350lbs + enough fuel to make 300+ miles each leg. I had a ride in a Kitfox 7, loved it... but I didn't pay attention to the entry/exit. And yes, the CTLS looks like a good airplane, I hope it gets out of its financing issues soon. Fortunately, the USA guy is nearby.

Thanks again, Andrew

[dstclair]

Andrew,

Looks like you've well on your way with your research. Looking at newer planes will definitely give you a good feel on the entry/exit ease. I'd also suggest you look at ~pre-2008 models of LSA as these tend to be much lighter than the more recent cousins. Some older models have very impressive useful loads.

[Andrew G]

Thanks Dave,

Agreed, but I want the factory installed BRS, autopilot, the fancy Garmin and the hot tub too...; ) Read the 1,320lb posts which really opened up my eyes on mission/plane choices, there is a lot of solid talent here which is why I joined. Great site.

I am an out of date Private Pilot - VFR, and I will re-up that license. What I am struggling with is all the alphabet soup on the planes themselves and what that means for me... meaning the LSA, ELSA, blah registrations, etc. overlay. I do want the option to fly at night... I am conservative and I know me I won't push the minimums, which will be an excuse to explore areas/cities during bad weather hiccups. It is supposed to be an adventure after all.

I will keep on researching and as I have said, I have to get to one of those shows and speak with the Dealers. Thanks all, Andrew

[dstclair]

I want the factory installed BRS, autopilot, the fancy Garmin and the hot tub too.

I think you'll find many used planes with factory BRS and autopilot. The latest Garmin, not so much. It could be possible to install the Garmin glass for much less $$$ than new (subject to manufacturer approval).

Case in point, I had most of the latest and greatest gizmos in my 2008 TL-Ultralight Sting S3 at the time of purchase (Dynons and a BRS) but no autopilot. The plane was equipped with mounts, though. I waited for Dynon to come out with their AP and installed one axis in year 3 of the plane (for $1K, including labor) and the second axis the following year. My wife then asked if there was a bigger GPS available than the G496 and it just so happened that Garmin had recently released the 795 A bit of panel re-engineering and in year 5 I had the big GPS (maybe net of around $3.5K). I also added a Skyguard ADS-B Out recently to ensure I got traffic. And my plane still comes in a svelte 804lbs

My suggestion is find the airframe/model you like, then check the market for one that may not have bloated as much.

[Andrew G]

Thank you all, what a great group... back in 2011 I re-started lessons and I did get the plastic card and the medical. I flew about 7 hours of lessons with my 22 yo instructor and the physical flight aspect came back but I was confused on the ground school stuff... Then I bought an antique house that required all of my "free" time for 2 years (happy wife...)... and dropped out.

Fortunately, the local airport is close and in first class condition. Tough to get hangars but doable.

Yes, I am not a Garmin snob, you are correct, I would like a glass cockpit and I think terrain and weather is just plain smart on long trips. My youngest wants to go to college out west (like in Wyoming), and to be able to fly there to visit is at the top of the bucket list. Flying to Oshkosh, sublime.

I am going to soon reconnect with the local airport and get back into the 172 again and get proficient. My logbook is still on the rack. That I think is a critical step. But this time, I am going through ground school first.

No glass cockpit though, good old VOR and a radio where the "2" button is actually a "4"... and the plane probably has 20,000 hours on it... you know the drill. The airport is known as having a squirelly (sp?) wind and it is perched on a table top...i.e. going past the end of the runway is not recommended as the cliffs are not terribly forgiving. A good place to learn.

From my research, I don't think the LSA's are as toughly built as the good old Cherokees or Cessnas from a hard landing perspective so learning how to land well -- every time -- is the goal.

Thanks again, Andrew

[3Dreaming]

I don't know what you know about the PBORII (Pilots Bill Of Rights 2), but Obama signed it into law 7/15/2016. The FAA has until 7/15/17 to work out the implementation details and put it into force. Since your medical was in 2011, you will never need another medical to operate as Private Pilot. All you need is get back up to speed and pass a Flight Review with a CFI. Don't be afraid of the glass cockpit stuff. It's the same as before except on a screen instead of multiple guages. The navigation is simply a Sectional (or other maps) on a screen. Doing another Private Pilot ground school is a good idea to get back in the swing of things. Flying LSA is easy but requires a lighter touch.

Actually he would need a medical to operate as a private pilot until the FAA implements the new rule. After 7/15/2017 if he did operate without a valid medical the FAA could take no enforcement action, but he would still be operating contrary to the regulations if has not been implemented.

[3Dreaming]

Something else to consider if the FAA doesn't get it implemented before 07/15/2017. While the FAA can't take enforcement action you would still be in violation of the regulations, and your insurance would likely be no good.

[Andrew G]

Ok, thank you for the information... appreciate it. Andrew

[3Dreaming]

3Dreaming paints the most pessimistic outlook. I feel confident the FAA will get the PBORII implemented well before 7/15/17. It's a moot point if you plan to fly LSA. You're good to go with a driver's license, about 5 hours of transition training, and a Flight Review. The Flight Review can be part of the transition training.

My hope is that the FAA can get it implemented, but looking at the FAA's past record doesn't give me much hope. Congress mandated that the FAA have part 23 for small aircraft certification rewritten by the end of 2015, and with any luck it will finally come out next year.

[HAPPYDAN]

Some schools (actually, their insurance) require a third class medical to rent their planes, especially for solo flight. Might be a good idea to check first. Mine did.

[drseti]

Delete...

Here we go again...

[Andrew G]

Purchased a new Flight Design CTLSi -- arrives in October. Meanwhile, received a tailwheel endorsement in a Cub recently, and, soon to take lessons in a Kappa. Hopefully, the PPL is active by the time the FD is assembled and ready in October. After working for 34 years, a jillion hours a week, and little vacation, my life long dream of once again getting back into aviation is close at hand. Looking forward to contributing to this fine forum.

[TimTaylor]

Congratulations.

[Wm.Ince]

. . . my life long dream of once again getting back into aviation is close at hand. Looking forward to contributing to this fine forum.

Great!
Welcome to the forum.

Are you a member of CT Flier Forum? It is a forum specifically for Flight Design CT owners and operators. It's another great resource for flying and taking good care of your CT.

Here's the link to it:

http://ctflier.com/