Rick Titsworth

Lancair ES - N727RT

The Lancair ES is a four-place, fixed gear, composite structured kit plane. It was derived from the popular and sporty Lancair IV, (but with a fixed gear and somewhat larger/more docile wing). Likewise, the Columbia 350 & 400 (Certified Airplanes) are later descendants of the ES. I started this Lancair ES project in the Fall of 2005 and spent five weeks as the factory builder’s assist, working on the wings to get a jump start. The wings and control surfaces are now largely complete, but not body-worked. The fuselage kit is built from a top and bottom shell. I have pre-fit them together and installed the windows and door. However, I am working on the top and bottom separately and won’t bond them together until the plane is almost done (since it is easier to work on when it's “wide open”). It will be powered by a TCM TSIO-550 (350+ HP engine), and it will have a max/high cruise of nearly 250 KTS TAS @ 25,000 FT (expected normal/economy cruise of approx 210 KTS TAS @ 18,000 FT). With 125-GAL primary fuel tanks, + 25-GAL aux tanks, and a normal cruise fuel burn of 18 GPH (LOP), the useful range will be well over 1500 NM. When will it be done, you ask? Saturday, of course! It’s just a matter of "which Saturday" (LOL)! Stop by my on-line project notebook at http://www.N727RT.com for more background and/or to follow the progress.

Al Bosonetto

Thorp T-18

I bought plans for the Thorp T-18 from John Thorp in the Spring of 1975 after looking at several designs and talking to builders at Oshkosh. I spent many months of studying the planes before I actually started building. I spent the next 7 years building, working on some part almost every day. N8AL, as brought to Pontiac airport in the Fall of 1982, was a standard-body standard-gear, standard-wing airplane. I re-worked a Lycoming 0290-GPU off an airboat to a 0290 D 135 HP. The first flight was on November 5, 1982. In 1987, I upgraded to Lycoming 0320 150 HP, Swinging a Sensenich 66-74 wooden prop with fiberglass leading edges. Over the years, I have replaced almost every gauge and radio. I now have a Fly Buddy Loran, Icom radio, Narco transponder, ACK altitude encoder and an NAV-Aid wing leveler. The airplane has a 29-GAL tank, and it burns about 7.5 GAL/HR. I normally cruise at about 165 MPH. It is a fun airplane to fly, but like all tail-draggers, you have to pay attention to it when it is on the ground. N8AL now has about 570 hours.

Craig Sawka

Looks like a lot of work. Get 'er done!