Considering (again) LSA or Patrol - new member NZ

[rooster]

I've been loitering around here for about a year. Recently my wife informed me that embarking on an aircraft build "would be a great project for our teen to be involved in". That's what I heard her say and I must strike while the iron is hot.

What's kept my not jumping in before now to a quickbuild kit has been concern that I will embark on a project that will become too complicated for me to finish. I'm technically minded, but I don't have the types of skills that seem helpful or necessary for this kind of project. I don't work with my hands in my day job, but I consider myself a good problem solver. I'm anxious that I'll need more skill than I have to interpret quickbuild build guides.

I'm considering an LSA or a Patrol. I'd be interested in the different missions people are using these aircraft for.

[Utah-Jay]

I had no skills and built a great plane. If I did it anyone can do it.

Go for the Patrol, way more versatility!!!

[Untainted123]

I don't know if NZ has or will have the equivalent of MOSAIC 2.0, but if so, I would skip the LSA and go for the Patrol if those are the options. In the USA, with MOSAIC 2.0, I don't see a valid reason to choose whatever compromises were made to get the LSA to fit within the parameters, and now you don't have to make that compromise and have a more capable airplane in the Patrol.

Unless your son or significant other is truly not aviation-inspired, I don't prefer tandems either, because inevitably they want to learn to fly or at least participate in the flight, and to me that's best done in a side-by-side. I like the Companion for that. You could also configure it as a sometimes 3 or 4 seater if small people and no baggage in a pinch.

No matter which one you choose, I think the consensus here is that:
1. All models are better than no models
2. Don't wait too long, it won't get cheaper, you and your kids won't get younger
3. If some of us have built airplanes, I bet you are smarter and more capable than we were when we started the journey, so I'm sure you can accomplish it. Modern day kit building is really more about perseverance than special skills. The skills and technology have basically been solved, you just have to stick with it all the way to the end.
4. Depending on where in the teens your teen is, the build completion will coincide with them having peak interest, before _their_ life intrudes, and that's moments and time you can't get back
5. <More reasons to go for it no matter what model you choose inserted here cause I could go on for a while>

Welcome to the community!

[jaredyates]

The Super Cub hasn't replaced the J-3 yet. There must be something that the smaller, lighter plane offers.

[Utah-Jay]

Untainted123 brings up a very good point about side by side seating!!!

Companion is a much more social plane, my wife loves it.

[Nev]

Where abouts in NZ are you ? I also had no experience building before starting, but very quickly met a couple of retired aircraft engineers who were keen to visit regularly. You'll find plenty of help along the way. Mine is a 4-place, usually flown with the back seat out (like a Ute) in the hills and on regular organized fly-ins.

[rooster]

The Companion is the new lead contender; thanks Untainted123 and Utah-Jay - good advice - the side by side and jump seat is a great combo.

Nev if everything goes to plan I'll be the hangar east of you .

Thanks for the welcome guys. I'm reassured by your comments and increasingly excited about the journey. I'll let the idea sit for a few days and then get cracking.

--Ben

[Nev]

Gotcha Well we should jump in mine sometime and visit the NZfarmer chap .

[NZfarmer]

Hi Ben, If you fancy a fly in a Patrol I'm Canterbury NZ based also

[gregc]

I'll be a contrarian and suggest that you keep the LSA in the mix, at least for now. There is a lot to be said for a simple, lightweight airplane with relatively low operating costs. Bob's design offers more performance with a small continental than many similar airplanes. Yes, there are a lot of folks on the forum smarter than I am, but they will pretty much always suggest something bigger. A typical post often looks like this; "forget the LSA, the Patrol is more versatile - no, you should build a Companion for the side-by-side seating - well, if you want a Companion, it is basically a four place with no back seat so go with the 4 place - heck, if you build a 4 place you will wish you had a model 5 so ......". The end result may be something much larger, complicated and costly to own and operate than you really need. Think about your mission, if this were a Cessna would you need a C140 or a C185 Skywagon?