Thank you for your concerns everyone. It's nice to feel as if other people value your life, heh. The good news is, i value my life as well, so i can assure you, i won't go out trying to get myself killed. There seem to be 2 questions the 3 of you collectively pose, and i'll try to answer them the best i can.
Why do i want an ultralight over a registered machine?
I'd probably say cost here. I won't say that's the only reason, or even that i'm trying to get in the sky as cheaply as possible, but it's probably the main reason i'm thinking of going ultralight. It's not necessarily the cost of building a machine, but the collective upfront cost of getting training and a sport pilot license, and registering a machine, etc etc. I can spread a lot of those costs out by going ultralight. I want to be clear that i ABSOLUTELY will get sufficient flight training with CFI to the point that they are comfortable with me doing solo flights with a Student pilot's license. And i won't begin building or even finalize any ideas i have about gyros until after a good bit of initial training.
After training and being allowed to fly solo, i really don't see the difference between a bought used machine, a machine from a kit, or a machine from plans. As I'm inexperienced to flying, but not inexperienced to fabrication, i'm probably more likely to buy a lemon of a used aircraft than i am to screw up building from kit or plans.
I also think, whatever i fly first, whether it's a used, kit or plans, they will all be equally unfamiliar to me, unless i somehow manage to get a machine similar to what i'll trained in.
Why go with your own design?
As for
my own plans, that's kind of a strong phrase. "My design" will most likely be a slightly modified version of a proven design, and most will be non-flight related changes. I don't have any specific ideas for changes, just very general ones. For example, i have some experience with composites (none with carbon fiber, but i've got a few years to practice with it), and I think i can make a monocoque frame using carbon fiber with vacuum infused resin, giving such a frame maximum strength and minimum weight. Also, since i would be doing the lay ups myself instead of buying prefab'ed carbon fiber tubes and bolting them together, the cost looks like it can be pretty economical (we'll see in a few years what the price of CF does, heh)
Most of my ideas for changes aren't as big as that one, but i've got some neat ideas. I also feel it necessary to say, i wouldn't dare make such a big change, or any change, to a proven design without out tons of research, peer/community opinions, and peer/community advice.
The last thing is, like i said in my original post, before i can even touch a tool to build a gyro, years are going to pass. I've got a lot of time to learn from all of you, learn from local-ish PRA members. I've got a lot of time to get flight training and get used to handling a gyro before i ever finalize any decisions. Most importantly, i've got plenty of time to evaluate my abilities and change plans if necessary.
On a little side note, I live in Austin, Tx. I'm pretty close to both Dallas and Houston, and it seems those 2 cities have good people with a wealth of gyro knowledge and experience. Knowledge and experience I intend to draw on.
ChopperGabor said:
Hi Ronnie. I guess I am one of "those" who had dreamed up and built my own design and my own desire of what my machine should look, and fly like. So I can't really blame you for doing so 2 years was the time it took me to build mine. Don't do the ultralight way. It always suggests that you don't want to get training and you will be stoned to death (virtually of course) on this forum if you do so! Good luck with your dreams. It can happen!
I CAN NOT stress enough, how INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT I believe training to be. Right now, i'm leaning in the Ultralight direction. That may change in the next few years. Whether it does or doesn't, i will definitely, 100%, undoubtedly get training from a CFI!