This is a posting I made in the wood section. Plans for this Culver Cadet replica aircraft (Elliptical wing and horizontal stabilizer, retractable oleo strut gear) are still available, in case you want something "classic" that gets good gas mileage, too.:ban:
"The plans to the Cadet STF are the best I have seen. Have you ever seen full scale drawings for a fuselage or wing? That is what comes in this plan set. Everything is 1/1 (drawn full scale). All ribs, vertical and horizontal stabilizers, all of it, are drawn full scale. Most of the plans come in drawings that are individually rolled for that assembly and some small parts are on smaller sheets, but are still drawn full scale. My set of plans came in a big 3 feet by 7.5 inch by 13 inch box. I don't see anything that could be left to the imagination. Everything is so detailed and clear. The designer is a retired aeronautical engineer from Boeing Wichita and flies his own STF that he built. The story that was written about him and his STF by EAA is interesting. If you are curious how you are going to get a set of hydraulic jacks to do swing tests of the gear, then don't worry. You get a set of plans to build jacks, too, using off the shelf parts. This jack is for 1300 lbs or less and uses a 2 ton bottle jack you can get just about anywhere. These jacks look like what you see at the airports. If I am not satisfied with my own welding for this aircraft project, then I can at least tack weld everything and have a professional welder do the rest. I have never heard of an in flight separation of welded steel tube fuselages. The cockpit section to the STF is one big steel cage and I have read that steel tube has been rated as best for a landing off airport in an emergency. You should see the spar carry-through structure. The drawings have a full size drawing of the wing spar and how to assemble it. You also get full scale drawings for engine baffles, cockpit canopy area, and windshield. There is also an instrument panel (1/1), and electrical diagram. The retractable landing gear is an "oleo" type like on many factory built aircraft and there are full scale plans for that, too. There is alot of paper in this plan set!! I have seen plan sets for other aircraft that were on display at Oshkosh. The STF set is the best I have seen."
For more information, address, email, etc. go to the Aircraft Spruce and Specialty website. The information there is up to date.
"The plans to the Cadet STF are the best I have seen. Have you ever seen full scale drawings for a fuselage or wing? That is what comes in this plan set. Everything is 1/1 (drawn full scale). All ribs, vertical and horizontal stabilizers, all of it, are drawn full scale. Most of the plans come in drawings that are individually rolled for that assembly and some small parts are on smaller sheets, but are still drawn full scale. My set of plans came in a big 3 feet by 7.5 inch by 13 inch box. I don't see anything that could be left to the imagination. Everything is so detailed and clear. The designer is a retired aeronautical engineer from Boeing Wichita and flies his own STF that he built. The story that was written about him and his STF by EAA is interesting. If you are curious how you are going to get a set of hydraulic jacks to do swing tests of the gear, then don't worry. You get a set of plans to build jacks, too, using off the shelf parts. This jack is for 1300 lbs or less and uses a 2 ton bottle jack you can get just about anywhere. These jacks look like what you see at the airports. If I am not satisfied with my own welding for this aircraft project, then I can at least tack weld everything and have a professional welder do the rest. I have never heard of an in flight separation of welded steel tube fuselages. The cockpit section to the STF is one big steel cage and I have read that steel tube has been rated as best for a landing off airport in an emergency. You should see the spar carry-through structure. The drawings have a full size drawing of the wing spar and how to assemble it. You also get full scale drawings for engine baffles, cockpit canopy area, and windshield. There is also an instrument panel (1/1), and electrical diagram. The retractable landing gear is an "oleo" type like on many factory built aircraft and there are full scale plans for that, too. There is alot of paper in this plan set!! I have seen plan sets for other aircraft that were on display at Oshkosh. The STF set is the best I have seen."
For more information, address, email, etc. go to the Aircraft Spruce and Specialty website. The information there is up to date.
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