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Talking about seeing and sitting in an LSV, I went to a very informative Skycatcher presentation. See my writeup from November 6, 2010:
http://www.cessna150152.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=287006&page=16

I seem to recall a lot of pre-judgement from folks because it's made in China.

A lot of folks can afford a C-162 -- including me if I wanted to shell out that much dough. It's about the price of a new Mercedes, and I see plenty of those around. Fractional ownership is also an option. From what I understand, Cessna is selling Skycatchers as fast as they can make them.

Here ya go:

[Linked Image]

Merry Xmas!

If the liability wasn't so high, I had thought of manufacturing RV12s and selling them in basic paint for around 80K. Do one a year or so. It is by far the easiest/quickest RV to build. Looking for an abandoned kit if anyone knows of one.

The problem with that is that it would still be an "amateur built" plane, so each one you build would be called a "Terry Gardner RV12..", and you would always have that liability hanging over your head.
I've heard many home builders remark over the years that they would rather "cut up" their plane than sell it.

Actually with the ELSA,(unlike the EAB aircraft) I understand it is labeled as a Vans RV12.
However, even if you follow Van's ASTM Compliant Plans exactly it probably wouldn't slow the pesky lawyers down! I certainly understand the "cut it up" line of thinking.
The whole situation is sad really...

Unfortunately, that's true. ELSA RV-12s have Vans listed as the manufacturer, but the lawyers will make the argument that the builder assembled it.

Good, Fast, Cheap ... pick any two.

The X-Air certainly chose Cheap. The question is which one of the remaining two choices did it pick....

After watching this video of the X-Air LSA [avweb.com], it makes the Piper Cubs I've seen look quite polished.

If anything, the X-Air proves the point that the fit and finish of a 162 Skycatcher comes at an appropriate price.

As the guy said, it has roughly the performace of a Piper Cub....so the question begs, for some $20-$30K less you could have a nice cub in the LSA category, even someone who has done a total referbushment on their Cub generally sells for around $15K less than this, so for me its a no brainer

Not to mention, you get the Nostalgia value in the Cub also

I'd even own a Aeronca or Taylorcraft before one of these also - both really fine aircraft by comparison (and cheaper).

Cheers

Kirk, You appear to be expressing cheap as being a bad thing?

Bill
Grants Pass, Oregon

"Cheap" can be taken two ways.
Years ago, if you saw "made in Japan" it was taken to be cheap as is poorly made. My, how things have changed.