Thorp Air Command - T18.net

The original Robert's 4-place shows up on Barnstormers every couple of years. Not sure who has it now. It came to KY Dam a few years back. Maybe 2 adults and 2 kids.

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

While the 4 place S-18 sounds like a good solution. I am not willing to go THAT experimental. If there were a bunch of them flying around with great success, then that would be a different story. But with only one flying and only another project that never flew, well...I think that says something.

Building a plane is already a daunting task. I realistically do not desire to make it any more daunting than it already is. The history and knowledge and support of the standard T18 and S18 is something I would want to stick with.

The wife is not much of a flyer anyhow. But my previous puddle jumper was not a practical transportation machine (83 mph Aeronca Chief). If we have a plane that we can actually use as a magic carpet and a traveling tool with higher wing loading that she won't feel every bump from a butterfly flapping its wings, may make her more ameanable to flying. Adding approaximately 100 mph to the previous planes speed will do wonders for it to be a magic carpet.

And what is to stop us from buying a mooney or soemthing even if I have a S18???? Other than money of course.

One other question:

If I bought these damaged wings and brought them back to life. And I bought a partially completed S18 fuselage, would there be any problem getting a repairman's certificate for the completed ship? Afterall some of those RV "fast build" kits are at least as much previously constructed it would seem.

You could always reach out to a DAR (or the FSDO) in your area and tell him the whole story about the wings and fuse you are considering, and ask him if he would be willing to issue a repairman certificate. That way you would know before buying them.

Also see if you can sit in a T-18 or S-18 with your wife before building one. I bought my T-18 and brought it home to find out my wife was not comfortable in it....she has never been flying in the T-18 with me....but I still love my Thorp. Its the best thing out there.

Bill Williams,

I'm VERY seriously considering your offer and trying to figure out a time that I may be able to come down and take those damaged S-18 wings out of your hangar.

Do you believe it is reasonable to be able to stack and fit all three sections (center and two outer) into the back of a standard 8 foot box of a full size pick-up truck? This would be with a "cap" on/over the box. If so, it would save me the cost and loss of gas mileage of having to rent and haul a U-Haul trailer.

The truck I have does NOT have working Air conditioning. So I would be looking more towards fall when things start cooling down to pick them up.

The center section is just over 8' long and a little over 4' wide. It will all fit; you will need to leave the tailgate down and maybe the cap door open. As long as you don't have a work box or some other stuff in the back, you should be OK. I've hauled a similar load.

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Bob Highley
N711SH
SN 835
KLAL

Well. Good news!

I confirmed with Bill that I will take the damages wings off his hands and out of his hangar. Now it is just a matter of working out the schedule to load them up.

One possibility is that I pick them up a day or two before, or a day or two after Kentucky Dam. And I could attend that on the way down from WI to FL or on the way back. Two birds, one stone sort of thing.

I will also need to obtain S18 plans one way or another. I'd like to try to save a few bucks and find someone who has a set they are not going to use. But will buy new if that doesn't work out. The dollars saved will go towards tools for the project.

My advice, pay Cubes for a fresh set of plans. Your planning on building an airplane, saving a few bucks on second hand plans may not be the best approach when you need support from thorpcentral. In my opinion the price of a new set of plans from Jim is very reasonable. Cubes is doing the Thorp community a great service, let's support him as much as we can!

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

^^^ Good Point!

Lee, I saw your info on the 4-place, and was wondering if you had any more info, ie. technical stuff. I have been looking around, and am considering the s-18 very highly. What I would like is a 2+1.

Norm,
I have the Roberts plans. I really don't intend to get into marketing that airplane.
Cubes

2 + 2 T-18 on Barnstormers . $45,000 . BOO YA !

RB