Captain Avgas said:
Most of that "extra" will go into the panel......ha ha ha ha...heh heh heh...please excuse me 'cause my ribs are hurting from laughing so much. That's the funniest joke I've heard this year. It IS a joke isn't it...tell me you're not serious
The cost estimate on Vans website for a QB RV7 with a new O-360 (carbie), CS prop, lighting, pro paint job, and with tools...
but only VFR ....is $79520 to $88000.
And in addition....at the risk of really depressing you....Vans low end figures are notoriously tongue-in-cheek. In fact smart people use their high end figure as the low end figure.
I note that Vans don't even have an IFR option in their cost estimator any more....they probably took it out because it was frightening people.
Please enlighten us as to where this figure of <$50k came from (including a GNS 480). Is it a calculated budget/estimate...or is it just a number you wrote down on an ice-cream wrapper while you were visiting Disneyland.
Bob Barrow
NOT building a QB, save 8K...
Kit costs (basic airframe) - $19,000 (With electric trim)
Mid time IO-320 - $4500
My own FWF work - $3000 +/-
No paint
My own interior - $1500
Instruments (Gyro) - Free (Pulls out of airplanes I work on...)
Prop - Used CS off my Dad's Cardinal... ~$2500
Governor - $1500
Wow, I'm running out of stuff to spend money on... Up to $32000, If I go with EFIS instead of Gyros, I can plan on $8K for that UP to $40K, and then the GNS 480 for $9000 puts it at $49000. I'm sure I can do without the EFIS if I want, but without it I could afford an SL30 and Audio panel too... Transponder will be a cheapo Garmin digital probably ~$700.
Any more flaws with my plan?
Anyway, thats just a goal, who knows what it will actually cost.
And Ice cream at disneyland really is good, but messy for planning aircraft projects. Bottom line, keep costs down, don't go overboard with stuff you don't need. If you won't use it every flight, it's just extra weight and cost that shouldn't be in the airplane.
Case in point 2002 dollars (for those that say you can do this kind of thing):
Cessna Cardinal (Project, been sitting) $10,000
First annual, including prop overhaul, new tires, general upkeep stuff $6000
Brand new avionics (UPSat stack, PSe 7000b Audio panel, MX20 MFD, GX60 GPS Comm, SL 30 Nav Comm, SL70 transponder, with new encoder) $16,000
Total 7 months and $32,000
4-place IFR 120KT sports car -- priceless.
Since then we've overhauled the O-360 A1A for $11,000 with new supierior cylinders and cam. Redone baffling, rebuilt alternator, new wheel pants, a couple of speed mods, and we're seeing 130kt cruise, and have invested $10K less than the airplane is worth.
Yeah, i'm an A&P, and I know people, but that doesn't have a huge effect on much of anything. Most people can find an IA that will work with them on this kind of stuff, and do all the work themselves. Experimentals even more so. This hobby/business doesn't have to be as expensive as people make it out to be.
Edit: Also don't include the price of tools, since that is part of my business as an A&P.