Do It Yourself... In Record Time!

Glasair Aviation tells ANN that it is now possible to build and taxi a new Sportsman in two weeks, and start flying in three. The company recently conducted a "beta test" of a revolutionary "2 Weeks To Taxi" customer assembly program for its Sportsman 2+2 aircraft where customer, Marc Cook, went from quick build kit to 1st flight in 22 days.

The project started on January 9th and, working only 8-hour days, five days a week, Cook completed his aircraft on January 27th, and made his first flight on January 31st. An FAA representative toured the new program and facility; reviewed the extensive program materials; inspected Cook's Sportsman; and, concluded that both the aircraft and the program comply with the letter and spirit of the 51 percent rule relating to Amateur-Built aircraft.

Upon completing his new Sportsman, Cook labeled the program "truly revolutionary", stating that, besides the rapid completion time and high quality finished product, the most impressive feature of the program was the valuable education he received about building and maintaining his Sportsman. He noted that he understood and knew more about maintaining his Sportsman in three weeks than he learned on his own about the previous composite homebuilt he built and flew over a period of three years.

Glasair Aviation will debut the new "2 Weeks To Taxi" program at Sun 'n Fun, with deliveries estimated to be available starting the 4th quarter of 2006.

According to Glasair President Mikael Via, "Traditionally, the biggest objections to a kit aircraft have been: (1) the huge time commitment required, (2) the uncertainty of the total cost of the finished aircraft, and (3) the uncertainty of one's skills to complete a quality project. All of these obstacles have now been eliminated with our unique '2 Weeks To Taxi' program," said Via.

"Before they even start, '2 Weeks To Taxi' customers know how much it will cost and they are comforted by the fact that, with assistance of our staff and use of our facilities, tools and fixtures, it will only take them two weeks to complete the project."

"During the two weeks, customers are immersed in a recreational and educational setting. They take full advantage of our resources and have access to things that 'home builders' would not normally have access to, including the use of hundreds of fixtures and technical assistance from our staff. More importantly, customers receive instruction on proper assembly and maintenance techniques - frequent reference is made to FAA's Advisory Circular 43.13, the Sportsman Assembly and Maintenance Manual and Pilot's Operating Handbook. It's a unique program that delivers a complete aircraft to the owner for a fixed price at an amazing schedule."

"While traditional kit builders can take up to 10 years to complete their aircraft, '2 Weeks To Taxi' opens the thrill of building to an entirely new group of pilots. Using a two-week vacation, anyone can complete their Sportsman and taxi it. With another week of safety inspections and finishing touches, they can enjoy the thrill of flying the aircraft that they built."

The Sportsman 2+2 can be configured as a tricycle or taildragger to accommodate two adults and two children or the rear seats can be removed to haul more baggage or camping equipment. The aircraft can be flown with wheels, floats or skis. It has a 1,000-pound useful load and lands or takes off in 400 feet. With the new Lycoming I0-390, it cruises at 170 mph.

FMI: www.glasairaviation.com