Lindy
The Wittman Tailwind W-10
This Tailwind belongs to Jim Rust, click on the pic to see more!
The time has come to start building again, and this time, it's a plans built airplane. Unlike last time with the RV-7 that came in a kit with 99% of the parts pre-formed, pre-punched, and match drilled, this airplane will be built with raw stock materials. All you get...is this-
So why am I doing this? Well after finishing the RV-7 and flying it for a year, I find that I have this empty spot in my world that used to be taken up by countless hours of thinking and planning out what to do next on "the project". Since the project is now a full fledged airplane, I am really missing that project in the garage/hangar. I bought plans for a Hummel Bird, then ended up with a Thatcher CX-4 project to finish. I had always liked the Tailwind, but never gave it any thought beyond that because I was afraid of welding. What do those last two sentences leave me with today? Well the Hummel Bird plans were traded for a set of W-10 Tailwind plans, and the Thatcher project was sold. I learned to weld, and it turns out, it's NOT HARD to learn and do well!! My mission profile has always been a fast, fun, capable airplane that my wife and I could do some traveling in. The RV-7 fit that profile perfectly, expect for one major factor. Cost. The RV is one of the most capable airplanes out there. It's just expensive. I had myself convinced that we could swing it, and to tell you the truth, we can. But it does mean sacrificing in other areas. That was fine for a while, but Brittne and I had a good long talk this summer...yep, most of the summer...and when it comes down to it, we don't want to sacrifice some of the things we have been, and it made sense to sell the RV-7. That's a hard pill to swallow after spending five years building something to flight status. BUT, as I said earlier, I LOVE building and having a project, and the Tailwind will do all the RV does (except aerobatics, which I don't care much about) on about 1/4-1/3 the budget. I like that.
So with the RV out, what do I fly in the meantime? I'll figure something out...I just wanna build again!
The W-10 is a truly composite airplane being constructed of 4130 tubing for the fuselage, wood for the wings, aluminum doors, boot cowl, floor pans, and baggage area, and a fiberglass or carbon fiber cowl and wheel pants. The most common engine used today, and the one I will probably use, is the Lycoming 320. Other's used are the Lycoming 360, Continental O-300, O-200, various V-8's, and rotaries. Empty weights are averaging 850lbs, and with a 1450lb gross, they are capable cross country traveling machines. Oh, and they are FAST! 160kts easily with the 320 (Red Hamilton races his O-320 powered W-10, and regularly achieves speeds in the 220mph range, with a top speed officially recorded at 232MPH!!).
Should be a fun project and a blast to fly!