Almost finished my Luscombe 8a that had been sidelined to get 206 finished. Spent the day machine polishing the exterior with Meguirs 105 Ultra Cut, before I decal the outside. Inside looks as good as a 27k euro aeroplane is ever going to look.
I sold mine after keeping it in show quality, pristine but rarely flown condition for years (after buying a second plane)… Three days later it was 1800 miles away and on its back,wrecked. Be careful out there.
Had some time in an 8 many years ago – nice handling, very efficient, semi-aerobatic – but ideally suited for the more compact aviator.
Somewhere there is hopefully a classic James Gilbert flight review putting one through its paces, including some basic aerobatics. Perhaps a forumite has a .pdf of it.
I wasn’t sure where to post this, but this fellow’s YT channel documents his Luscombe trip last year on a 7000 mile loop around the western US. Not such a huge deal except that he’d only had his Private Certificate a few months before departing, having bought the plane to get it. Very nice video and narration quality and it shows what you can do in a very light plane, if you’re willing to plan and patient.
He’s adding segments weekly or so as he produces them. I’m interested to see his (intentional) off airport desert landing in a future episode.
Channel here https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCjVuLZt0rFQRISqHhYxVAVA
Teaser here
I think my Luscombe time is mostly behind me, but it makes me nostalgic, especially the sound of the idling engine with the window open. Low wing and power loading in turbulence, not so much.
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Now as an LSA. @silvaire, your opinion?
I think there are too many existing Luscombes in the $15-30K range for a new production aircraft to sell at several times that cost. Also, I don’t think many people spending new plane money would choose a Luscombe over other options. What has happened with past efforts to revive the design is that the company survives for a while selling used parts and so on, plus a couple of planes, then sells the assets to somebody else. It’s a 1930s design, a good one, but still a plane with the design and control issues of that era.
Thank you Silvaire, very informative. I knew almost nothing about the type. How does the L8 compare to the C140 derived from it?
I’ve just read C’est la folie and the sequel Je t’aime à la folie (more flying but not as good) as recommended by RobertL18C, and it was refreshing to read a non-aviation book where GA is completely normal.
