I’m a bit wary now, but please check your PM and I can share my DD and it might be useful for you and save you some time.
Throwing a spanner into your thought process, at LOAN sits an airplane worth looking at…
https://www.planecheck.com?ent=da&id=41763
planecheck_D_EGGN_41763_pdf
Price quite similar but certified, faster, better range and a quite beautiful example of the gy80.
Bog standard O320 with half time and 8.33/mode S done.
The horizon has quite a nice speed for 150hp and good payload. There appears to be a club supporting it in France. This one looks like a well maintained exemplar.
Snoopy,
I read the whole thread again just now.
In a way I think this Alfa may well be a good plane for you nonwithstanding the comments here. Any airplane will have things which are challenging, however,
This one appears to be in excellent condition
You have direct access to HB Aircraft who not only know it inside out but who do support them, all in your own backyard so to speak. That in my view is as good a reason as any to consider a plane like this.
It is cheap to operate and will be adequate for what you are looking for.
If you shy away from non standard planes, I would think you need to look at old Piper PA28-140 or Grumman Travellers or C172 to get something so universal that anyone everywhere can fix. But with the manufacturer of the Alfa close at hand, this one should be as reliable to operate and possibly still cheaper if you want to get involved yourself.
So PPI pending I would probably go for it.
Thank you Mooney for the comments.
Mooney_Driver wrote:
Throwing a spanner into your thought process, at LOAN sits an airplane worth looking at…
Has been for sale forever. Another prototype like the alfa. It looks nice, but something tells me “nooooo!”.
Mooney_Driver wrote:
This one appears to be in excellent condition
Some ends do. Other do not (e.g. rust traces on the nosegear). They tell me that the plane might have been neglected/parked outside before the current owner bought it. These rust traces outside could indicate corrosion inside. Something for the PPI to explore.
Mooney_Driver wrote:
You have direct access to HB Aircraft who not only know it inside out but who do support them, all in your own backyard so to speak.
That’s an advantage. However, it depends if HB-Aircraft is the “national” TC holder/DAH or if HB as a person is. The latter would mean the aircraft cannot be supported anymore (legally) by the aviation authority when the builder as a person dies. Not a huge factor, but something to consider with homebuilts.
Mooney_Driver wrote:
It is cheap to operate and will be adequate for what you are looking for.
If it works well and doesn’t involve fixing problems all the time, yes. What use is cheap operation if you can never fly it.
Mooney_Driver wrote:
Piper PA28-140 or Grumman Travellers or C172
Probably a better solution, yes. Hard to find anything though, and I’ve been looking, believe me.
Snoopy wrote:
That’s an advantage. However, it depends if HB-Aircraft is the “national” TC holder/DAH or if HB as a person is. The latter would mean the aircraft cannot be supported anymore (legally) by the aviation authority when the builder as a person dies. Not a huge factor, but something to consider with homebuilts.
The aircraft is an experimental isn’t it? By the very nature of being non certified, an experimental homebuilt cannot be “supported” by anyone. It can only be maintained, kept airworthy. Regs differ from country to country, but typically this means some “authorized” entity has to do yearly maintenance, or some “authorized” entity has to do yearly assessment of the aircraft. In Norway the original builder, a certified mechanic or organization, or someone approved by the CAA can sign off the books. For microlights a yearly assessment is done, since the owner does the maintenance.
It would be very odd if the original designer, also being a certified organization, producer of parts, the kit and the engine, could not do all necessary maintenance.
Snoopy wrote:
If it works well and doesn’t involve fixing problems all the time, yes. What use is cheap operation if you can never fly it.
Sometimes you just have to jump into it 
But I think I would talk to other owners rather than the internet in general for info on those kind of problems.
Thanks @lesving
The owner/builder can do maintenance and issue release. Every 24 months it needs an ARC from an approved organisation. National law, as you say.
There can be a problem if owner and builder are separate persons, as is the case after a sale. For instance, you want to change some parts: then the builder can change it, amend the POH, get authorization from the CAA if required (new engine etc..). The owner however, can’t do that if the builder is dead. According to the authority, they have always found a solution for such a case, but it is not straightforward. LeSving wrote:
Sometimes you just have to jump into it But I think I would talk to other owners rather than the internet in general for info on those kind of problems.
That’s what I’ve been doing ;)
so Snoopy, what happened in the end?
Curious since we have 1 of those on my field… the builder/owner is quite happy with it, and it is being flown regularly.
We had another one, owned by a good friend of mine, unfortunately that story didn’t end well. A few years ago the owner asked me to perform a pre-buy inspection as well as a flight evaluation of the aircraft. All was good, and following a positive recommendation, he bought the Alfa.
2 years ago said pilot took off, and truly crashed and burned… the recently published report points to a spin/stall, but is inconclusive. Shocked and saddened to this day…
That’s terrible :(
I decided to pass on this one. For someone experienced with non certifieds who can deal with all the potential issues it might be ok, for me not so much.
