How do the new Taylorcrafts fly?

[DMD]

Does anyone know much about the new Taylorcraft airplanes? Would they be good, reliable aircraft? Would they be good instrument rated planes? Do they ride nice? Is the noise level still pretty loud (like the older ones) or have they quieted down a bit? Any info. you have is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Ed O'Brien]

Re: How do the new Taylorcrafts fly?

If you're speaking of brand new from the factory in Texas Taylorcraft... Taylorcraft's shown on www.taylorcraft.com .. then might I suggest you look over the various threads on the matter -- such as "News From the Factory" 1, 2, and 3. After that, most of your questions will likely be answered. I guess you could say, right now, all the new Taylorcrafts are nothing but noise.

With regards; ED OBRIEN

[ROllerton]

Re: How do the new Taylorcrafts fly?

I hear they fly kinda slow, low and quiet. (;f

[crispy critter]

Re: How do the new Taylorcrafts fly?

I've heard they are having a lot of trouble getting them "off the ground",or "up and running".

[DanBrown]

Re: How do the new Taylorcrafts fly?

So where is the CG with a negative gross?

[CraigH]

Re: How do the new Taylorcrafts fly?

I've heard that their flight characteristics are very similar to the Moeller SkyCar.

[rotaxflyer]

Re: How do the new Taylorcrafts fly?

From what I hear they are great, but for some reason they only fly by night.

[Len Petterson]

Re: How do the new Taylorcrafts fly?

It has been my experience what well proven, at low cost, aircrafts gains alltitude better and stays aloft longer,as you have more left over for fuel.
With lights and rated pilot they even fly at night!
Nothing goes up aginst experience,what hold true for well kept aircraft as well.
Len

[VictorBravo]

Re: How do the new Taylorcrafts fly?

From what I hear they are great, but for some reason they only fly by night.

Now THAT's funny!

[Forrest Barber]

Re: How do the new Taylorcrafts fly?

HI DMD , not a Foundation member, welcome to the Taylorcraft Tribe , a loose assortment of knowledgable, Taylorcraft lovers and misfits.
As you can see we get rough on newcomers with our inside jokes and comments. I am the Tribal Chief at the moment with the dubious Title of Executuve Director of the Taylorcraft Foundation ( aka President) former Test Pilot for Taylorcraft and son of a former Test Pilot. THEY are a very wonderful airplane and fill many roles. If you wish to keep asking questions, do so on this thread OR e-mail me direct at [email protected] we have a fly-in each year in July at the Alliance , Oh Barber Airport see
www.barberaircraft.com I will be in the office a wee bit today and lots tomorrow.

[VictorBravo]

Re: How do the new Taylorcrafts fly?

Does anyone know much about the new Taylorcraft airplanes? Would they be good, reliable aircraft? Would they be good instrument rated planes? Do they ride nice? Is the noise level still pretty loud (like the older ones) or have they quieted down a bit? Any info. you have is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

In all seriousness, since some of us took the opportunity to take a whack at someone you don't know yet, I figure I'll give you a more useful answer to your question...

The Taylorcraft is a truly great airplane. You can count on your hand the number of airplanes with a 70 year history of reliability and success. The DC-3, the Cub, and the Taylorcraft are in that group. No other airplanes can lay claim to the kind of reliability and safety over that long of a period of time as these three icons can. The Cub is in production again, and selling successfully. If you want a new one you can buy one for something approaching 80 to 120 thousand dollars. The Taylorcraft company was trying to produce them again, but they are not solvent at this point and there are some serious questions about the integrity of one of the principals.

If you are considering owning a Taylorcraft (because it represents a better value than a Cub dollar for dollar), may I suggest that you spend about 1/4 to 1/2 the money that a "new" one would have cost from the factory and buy a restored classic version from the 1940's. The performance is more or less identical to the new "Taylor Sport LSA" model (assuming the same size engine). The performance of a Taylorcraft is higher than the performance of a Cub with the same engine. this is because the Taylorcraft was designed by the same person who designed the Cub, and the problems of the Cub were solved in order to make the Taylorcraft the improved design to replace the Cub... 70 years ago.

Buying an airplane that has 50 or 60 years of reliable operation under it's belt ALREADY is the best warranty you could ever get.

I always tell people that ask me about reliability... "How many 747's do you know of that have been flying for 65 years?"

The Taylorcraft is the best balance of low operating cost, speed, ease of maintenance and ability to operate safely in rugged conditions. In order to get better cruise speed performance on the same power, you have to spend 3 to 5 times the money on a new fiberglass super sleek European design LSA... but you lose a LOT to get that extra 30 miles an hour of speed. You lose the ruggedness of a Taylorcraft, you lose the short-field landing capability, you move away from the Continental engine which has the greatest reliability and safety of any airplane engine in history, you lose all connection with "classic" aviation history. The Taylorcraft does have its faults, but they are minor.

The Cub on the same power will have very slightly better low-speed capability, landing in a very slightly shorter distance, at the cost of 20% in cruise speed or more, and less creature comfort than the Taylorcraft.

With a used, perfectly restored, 85-100 horsepower Taylorcraft, you will spend 20 to 27 thousand dollars and get an airplane that will make you a better pilot than the planes costing 80 thousand. That is not a small thing, because piloting skill is what saves lives.

The best evidence of how great an airplane it is, is to read Chet Peek's book "The Taylorcraft Story", and see the checkered history of the company, from 1935 all the way to today.

The Taylorcraft design is so good, so solid, so classic in every way, that the airplane itself has survived in the face of... well meaning company founders and owners who were better designers than businessmen, a bitter fallout between two giants in the history of aviation, outright con men, liars and thieves, entire city populations passing the hat to save the company, probably 8 or 10 bankruptcies, the Great Depression, WW2, changing tastes, changing government regulations, rising gas prices, the Product Liability lawyers... and the old T-craft still is every bit as useful and desirable of an airplane as it was in 1936.

The noise level and instrument flight capability and "ride" are not as good in a Taylorcraft as they are in a Cessna 172. They are however equal to the other airplanes in the same class and configuration. There are many instrument certified Taylorcrafts, but if "big screen TV" equipment and routine instrument work is a primary factor in your decision then a 172 may be a better choice.

If you buy a Taylorcraft you will NEVER regret the decision. Oh, and the extra $75,000 in cash you'll have in your pocket won't hurt either

[Forrest Barber]

Re: How do the new Taylorcrafts fly?

When the reins are ready to be passed on , you Sir are in the front of the pack!! thanks Bill I just wish I had more time to devote to selling the virtues of Taylorcraft.
Just for the record ; this past week saw Doug Taylor, Taylorcraft Foundation Board member and Grand-Son of C.G. Taylor fly the prototype Model A ser# 25 for his very FIRST time as PIC in that ship. It was done here at 2D1 and I took pictures which I will post soon!!
Been another busy day, answering questions about the factory & selling parts.

[cpirrmann]

Re: How do the new Taylorcrafts fly?

So very well spoken VB. This should head the FAQ at the foundation site.

[VictorBravo]

Re: How do the new Taylorcrafts fly?

So very well spoken VB. This should head the FAQ at the foundation site.

Thanks Chris... I volunteered to help out the foundation with whatever writing skills I could scrounge together at their discretion. However, since I did that I have noticed one or two other wordsmith types lurking around, so maybe there is a sharper tool in the shed than I when it comes time. Either way's OK with me.

I'd share all my wild ideas about what types of things should be written out and made available to the Taylorcraft community... but then someone would likely ask me to do it all... and I'd have to put up because y'all know I can't shut up

[dedrekon]

Re: How do the new Taylorcrafts fly?

The new Taylorcrafts fly like a DREAM.