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Timing of purchases

shanecfi

Active Member
Greetings all,

I am wanting to get a better grasp on big ticket items in our near future. We have completed the Empennage and Wing kits. Just started the fuselage kit. Working on the Firewall, Section 27. We had the fuselage kit delivered in February, of this year, and only just started on it in September. So we had a kit sit idle for several months. My big question is how long after placing the finishing kit order, and allowing for kit lead times, should we start placing orders for the engine and avionics? Is the point we are at now allow for a year or more before we need to order the finishing kit? We build about 20-25 hours a week.

I know there are a lot of variable like our pace and whom we order from. We plan on the Lycoming engine from Vans and a quick panel.

We just don't want 10's of thousands of dollars in equipment sitting idle for months.

Thanks for any input!
 
A lot of the timing depends on your ability to spend the $$$. It really boils down to do you want to wait (possibly months) for things to show up or if you want things ready for you when you are ready.

It took 3 months to get a custom panel from SteinAir and 6 months to get the engine from Lycoming.

As far as sitting around the engine will be fine, it's packed well from the factory for long term storage. The avionics risk is just simply will a new, improved version come out while yours is collecting dust waiting to be installed.

Also, don't underestimate how long the firewall forward and avionics will take .. two of us working many hours every day it took 4 months after the fuse was finished to complete the build. I expected weeks, it took months.

They aren't kidding when they say 99% done, 99% to go .. truth! :D
 
Greetings.

Some datum points for you:


Build times will vary quite a bit between builders. In my case, the FWF portion was super quick relative to the other kits. I did my own avionics and wiring, so that took a while.

Build%2BTimes.jpg




 
Order the avionics when you have nothing left to do, unless you'll be happy with what you buy today. Otherwise, you'll be selling what you bought for peanuts and buying avionics again....

Several years ago, I got a great deal (less than 1/2 retail) on a lightly used autopilot. Today you can buy a more feature-laden version from the same company, brand new, for less than I paid for the used one several years ago.
edit: that's just one example; want more??
 
I ordered the engine, prop, the FF kit and the avionics at the same time. They all arrived one year before first flight. One or the other could have waited a few months but not much more. I had just started on the finishing kit when I ordered.

I ordered the engine at the end of the Sun n Fun show special window. I could have held off until the Airventure show special window but if I had waited longer on either the engine or the avionics, the first flight would have been delayed.

I agree that holding off as long as you can on avionics is best, but don't underestimate how long it will take to install. Even if you have Stein build it, it will take a long time for them and you to get it in the plane.
 
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