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With the rush up to Xmas over, yesterday was a time of contemplation (thank you Christmas on Sunday!). Big projects (been building a house for the FIL next door) and the Porsche is finally moving towards being on the road in 23.

There is some background , but I will promise the question will be soon!

Which brings me to looking ahead as I tend to think in 5 year blocks of time. I have always wanted to fly, but never have had the time. 2023 will be 55 for me, so i am starting to realize it is now or never. Poop or get off the pot as it were.

I have several friends who have done fixed wing. They were rabid flyers for a while, but then drifted off as the 'effort' of driving to the airfield and not any 'real' reason to fly (other than a $200 hamburger) got in the way.

Which is why I have been eyeballing Helios of the last few years. I was lucky and have 6 acres in MD on which I could easily have a 'hanger' and could fly directly out of. I have noticed that most 'toy' Helios are disposable. Take the Robinsons for example. After timing out, they are required to go back to the factory and you are basically buying a new old one.

Also part of the puzzle is I would like something vintage. Just like the p-car it is about something to maintain as well as the joy of driving it. I get there are all sorts of certifications and the like for aircraft maintainer. That hoop is not quite on the radar yet.

Since helios are expensive and bought to be used they, like industrial equipment, are run till the hours are done. Which brings me to the questions to help me formulate a long term plan...

Parts on flying things time out. If those parts are not available (and with small run manufacturing they probably are not) can they be made.? Most anything can be copied and made for reasonable money anymore. Could obsolete parts be made and put thru a 'certification' process (like getting X-rayed)? This is the big one in my current thinking of how to plan for a vehicle. Cheap outlay but sweat equity and over time cash outlay trade. As this will be a toy, there is always the experimental category, but I have not dug into what that fully entails yet...not that I would not 'do it right' as nobody wants to do it wrong, just that the certification hurdles may be prohibitive yet the custom parts are just dandy safety wise.

Again, having seen friends do this for fixed wing several ways, the 'best' path seems to be to test ride (decide you want to), then buy and use your own vehicle to learn in as money you would be paying for rental is put into your vehicle instead (whole own vs rent arguments in housing which I will not debate the merits of here).

Which brings me to my to my two current choices and the reason for the parts question. I have a big thing for the KA26. The counter rotating design is super cool and strokes my agricultural hardware fetish (i do have a Unimog!). They do pop up overseas, but are very timed out,, but very cheap... but part of my fun would be the rebuilding over time so that is not an issue for me if it takes me 3 years to complete. They are piston engines, so no weird turbine parts to try and find. Just a matter of pulling the old timed parts and getting new ones made if that is possible. The only special bit I have no idea about yet are the rotor blades. I have not been able to dig that info up yet as those might be prohibitable expensive to have made. That said they might be an 'untimed part'...

Which brings me to choice number 2... a Bell 47. It has the unique advantage of the earlier models having wood rotors which have no time limit of operation! The big disadvantage is that barn finds are rare. So it would be cost up front. Before covid I was tracking several high hour birds in the $80k range which would be doable and have enough hours still to get my flight time in. Currently quarter to half time birds are in the $100 to 150k range. Really steep for me. So higher time with spread out repair costs is more doable for me.

Third option is to do a new mosquito kit and just have a good time for $30k, but that is me alone as it is a single seat.

I apologize for the bit of a diatribe for what is a single question, but it seems like the background plan might influence an answer... given there may be options that are rarely used due to nobody with operational equipment wants to wait for.

Appreciate any answers and feedback!