Our first aircraft will be selected collectively by founding members using a defined set of criteria. This page lays out what we’re evaluating and which aircraft families we’re seriously looking at. Nothing is decided yet — that’s the point. Founding members make this call together.
Our Selection Criteria
Every aircraft candidate is evaluated against the same set of benchmarks. These reflect what we need as a club flying from KMGC with real cross-country missions in mind.
| Criterion | Target / Notes |
|---|---|
| Safety record | NTSB accident rate review; preference for designs with strong safety histories and forgiving handling |
| Support community | Active type club, parts availability, online builder/owner knowledge base |
| Useful load | Target 400+ lbs to allow two adults with bags and full fuel |
| Cruise speed | Target 160+ mph TAS — meaningful time savings over typical trainers |
| Fuel burn | Target under 8 gph to keep wet rate costs reasonable |
| Hangar fit / runway compatibility | KMGC Runway 2/20: 4,100 ft — all candidates must be comfortable at this length |
| IFR capability potential | Preference for designs that can be equipped for actual IFR operations |
| Total cost of ownership | Acquisition + annual + insurance + reserves, modeled per-member per-hour |
Aircraft Families Under Consideration
Van’s Aircraft RV-6A / RV-9A
Type: Two-seat experimental amateur-built / Van’s Aircraft kit | Typical acquisition cost: $50,000–$90,000
The RV series is the most popular family of experimental aircraft in the United States by a wide margin — there are thousands of examples flying, with an enormous support community, active type clubs, and a deep knowledge base. The RV-6A and RV-9A are side-by-side two-seaters with conventional tricycle gear (6A) or the more docile, forgiving RV-9A variant optimized for cross-country touring.
- Cruise speed: 160–180 mph TAS
- Fuel burn: 6–7 gph
- Useful load: ~500–600 lbs typical
- Seats: 2 (side-by-side)
- IFR potential: Yes — many examples are fully IFR equipped
Mission fit: Excellent for cross-country travel, proficiency flying, and day trips. The most proven design on our list with the lowest risk profile for a first club aircraft.
Considerations: Two seats limits passenger capacity; excellent per-seat economics. Very forgiving to fly.
Long-EZ / Cozy III / Cozy IV
Type: Canard pusher experimental | Typical acquisition cost: $40,000–$80,000
Burt Rutan’s Long-EZ is one of the most iconic homebuilt designs ever produced. The Cozy III and IV are derivative designs offering three and four-seat capacity. Canard configurations are aerodynamically stall-resistant — the canard (forward wing) will stall before the main wing, making a deep stall essentially impossible. These designs are fast and efficient.
- Cruise speed: 170–185 mph TAS
- Fuel burn: 6–8 gph
- Useful load: ~450–650 lbs depending on build
- Seats: 2 (Long-EZ), 3–4 (Cozy)
- IFR potential: Yes — many examples equipped for IFR
Mission fit: Excellent range and efficiency. Cozy IV in particular offers real four-seat capability with strong cross-country credentials.
Considerations: Canard designs require a checkout period for unfamiliar pilots. Pusher configuration requires awareness of prop clearance on the ground. Build quality varies significantly — careful pre-buy inspection is essential.
Glasair III
Type: High-performance two-seat experimental | Typical acquisition cost: $60,000–$120,000
The Glasair III is among the highest-performance two-seat experimentals available — capable of 200+ mph cruise on a Lycoming IO-360 and built from composite materials. It’s a serious cross-country machine that punches well above its weight class.
- Cruise speed: 200+ mph TAS
- Fuel burn: 9–10 gph at cruise
- Useful load: ~500–580 lbs
- Seats: 2 (side-by-side)
- IFR potential: Yes
Mission fit: Best-in-class speed for trips where time matters. Turns a 3-hour drive into under an hour of flying.
Considerations: Higher fuel burn increases per-hour costs. Higher performance demands more from pilots — more demanding checkout requirements. Two seats only.
Velocity
Type: Four-seat canard pusher experimental | Typical acquisition cost: $70,000–$130,000
The Velocity is one of the few truly capable four-seat experimental aircraft available in this price range. Like the Cozy, it’s a canard pusher design, but larger and optimized for four adults with baggage. Velocity Aircraft is still producing kits, giving it ongoing factory support.
- Cruise speed: 180–200 mph TAS
- Fuel burn: 8–10 gph
- Useful load: ~700–900 lbs (design-dependent)
- Seats: 3–4
- IFR potential: Yes — many examples certified for IFR
Mission fit: If we want to regularly fly four people, the Velocity is one of very few experimental designs that genuinely delivers. High useful load is a major advantage for club operations.
Considerations: Larger footprint requires more hangar space; canard checkout required. Higher acquisition cost.
Light / Simple / Efficient Group
Designs: Sonerai, KR-2/KR-2S, Thorp T-18, Pulsar, Zenair CH-650/750, Quickie Q2/Q200
Typical acquisition cost: $15,000–$50,000
This group represents the lower end of the cost spectrum — simpler designs, lower horsepower engines, and frequently 1–2 seats. While they don’t offer the performance or payload of larger designs, they’re affordable to acquire, cheap to operate, and fun to fly.
- Cruise speed: 120–160 mph TAS (design-dependent)
- Fuel burn: 4–6 gph
- Seats: 1–2
- IFR potential: Limited in most cases
Mission fit: Local flying, proficiency building, and fun day trips. Lower buy-in lowers the barrier for a first aircraft while we grow membership.
Considerations: Limited utility for longer trips or multiple passengers. May serve better as a second aircraft once the club is established.
Just Aircraft / STOL Designs
Designs: Just Aircraft SuperSTOL, Highlander; similar: Kitfox, Rans S-21
Typical acquisition cost: $50,000–$100,000
STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) designs represent a different mission profile — backcountry strips, grass fields, and recreational flying over terrain where a fast cross-country airplane would be impractical. If a segment of our membership is interested in backcountry and recreational flying, these designs offer unique capability.
- Cruise speed: 100–130 mph TAS
- Fuel burn: 5–7 gph
- Seats: 2
- IFR potential: Limited
Mission fit: Recreational flying, grass strips, and destinations that no certified spam-can can reach. Midwest and Upper Peninsula of Michigan fly-outs.
Considerations: Not optimized for long cross-country flights. Best considered alongside a faster cross-country aircraft.
Beechcraft Bonanza V-Tail (Certified Stretch Candidate)
Type: FAA-certified single-engine retractable | Typical acquisition cost: $80,000–$200,000
The Bonanza V-Tail is the longest continuously produced aircraft in history and one of the most capable certified singles in existence. We include it as a certified alternative to the experimental candidates for members who are not comfortable with experimental aircraft operations. It offers true IFR capability, familiar training, and strong resale value.
- Cruise speed: 175–185 mph TAS
- Fuel burn: 12–14 gph
- Useful load: ~900–1,100 lbs
- Seats: 4–6
- IFR potential: Fully IFR certified
Mission fit: Excellent cross-country and IFR capability. Familiar to most instrument-rated pilots. Strong resale market.
Considerations: Significantly higher acquisition and operating costs than experimental alternatives. Certified maintenance rules increase costs. Higher fuel burn. Less flexibility for avionics upgrades. We include this as a reference point rather than a primary candidate.
How We’ll Decide
Founding members won’t just vote on gut feeling. Before any decision is made, we’ll work through a structured evaluation:
- Model the full cost per member per hour for each candidate
- Review NTSB accident data for each type
- Contact type clubs and owner communities for real-world input
- Inspect actual aircraft for sale in our price range
- Assess maintenance and annual inspection requirements
Then we vote. That’s how it works in this club.
Want a vote in this decision? Become a founding member today.