New Member

[braol]

Hello All!
I'm an ex-Air Force Crew Chief (F-117, F-16, A-10) and long-time private/IFR pilot who now owns a farm and am looking for something to fly off my 40 acres in Wisconsin. I've played with both Pietenpol and Aerodrome Aircraft kit pieces, but would like something that drags it's tail to get me into the air NOW, not 10 years from now. I'm tired of renting for what amounts to mostly local 'sight-seeing' flights (I know, I know...it really is cheaper that way) and I've realized that you only live once...so here I am on the 120/140 site.
Why a 140? Well, just like my history with sailboats: I started with Sunfish, slowly graduated to a 36' boat, and after all the hassle went back to the Sunfish. What I am essentially doing is short-circuiting the whole painful process and instead "buying the last aircraft you will ever own." Not that I've bought it yet...but that's why I am here. I need advice and also someone to tell me why (ALL things considered) a 120/140 is a smarter buy than a Piper Cub! My biggest fear is one day I will have to sell and a 140 might not have the audience of a Cub. From a practical point, I'm curious about the unimproved/grass strip capabilities of the 140...seeing that I plan to fly a plane from my 'back 40.' (Note: I like 140's because I never really was a fan of yellow...)
I look forward to hearing from all of you and perhaps checking out the 2021 gathering!

[a64pilot]

140’s will fly off of grass just fine, however your going to need quite a bit more of it than say for a cub or several other small aircraft, but you get an 105 mph or so cruise speed, and not many other 85 HP aircraft can claim that.

[V529]

What the 120/140 has going for it:
side by side seating
Toe brakes
A set of yokes
Metalized( you can leave it sit outside with a little more comfort)
A little faster than a cub
For my tastes.........easier egress, ingress.

What the Cub has going for it............ It's one of the big three. For every non airplane person there seems to be three airplanes;
A cub
A business jet
An Airliner
(Oh and those rascally military airplanes)

[cessnadog]

Ok, my .02... but know that I don’t own a 120/140 yet either. I do have a line on one that is near completion of a restoration.

I have been flying about 15 years. Always been in a club, was a partner in a Cirrus SR22 for a few years. Always wanted a Cub, had never flown in one until last summer. My 14 YO daughter has designated the J3 (Must be yellow and must have the black lightening bolt) as her favorite airplane since Oshkosh 3 or so years ago. Since there was no Airventure last summer I set it up for her to get a ride in a friend of a friends J3. That friend also set me up with a ride in a 120. Funny thing, I’ve always thought of a 120 as a cute little plane, but never had considered owning one, I wanted a Cub.

Once I flew the 120 and the J3 back to back it was a really easy choice. The Cessna is easier to get into, cheaper to buy, and just feels so much more “modern”. My wife would have very little interest in climbing into a J3, but I think she will enjoy the 120. (But I will never hear the end to the lack of speed vs the Cirrus).

I did start my tail wheel training in a Super Cruiser, but finished it in a 140. Happy with my choice, hope to take possession in the next month or so.

Tim

[a64pilot]

Anyone wanting to fly a Cub, come on down to Brown’s Sea plane base and do so and get your Sea plane rating too.
I did years ago and what I took away from that was if I was given a Cub, I’d sell it.
Maybe it was the oversized floats?

[a64pilot]

Please don’t leave an airplane outside.
I’m looking for a traveling airplane to go with my 140, a couple of weeks ago I found what was the perfect airplane, a 1979 M20J. Had dual ILS, three axis autopilot. 700 hours on engine and prop, repainted in 95, new interior last year.
Spent most of the day driving down to see it, I knew when I got close that is was a no-go, but I stuck my head under the wind and got a look at the wheel well area, severe corrosion. That airplane is so bad it’s not repairable, it’s junk.
Apparently it’s been tied down for the last 15 years, because hanger space is too expensive.
If it hadn’t been left outside for 15 years it would easily have been an almost $100,000 airplane, so saving hanger rent only cost the owner $100,000.

[braol]

Anyone wanting to fly a Cub, come on down to Brown’s Sea plane base and do so and get your Sea plane rating too.
I did years ago and what I took away from that was if I was given a Cub, I’d sell it.
Maybe it was the oversized floats?

Funny you mention that: I was in Seattle for a week-long convention some years ago and I spent every free minute away outside the convention getting my seaplane rating at Kenmore Air on Lake Washington. My experience was a little better because they use Super Cubs. The extra horsepower made all the difference. I have yet to fly a 120/140, although I did half my flight training in a 152...

[klyde sessna]

Welcome to the club! A great bunch of folks and a wealth of knowledge. Good move. Now, about our planes. Here's my decision process: Fly by yourself? PA11 or Super Cub. (So much better than a cub, fly from the front, but priced higher, too.) Fly with a pax? Cessna 120 or 140. Actually the 120 without the flap handle business is a little more comfortable, in my opinion. Good luck.

[6898]

Welcome to the Assoc. Hope to see you in GA. at our convention. My first flight hours were in a 47 J3 with a 85hp and a metal prop FUN ! I also soloed in that plane on a grass field FUN again. But than I was told need to have radio and tower work to get my PPL. There was a 48 140 in a hangar for some time at same field the rest has been just a great time. I too loved the cub and had a RC model of one there fun ,but if you want to leave Illinois and say fly to Tucson like we did for convention it was 3000 miles round trip and 30hrs flying. Cub will do it too, but the 140 was really nice with electric start and all the avionics. We have some 60,000 flying miles on the 140 tracked by GPS just a great affordable plane. I love the Pipers bring 40K plus on selling but think that is overrated as far as a travel machine bigger bang for the buck is 120 140. Less maintenance than most aircraft and I personally like a little fabric and a metal fuse.
Crazy too how this group has other similar hobbies we have had 2 sunfish a 16 Hobie Cat, learned to love sailing on Tampa Bay and the gulf with my grandfather on his 36 Irwin. Hope you find a nice 120 140 and enjoy it as we have.

[braol]

Well, I'm still lookin' for my 120/140. I've been hanging out with the local EAA chapter and learning how to cover wings in fabric...took a class at Oshkosh in metal fabrication (they should call it Riveting 101)...and tossed around the idea of an ultralight. All said and done an ultralight would run about $7k after engine installation, etc... But that's $7k less in my pocket to buy a 140...with small prospect of really finding someone interested in buying a used homebuilt death-machine in the future. I want to get into the air in my own plane flown out of my farm field, but I don't want to rush it.

Now that the weather is soon to turn for the slightly warmer I might venture down to Poplar Grove and get my tailwheel endorsement in their 140. I figure that will help push me closer to eventual ownership...or scare the hell out of me once and for all!