The facility expansion is nearly complete, at least from the outside. Rumors has it the new aircraft doesn’t have much in common with the GB1.

The facility expansion is nearly complete, at least from the outside. Rumors has it the new aircraft doesn’t have much in common with the GB1.

Phillip Steinbach showed me a picture of the new airplane design a few weeks ago. He did not tell me I could not share, but I will confirm before I share what it is here. It is nothing like the GB1, it is big, and not intended to be aerobatic.

…with a turboprop up front?!

Butch

I heard it was a fire fighting type aircraft, all composite if I recall correctly.





Butch, I must say I’m envious of your fleet of aircraft!

Thanks!

Can only carry one other person and not much stuff, but at this stage of life, I don’t need to.

One fast, one slow, both are fun and challenging.

Butch

Was looking up info on the GB1 and found the mentions in this thread about the GB2 that Game is working on. Looks like maybe it is a composite firebomber. Anyone have more info/updates on the GB2? Sounds awesome!

Insurance is what will break the bank. My Extra 330LX insurance is ~$7K per year and that with 5 years of time in type, annual training with Patty Wagstaff's team, ATP license, and nearly 4K hours PIC. Given you only fly an aircraft like this maybe 25-50 hours max a year the insurance is by far the biggest hourly expense and is quite ridiculous. Maintenance is next to nothing, no flaps, no gear, no nothing really. Just check the engine compressions.

Fun to fly, absolutely.

Insurance is what will break the bank. My Extra 330LX insurance is ~$7K per year and that with 5 years of time in type, annual training with Patty Wagstaff's team, ATP license, and nearly 4K hours PIC. Given you only fly an aircraft like this maybe 25-50 hours max a year the insurance is by far the biggest hourly expense and is quite ridiculous. Maintenance is next to nothing, no flaps, no gear, no nothing really. Just check the engine compressions.

Fun to fly, absolutely.

I was watching a couple of GB1s take off today and the climb performance made it look like they were on an escalator. They had reached pattern altitude and turned downwind before reaching the end of our 5,000 runway. Almost cruise speed before passing the departure end of the runway.

Apologies if mentioned in the thread already but I have a question…who purchased the 4 Gamebirds that Sean Tucker just listed on Barnstormers? Just curious.

I was watching a couple of GB1s take off today and the climb performance made it look like they were on an escalator. They had reached pattern altitude and turned downwind before reaching the end of our 5,000 runway. Almost cruise speed before passing the departure end of the runway.

Sorry about repetitive post. I’m in Europe and the WiFi has been acting up.

I’m not sure what kind of Extra you were flying, but I can’t see how you could call them suburbans. I had a 330LX for a couple years and in no way would I consider it a plane for sight seeing and cruising around, unless you do it inverted. Visibility is not great. I used to enter the pattern when it was clear of traffic at about 170 ias for better visibility, and slip most of my way on final so I could see. You cross the fence at 90kts. Rudder, even in a 20kt cross wind requires only a little pressure, and minimal deflection. Ailerons are the same. I replaced it with an XCub that I use for just tooling around, as I got tired of practicing the the same maneuvers. Extras are great planes, and fun to fly, but not sightseeing taildraggees.

I’m not sure what kind of Extra you were flying, but I can’t see how you could call them suburbans. I had a 330LX for a couple years and in no way would I consider it a plane for sight seeing and cruising around, unless you do it inverted. Visibility is not great. I used to enter the pattern when it was clear of traffic at about 170 ias for better visibility, and slip most of my way on final so I could see. You cross the fence at 90kts. Rudder, even in a 20kt cross wind requires only a little pressure, and minimal deflection. Ailerons are the same. I replaced it with an XCub that I use for just tooling around, as I got tired of practicing the the same maneuvers. Extras are great planes, and fun to fly, but not sightseeing taildraggees.