Tipsy Nipper

I love my Nipper but circumstances change (new baby etc.) and I might be forced to sell her later this year (I'll make do with my 1/14th share in a Piper Cub, which isn't anywhere near as fun!). I haven't 'gone public' yet but will place an ad on AFORs in due course. If anybody is interested please PM me for more details. I don't have the exact figures to hand but here are the salient points:

G-CCFE (formerly OO-PLG - imported in 2003) s/n 37 - Jabiru Engined Nipper with Tip Tanks and tall pilot mods. Approx 550 hours on the Jab engine (s/n 2200A104). Engine running well and with good compressions (recent new rings and honing to front cylinders, and valves lapped all round. Rear cylinders and heads replaced previously). Good Ts&Ps. High compression engine (runs on Avgas) - can be shimmed (a standard Jabiru mod) under the barrels to allow use of Mogas. I'd heard a few stories about Jab engines so I've purchased a new (unused!) early Jab engine as a spare (2200A198) - but the current engine starts easily and runs like a sewing machine so I've never felt the need to swap. Electric start etc. Total fuel capacity approx 60 litres (tip tanks must be empty for aeros).
MAUW 340kg (311kg aerobatic). Empty weight 207kg.
Vice free handling, easy to fly and to land. Stall 32mph. Electric stall warner. Hydraulic disc brakes.
Panel includes Stratomaster engine monitor, micro-air radio, Garmin 96c GPS, ASI and of course the G-meter to record how much fun you've been having!
Permit to Jan 2013. I need to change the undercarriage bungees soon and intend to do this in the next few weeks.
Tipsy Histories records that the aircraft was renovated in the 1990s by Raymond Cuyper.
There are loads of photos on the web, and a few videos on YouTube.
Currently hangared at Priory Farm.
Great fun to fly but I need to spend time on other things and can't justify outright ownership of an aircraft at the moment, so she'll have to go

She's now on AFORS.com - apologies to previous owners as I borrowed some photos/links from the web, hope that's OK! I actually don't want any calls, but I think she is priced to sell.... I've already had one call from Denmark, but we'll see...!

Well the chap from Denmark was keen, but about 6ft 7inches, with most of his height in his back! I think he'd have been OK with a hole in the canopy for his head!...

Hi Rob, just spotted her up for sale, no probs you using my videos from YouTube.....

Good luck with the sale, lots of happy memories in that aircraft.....!

Des

Thanks Des, much appreciated. I have had some interest but nothing serious, one chap was too tall, another was too heavy, and another wanted an RV8!
I'm now offering shares if anybody interested.
Regards
Rob

Lol, RV8 is a very different machine to a Tipsy Nipper!

Chap who was too heavy must weigh a ton as FE has plenty of useable weight, I'm quite a big lad at 6'3" and never run out of weight unless the tips were full and even then it still flew fine...

I have had three people view the Nipper now who are too tall to fit! The most recent was a chap who travelled over from Southern Ireland - he wasn't quite as tall as me (but was a bit heavier) - but his height was in his back so his head touched the canopy. Disappointment all round! We looked at seat mods etc, and canopy mods, and decided he was wasting his time.... Ah well. I'm now trying to sell shares in the Nipper, she'll probably stay at Priory farm. Please let me know if interested.

Rob

Price reduced - not a good time to sell aeroplanes!
Please PM if interested.
Thanks, Rob

Hi Rob,

Sorry to hear your having probs selling, if you were closer to me I'd have a share just for the fun of it!

I assume the people who are too tall to fit have tried sliding their bum forward a bit and flying with their knees on the main spar? Thats how I had to fly and indeed how I fly my Cassutt. When I bought it from Richard Grace he was telling me he also flys his mums Spitfire with his knees on the main spar, not cause he has to but becuase thats how he's always flown and it feels weird not to!

Des

Thanks Des. Not sure if they tried that trick but one person in particular needed to lose 4 inches (he was 6 ft 7)! He was from Denmark but fortunately was 'passing by' rather than making a special effort.
I'll keep hoping that a buyer comes along. In the meantime I'm considering no equity shares just to cover costs etc, though not sure how that works with CAA....

Regards,
Rob

Price reduced even further (spare Jabiru engine thrown in for free) and finally she sold

Aircraft now resides at Knettishall so I shall see her around, teasing me!

Thanks Nipper Group, it's been great to be part of it, just a shame I couldn't make use of 'FE more (my hourly rate was horrendous when insurance, hangarage etc included!). I hope the new owner has lots of fun in her, she deserves to be flown!

Might see some of you at 'Priory Farm Father's Day Fly In' this Sunday (16th)! I'll be manning the BBQ for some of it - and Neil (S) I will settle my debt!

Regards,
Rob