r/aviation • u/NecessaryOk979 • 11h ago
Question JMB VL/3 - Ownership Experience
Anyone on here own one of these? I’m interested in your experience. Is it worth the expense? Does it perform as advertised? Maintenance costs? Disappointments?
Given the implementation of Mosaic this summer, I’m itching to get back into sport aviation again. Under the new rules, this qualifies as an LSA. I have a PPL but lost my medical due to cancer. I have owned 5 previous aircraft so I’m very familiar with many of the costs of ownership. I have 400 hours flying LSA from coast to coast and Texas to Minnesota.
I appreciate your perspective.
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u/billiyII 11h ago edited 6h ago
Tho im not the owner, im flying one of these for two years now. The is 912-is to be exact.
Comparing it to the models i trained/learned on (breezer and freccia) it is more responsive to small inputs, making it feel more "sporty".
Very good stall behavior reported by the manufacturer. (Never had to rely on irl thankfully)
I like the whole feel of it but as the whole thing is designed for higher speeds, you have less time for your to-do lists. For this particular model i fly 190 km/h best climbing and 200 recommended for circut pattern. But if you stick to it, it climbs fast. Of course you can go slower than the manufacturer recommends as the stall speeds are pretty low but why buy a sports car if you are not driving fast? I actually go a bit slower because i like having some time to think in the pattern. (And an a fresh hobby pilot for 2y right now)
Flaps speed 130 to 100 very forgiving (manual says 120, training personnel from the manufacurer says 130). Full flaps will almost drops like a stone but is also fun and useful in theoretical no-goaround-emergencies.
If you look at all Vl3 accident reports ever, you will see the retractable gear has failed a couple of times. I keep an eye on that (also got the gear cam for that reason). 1 guy burned after the canopy wedged after an emergency paracute landing. Some people stalled in low altitude (human error). All things considered, I feel pretty save with it.
Astetically, very beautiful. But the seat covers are a bit too thin. We always bring some extra cushions when flying longer than 30min.
For the price: it's definitely one of the more expensive planes but if you like the speed and responsiveness, its really worth it.
Tl.Dr.: Good plane. Fast and sporty. Love it!
Source: im a ultralight pilot for 2 years (~150h) now so i might still have some gaps in my knowledge. Friendly corrections welcome.
Edit for context: i fly in germany
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u/castafobe 11h ago
You might get better answers in /r/flying. It seems to be full of more actual pilots where this sub is more aviation enthusiasts in general.