General Questions...

1.  How long has your company been in business? - back to top

This is a frequently asked question, as people want to feel reassured that they are dealing with an experienced and reputable company. Aircraft Sales and Parts was established in 1988. We are fully CNC equipped and manufacture all the parts and components for our Chinook and our Beaver as well as our Powered Parachute aircraft, the Summit and Steel Breeze. We also manufacture and service parts for the pre-existing Chinook WT2S, WT11 and pre-existing Beaver RX models.

2. What are your procedures for ordering kits? - back to top

The best way to place your order is to call our sales office at 250-549-1102 and speak to one of our sales professionals who will discuss the specifics of your order by asking you questions on model choice and engine choice.  With these two questions answered, we have full package prices that will provide you with everything you will need to have a complete aircraft once the assembly is done.

Aircraft Sales and Parts pride themselves in not taking all funds in advance for an aircraft order. All we require is a minimum deposit of $ 2000 to secure your order in our production slot. For your convenience we accept Visa or MasterCard for your deposit or you may send us certified funds or bank wire. E-mailing us questions is also another great way of communications. Once we receive your initial deposit, we allocate your order in our production slot and then establish a delivery date. Please note the deposit is non-refundable as kits are placed in sequential order and supplies are ordered according to the volume of kits and parts requested. Our staff is very accurate on the delivery time and make every effort to have your kit ready to ship as per our noted time frame.

3. How long after you receive may deposit, will I receive my kit? - back to top

Normally, we say after we have received your $ 2000 deposit, you will receive your kit in 4 – 6 weeks. When you do place your order, we will give you the time of delivery. In the event that you mail us your deposit, we give you a call advising we have received your funds and to also give you an accurate shipping date. An order is not slated in until the deposit has been secured. A customer can also request when he wants his kit shipped if he only needs it weeks or months after the delivery time has been noted to him.

4. How will my kit be shipped, and in the U.S. or other countries and is there duty to pay? - back to top

All our aircraft kits are prepackaged in custom made boxes and every attention to detail has been taken to pack everything in a very orderly manner making it easy for the customer to accept the goods and inventory their kits.

We hire a reputable trucking firm to ship all of our kits within Canada and the United States. During the order process, we have already attained a freight quote and have discussed this amount with our customer. This amount is then added to the final invoice total so that we can ship the kit insured and prepaid which makes it quite simple to then sign and accept the kit when it arrives.

When shipping internationally, we get quotes for airfreight and ocean freight and discuss the freight quotes with the customer and let the customer decide how they would like to have it shipped. For International Shipments (not including the US), customers are responsible to clear the goods into their country. Each country has different duties and taxes applicable and customers will have to pay these extra fees above the cost of the freight to get the kit into their country. You can check with your governing custom office to get more information on what duties and taxes are applicable on aircraft kits.

This is quite different when we ship our kits into the United States. Aircraft parts and kits are considered duty free due to the NAFTA agreement between Canada and the U.S. We take care to clear the goods into the United States and no duties are applicable. 

Some States or countries may charge you their pertinent taxes when registering your aircraft. Each country and State is different so check with your Government office to receive details on this.

5. What happens when I receive my kit? - back to top

Just before your kit ships, our office will have already relayed the details of your shipment which includes quantity and size of your boxes, trucking firm that will be handling the delivery along with the tracking information and contact phone numbers for the freight company. During the transit time, we encourage you to touch base with the freight company at least once before the delivery of your kit BUT we are always available to assist you with transit information and assist you with any other questions you might have during this time.

When your kit arrives either at the truck terminal or at your private residence, it is now your responsibility to make sure that ALL boxes have arrived damage free. If you notice any damage, small or big, we would require you to sign the waybill advising the same and then contact us. Damage is very rare but it is very important when accepting any goods from a freight company that if any damage would occur that a note be made on the accepting waybill. In the event of damage, we render you the part back immediately and take care to deal with the freight company on any damage claim ourselves directly.

Now that you have possession of your boxes, you need to locate your documentation that will hold your Inventory Packing Lists. More details will exist in your binder that will give you clear and concise directions on getting started.

6. How long with it take me to build my kit? - back to top

We normally say that approximately 180-250 hours will be needed to complete a basic kit. Both kits are bolt-together kits with pre-measured, pre-cut, pre-drilled 6061-T6 aircraft aluminum. No welding is needed, just bolting and riveting. The ceconite fabric (similar to stits) also comes pre-cut. The more difficult pieces of your kit come pre-assembled such as the wing structure. All you need to do is rivet the ribs on and do your covering work. You have a very detailed construction manual with very accurate CAD drawing for each step along with a DVD to demonstrate the fabric work. If you need any technical advise, you can contact us directly by phone, fax or e-mail. Our experienced staff is always here to assist you with any questions you may have while building your kit.

7. What are the differences between the Chinook Plus 2 and the Beaver RX550 Plus? - back to top

The main differences between the two aircraft are that the Chinook Plus 2 is a tail dragger and the Beaver RX550 Plus is a tri-gear.  The Chinook has a fully enclosed cabin and the Beaver does not at this time.  The Beaver also has a molded fiberglass fairing for its body, the Chinook is made of aluminum, fabric and lexan. 

8. Is a full enclosure standard equipment, or is this an option? - back to top

Currently our Chinook Plus 2 is our only kit with the full enclosure with the option to remove the doors. It is considered standard equipment. 

9. Are the wings on the Chinook Plus 2 or Beaver RX 550 Plus foldable? - back to top

The wings on the Chinook Plus 2 and Beaver RX550 Plus are not foldable but they are removable for easy transportation or storage purposes. It will take two people about 45 minutes to an hour to remove the wings and the same amount of time to put them back on. We recommend this procedure be done only for transportation reasons or for long periods of storage.

10. What engines do you recommend for your Chinook Plus 2 and Beaver RX 550 Plus? - back to top

If you have researched the market somewhat, you will come to realize there are many engines available that may seem suitable for use on the Chinook or Beaver. We have tested many and found few that fit the complete bill. When we consider an engine, we consider HP, weight, fit, reliability and the reputation of the company manufacturing or representing the product. Without customer service, there is no point in having any product, the two must go hand in hand.

Having been in the industry since 1988, we have discovered that the Rotax 503, Rotax 582 (both 2 strokes) and the Rotax 912 and HKS 700E (both 4 stroke) have proven to be great choices for our aircraft. Their weight, fit, HP, reliability and their customer service can provide us and our customers with everything that we need for our power plant. 

With this in mind, our engine mounts, propeller choice, throttle arrangement and instrumentation are geared specifically to these engine choices. Each engine has different HP, different weight, different performance specs as well as different price tags that allow our customers choices based on all these factors. We feel confident that by offering 4 different engine choices with 2 or 4 stroke capability that we are able to offer our builders plenty of choices to choose the engine that will best suit their budget and their application.

These engine choices are the:

Rotax 503 – 50 HP – 2 stroke with choice of B or E gear box
Rotax 582 – 65 HP – 2 stroke with choice of B or E gear box
Rotax 912 – 80 HP - 4 stroke with built in gear box
HKS 700 E – 60 HP – 4 stroke with gear box

11. Can you put floats and/or skis on your planes? - back to top

Yes, the Chinook and Beaver aircraft are both geared up to adapt to either floats or skis. The Full Lotus Floats have proven to be an excellent choice for our application and we also manufacture our own amphibious gear that is adaptable to the Full Lotus Floats. We manufacture the full mounting hardware (check price list for cost) for the floats as well we manufacture our 
own skis. Call us if you require more information. 

We usually recommend a minimum 60 HP engine for float application but have fit our Chinook with Full Lotus Floats using the Rotax 503 – 50 HP. Ideally if you are going to be flying with a passenger at full gross the extra HP will be beneficial for better rate of climb and takeoff distance.

Full Lotus Mfg is the float of our choice because it is very similar to our aircraft which are rugged, strong and forgiving. People are often mistaken in thinking that the Full Lotus floats create a lot of drag but we have found that on straight floats we only lose about 3 – 4 mph of cruise which is remarkable. Full Lotus like our engine choices, is a company that has been around for years and they have proven to be reliable and customer service oriented and this is as you know is an extremely important factor when we consider using any product.

12. What class do the Chinook Plus 2 and Beaver RX 550 Plus fall under? - back to top

In Canada, the Chinook Plus 2 and Beaver RX550 Plus can be registered under the following classification: 

• Basic
• Advanced
• Amateur built under the 51% rule

Each classification has its own set of stipulations. You may contact us for further details on these classifications, we also include these details with your kit documents to help you choose the classification that will best suit you. Anyone in Canada, flying one of our aircraft must have a valid Ultralight permit which has been issued by Transport Canada. You must have completed formal training with a registered flight school of which a minimum of 20 hours ground school instruction and 15 hours of flight training has been provided. Once you have passed this portion of the instruction, you must write a written exam issued by Transport Canada and upon receiving a passing mark, you will be issued your Ultralight Permit. 

In the U.S., the Chinook and the Beaver qualify under the 51% rule, the Experimental classification. In the U.S., there is no such thing as a 2-seat true ultralight. 

Anything else with two seats is an aircraft and normally subject to all the pertinent FAA regulations about aircraft registration, airworthiness and pilot certification. The most common 2-seat ultralight-type aircraft is the 51% amateur-built, registered in the experimental category. These aircraft will have the FAA “N-number” markings on the fuselage or tail, and will have the word “EXPERIMENTAL” near the cockpit where it can be seen by passengers as they enter. The pilot must hold a FAA Private or Recreational license or better.

Each country has its own set of rules about ultralights and light aircraft, so please check with your governing transportation body for information. The empty weight of the aircraft along with engine Horsepower and other components will vary from country to country for qualifying the aircraft in the necessary categories, so again check with the proper authorities.

13. What items are considered standard with the cost of the kit? - back to top

The Chinook and Beaver have the following standard equipment:

Pre-cut, pre-drilled 6061-T6 aluminum for complete airframe  Engine Mount  AN Hardware  Pre-cut Ceconite fabric  Dual fuel tanks (9 US gal total)  Dual Seats with seat covers  Dual 4 point Harness Seat Belts  Dual Controls Standard Wheels Lexan Windows

Dual Instrument Panels Enclosed Cabin (Chinook only) Adjustable Flaperons (Chinook only) Full Span Ailerons Ceconite Fabric Glue Construction Manual VHS Covering Video

14. What options are necessary for the complete assembly, but are not standard with the "AIRFRAME ONLY OPTION" and can I get all those from you? - back to top

The following items are items that are not in the airframe cost but have been priced in the complete kit price list in your brochure. This information is just in case you wanted to order components separate from the complete packages we have laid out for you.

1 color Paint Package Engine Engine Accessories
Brakes Instruments Propeller

1 color package Brakes

Engine Instruments

Engine Accessories Propeller

15. Who buys your kits? - back to top

Over the last 15 years, we have been fortunate to sell our kits to all kinds of pilots all over the world such as Greece, Poland, Finland, Norway, Russia, Germany, Japan, Australia, Central Africa, South Africa, South America, all over the U.S. and of course Canada. Between our new model and the existing Chinooks, there are over 900 kits out there that we service. With the Beaver, there are over 2200 models of the pre-existing and new kits in the world. We also continue to provide parts for all the existing Chinooks and Beaver models (excluding the Beaver RX-650).

Our most famous client, was National Geographic who purchased one of our Chinooks back in 1994 for an expedition in the Arctic. After having conducted their own study on different light aircraft, we were thrilled to have them select our Chinook Plus 2 for their expedition in the harsh conditions of the Arctic. The Chinook was used primarily to fly over certain areas that could only be filmed with the use of a light aircraft. We have also sold our Beaver RX 550 Plus to World Wildlife Fund in Central Africa. The Beaver was built to assist the society with sighting poachers in the preservation of their wildlife.

16. What makes your company different than anyone else, and why should I buy a kit from you? - back to top

That is a good question and not everyone asks it but one that we are not afraid to answer. 

Having been in the light aircraft business for all these years, we have found that companies come and go and good aircraft kits sometimes become obsolete. It is our belief, that if you treat everyone like you would like to be treated then you will be successful in whatever you do. Often kit manufacturers can come up with a good design but their customer service lacks and therefore eventually have to close their doors. In this day and age, if you do not take care of your customer you will not last. We pride ourselves on excellent products but beyond that we pride ourselves in our customer service. We attest our success through the years and our continued growth with this philosophy. Combined with products that are proven for years, the consumer can feel confident that beyond the product they will be looked after in every aspect. Referrals to past customers can also be obtained upon request as we feel they are our best advertising. No matter where you are located, we will make you feel like you purchased your goods from an old friend. Excellent products and top notch customer service that’s our motto.

IN CONCLUSION

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for this initial contact and we hope that this information package will provide you with some additional information on our products and our company.

We welcome your comments and your questions and look forward to hearing back from you. We are in the business of making many people’s dreams come true by building and flying their very own aircraft and we hope that we can be a part of this.

Hope the rest of the brochure will also prove to be interesting. Thank you for your time and enjoy!!!!!!