Flyvulcan:
I own a Lightning hangared at Aldinga, SA, which you are more than welcome to have a look at for ideas with your build. It has the Jab 3300 engine, which seems an ideal match. The plane feels solid and the handling is as reported - light and responsive. Landing requires careful preparation and good speed control. It is very slippery and will float a long way before settling if you are too fast over the threshold. The landing gear seems rugged enough to me - I think some of the issues people have had may be due to trying to force the plane onto the runway before it was ready to settle. I flew it from Taree to Mareeba in FNQ, where it lived for a year flying around the Tablelands. I then flew it to Aldinga, where it is now, so I can attest to its cross-country capabilities. Please feel free to contact me anytime to trade info and experiences, or just to congratulate ourselves on a good choice of plane :)
