FAQ'S

Here are some of the more commonly asked questions about Team Tango aircraft.

What is the Build Center?

The Build Center is where you come in to work on your Tango aircraft with us. The center has all the tooling and jigs set up for you. No time is spent figuring out how to build, or interpreting what an assembly manual is trying to say. We work with you shoulder-to-shoulder to build your aircraft. We not only show you what to do, we are there doing it with you. The Build Center concept was specifically designed so the Tango could be built quickly and easily.

The main Build Center is at the Team Tango headquarters in Williston, Florida (X60). It is on the airfield, and open year-round. We also have agreements with other build centers around the country.

Can I build a Team Tango aircraft at home?

Absolutely. Team Tango has one of the most advanced build centers in the country, however, we understand some customers simply want to work on their projects at their location. Building at home is an option and we can provide you with the complete kit to do so!

Do I have to build my aircraft all at once?

No, if you would rather build it in stages, you can split up the building of your Tango or Foxtrot.

Stage I

Stage I starts with the raw materials, molds, and tools and ends with a complete airframe. All controls are attached, including gear and all window glass is installed. The wings are attached and closed.

Stage II

Installs the firewall forward package and the electrical/instrument package and gets you airworthy! This should take another 30 to 60 days depending on the complexity of your installation. Once your aircraft has completed its first flight (we will do it for you if you want), you will fly off your required hours and then ferry it home.

Stage III

Once you are home, you may enhance the finish and customize your Tango or Foxtrot, cut out the passenger door, install interior, add stripes and graphics, attach wheel pants, fairings etc. You can paint it if you want to, but your aircraft is already gel-coated white and can be just polished to finish.

Do you comply with the 51% rule?

Yes, the FAA's 51% rule is there to make sure the amateur builder is doing the majority of the tasks that it takes to build an aircraft. The purpose of the amateur built experimental class is for the education and recreation of the builder. The FAA places no value on the time it takes to build an aircraft. In reality you will be building more of your aircraft than you would be with some of the fast-build kits out there. Since Team Tango designs their aircraft to be simple to build, and through design has reduced the parts count on the airframe, you can build a Tango or Foxtrot in a very short time. An additional benefit of doing it this way is that you become qualified to do your own repairs and maintenance on the aircraft.

When your aircraft is finished, you are qualified to get a repairman's certificate that allows you to do inspection and repair on your aircraft.

What engines do you recommend for the Tango?

Lycoming IO-320 160 HP
Lycoming IO-360 200 HP

What engines do you recommend for the Foxtrot?

Lycoming IO-540 260 HP
Lycoming IO-540 300 HP

Are there other engine options?

Our customers are installing engines as efficient as a Delta Hawk diesel, as reliable as a Subaru, and as exotic as a turbine engine. There's no reason one can't put a Jabiru, Lycoming, Continental, or any other engine in the craft. The real strength of building one's own airplane is choosing the power plant to put in it. Build time may be increased depending on the engine type selected.

What about insurance?

While there are many insurance options for a Tango and Foxtrot, we recommend Falcon Insurance Company (through the EAA) as they have the most experience with our airplanes. Falcon can be contacted at 1-800-880-4545.

Do you offer retractable landing gear?

Our goal with our aircraft is to make them as fast as possible, and as safe as possible. While there will always be arguments in this area, it is certainly a fact that there are an extremely high number of landing gear up accidents. While we certainly would gain some speed by building a retractable version, the complexity of the kit, and the time to build would increase substantially.

Bottom line is, we would rather focus our efforts on areas that decrease the build time (like gel coating and superior molds) and increase speed without changing the design. Our airplanes are the only ones on the market guaranteed to go over 200 Mph without retractable landing gear.

Do you have a tail dragger version?

Team Tango is always looking at future designs of our aircraft. Currently, the market demands for a tail dragger do not warrant changing our molds and methods to offer them to the general public. However, if demands increase, we would certainly consider offering one to the market.

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