Newbie from Seattle (with all the usual questions)

[Flienlow]

I doubt the radial engine will mesh with your STOL goals. No alternative engine in practice has ever matched the light weight and performance you will get with a Rotax.

Please forgive my ignorance, but is a $30,000.00 Snowmobile engine really the better choice? Doesn't it get noisy for X-Crountry flight? (I'm simply asking and not trying to be a tool because I simply dont know.)

I have been looking into a Viking engine as well as Corvair conversion. The Cost factor seems to be within the spirit of low cost "roll your own" aviation. More info is need though, as I have no desire to build a Lawn dart.