What does it cost to finish a Mini-Max?

1. Kit price versus completion cost

Two different numbers get mixed together in almost every "how much does it cost" conversation.

2. What the kit price already includes

Every Mini-Max full aircraft kit, at every kit level, includes:

• a covering kit;
• a ½-gallon T-88 epoxy kit, which is a separate item, not part of the covering kit;
• the Metal & Hardware Kit;
• the aircraft plans (the assembly manual for the 1950S AeroMax);
• one fuel tank with its accessories (additional tanks are optional extras);
• a windshield;
• the airframe materials for the model, organised into the sections the staged-layaway schedule uses: empennage, wing rib, wing assembly, fuselage, Metal & Hardware, landing gear and fabric kits.

Those inclusions are worth real money on their own: bought separately, the covering kit is $899.99 to $999.99, the ½-gallon T-88 epoxy kit is $99.99 and the plans are $299.99 at today's store prices. Mini-Kits cover the six airframe sections; on that path these three items are bought separately.

For most Mini-MAX and Hi-MAX models that means the plywood, wood stock, metal stock and moulded parts for the structure, plus hinges, cables, turnbuckles, fittings, bolts and other hardware, landing gear components, wheels, tires, bearings and springs, a shoulder harness and seat belt, the fuel tank and its accessories, and the windshield. The What's Included page has the full list and the AeroMax differences.

The three kit levels change how much fabrication is done for you, not what is included. If you are weighing Base against the prefab levels, read Base vs. Prefab vs. QuickBuild: what changes?.

Not included at any kit level

Engine, propeller, instruments, avionics, battery, wiring, electronics, paint, upholstery, registration, certification, inspection services, training, shipping and assembly labor are not included unless the product page or your invoice specifically says otherwise.

3. What you buy separately

Where Mini-Max USA sells an item, the current store price is shown. Where it does not, the line says so. Prices are for planning; always check the product page before ordering.

Engine

The engine is the largest cost after the kit and the biggest swing in any budget. Each model page and the Compare tool list the engine options Mini-Max USA considers appropriate for that model; the 1100R, for example, lists the Hirth F-33, the Polini 202, 260 and 303, and the Simonini Mini 3. Choose from your model's list. Weight, power, centre of gravity, propeller match, cooling and regulatory category all change with an engine substitution, so review any other choice with Mini-Max USA first.

Engines sold by Mini-Max USA today include:

• Simonini Mini-3: $3,999.99 (engine variants; the reduction ratio is the only option)
• Polini Thor 202: $3,349.99 to $3,459.99 depending on carburettor (the service kit sold on the same page is not an engine and is excluded)
• Polini Thor 303 EVO 38 HP Aircraft Engine: $4,899.99 to $5,799.99 depending on ignition and carburettor
• Simonini Victor 1 Super: $6,699.99 (engine variants; the reduction ratio is the only option)

Two-stroke packages listed by reduction ratio include their reduction drive. A four-stroke conversion needs a separate redrive; the Ace Redrive - 4-Stroke Single Engine V-Groove Belt PSRU (200-460cc) is $829.99 and other Ace Redrives are listed in the store. Browse Aircraft by Engine to start from the engine you want to fly behind.

Propeller

A ground-adjustable propeller matched to your engine and reduction ratio. The Ultra-Prop 1 sold here is $424.99 for a two-blade and $524.99 for a three-blade; four- to six-blade versions cost more and are listed on the same page. Ultra-Prop II engine-matched sets run $575.00 to $975.00. An optional nose spinner is $149.99 for the full kit (the backing plate or nose cone alone are sold separately).

Instruments and avionics

Part 103 itself sets no instrument list; for an Experimental Amateur-Built aircraft your operating limitations and your inspector determine the minimum. Most builders fit a small VFR panel. The example budget below prices four 57 mm Omnia gauges (airspeed with outside-air temperature, altimeter-variometer, tachometer, CHT-EGT) at today's prices. Radios, transponders, ADS-B and GPS are extra, and every ounce counts on a Part 103 aircraft.

Paint and finish coatings

The covering kit is included; the sealing, filling and finish system you put over it is not, and Mini-Max USA does not sell paint. Wood is varnished before covering, and only finishing products compatible with your covering system should be used. Paint adds more weight than most new builders expect, which matters most on Part 103 aircraft. Budget for this from your covering-system supplier's price list.

Small items most builders add

• Additional or replacement pre-trimmed Lexan pieces: $29.99 to $229.99 depending on model and piece. The full kit includes a windshield; windows and replacement windshields are sold separately
• Fiberglass cowlings, step inserts, headrests and canopy parts, priced by model
• Fiberglass wheel pants: $299.99 to $349.99 depending on tire size
• Fuel pumps, filters, valves and fittings as your engine installation requires. One fuel tank is included with the kit; additional tanks are optional
• Covering consumables beyond the kit, such as surface tape and anti-chafe tape, and the brushes, rollers and solvents your finish system calls for

Shipping or pickup

Full aircraft kits and other large or heavy items may ship by motor freight, and transit times vary. Freight is quoted per order; see Shipping & Pickup for options including pickup.

Registration, inspection and paperwork

An Experimental Amateur-Built aircraft needs registration, builder documentation, the required FAA forms, an airworthiness inspection, operating limitations and an airworthiness certificate. Mini-Max USA can provide guidance, parts support, Builder Assist and project review, but final inspection and certification go through the regulatory process, and any fees are yours. Requirements change, so verify the current process with the FAA or your local DAR.

Tools, shop and storage

Most of the work is done with common hand tools and basic shop equipment, but a drill press, sander, band saw, clamps, straightedges and a flat workbench are very helpful if you do not already own them. Indoor storage is strongly preferred for a wood-and-fabric aircraft, so a hangar or trailer plan is part of the real cost. The garage guide covers both: Building a Mini-Max in a garage.

4. Example budget: 1100R Base Kit Example only

This table shows the arithmetic for one model using items Mini-Max USA sells today. It is an illustration, not a quote and not a completed-aircraft price. Your engine, panel, finish and shipping choices will change it.

For comparison, Mini-Max USA's published Ready-to-Fly Estimate for the 1100R is $22,499.99 (Aircraft by Configuration page, 2026 aircraft data, as of October 2026). Ready-to-Fly and Builder Assist figures are ballpark planning estimates, not itemised quotes, so the two figures are not directly comparable; the gap is a reminder of how much the unpriced lines below can add.

Choosing the prefab kit levels, a different engine from the model's list, a radio or a transponder each moves the subtotal. Section 5 shows which choices move it most.

5. Costs that depend on your choices

• Engine. Among engines sold here today, the spread from the least to the most expensive package is several times the price of any other single item. Pick from your model's listed options and let the engine decide the propeller and firewall-forward parts.
• Kit level. For the 1100R, the prefab-ribs level is $700.00 more than Base and the prefab-ribs-and-metal level is $1,400.00 more. You are buying shop hours.
• Part 103 discipline. Brakes, a starter, a battery, paint, instruments and a larger engine all add weight. On a Part 103 aircraft every pound matters, and the budget follows the weight.
• Builder Assist. Working alongside factory-trained builders in Niles, Michigan, with Airframe & Powerplant mechanic oversight. Mini-Max USA's family pages list a Builder Assist Estimate for several models from its 2026 aircraft data (the Ultralight and Speedster pages show $4,999.99 to $5,999.99 as of October 2026). Ready-to-Fly and Builder Assist figures are ballpark planning estimates, not itemised quotes; the scope and price of an actual engagement are agreed after a project review. It is advisory support; you remain the builder. About Builder Assist.
• Where the airplane lives. Indoor storage is strongly preferred. A hangar is an ongoing cost; a trailer and a wings-off routine is the alternative some builders choose.

6. Ways to spread the cost

Start with plans

Plans are the lowest-cost first step ($299.99 for the 1100R). If you later buy the full kit for the same model, Mini-Max USA credits the price you paid for the plans, excluding tax and shipping, provided you pay for the kit, or pay your layaway down payment, within 60 days of paying for the plans. The credit is applied by staff to your kit invoice or layaway arrangement, not at online checkout. How the plans credit works.

Build in stages with Mini-Kits

Mini-Kits sell the same airframe one section at a time, so you can start with a wing rib kit or a tail kit and buy the next section when you are ready. The trade-off is total cost.The six standard Mini-Kit sections for this model add up to $11,159.94 at today's prices. Add the plans ($299.99), a covering kit (from $899.99) and the ½-gallon T-88 epoxy kit ($99.99), which the full kit already includes, and the section-by-section path costs $12,459.91 against $11,299.99 for the Base full kit, so at today's prices the full kit is the lower-cost way to buy the same parts. Mini-Max USA's own estimate is that a full aircraft kit costs roughly 20% less than buying the same airframe as separately purchased Mini-Kits. That figure was calculated by the owner, is approximate and is not a price guarantee; it is a different comparison from the compare-at savings on each kit page, which are calculated from today's store prices. Plans, Mini-Kits & Full Kits explains the three ways to buy.

Staged Release Layaway Program

Mini-Max USA offers a staged layaway for full aircraft kits, with kit sections released as payments are made. Terms, pricing and the calculator are on the Staged Release Layaway Program page.

Buy the engine when you need it

The airframe comes first in most build sequences, and the engine is the largest single purchase after the kit. Many builders settle the engine choice early, so the mount and cowling are right, but place the order later in the build.