Thu Dec 5. 1259z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
'Dragon Flight' over West Virginia.
Mike Fizer/AOPA photo.
It's Official !! ...crabandy
It is now an Airplane! Thanks to the wife for putting up
with me the last 8 years and 11 months and Ray my building
mentor and VAF for helping me obtain my airworthiness
inspections. Thanks ICT FSDO for the inspection, i couldnt
believe not 1 squawk. Come on decent weather!
Astronics acquires Vertical Power
I am pleased to announce that Astronics acquired the
Vertical Power Electronic Circuit Breaker product line on
November 26, 2013. Astronics is a leading provider of
advanced technologies for the global aerospace and defense
industries, including Electronic Circuit Breakers for
business jets such as the Eclipse 500, Pilatus PC-24, and
Lear 85, under the Astronics’ CorePower® brand. Astronics
will continue to manufacture, sell and support the Vertical
Power ECB products and is excited to enter into the
experimental aircraft and Light Sport aircraft markets under
the Vertical Power brand.
Vertical Power offices will be closed during the month of
December as the team moves to the Astronics’ offices in
Everett, Washington. Please be patient with us during this
transition; E-mail and telephone call-back support will be
provided during this period.
Thank you for your support over the years, and I hope you
are as excited about this next step in the journey as we are
here.* I truly believe that we have found a great new home
for our products with Astronics.
Kind regards,
Marc Ausman.
Inspections & Brown Cleco ...hydroguy2
It's bitter cold around here this week. -3*F right now
heading down to -15 by morning. No fun flying in that, so
started my Condition Inspection.
more
Miami Beach and Marathon Key ...tc1234c
Our son David came to spend the Thanksgiving with us. The
day after Thanksgiving we made a day trip to Marathon Key
and on the way did a air tour of Miami Beach. David got to
enjoy flying RV9A and I got to practice to be the camera man
for Vlad the next day.
more
Alternate Air Cable (Horizontal Induction) ...Matt Burch
From the "picture is worth 1000 words" category, here are
some shots of how I did my alternate induction air cable
(IO-360-M1B, horizontal induction).
Instead of the plans method, I made little steel brackets
and attached the cable sleeve to some handy sump bolts...
more
Rivalries Between the Services Alive and Well...Gary
Platner's "VNAF" Shirt
Gary ordered a cap here locally, and while picking it up
asked the guy behind the counter how much for a custom shirt
to goof on me a bit. About ten bucks it turns out.
I got a call yesterday from Gary...."You coming out to the
airport? I have a shirt to show you."
While he flies an RV-8, he'd like you to know he is also
a retired Naval Aviator ;^)
From the factory FB page....
Donations updated: totals and names ...12/4 as of 1550Z
Wed Dec 4. 1254z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Over the next several days, I've been given
permission to spotlight a series of photographs taken by Mike Fizer/AOPA up here as the daily splash image. Clicking on them
will bring up a larger version. Mike takes remarkable photos.
dr
'Dragon Flight' over the Shenandoah Valley in West Virginia.
Mike Fizer/AOPA photo.
How do I
repair this wingtip
Jim
Lechleiter RV-7
Here is a nice picture of me and my Time Machine landing at Triple Tree
Aerodrome where the grass is always green and beautiful
Mark's
License Plate
X marks
the spot ...Smokey answering some questions about his RV-X
Guys,
The X construction was based on three sets of plans, RV4, 6 and HR2. The RV4
and six wings are identical vice one center section rib bay and the larger
fuel tanks in the six. So we simply laid the 4 plans on top of the six plans
with a bright light underneath and voila', the instant comparison!
Mike: The HR2 uses similar dimensions as the six but with thicker skin (one
piece top skin on mine) Thus, the conversion included building a beefier
center section to mount the wing. It matches the RV6 plans dimensionally but
we used the Rocket drawings for bolts, doublers and attach points. We also
zeroed the HS, Wing and engine incidence. At 180 Knots indicated the HS and
elevator are perfectly matched. We worked very hard on the CG as well
getting the light nose feel I wanted without being tail heavy.
Grubbat: The 0-360J comes stock with 7/16" lugs in the flange so my engine
seller (E.E.) mounted 1/2" lugs in it for me before I received it. Craig
Catto told me the 7/16" lugs are fine for his 0-360 props, even with 180HP.
The 0-360J2A also uses a MA-4SPA Carb on the R22 to de-rate it to 160HP.
Using a MA-4-5 Carb (180HP) or fuel injection servo for an 0-360 brings it
up to 180+ horses at 2700. Difficulties? Even though the engine is mounted
horizontally in the R22, it is electric fuel pump only, therefore you have
to remove the accessory case housing and install a lobe gear for the
mechanical pump, or mount another electric pump inline. (if you want
redundancy) Installing the cam lobe gear for the mechanical fuel pump
requires removing the accessory case housing and sump, a several hour job.
Otherwise an easy swap from the 0-320 if you have a conical engine mount.
The lower stock 0-320 cowl with an MA-4-5 won't work with the VANS FAB. I
hired a welder friend to build me a RAM air-box very similar to my HR2 and
RV4 with a K&N filter by-pass. (I can send you dimensions and a picture if
you like). It works great and I didn't have to cut up my pretty cowl! No
fiberglass work! If you don't want to use a MA4-5 Carb, The Ellison or Rotec
TBI for the 0-360 will work with the Vans 0-320 FAB with nearly identical
height as the MA4-SPA. Good luck, the 0-360J2A is a great engine and
slightly lighter than an 0-360A1A.
Turbo, Gary, Deal: Anytime sirs! (FD33)
Assistance with a Dynon Pitot/AOA probe
I have a question regarding my Dynon heated
Pitot/AOA probe. It caught my attention that the stagnation port
(opening facing the wind) is not completely open (or otherwise round) all
the way through the pressure hole or tube.
It raised my concern because it can somehow restrict the flow of air coming
in from the outside, thus having different readings at different attitudes.
VAF Site Scheduled Maintenance 12/7 11pm CT
- 12/8 6am CT
Window will be used to install critical patches to servers on the
network. Some might experience intermittent service accessibility
during this window.
Tue Dec 3. 1245z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Popsicle Toes ...the story picks up here (five more
installments)
(acroflygirl) So, after thawing out and heating up the
engine too, we got out of Cottage Grove. We didn't have far
to go now so we headed west to the coast to enjoy a rare fog
free ride up the Pacific.
continue
Sumping your fuel system ...Jim Plaster
We had an interesting situation at our local airport
happen last week and feel its worthy of noting
here...especially since another airplane was severely
damaged. We had a gentleman fly up from Florida for an
overnight stay at his parents house here in nc. He purchased
fuel and took his mom flying and had an un eventful flight.
Worthy of noting ...I purchased fuel right after he did.
Next morning it was 22 degrees f. And he had planned on
flying home to Florida. He preflighted (?). ...which
supposedly included sumping the tanks....he also had to jump
start due to a dead battery. He warmed up ....did his run up
and taxied out. Once he cleared the departure end of the
runway things went south FAST! It started running
rough....surging as well... Lucky for him he had enough
intermittent power to maintain altitude / airspeed to make
the dreaded 180 back to the runway. Touching down fast and
overrunning the end of the runway...all three gear collapsed
on the airplane,luckily no one was hurt. Investigating
further we found the gascolator on the firewall inaccessible
with the cowl on the aircraft...( if you're going to mount
one...at least make it accessable on your preflight). Had
this been done during the build,and drained prior to the
flight ,we wouldn't have drained nearly 8 1/2 ounces of
water from it post flight. Has anyone ever had water freeze
in their gascolator or sump? If this could happen we could
have a false negative on a preflight water inspection while
sumping. This could have contributed to what happened
here....all the while it began melting on the warmup
...finally making it to the engine on takeoff... It wasn't
an RV and was a injected lycoming....details haven't been
released yet so I'll leave that to the Feds.....I later
sumped my ship,since I hadn't flown since buying fuel and
found no water at all.....be careful folks....check that
sump!
Brian Citler's License Plate
FS- Garmin, PSE, etc.. goodies! ...Stein
Andrew Squires 'Show Us Your RV-6/6A' Entry
You never know how it is going to go ...Larry Pardue
I doubt if anyone has ever
built or purchased an RV with the idea that it will be a
great photography platform. I know I didn't. I built it for
cross country speed and fun aerobatics. And the truth is
that it is a pretty lousy photography platform.
The things is, over the years, I have been flying fewer and
fewer cross country flights and more and more local
scenic/photography flights. I generally don't have much of a
plan. I will drive to the airport and fly the direction of
something I am curious about or to an area I haven't been to
in a while.
I enjoy this and get a kick out of it when other people like
and want to share the photographs. In addition to the
ordinary family and friends outlets quite a few photos taken
from my little garage built plane have been published in
scientific journals. Today, for a first, I was asked for
permission to use one of the photos in a college textbook.
The RV isn't really the tool for the job, and I would still
like to have something with a high wing and openable
door/window for better quality but the RV works for pleasure
photography and I do enjoy the fact that you get to the
subject area in a hurry.
JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS!
(Bob Avery) "Avery Tools
has a limited number of new pneumatic rivet squeezers for
sale at special holiday prices for Christmas stocking
stuffers. We have single cylinder “C” units and tandem
cylinder “C” units. These are all new U.S. made tools
and they are painted red to celebrate the Christmas season.
Quantities are limited at these prices, so get them before
they all disappear!!
Single cylinder “C” Squeezer Body (body only / no yoke)
PART # RED7500 PRICE: $ 375.00 each
Tandem cylinder “C” Squeezer Body (body only / no yoke) PART
# RED7650 PRICE: $ 475.00 each
Also, Avery Tools has an online Christmas sale on many other
tools + $ 1.00 shipping on all domestic / ground shipped
orders. Visit
www.AveryTools.com for details.
The Avery Tools family wishes all our customers and their
families a MERRY CHISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR.
Bob & Judy Avery. (817) 439-8400"
It's coming along ....Don Patrick panel
Mon Dec 2. 1253z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
So you know that Charlie
Brown 'Good Grief' feeling? The one you get when you're
two minutes from leaving the house and your iPhone falls out of
your pocket into the about-to-be-used toilet? Yeah, me
too. This 'toilet baptism' as it's called online
lasted about three seconds, followed by pouring, powering down,
towel drying, speaking colorfully and gnashing of teeth.
Did you know if you Google the words 'iPhone toilet' it
will have an idea of what you have done? The
interweb said put it in a bag of dried rice, then drive to the
hardware store and get a $4 bag of 'Damp Rid' desiccant.
Replace the rice with this stuff. Leave it like that for
24hrs and you *shouldn't* have to go to the iStore and plunk
down $229 for an out-of-warranty replacement phone.
It worked swimmingly. The phone not only works again....it's
cleaned up a bit. We labeled the baggie 'For When the
Phone Falls in the Crapper Again' and stored it above the
microwave for later use.
I'll finish this story with the fact that maybe it wasn't my phone.
Having said that, I'm too much a gentleman to embarrass my wife
in such a public medium, so the secret stays with me.
Now that you're hopefully smiling, please take note of the little red
pledge drive box in the upper left corner of the site.
It's that time for me to pay bills again. Those who
donate, thank you for helping keep the lights on here at VAF
(toilet jokes and all). Audrey wrote a short note on where
she stands grade-wise at college. Her Dad encouraged this
as a way for those who donate to 'track their investment'.
You can read it over on the right side of the
donation page. During December I'll try to keep the
donation totals/names updated every two days or so.
OK, back to RVs, and have a nice Monday. And careful with those
phones.
v/r,
Fun with RVs ...Brent Owens
A Day Trip to Dry Tortugas ...Ted Chang
Lulu's After Thanksgiving - Black Friday ...Weasel write-up
Turkey day Over Iowa...Pete Howell
KFLY to KLAR ...Geoff McHarg
December Calendar Wallpaper Is Online
For no other reason except I got my tail wheel endorsement today
...Ken Owen
TruTrak Cyber Monday Sale
Field Testing the Garmin D2
Watch (specs)
Twenty years or so ago I
had a Garmin 89 (pic).
Now I have something graphically similar to play with, but
much more flexible, on my wrist. Dick Flippin Tracy.
I get to use one for a bit courtesy Garmin, and it's growing
on me. My gut feel is some Cub-type owners and UL
folks, and RV folk, will love this thing as a way to pretty
painlessly document where they have flown using GoogleMaps
(or similar). That and it tells time.
First impressions:
- look at me crazy
large. in a cute way though
- nice red light that
stays on for 3am trip to potty. turn it off when
you want it off - the light that is.
- hold down NRST button
to get list of airports near you. cycling through
these is faster than entering airport identifier
manually, if it's a semi-local flight
- hold down DIRECT
button to enter airport code manually
- when the GPS function
is on, it's tracking your travels for later viewing,
e.g. trail running, walking, Cub flight counting deer,
etc. select 'save track' to save what you got and
start a new file.
- plug it into your USB
port and it is seen as a drive on your computer
- suck the .gpx file
into
www.GPSvisualizer.com and you can see where you
went. If you circle the deer/hogs when you come
across them, you'll have a nice location later on the
map (below). you can hold down the orange action
button and create a waypoint also.
-
(unexpected bonus) the watch has about
20GB of free memory out of the box, so I copied some
accounting and RV White Pages backup data from my PC
over to it so I could have another offsite data option.
Garmin probably didn't plan on cube worms using it for
offsite data storage, but there you go.
First
track with the watch:
0830 12/1/2013. 8 deer, one at least
8-point. 20(ish) wild hogs. 2 red tail hawks.
35 minutes.
(click to enlarge)
Nov progress ...Mike Messer
Bruce Hill Status
Fri Nov 29. 1250z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Wishing you and yours a
happy, safe and RV-filled weekend.
Turkey Runs ...Brian
...oh wait that doesn't sound good.... Who
went flying on Thanksgiving. We're doing our Turkey dinner
on Saturday when Jake and girlfriend can come up. So today I
went for a loop around the valley.
more
G3X
RV-8 upgrade
Lookn
down on the mighty Kissimmee river ...Turbo
Dynon
and Seattle Avionics Black Friday Sale!
It
finally happened
Trutrak Vizion officially released!
Some of you may have seen this on Facebook and I know the
buzz is going around (because I've been on the phone all
morning!
). The Vizion autopilot series is officially released! This
includes only the 380 and 385 two-axis versions at this
point, the single axis versions will be a little later down
the road.
more
N717EE Headed NE!!
With very mixed emotions my RV7 headed to Mora Minnesota
with its new owner, Dan Larson yesterday. Tom Berge was
along to do the pre buy and begin Dan's transition.
more
First aerobatics for my pilot friend in RV-7 (Argentina)
Shop Safety Neglected
Wed Nov 27-28. 1243z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Wishing you and yours a
Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow (no Thursday edition). I hope you and
your family get to spend lots of quality time together, and their
travels are safe. I'll see you Friday. Gobble, gobble.
Milestone: Engine Hung ...Trevor Conroy
"We reached another milestone today; hung our brand new
YIO-360-M1B! First time with no experienced helpers and it
took about an hour. Noticing the lower nuts would be the
most difficult to get on, we put those bolts in first. Took
maybe 10 minutes. The top two took a little more finagling
and moving of the engine. I spent too much time trying to
move the engine to align with the rubber biscuit only to
realize rubber is a lot easier to maneuver than steel. I
used the webbing from a tie-down strap and wrapped it around
the forward biscuit. This gave me just enough leverage to
move the biscuit hole to match the engine bolt hole.
Installed the bolt with aft biscuit/spacer and that was it!
We ended up needing 2 washers on the bottom bolts and 3 on
top. Installing the cotter pins on the lower nuts was a
pain."
Different rough engine problem (RV-12)
After finishing the 200-hr inspection, C.I., and pump
replacement (in that order) I now find that when I've been
at Flight Idle (throttle closed. RPM 2100-2600 depending on
airspeed) that when I add power again the engine "stumbles"
noticeably for something LESS than a second-- rough enough
to shake the panel. Goes away when power is back on and
isn't really noticeable on the ground. I can get a little
bit of roughness (less than the "stumble" at power settings
of 2300-2800 in flight at about 60-65 knots. Full power is
normal as is the rpm at 75 kt. climb.
My first guess is that the carbs are slightly out of synch
at low power settings. Don't know how it could be ignition
since it's not a steady thing. I did not pull the carb bowls
after installing the pump (flushed the lines, though) but
here again I'd think anything in the carb would be
continuous, bit momentary and at one rpm range..
I'd really like some thoughts from those who know and
understand the Rotax.
Xwind landing RV-4 ...video (Christopher Murphy)
90* off centerline 14 gusting 18. "I took the go
pro along a few weeks ago for a special missing man flight
and had it on for a cross wind landing at home base."
My -7 weighed in on the heavy side today, but that's OK
(Alf Olav Frog: Norway) Today, we performed
weighing of my new -7. As I expected, it came
out on the heavy side.
Here's the base:
Basically built acc to the manual, except for dual heatmuffs
and a defroster-system.
Lyc IO-360, 8,5 compression
Dual P-mags
WW 200RV prop
Single landing light
Vans RV-7 light system incl Whelen strobes
Elec trim
Manual rudder trim
Rudder pedal extensions
Full interior incl full floor math set, by Classic Aero
Designs
Smoke-system by Smoking Airplanes
VFR panel, incl dual AFS EFIS: 4500 + 3400.
First ZFW with empty smoke-oil tank:
LMLG: 246.5 kg
RMLG: 247.0 kg
TW: 38.5 kg
Total 532.0 kg
Then ZFW with full smoke-tank (13,2 litres)
LMLG: 253.0 kg
RMLG: 250.0 kg
TW: 42.0 kg
Total 545 kg
Note: the plane is built with the R/H seat as pilot seat,
thus the smoketank is placed behind the left seat.
Just for fun, I also noted the weights BEFORE we added all
the removable parts: hatches, covers, panels, seats,
interiors, wheelpants, fairings, spinner etc. (in other
words all the things which are removed during annual)
LMLG: 222.5 kg
RMLG: 222.5 kg
TW: 34.5 kg
Total 479.5 kg
Quite a difference....
It came out about 21 kgs heavier than my first -7 and that
makes sense: my first -7 does not have the full floor math
set, nor the smoke-system.
I haven't done the math to figure out the CG yet, that's
tomorrows task.
For now, just by looking at the figures, it looks like the
CG will be within limits at ZFW. Then we'll see how the CG
goes with different load-configurations.
The factory is closed 11/28 and 11/29
"Phone, Fax, e-mail and Web Orders placed after 12PM noon
(Pacific Time) on Wednesday, November 27th will be
processed on Monday December 2, 2013."
related:
2013 Holiday Schedules of our Shipping Carriers
Tue Nov 26 1254z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Thoughts From The
Recliner
I have a unique job running this web site, a job that runs a lot
smoother if I'm continuously near a computer. It could be
as simple as answering emails with my iPad or iPhone on the
armrest of the recliner in the evening during the 49ers/Redskins
game. But typing on these things is hit and miss (90%
miss). Yesterday I bit the bullet, after some research,
and finally bought a bluetooth keyboard for my iPad/iPhone.
What a game changer.
I opted for the
Logitech K811, one that charges off the same USB cable
used to charge my wireless PC mouse, and that with the tap of a
button becomes the keyboard for my iPad, iPhone or wife's iPhone.
Watch this video.
This rig doesn't replace the daily VAF heavy lifting done by my HP
desktop (primary) and HP laptop (backup). Not by any
stretch. But, it nicely fills in the communication gaps
when I'm away from the desk. Case in point, I went to
Whataburger yesterday, surfing/researching on the iPad while
typing up notes on the iPhone. Typed the words you're
reading here as a matter of fact, all in my iPhone's plain 'ol
Notes app. Regular old keyboard - not stuck in autocorrect
he'll.
While I don't have any fewer emails waiting on me, digging into the pile
now requires less time in the office chair, and that's a good
thing. That and I don't have to go upstairs now to use the
full size keyboard for a lengthy email that needs to get sent
(that I forgot about).
I have this idea of Paul 'RV-8/3' Dye of Kitplanes using something
like this, writing copy for the magazine from the top of some
mountain out west. Or not <g>.
Strange thing happened at the airport ...Bob Corriveau
Admitting to a Weight Problem
My name is Michael and I have a weight problem...
...actually, my airplane does.
TS Flightlines Press Release: RV-12/Rotax Hose Package
fmi:
www.tsflightlines.com
2014 Van's Calendars ...go get 'em.
ACS carries new aircraft heaters
November 'Experimenter' Online
Thanksgiving Holiday Sale ...Don at Airflow (VAF
advertiser)
NO WELD HANDLE ...Rich Meske
"We just received a new batch of NO-WELD Handles. These handles allow
yourself and your passenger to get your aircraft without
stumbling or leaning on something fragile, like the canopy. They
really help the older people, like my dad, . . who is not too
steady on his feet. At least he was still able to get in and
enjoy the ride! For more details on this and more GREAT
PRODUCTS, please visit
www.aircraftextras.com."
Mon Nov 25 1255z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Badger Bus Beater ...Pete Howell trip write-up.
You guys finally did it
After browsing this forum for about 4 or 5 years. You all finally did it.
You made me fall to peer pressure and place a order for a 10 empennage
kit. I blame you all
David King
From the mothership
"We will
be closed on Thursday November 28th and Friday November 29th"
Panel Shot ...jpowell13
Light IFR is a myth ...Bill Pendergrass
I have always mentally agreed with the title of this thread but yesterday
it was handed to me on a platter such that it is now engrained in my
heart.
I departed Asheville for a short hop to Lincolnton. It was marginal VFR
but of the low ceiling-very good visibility type. I decided to go VFR.
No problems encountered.
Weather was predicted to be the same or improve for the ride home. It was
until I reached the mountains surrounding the Asheville valley. For some
reason I could not receive ATIS (unusual). Approach said 1000' and 2.5
miles. Should be no problem. I squeezed in to take a look and decided to
ask for a special and contact approach which was granted. However, I ran
into a wall cloud and had to terminate.
continue
Old skool - DJM style ...R.Williams
3D Printed Part
New FFI Wingman! ...Tanya 'Cookie' Card
Hat Sighting ...Turbo
Sept/Oct'13 FAA Safety Briefing
 |
Project TeenFlight RV-12 Finds a Home Nearby ...eaa piece
Hangar Rash ...John Kimmel
Workshop Lighting Design - Free Tool
Who said no night flights? ...some do it, some don't (a discussion)
One more reason I love my RV
I just returned home from a grueling 36-hour trip from Ahmedabad, India,
through the hellish Bombay airport, a 16-hour flight to the east coast
of the US and then a 6-hour transcontinental flight. The long flight
from India to the US wasn't the problem...it was the *planeload of
screaming, bratty toddlers* on the US flight which just about pushed me
over the edge. It was like round-robin shrieking, screaming and temper
tantrums between 3 or 4 toddlers whose parents were either incapable of
controlling them, or oblivious to the extreme irritation their little
darlings were imposing on the entire plane.
But come Monday, it's me and MY airplane, departing when *I* want to, for
a week of trips with me and my passengers, no pint-sized terror
machines. I can't wait for the peacefulness of flying myself for
Thanksgiving visits, and not having to deal with surly TSA agents,
rotten parents, crappy airline food, etc.
I love my RV. I hate airline travel.
Now, if only I had an RV that I could use on these overseas trips.
VAF hats - charity ...Joe Parish
Donations made to Make-A-Wish.
Tip- Easy Location of Tire Valve on Wheel Pants ...with laser.
 |
Fri Nov 22 1259z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and
RV-filled weekend.
I painted my -8 again. On canvas this time ...Paul Tuttle
At Pacific City (KPFC)
...Joe Blank photo (after landing his -6 there).
(click to enlarge)
Dick VanGrunsven Joins EAA Board of Directors
November 21, 2013 - Three aviators with extensive
experience in diverse areas of the aviation community have
joined the top leadership of the EAA as the newest members
of the EAA board of directors. Dick VanGrunsven, Joe Brown,
and David Pasahow were invited to join the board during the
group fall meeting on November 14-15 in Oshkosh. As Class
III directors for EAA, they will each serve one-year
renewable terms on the EAA board.
"Each of these three EAA members has a diverse aviation
background and, more importantly, a longtime connection with
our organization in multiple areas," said Jack Pelton, EAA's
chairman of the board. "We are grateful that each of them
has stepped forward to represent our membership and help
lead the association as we pursue our mission of growing
participation in aviation."
VanGrunsven, EAA 3204, of Hillsboro, Oregon, is founder and
CEO of Van's Aircraft, which has become one of the largest
kit aircraft manufacturers in the world with more than 8,500
airplanes completed worldwide. An EAA member since 1964,
VanGrunsven has received EAA's Freedom of Flight Award and
August Raspet Memorial Award, and is a member of the Society
of Experimental Test Pilots. He is also a founding member of
the Aircraft Kit Manufacturers Association (AKIA), an
industry group created in 2012, and an enthusiastic
sailplane pilot.
Brown, EAA 795555, of Centerville, Ohio, is president of
Hartzell Propeller and chief operating officer of Tailwind
Technologies, a holding company that owns Hartzell and three
other aviation businesses, including Hartzell Engine
Technologies. Brown, a graduate of Middlebury College, is an
instrument-rated pilot who flies diverse aircraft ranging
from a Glasair Sportsman to a TBM 850.
Pasahow, EAA 269376, of Dallas, Texas, is founder of Blue
Line Advisors, an executive search and leadership firm
focused on the aerospace, transportation, and other selected
sectors. He also has more than 30 years of experience in
executive and leadership consulting services. An EAA member
since 1986, Pasahow is a pilot and homebuilder who
previously served on EAA's board from 1991-2009.
related:
Join EAA
The cold returns to N.Texas
Late afternoon Thursday it arrived, and once again it's
too cold for shorts - screen grab from Garmin Pilot (app)
on my iPad below of the front's arrival. I'm half
through with a brake pad job on the wifey's car, so it's
time to go get the portable propane heater out of the attic.
I really don't know how you folks up north do it. I'm
guessing not much RV flying around here this weekend.
(click to enlarge)
VFR Pattern Procedures?
(Bill R.) In another thread poster commented that while
in the pattern all he looked at was the airspeed and
altimeter.
This got me thinking about how we fly the pattern. I’m not
looking for a discussion regarding overhead breaks, 45
entries vs. straight in, etc. Everyone knows, or should
know, that the FAA doesn’t consider you in the pattern until
you are three miles from the runway, etc. Assume, for this
discussion everyone is flying a left hand pattern.
While our planes are mostly the same, they are also very
different based on engine, weight, prop, and model. This
leads me to ask, how do you fly the pattern in your RV?
(Landing lights and boost pump are turned on three to five
miles from the airport, once I reach TPA.)
I fly downwind such that my left wingtip traces a line along
the center of the runway. Unless noted, my altitude is 1000’
AGL. I check the windsock to make sure I am not unknowingly
landing with a tailwind. Call downwind. Abeam the numbers,
throttle closed, I put in full flaps and trim it for my
final approach speed. (55 to 60 Kts in my -9 depending on
load.)
My goal is to make my designated landing spot without
touching the throttle again. That landing spot can be the
very end of the runway or a fixed distance marker on large
runways. It doesn’t really matter but pick a spot and aim
for it.
I look right for aircraft on wide base and straight out for
aircraft on long final while cross checking my speed. As
soon as the touchdown point slides behind my left shoulder I
turn base, cross checking the airspeed and slip ball. I also
look to see where my wingtip is in relation to my touchdown
target, leading, lagging, high, low, etc. Call Base.
On base I start to look for cues as to my glide path. If I
need to make adjustments, I use power for distance and pitch
for speed. My speed should not waver from what I have
elected to use. (A FP -9 will glide forever, if you pick up
even a little extra speed.)
The base to final turn generates another quick glance at the
airspeed and slip ball. (This is not a good time to stall!)
It also provides another time to look for aircraft on final
or executing a right pattern. On final I look to see if my
glide path is going to take me to my intended touchdown
point. I will slip it, if necessary to hit my mark, but only
at 60 kts (or higher). Call turning final.
On final I determine what kind of crosswind I’m dealing with
and keep in a crab until just before touchdown. My eyes will
move between my touchdown target and airspeed indicator,
slipping as required. If I have done everything correctly,
no slipping is needed.
The touchdown is typically performed with my eyes looking
way down the runway to judge my height. In a crosswind I
will kick the plane straight and lower a wing, as required
and land on one wheel just before touchdown. Because our
planes so light, I will “plant” the mains on with a light
forward push (My RV is a taildragger.) and hold the tail up
until well past flying speed. (The -9, with its longer wing,
is very susceptible to wind induced ballooning. That and
trying to pull the tail down too quickly after a wheel
landing will cause you to find yourself floating three feet
off the runway waiting for the bottom to drop out.)
Once the tail is lowered, I pin the stick back and hold it
that way until engine shutdown.
[ed. Like Paul mentions in his reply, I also do the
'shadow check' (on downwind), and pump my brakes once
(learned that from Rosie.
]
Thu Nov 21 1244z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Semi-occasional BBQ lunch yesterday at
Gary/Clayton's hangar in N.Texas. 62*F and tastey.
RV-4 and RV-8 in background. I still feel bad about knocking the onions
over. Sorry, again.
After Thanksgiving Fly-out
Fly-out Friday, November 29, 2013.
TO: LULU’s in Gulf Shores, AL
Time: Lunch -----try to be at the airport by 1100 local if
possible.
Usually on or around Thanksgiving we start taking about a
fly-out to someplace for lunch.
A lot of times people have off work but the family get
together are over so it works out great to go flying.
In the past years these have been some well attended trips
and a lot of fun to just go flying for the day.
EAA1189 chapter member Tim Higginbotham has done the grunt
work this year in checking places that would be open and
ready for a fly-in.
The decision was made to go to Lulu’s Restaurant in Gulf
Shores, Al.
more
Frosted Windshield
Sorry, not really an RV-12 specific question. After my
plane has sits overnight I get frost on the windshield.
Currently, I start the engine and turn the plane into the
sun to melt the frost burning fuel. Can anyone recommend a
spray that I can use to defrost the windshield without
damage?
P.S. Move to Florida is not an option for my wife.
Elk are starting to gather up ...NW Colorado (several pics)
Near collision with US military C130!
I saw on here a long time ago that there was a place to
log issues with military planes, near misses etc. Anyone
mind passing that along?
My wife and I were on a vfr trip cruising on a/p at the
correct vfr alt in uncontrolled air. We noticed a plane off
our left wing, miles away...it seemed to turn and head
towards our destination CYQG. It was 2:40 pm we were heading
sw. A little while later we noticed it heading across the
lake, and assumed it was US training out of Selfridge ANG.
No issue, at this time of day and direction the sun and
glare makes vision on the horizon a little tough. About 5
min later, we noticed it off our front right, ahead of the
wing. Looked and looked, actually discussed what it was
doing and if we could see the direction it was going. HOLLY
**** !!! ITS COMING AT US. No really, its coming right at us
from front corner and fast. I dropped 1500' and veered to my
left, down and away. It happened so fast, I cannot be sure
but I think he actually pulled up and to his left.
I am not chicken or a nervous flyer at all. I have flown to
osh, sunnfun, blah blah. I have flown through more busy
airspace than most of my buddies and enjoy the challenge.
This was dangerous.
Scared my wife a lot...as this was a big big plane C-130 I
believe and it was at exact same alt and we would have been
very close to a collision if I hadn't acted fast. I took a
few hours to ponder this today.
The issue is, I was on mode C squawking 1200. I was at
4500ft heading sw. I was on autopilot and any radar or tcas
would have no issue finding and understanding my path. I had
been monitoring the only airport nearby, nothing of interest
being broadcast.
continue
RV-12 Self Portrait ....wife and I (AlexHeatwole)
Wed Nov 20 1249z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLEGdndbLTs
My skirt is too short!
Looking for some advice from the composite
gurus. I had the canopy skirt nice and snug, then
after riveting on the canopy, it is too snug. both sides rub
just enough to make it difficult to close and obiously
scratches the skin. After much contemplation, I cut a few
slots in the aft sides and closed the canopy over a spacer
on the skin and floxed in the slots. Didn't help. So.... Any
recommendations. I thought the next step would be to cut the
aft portion of the skirts off an inch below the rivets and
rebuild the skirts from scratch, attached to the remaining
portion of the original skirt. That sounds over my pay grade
but I don't know what else would salvage the current
situation.
Page (4) of
this story on Flying Mag site
...re: Van commuting to work.
First Avionic installed
Not sure if you can use that as a singular,
but liked the sound of it. First box arrived today; more on
the way.
Cleaveland's DJ Lauritsen RV Interiors, Planning and Design Video
Cleaveland Aircraft Tool's DJ Lauritsen put
on a great Online Builder Hanout last night thanks to some
great questions from the participants. Check out the
archived video and get an intro to RV interiors from design
to installation.
http://www.cleavelandtool.com/video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NV1eeXHqN1Q
Tue Nov 19 1243z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
About yesterday's 1-hr forum outage: (from the ISP)
"We identified the issue as being a NS server not propagating your DNS records
properly. A cutover was made to a new NS server that re-established the
propagation of DNS. Our apologies for the loss of connection during this
cutover."
After a quick IIS reset, we were good to go again. Sorry for the
hiccup, gang. Technology happens. Apologies. dr
Photos ...from the Inyokern show. (Carrie Marie)
I better post a few pics of
the flight. I think this is now a historic
thread. It was a flight of 11. Then we split to a flight of
8 and a flight of 3. (AX-O)
R.I.P.
Alex Cuellar (VAF Make-a-Wish)
Panel labeled, tail and wings
(BruceH) A very productive weekend. I
spent Saturday afternoon with John (jpharrell) learning the
intricacies of the Decalpro system. The panel came out
fabulous! Not something you can rush, but after 5 hours of
laminating, cutting and applying, the panel has some really
nice looking labels. This morning I put some flat Krylon
clear coat on it.
After another long weekend ...Tim Blake RV-10 Interior Upgrade
Welcome
Ray Hollen
I am excited about just ordering my first RV12 kit. After
meeting with Mitch in MD and going on a demo, I was sold. Better yet, my
wife was sold! Cannot wait to get it delivered and started. I have a
question. My friend just built an RV6 and going to lend all of his tools to
me. Which clecos are mostly used for the 12 and how many is recommended to
have on hand?
Thanks
Ray in WV
2013
Rocket 100 Results and 2013 SARL Wrap-Up
(Bob Mills) Well here's a thread that
Racer Bob Axsom woulda started, so I'll make a feeble
attempt to get the word out on the really fun time had by
all in Taylor, TX on 9 NOV, during the last race of the SARL
season, and the year-end awards. I'll post a few pics in two
posts, and perhaps a few of the other RV racers will do the
same!
Mon Nov 18 1244z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Ditching Sunday School... Oops!
RV Owner/Builder Colorado ski trip is on!
Dates: Jan 18-25, 2014
Where: Vail & Beaver Creek Colorado
Accommodation: 6 bedroom home 20 min west of Beaver Creek
more
Cowbird
This is a picture of my friend, Dan Grimm's plane
(2nd owner). It was finished in ‘02 by Wayne Ray, has O-360, c/s,
DJ’s Interior, 570 hrs & going strong. Got Milk?
Announcing
GRT Mini
204kts GS
(Greg Arehart) From a few months ago (February).
Yes, straight and level.
In-flight Portrait (Rhino889)
First Engine Start a No Go - Got Brrrrrrrr ...RV-12
Filled engine with coolant. Filled engine with oil;
pressurized and got 30psi when spinning prop. Filled gas tank with
two gallons. Got fuel pressure. Turned on master, throttle full
idle, choke on, Skyview on showing oil and fuel pressure, both
ignitions on, turned starter key and got Brrrrrrrr sound. Engine did
not turn over or start. Checked fuses and none were blown. Battery
at 12.5v. Tried to start engine again with no choke and full idle;
still got Brrrrrrrr sound with no prop turn or engine start. Any
suggestions on what to look for to get the engine to start?
Hat Sighting: Sid Mayeux (RV-7A) at the
BU / TT Game Last Saturday in Cowboy Stadium
...an hour before kickoff (it was nearly sold out)
Fri Nov 15 1259z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and
RV-filled weekend.
Taking Flash out for a short walk in N.TX
an hour after sunrise with a cloud layer 12,000' above.
dr
Another One Joins the Fleet ...bobrath
RV8A N584BR built by Bob and Irene Rathburn
took flight today from its home base of Poplar Bluff, MO (KPOF).
Thanks to the training skills of Tom Berge (KMIC) there were
no real surprises in the flying. We got a nice mid-term exam
from EAA volunteers Brent Hill and Chris Santchi and a
thorough final from DAR Neal Sowers. The forums were
invaluable over the four years we labored...thanks to all of
you. This has been one of the most challenging and
remarkable experiences in my lifetime....and it's only going
to get better.
Bob Rathburn
You know its a bad landing when you're upside down! ...Chuck
Hagerty
Well, here’s something that I obviously
hoped I would never be writing about… but it happened, so
now I’m just trying to make something positive out of a bad
situation. Maybe this will help someone else to evaluate
their own skills a bit more closely. On June 15, 2013 my RV
7A was out of phase one with about 50 total hours on her.
She was flying great and I had already taken up two
different CFI friends of mine for several hours, so I knew
how she would handle with the weight of two people. My son
was visiting from Raleigh NC and he wanted to go flying in
our new plane. The day was perfect… blue skies and calm. We
made it to the airport around 8:30 am. By 9 the plane was
out of the hangar, the preflight was complete, instructions
had been given and we were ready to take off. Everything
went well, with a great one hour scenic tour over the Blue
Ridge Mountains and a smooth landing at the end. We both had
a great time and he really enjoyed the RV.
Immediately after the flight I called my wife to let her
know we were down safely, and that our son had to leave and
return to Raleigh. She then suggested that, since the day
was so nice, we fly up to PA to visit my folks like we had
wanted to do the weekend before. Of course, with very little
arm twisting, I agreed and proceeded to fuel the plane, and
look over the airport diagram and radio frequencies for our
destination airport. I also called 1-800-WXBRIEF just to
make sure the weather would remain good.
She arrived at the airport (W24 in Lynchburg, VA) around
11:30 am and by 11:50 we were strapped in and feeling the
rush of heading down runway 10. Takeoff was nice and within
a few minutes we were at 4,500’ and headed north. The view
over the Appalachian Mountains was beautiful and the ride
was just a little bit bumpy since the winds had picked up a
bit from earlier that morning. My wife had been up for 3
short hops previously in the RV, so this was not her first
time in this piece of metal that had taken shape in our shop
over the last several years. We were both enjoying the
flight and she was taking pictures.
Ten miles out from our destination airport (KAOO) I
announced our location and our intention to land. Another
pilot, who was taking off, announced that he was doing so on
RWY 030. Of course, you would assume that the winds would be
favoring 030, but I spoke with this fellow briefly just to
confirm that that was indeed the case. Our northerly heading
had us lined up with 030 for a direct final approach and
since there was no other traffic at the time, that’s what I
announced we would be doing. The wind had picked up to
around 10 knots and there were some gusts coming toward us
from an angle of around 2 or 3 o’clock, but we were doing
fine… centerline and on speed. The runway is 100’ wide and
over 5,000’ long, so compared to what I was used to landing
on, this was a piece of cake (check out W24…they literally
use it for soap box derby races in the summer). The time was
around 1:15 pm according to my timekeeper wife. My flair was
at the right height, flaps were 40 degrees down and airspeed
was bleeding off nicely. The mains touched down and suddenly
everything went very wrong.
The mains were on the ground for just a second and then we
were back up in the air. Did I bounce it? I could have… I
won’t say that’s never happened before in C172 flights. Did
a combination of ground effect and gusting wind make enough
lift to bring her back up? That’s what I thought initially.
Either way, I came down hard and bent the front wheel. The
bent wheel pulled us to the left and off the runway where we
hit the soft dirt with just enough momentum to cause the
plane to raise straight up onto the spinner and then flip
over onto the canopy. Between the panic, the adrenaline, the
injuries and the shock, it’s pretty hard to describe what it
feels like to be upside down in a plane that just flipped.
Now, what’s the point I’m trying to make by telling this
lengthy story? Like I said in the first paragraph, I hope
this helps someone else to evaluate their skills more
closely. Especially those of us who are low time pilots.
With 18,000 readers on this site, we all can’t be like the
guys who make long cross country’s look like a walk across
the street and amazing aerobatics look like something they
could do in their sleep. I am in awe of you guys who are
just that good and I appreciate all of your input to this
fantastic site. However, along with myself, there are
probably at least a few of us out there who may love these
RV planes but who also have only a couple hundred hours of
total time PIC.
Take the time to read Doug's threads on safety, especially
Van’s article on “How
to land an RV”. Then find a CFI with RV experience who
will spend as much time with you as needed. You’ll also want
to look carefully at
rvflightsafety.org. VAF contains so much more than
just how to form the perfect rivet or hang an engine. The
safety information here is invaluable.
I broke my neck in five places, had two complicated
surgeries, wore a halo for 14 weeks, am still wearing a hard
neck brace and have not been able to work or drive since
June 15. My wife cracked two neck vertebrae, cracked three
ribs and tore a rotator cuff in her shoulder. Thankfully she
did not have to have any surgery. Hurting someone you love
is much worse than hurting yourself. This is an embarrassing
story to tell because even us low time guys like to think
we’re good enough that something like this would never
happen to us; but if sharing helps to keep someone else from
getting hurt, then it’s worth being embarrassed.
__________________
Chuck Hagerty
Lynchburg, VA
RV-7A N954CH
Labeling the control stick
Houston RV Group Lunch This Weekend
...Hooks Airport at 11:30 am
EAA, AKIA Focus on Homebuilt Issues ...AKIA President is
Dick VanGrunsven
Thu Nov 14 1248z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Alexandre Marton photo (video)
...Brazil 9A
Bob Collins Update ...[ed. I never tire of reading what
Bob has to say. dr]
"And even more updates:
A gentleman was kind enough to send me an FAA medical
examiner bulletin from 2007, detailing the woes of an
airline captain with Meniere's. He eventually got it back
after an injection of gentamicin, a substance that is toxic
to the little hairs in your ear that wave around and, thus,
send signals to your brain regarding which way is up. It
kills them, and is an alternative to a more radical surgery
-- a labrythinthectomy, which takes all of your hearing and
balance nerves with it.
"I've
been thinking about that for you," my neurotologist said to
me when I emailed it to him last month, and I followed up
today for a love conversation (my nursing-student son in
tow) to evaluate the next course of action.
There's not a lot of hearing left in the ear, but I still
would like to keep what little is still there. It's possible
the Meniere's has completely burned itself out in that ear,
but we don't know that and while this is not a guarantee
there'll be no future episodes, it's a pretty good bet as a
next step."
continue
Aerosport Products seat lever
Aerosport Products has a newly designed seat
lever. It will make it easier to adjust your front seats. It
comes with all the hardware you need.
Plan Revisions (dated 11/6/13)
...'3' document all models except -12
...'5' document all models.
Status: Rhino889 RV-8
From the factory...
Tom Beiser RV-14A Status ...multiple pictures
9A N57KB Status ...Ken Boyd (Ohio)
I just finished painting the fuselage and
now I am in the process of assembling pieces that were
painted earlier in the year. Cold weather and snow has now
caught up with me and not having a heated hanger I will have
to wait until spring to paint the wings.
Wed Nov 13 1249z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Dear Stein, Bob Collins and the rest of the RV gang
up in the Minnesota/Wisconsin area,
The cold arrived here yesterday. It's in the high twenties (F) this
morning in DFW. Uncle. You win. Please turn off the cold valve
and let the heat work its way back in here. OMG....make it stop!
Please. And good morning.
Fall
colors, an unconventional look
(Vern Little) Picture is of a Remembrance Day flypast
(Veteran's Day to the USA). There are two Swifts, and RV-4, and RV-6, an
RV-7A, an RV-9A (mine) and an RV-8.
This flight crossed over several (nine?) cenotaphs in the Vancouver, BC
area. Aircraft are based out of Langley, Pitt Meadows and Victoria BC. For
the first time in memory, we were not at VFR minimums.
Despite the quality of the image, it somehow captures a lot.....
First Flight: Bob Marshal RV-6A (Bob'sRV6A)
"First Flight for N364BT
Finally, fifteen years after I bought the tail kit, she flies!! Got my
Airworthy Certificate on Saturday from Adam Valdez (Bakersfield, CA) without
any problem other than a few embarrassments over missing cotter pins. My
friend, Mike flew her for her first flight yesterday, and today was my turn.
Oh boy, words cannot describe it. Lots to do, we want to get her ready for
the paint shop on Friday and then, lots and lots of flying. Thanks to
everyone on this forum for more support and encouragement than anyone could
ever want."
RV-12
N417E Build Milestones
(Randy Pflanzer) Final step for me was sealing up the
rear window. I over-drilled each attach hole and used a rubber bushing to
protect the window from cracking. This technique is discussed in another
thread regarding the installation of the rear window. I loosened up
every screws and used shims to hold the window off the aluminum. I then used
a syringe to inject fuel tank sealant progressively around the window. I
slightly tightened the screws and wiped off the excess.
more
Bruce
Hill -9A Status
Panel painted and filled with all of the avionics. Final
wiring has started and I am working on the labeling. Oh yeah, and I
have a hangar at the airport!
Hope to move the project in this weekend.
Cleaveland Tool November Online Builder Hangout
DJ Lauritsen will be taking the reigns this month for
Cleaveland Tool's November Online Builder Hangout, where she'll be
discussing RV interiors...Best practices for design, and tips for
installing. Be there: Tuesday 11/19 at 7:30 CDT.
Register Here
Tom Weiss (tweiss) Status: Multiple pictures
Today was a lot smoother. This morning I
began with attaching the plate nuts to the tie down
brackets. Then did the whole debur, clean up, prime and
assemble routine, which brings the spars to completion for
now.
Tue Nov 12 1245z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
North Texas Fall Colors....taken yesterday just east
of Justin, TX. dr.
(click
to enlarge)
Another RV-8 is flying over Chilean skies ...Fernando
Abasolo
Today morning I maiden fly my friend
Patricio Alfaro RV-8 over La Serena (SCSE) Chile. Airplane
flew just great, engine temp at 25/2500 were 180 degree for
oil and all CHT around 395, indicated speed was 155 to 160
Kts at 3000 feet and I think that is great without wheel
pants and fairings.
Here is some pictures taken from Hernan Santibañez RV-7, who
made a great job flying as a chase plane, so thanks
First Flight Video ...Brian Steeves RV-10
Status ...Jesse Bentley
Final fitting of the cowl yesterday! As
things come together, I'm a bit conflicted about covering up
the wonderful complexity beneath the skin. Like the human
body (though on a much lesser degree obviously), relatively
simple outside. Inside? Not so much!
A short IFR hop ...60av8tor (several pics)
The NZ school that built an airplane
The high school in Mercury
Bay, NZ started this project about two years ago.
Fresh BBQ, 1 RV, and 4 Hot Rods
SoCal - Chino to Laughlin, with my Dad
Hat Sighting: Camp Pendleton, CA. Area 52, Marine School
of Infantry
RV Pilot Forced to Fly Certified Aircraft!
Un-named (ex) government sources close to
the project have confirmed that RVator Louise Hose passed
her Commercial check ride yesterday in a tired old Piper
Arrow. This is the number one reason that Van’s needs to
develop a retractable-gear aircraft – so that RV pilots
never have to suffer the embarrassment of bringing a
certified airplane to a check ride.
What’s the first thing Louise is going to do with her new
certificate? Go make peace with her beloved RV-6 (Mikey),
sadly neglected the past few months as she learned to
remember what the “U” was for in GUMP….
Paul F Dye
THANK YOU FOR SERVING.
Veterans Day ...United States holiday.
Mon Nov 11 1253z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Good morning! I squeezed
in a short 13 minute RV flight around the area on Saturday
morning. Didn't intend to, but the weather and
circumstances were too nice to pass up. I went out to wash
the car, since the hangar is where the pressure washer lives.
When I drove in the airport there didn't seem to be that much
activity going on besides the normal Saturday crowd at the
restaurant. Let's fly for a bit then. Of course,
coming back into the pattern was another thing, as apparently
the reason the field was quiet was because everyone was out
flying <g>. If felt good to get off the surface, and I
never get tired saying how amazing RVs are. Even got
around to washing the car.
I don't want to alarm you, but this guy has passed the 15 hour milestone
this year <mouths agape>. Broken out in the little .2 and
.3hr increments I log, that's a short RV flight every four days
or so. Semi-respectable in the watch-your-pennies economy
we find ourselves in.
Hope you had a nice weekend, and got off the surface a bit as well.
Church of the high speed pass ...veteran related.
Aerobatic video - lyrics ... NOT related !
(Luke in Italy) First attempt to do a decent
four points roll in the scenery of a perfect (rare) fall
Sunday!
Hat Sighting ...Cayo Santa Maria, Cuba
 |
Introduction: Charlie Luke of Harwinton, CT
I've been lurking and donating for about 4 years and thought I should
finally register and introduce myself. I'd like to thank Doug for
operating this site and also thank everyone who contributes for making
it such an informative as well as entertaining site to visit. I'm about
1600 hours into a RV-7A build, I think it will fly Tuesday.... |
Fun with Redline ...Jon Thocker
...Warbirds over Monroe 2013 Air Show
First Snow in the Cascades
(Steve Rush) Here is some video that I shot
last Monday in the North Cascades. The wet Saturday that we
had here in Western Washington dumped a good bit of snow in
the mountains. I drove through Stevens Pass the week before
and there was no snow there at all.
Fri Nov 8 1250z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
How 'bout those Baylor Bears!!! For the
critics, might beating
OU 41 to 12 count as playing a 'real team'? My Bears,
ladies and gentlemen, have arrived <g>.
Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and RV-filled weekend. Go
Bears.
'Texas Edition' Headset.....Danny King paint job.
(click
to enlarge)
A couple weeks back I handed
Danny King the cups of a headset, asking if he could slap some paint on them
the next time he was painting a model or something (he is a man of many
hobbies). He said, "How do you want them to look?" I said,
"Surprise me." Two days back he called and said that my pink
headset was ready.
Yesterday
he handed them over, and it turns out he went with the Lone Star State
instead. Took 'em for a short flight yesterday over to Decatur for gas
($4.99), humming 'Deep in the Heart of Texas' the whole time. I took
the pic above while gassing up at Decatur. BTW, the goggles in the pic
at right are how I address bird strikes when not wearing the helmet.
Google 'motorcycle goggles over eyeglasses' and you'll find lots of choices.
Passed three different groups of turkey vultures at my altitude on the trip
and back for gas. They weigh up to five pounds and can have a 72"
wingspan.
Video from last year.
Back to topic, the red is
'Ferrari Red' that was left over from when he recently touched up his RV-8
'Beautiful Doll'. Every RV fan on the planet knows 'Beautiful
Doll'. The white also. I don't know if all this increases
the value of the headset or decreases the value of the Doll. Maybe
both. Either way, Danny is a great guy to do this for me, and I owe
him a few lunches. You don't want me painting unless it involves
Crayons.
Have a great weekend, and
thanks again Danny!
I survived but the shoulder...
(Pierre Smith) ....was junk. Took an hour longer to
remove fragments of bone on the ball that caused limited outward motion.
(Right aileron).
still groggy....later...and thank all of you,
Best,
Pierre Smith
Where do you find 20-30 RVs on a Wednesday?
SEBRING, FL of course. It's the Wednesday
turn out place to be. If you can't fly, drive in.
From the Mothership....
Here are the latest pics...
...taken during my current inspection. the
last one is the cylinder wall.
Latest from the shop at
UpNorthAviation.com
November Sport Aviation Online
Thu Nov 7 1245z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
If you'll permit me, I'd like to brag today
just for a moment on my daughter at SMU. Freshman BioChem
major. She took her third Biology exam yesterday morning.
At 9:28pm we got a text that she made a 96. The last exam
she scored 90 with a class average of 78 (300+ students).
Back to RVs...(and good morning).
Plane Wash ...Roberto
This weekend we did another show of
acrobatics in Tres Arroyos, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
I guess I just can’t trust me ...Veetail88
I hang my head in shame before you all to
let you know that I’ve reaffirmed what I know to be true
about having others go over your work.
Over the past few weeks I’ve been running a thread about
some problems I’ve been having with my brand new motor. From
first start it hasn’t been running right and I’ve tried a
lot of things trying to solve it.
I ended up with two problems. One, the motor was running
rough. But not always. It would run fine at maybe 1700 RPM,
and after several seconds it would choke and shutter for a
bit, then start running fine again for several seconds and
repeat. The other was low pressure from the mechanical boost
pump.
I explored some of the ideas that came in from the VAF brain
trust. I verified the mechanical pump was indeed the high
pressure model required for fuel injection. I ran the motor
with the red cube bypassed; I ran the motor with the
mechanical pump bypassed. I checked the fuel lines for a
loose fitting or b-nut, I checked the fuel filter for debris
along with all of the fuel lines FWF and found nothing. I
even removed the fuel pump and tore it apart looking for
something wrong in there. Still nothing.
I had plenty of fuel pressure with the boost pump on and the
engine still ran rough so I assumed I had 2 separate
problems. I surmised that for sure the mechanical pump was
bad at least, and that I had a separate problem that still
needed discovery.
Well I finally fixed it all last Sunday and the problem was
me.
When I made up and assembled the fuel lines from the fuel
selector through the filter and boost pump, I torqued all
the b nuts and put a dab of torque seal on them, so, when
“many” others on this site suggested I might have a loose
fitting, I checked every one of them…….that didn’t have
torque seal on them.
So last Sunday, after unsuccessfully fiddling with things
for what I’d determined was the last time, I was going to
pull the fuel pump back off, send it out to be
tested/overhauled and shelf my motor problems until spring.
I then decided I would go through all the fittings one more
time, starting at the tanks and going all the way through to
the injectors but this time, I’d check even those I “knew”
to be tight.
You would be surprised how well that motor ran after I found
that loose nut! You know, the one with the torque seal on
it? Sheesh! What a dumb a**. Incredibly the mechanical fuel
pump is producing 20 psi at idle and more at higher speed,
and the motor isn’t stumbling and choking anymore! Idling
real smooth now too!
So the moral of the story is the same one that is preached
here all the time, and I hope I’ve learned it well. ALWAYS
have 1 or more people put a wrench or screwdriver on EVERY
nut, bolt, screw, etc. on the airplane!
Hope I’ve taught me a good lesson!
Fully developed spin ...video
(schristo) It sure was a nice day out with
dramatic cloud layers and colors so I decided to attach a
GoPro and go play. I really enjoyed the scene but I ended up
a bit higher than anticipated so I started my decent with a
fully developed 5-turn spin
You can see how the rotation and deck angle become very
stable in the last couple of turns; at this point it takes
quite a bit more time and effort to stop the rotation.
Welcome AircraftStickers.com ...ad in
the Previous Day's News
aircraftstickers.com
Possible Mod to the Panel to Accommodate a 6' 5" Frame
Does anyone see a problem with this mod?
I'm 6'-5" and have started sitting in my QB fuselage and was
a little concerned about the mounting/dismounting gyrations
I would have to do...my long legs and size 13 feet can't be
pulled back to the spar because my knees hit the bottom of
the panel. So I started looking into modifying the panel.
Are there any concerns that I don't know about that would
make this setup inpractical?.
Mis-drilled tie down ...options please.
Wed Nov 6 1245z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Freshly polished floor. John
Goodloe RV-8
Under the surgeon's knife tomorrow
(Pierre Smith) Mornin' guys 'n gals.
Kindly keep me in your thoughts/prayers [ed. Today. dr],
as I undergo right shoulder joint replacement surgery
tomorrow.
Thanks,
Pierre Smith
New To The Forum
(Jeff Shaud) Hi everyone! I'm new to the
forum. I just bought and I'm going to start an -7 emmpennage
kit. I bought it from a previous owner whom only completed
the vertical stabilizer and a small portion of the
horizontal stabilizer. I must say that the workmanship is
outstanding. My compliments to this builder and for the
trusting words from Mr. Jay Pratt which helped me to make
this decision. I look forward to beginning the project and
will, in all likelyhood, be asking for assistance from this
forum.
RV-10 Ruger
Hello to all!
First off I wanted to say thank you for the wealth of
knowledge and information available on this forum. It has
truly been a guiding factor in taking the RV plunge and a
source of calm every time I come across an issue or problem
during the build, and I am sure it will continue to be.
Figured it was time to come out of hiding and say hello.
Ruger (my dog) and I are building an RV-10 (yeah, he's not
very helpful). After 4 weeks of building, I am making slow
but steady progress.
I'm also cataloguing the build with time lapse video for
future builders that come across the site
(http://rugerrv10.blogspot.com/), and it is available for
any to see.
Cheers to all!, -M
__________________
Miguel
North Carolina
Tina's November Specials
Tue Nov 5 1244z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Rob Reece (RV-8) in theVanCave
yesterday.
Took a vacation day...
Coast to Coast to Coast ...apkp777
I am not sure how rare this is, but I don't
expect that I will do this ever again. In the past 30 days
my plane has seen (with me in it) both the Pacific Coast of
California, the Atlantic Coast of Florida and Lake Michigan.
I flew altogether about 45 hours this month cross country
and about 5000 miles or so.
TFR DFW
Beginning Date and Time : November 06, 2013
at 2130 UTC
Ending Date and Time : November 07, 2013 at 0330 UTC
Mystery Pic
Something's getting painted. More
tomorrow.
RV-12 Status ...Randy Pflanzer
I just finished up three weeks of very
intensive work to finish up the installation of the canopy.
I build the fairing off the airplane and then glued it in
place using fuel tank sealant.
more
RV-10 Aft Tray
Here's my version of an aft tray for
equipment. I started with the idea from N541RV, but wanted
to do something different for support. I ended up ordering
two more F-1029 ribs from Van's ($13 each) and trimming,
bending etc to fit. After test fitting the tray I was
unhappy with the amount of flex on the outside edge, so
ended up making two 'shelf brackets' that double as wire
channels with grommets. It's probably more space than I will
need (I hope, at least) for fuse block, ELT, transponder
units, and it did suck up some extra build and
head-scratching time, but so far I like it.
Still trying to decide if I'm going to route
the #2 wires through the space in front of the tray, or
drill holes and insert grommets for them to sprout out of
it.
Magneto Mistake, Part Deux - an expensive lesson
Mon Nov 4 1249z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Jeff 'Freightdawg' Rich ...RV-10 HS complete
RV-10 Status ...Brandi
Brian drove up to the paint shop last week
to take the doors off and snapped a couple of photos of the
primed plane and parts. We were super excited to see what
had been done in just 4 1/2 weeks!
Super 8. Documenting an engine overhaul...Mike 'Kahuna'
Stewart
Petit Jean FB Page ...Deb and Scott Mills
Radial RV
...engine arrives.
Race 71 Remembered...
New Product from Abby at Flightline Interiors
Keep the sun from burning you with an easy
stick on- peel off window cling. These come to you in
a soft case to protect them from scratching while storing.
They block 99% of UV rays and reflect 55% of the suns heat.
Visit the Accessories page here for more information :
flightlineinteriors.com
Fri Nov 1 1158z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and
RV-filled weekend.
(click to
enlarge)
N207KS as Tillamook, OR. You
can't see it in the picture,
but some wag installed a basketball hoop just above the door.
(Ken Scott photo)
November Calendar Wallpaper
....Adam Burch in a RV-12
RV-14 Emp/tailcone Photos
(mcattell) Here are a couple photos
for you of my emp/tailcone kit I picked up yesterday. Lots
of parts! I'm guessing that the tailcone sheet metal
is about 7' long and the spar about 8' long but I'd have to
check. The spar is not shown in the photos and everything is
bigger than it appears.
The two piece ribs in the rudder and elevator look like a
great idea so they can be back riveted. The assembly looks
like it'll be much easier than my -9 emp. Similar in size to
the -9 but under the skin appear to be much different
design. I'm very impressed with what I see so far just
browsing the plans.
Petit Jean 2013 Vid and Pics ...Bill Schlatterer
Charity Hat Sighting ...Dvalcik
Greeting trick-or-treaters...
E-mag thank you
I wanted to write a short note of thanks to
Brad Dement of E-MAG Ignitions for his October-long "Do
It Today" drive that donated to VAF for each mag system
sold during the month. Brad has a first class setup,
and my RV-6 flies smoothly behind two P-mags here for the
last several years. That Brad came up with this idea
just to help the site out speaks to the quality of his
character.
fmi:
http://www.emagair.com/
Thu Oct 31 1154z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Flying to the Copperstate Fly-In ...Jenny Hickman
We’ve returned from another successful
Copperstate Fly-in. We flew there and back with Scott and
Deana McDaniels in the Van’s RV-14. It’s the perfect
distance for RV flying- a little over five leisurely hours
each way. It certainly seemed to go by fast, but that could
be because I tend to be asleep most of the time. I guess
that’s a testament to the smooth flying of the RV-10.
Thankfully, Rob is always thoughtful enough to take LOTS of
pictures of me passed out in the copilot seat.
continue
The RV Community Mourns the Passing of Bob Axsom
...the lives he touched keep chiming in.
From the factory....
It Just Works ...Rhino889
"It just works"
"Exceeded my expectations"
This is what I answer when someone asks me how the plane
turned out.
Keep riveting boys and girls!
Transponder Antenna Fairing ...912ry
With the addition of my ADSB antenna, I
decided to dust off my fiberglass skills and clean up romeo
yankee's belly. I bought the cheap antennas so it started
looking like a forest under there. I highly doubt that any
performance gains were made, but I had fun.
Tommy's -8
With the excitement of all the assembling, I
have not made any effort to start and regularly update the
progress of my build on this site.
I have thoroughly enjoyed following along with so many of
you folks and your building experiences I thought it was
time to pay it forward if you will with my build.
A quick story of about me getting started. Last fall through
my friends and kids, we gave my wife the opportunity to be
the airport hero and get me an -8 tail kit for my birthday.
Well when my birthday was done she didn't come through with
my thoughtful gift. But she didn't exactly say no either.
She just felt she wasn't capable of making all the decisions
that come with ordering such a thing.
So...... with all my best intentions, last February I
thought it would be a great idea to get her an -8 tail kit
for her birthday.
continue
Color PIREP ...Andrews, GA
Not a mirror
image....actually two people.
'Rocks' and 'Plaster' sporting
their Navy-colored VAF caps.
Gold bars, white lettering, Navy wings on back. (ex A-7 guys)
Wed Oct 30 1154z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Our RV Friend Bob Axsom Has Passed Away
The RV community mourns the loss of a
talented aircraft builder, air racing aficionado and VAF
Forum contributor (5,700+ posts). While we miss our
online friend, Bob is with his beloved Jeanine again.
Tailwinds to Race #71. dr
Bob and Jeanine in happier
times (Jeanine passed in Jan 2012)
(from Paul Dye)
The next time you turn on your GPS and see a terrain
map....or look at your Synthetic Vision on your fancy EFIS....I
want you to think of Bob Axom. Bob was an important engineer
at JPL when they built a radar system called SRTM (Space
Radar Topography Mapper). We flew that monster payload on
STS-99 and mapped (topographically) all the dirt on the
planet between 60 degrees North and 60 degrees south. That
data set will serve as the basis for ALL topographic mapping
for the next 100 years.
Bob was instrumental to making that work. A racer? Yup - he
did that too - but I will be forever grateful for what he
did before he retired.
Bob already knows the way to Heaven - he helped map it.
RV-7 Checkout Completed! ...John Courte
There is no person I'm more grateful to at
this moment than Mike Seager. Last week I had some of the
most intense days of flight training since getting ready for
my PPL checkride back in 1998.
I am not a very experienced pilot, and there are those who
might justifiably argue that the RV-7 is too much airplane
for me. On Tuesday morning, I would have agreed
wholeheartedly. Constant speed props are new to me, using an
EFIS in flight is new to me, and the RV-7 is about as far
from the 115hp Citabria as the Model T is from the AC Cobra.
At least that's how it seemed at the time.
it soon became apparent to me that flying a Citabria through
a lot of power-off approaches at Compton airport is not the
same thing as working the RV-7 by the numbers, and the first
day left me with an impression of "wow, I suck at flying."
Everyone said, "oh, you're flying a Citabria, the RV will be
a breeze, it's much easier than the Citabria." I didn't find
that to be the case at all.
This is why I can't thank Mike enough. He got me up to speed
with not only the basic airmanship skills that had degraded
over time, but with getting out in front of the rapid
succession of tasks and checks the RV demands in pattern
work.
Once I was able to get ahead of the airplane, the experience
was much more enjoyable. I could appreciate the way it flew
and the way it felt to be the one flying it.
I won't say or pretend that by the time we were done, I had
it nailed. I can operate the RV-7 safely enough, but there
is room for improvement: I tend to overcontrol, which is a
big problem with something as responsive as the RV. I still
need plenty of practice doing takeoffs and landings. I spend
more time inside the cockpit than I'd like, but that will
decrease when I learn my engine's sounds at various power
settings.
Like Mike says, never be satisfied with "good enough."
Always do better. Thanks to Mike, I now have the opportunity
to do better in my own airplane in the very near future. And
Mike, if you're reading this, I promise to remember the
flaps on base and not to try to land by looking over the
nose.
It wasn't all a constant stream of testing Mike's patience
with my ineptitude; we stopped at Van's Aircraft to drop off
some paperwork and I got the nickel tour of the Mothership!
And flying over NW Oregon in the fall on a sunny day is one
of the most breathtaking experiences I've ever had. The
countryside is amazing to see. I wish I'd been able to take
some pictures, but I had other things to attend to just
then.
RV-14 Fuselage Kit Update....factory FB page
RV-14 Fuselage Kits….Our Engineering crew is
working diligently to prepare all the plans pages and make
finishing touches to individual parts drawings. Once that’s
done, the parts drawings can go to our Production department
and then on to shipping. As you can imagine, there’s a lot
of work that goes into getting these kits ready to go out
the door. We really appreciate everyone’s patience while we
make it happen.
While it’s still a bit early to pinpoint a ‘launch’ date for
the RV-14 Fuselage Kit, we’re hoping to ship the first of
the Fuselage kits very early in 2014 (Jan-Feb). As we
progress with the kit, we’ll provide more definitive
information.
Thanks for your patience!
Van’s Crew
2013 Summer is over ...Vlad
Tue Oct 29
0955z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
On the workbench at
Avery Tools.
Just like an episode of 'How It's Made'.
(click to enlarge)
The Big
Flight ...Dgamble
I doubt if I am alone in this: during the building of my
airplane, there were a number of people who lent support throughout the
entire process. One of those for me was/is my father. Without his
intervention, my project would have never left the ground, both figuratively
and literally. As many of you probably know, my overall build time was
increased by a factor of roughly 25% simply because every single time I
worked on the airplane, I wrote about it.
The primary purpose of that writing was self-aggrandizement, of course
, but
nearly as important was keeping my dad up to date on the progress of the
build, if for no other reason than it gave him something to talk about with
his buddies at the track during the morning horse training sessions.
Not surprisingly, I often thought of the day when I would be able to give
him a ride in the airplane that he made possible. That opportunity arose
yesterday. Not only was this his first time seeing the plane in all of its
splendidly colorful glory, it was also the first cool, clear, and smooth
flying weather that would ensure a comfortable, low stress ride.
continue
If you arrived late morning...
Happy
Halloween VAF Style
Status
(RV-7) ...Gil Brice
Mon Oct 28
1143z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Morning! Pictures
from the Petit Jean fly-in this weekend are starting to trickle
in. By the looks of them it was a really good time. Bill
S. texted me that all customer-flying RV-models were
represented.
Segueing into surface transportation, might someone reading this happen
to work at a Ford dealership? I have a question or three
regarding the F-150, and am trying to get my ducks in a row
before the boy takes over my Ranger in a couple years (yes, he
already calls it 'his' truck).
Hope you had a great weekend and that your Monday goes swell.
The ramp at the Petit Jean RV fly-in / campout on Saturday.
With a Norwegian -7 across Sweden and to a Swedish Island
Fall has arrived in Norway and it's time to look back at this seasons
cross-country flights. The wifey and me had some very nice trips
in our trusty -7 so I want to share one with you; when we went
to a Swedish Island named "Øland", situated just outside the SE
coast.
Sat Oct 26 1941z
SPECIAL ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
(from the Petit Jean '13 RV Fly-in)
Fri Oct 25 2018z
SPECIAL ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
The TeenFlight RV-12 Auction ends early, as it sold for the
'Buy It Now' price of $105K. The money is being used to fund a new
RV-12 kit, to be constructed by another group of eager teens!
fmi:
www.VansAircraft.com
...from the factory.
Fri Oct 25
1142z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and RV-filled weekend.
Scott/Charlie's RV-14 wing resting in their
pretty amazing shop. (click to enlarge)
First Flight: MarkW RV-9
Received my Air worthiness yesterday morning
and spent the rest of the day putting it back together and
getting another weight. 1081#. 6 pm with the weather calm
and the traffic low and no one around I snuck it out for
about 6 laps around the pattern 1500' and 142 knots for
engine break-in. Temps were great and plane needed no
trimming. Only squawk was no sidetone on the radio or at
least I could not hear it with the RPM's up. Man is that a
pain to talk on the radio when you can not hear yourself.
Did not have time for a glamour shot but hear is one after I
put it back in the hanger.
Work Day ...hydroguy2
Mike, my Supervisor said we needed to go to
a Emergency Action Plan meeting for 2 of the upstream Dams.
He said he would leave Helena about 0800, be at my place
around 0830, so we could make the 1000 meeting in Ennis MT.
2hrs each way for him, 1.5hrs for me. Yuck. The weather has
been fabulous lately, so I mentioned, how about I pick you
up at KHLN and we zip down there in the RV.
(continue / pics)
E-Mag Isnitions PIREP: Smokey Ray
Guys,
I recently was blessed with a pair of new E/P-Mags from
RV4Bill. I mailed them back to Brad Dement at E-Mag
Ignitions to have the latest upgrades installed as they were
from the original lot ("block" for us F16 guys)
Brad completed the upgrade but let me know that the E-Mag
was no longer produced due to sales overwhelmingly
supporting the P version (a $350 upgrade). So, he simply
upgraded my E to a P gratis, thanks to my service and
involvement in missions. As I told him, "I'm speechless"! As
tough as it is to maintain a small business (much less
aviation related) in our current economy only accentuates
the gesture. Brad also donates directly to this site with
any new purchase. Needless to say I am a customer for life.
Anyone who goes above and beyond the call deserves thanks
and support. E-Mag Ignitions certainly have mine...
Eagle's Nest Projects - One student, One school, One community
at a time
(R.E. Butcher)
Please join us in welcoming Denbigh HS Aviation Academy to
Eagle's Nest Projects growing family of campuses, and take a
moment to view the short YouTube video of their ribbon
cutting ceremony. You'll have a better day after watching
the video... I promise!
Fuel stain on carb - normal?
During my last oil change I noticed a bit of
blue staining around the nut on the bottom of the carb (I'm
not sure what it's called). I think it's probably been
gradual enough that I just haven't noticed it before, and it
doesn't seem to be much of a weep or leak, but what might
cause it and what should I do, if anything, to address it?
Thanks.
From Trio
Avionics, Inc.
"We are
now including our fuel management system and Auto-Trim
feature in the basic $2,995 price for the Pro Pilot and the
GX Pro." fmi:
www.trioavionics.com
Thu Oct 24
1149z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Flying in to Mustang Island, Port Aransas, TX ...Jay Honeck video
Finally got round to mounting the GoPro on the
wingtip facing forward for a flight into our lovely home 'drome. No
aerobatics this time, just a pretty flight down the ship channel
from Ingleside (KTFP) to Mustang Beach (KRAS). Other than a little
jello effect, I think it turned out well.
FS- Surplus Avionics, Garmin, King, TruTrak, etc ...Stein
"We have some more surplus goodies for sale at
reduced prices. Note that I’ll be adding to this list over the next
week so check back as items will be added/removed. As always, first
come first serve – prices are cash/check and shipping is not
included. Here’s what we have."
My ELT activated in-flight causing panic to family and friends
So yesterday was my
son's birthday. He is at university in Winston-Salem, NC so I
figured I'd fly down from Philadelphia in the AM, have lunch and be
back by sunset. Due to headwinds, flight was planned for 2 hrs and
40 mins. Apparently 40 minutes into the flight my 406 Mhz ELT
activated. This ELT also has GPS data as well. This prompted the Air
Force SAR Center in Florida to call my listed contacts. Needless to
say my contacts got very spun up. Thankfully I was in the system,
using flight following in continuous contact with the many ATC
centers along my route. IN ADDITION, I had my APRS tracker
operating.
My upset fiancee called my flying buddies who quickly went online to
view my APRS track and also FlightAware. The APRS track data gave
everyone some comfort that i was likely not in peril. In the
meantime when I landed 2 hours after the activation, my cell phone
was loaded with missed calls and text messages. With that I tuned to
121.5 and sure enough, I could hear the distress tone. I immediately
hit the reset button and it silenced. BTW - Return flight was
uneventful with a nice tailwind - home in 2 hrs. Monitored 121.5 the
whole way home when I could.
So help me with a few questions:
1) What would cause my ELT to activate in flight? Air was smooth, no
turbulence.
2) I appreciate the matter of urgency the Air Force has when
reacting to a distress signal, but why don't they contact the FAA
too? I was in the system, the FAA could have provided some info as
well as contacting me to silence the beacon.
3) I called the Air Force for further information as to how the
event was handled. They told me my beacon was received by the
satellite with my GPS coordinates. I asked whether they received
multiple locations given that I was moving and at a steady altitude.
Their comment was that they received one alert and then acted, when
another alerts were received (AFTER ANOTHER SATELLITE PASS) they
said that they tend to assume one of the locations was in ERROR!!
Lessons learned:
1) Monitor 121.5 when possible during all flights.
2) I was very happy that I had my APRS tracker turned on - gave
friends and family more data to understand my fate. Be sure to let
family and friends know how to track you online.
3) A personal locator or APRS tracker is a great tool - however
would love to be able to send and receive messages through the APRS
tracker. SPOT has this feature which really allows for confirmation
of situation.
Thoughts?
__________________
Mark
RV-9A
From the mothership
facebag page....
Wed Oct 23
1152z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
PVC Floor Lamp ...Moondog
Here's my PVC floor lamp. Since the hangar
is not mine, I can't modify the lighting, so this works very
well. It can be moved and positioned easily with one hand.
And the owner, who graciously allows me to use his hangar at
no charge, appreciates that I never turn on his sodium vapor
lights.
more
TruTrak
Announces New Ownership and Leadership
Springdale, AR
October 22, 2013- "TruTrak Flight Systems is pleased to
announce a new President and Chief Executive Officer, Andrew
Barker. Andrew has been with the company since its founding
and a partner with founder, Jim Younkin for seven years.
Andrew and Jim have jointly designed every major TruTrak
product. After more than 50 years working in aviation, Jim
has decided to sell his portion of the company to the other
existing owners and retire from TruTrak.
Along with this change, a new board of directors has been
elected from within the company. The newly elected directors
have been working as part of the management team for many
years. Along with existing board members, Andrew Barker and
Christina Peterson, there are two newly elected members,
Carrie Barker and Lucas Massengale. These new directors will
bring many years of knowledge and experience to the
leadership of the company.
“We are very excited about this new direction and the
opportunities that will be made available with this new
management team.” said CEO Andrew Barker “ The future of
TruTrak is brighter than ever, and we have many new ideas
that we are currently pursuing.”
Founded in 1999, TruTrak is a leader and innovator in the
experimental and light sport aircraft autopilot market.
TruTrak has designed and manufactured many cutting edge
autopilots and the now standard autopilot servo for use in
this market."
fmi:
www.trutrakflightsystems.com
Lots of fun with L-29 - Pitts and RVs
Another successful Rotax engine start ...Brent Connelly (NJ)
Introducing Garmin Tactix Watch
specs
October is online
Expired SikaFlex Products - an
experiment ...Bruce
Swayze
I have something interesting to share with
everyone. I'm getting ready to install the rear window on my
RV-7A. While digging through my stuff in the shop the other
day, I pulled out my leftover SikaFlex supplies from my
tip-up canopy job that I did back in April, 2012. That was
over a year-and-a-half ago. I used less than one tube of
Sika 295 UV on my tip-up canopy. The leftover cartridge has
about 2" of material left in it and has been sitting on my
shelf for 1-1/2 years. I figured it would have cured hard as
a rock a long time ago. It expired in Jan 2013, 10 months
ago. So out of curiosity I got out my tin snips and cut open
the cartridge. Imagine my surprise when I found the material
inside as soft, fresh-smelling, and gooey as brand new!
continue
Tue Oct 22
1152z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
(from
this thread)
Filled
out my first NASA report yesterday ...N546RV
Short story: I may have inadvertantly slipped into
the Atlanta class B. I didn't get a phone number or anything upon returning
to PDK, so I imagine I'm probably OK. Still, there are lessons to be learned
about complacency here.
The long version sort of starts about a year ago. My partner's nieces were
in town, and she'd asked me if could take them up for a little sightseeing
flight locally. I ended up calling that flight at the last minute because
the winds were pretty stiff that day. Since then, I've wanted to take them
up another time they were in town, and this weekend was the perfect time.
My plan for the flight was pretty simple: Take off, head over to Stone
Mountain, run up to Lake Lanier, and then back home. A short local flight,
and not really going anywhere I haven't gone plenty of times before. Well,
sort of...while I've flown around Lanier and used it as a practice area
frequently, I've never really specifically flown around Stone Mountain for
sightseeing. Let's call this mild unfamiliarity factor #1.
continue
Crack in
the inside corner of the left fuselage skin (F-1270L)
After 260 hrs., I have an approx. 1.5” long crack in the
inside corner of the left fuselage skin (F-1270L) where the Upper Firewall
(F-1201A) meets the Firewall Shelf (F-1201B).
See
photos:
Old RCAF
paint shema
Mentoring those with 'the spark'.....update
Petit
Jean Five Day Update ....the last one ....see you there! (Bill S.)
Wow, we thought this week would never get here …. And we only
hoped the 4 day forecast could be this good! (not saying that out loud yet but
it’s OK in small italic’s :-) The Petit Jean RV Gathering is upon us and it’s
going to be a heck’uva good time. I think it’s going to be a very special
weekend. Hikers are going to love mid-60’s and dry hiking weather and the rest
of us are going to love just sitting around the campground and doing what we do
best …. talking RVAviating, meeting a new RVAviator type friends, and catching
up with last years “new” now old RV friends. Based on continuous email updates
and virtually no cancellations so far, we are expecting a full house….. please
work with us and remember it’s all about the gathering. We would still ask the
courtesy of an email if you do cancel later this week but we have already
committed for meals and we’re ready to rock and roll. (see attached chart for
anticipated aircraft types … those darn narrow bodies (RV8’s) are still leading
the charge…. Cooome oonnn 7a’s and where’s that 3?)
We have attached an ARRIVAL document and we would ask that you review it
closely. Also attached is the Grub Hub document which might be important to you
…. It’s the rough agenda (not that we really have one) and a briefing on ETA,
ETE, and ETDs. (That would be Estimated Time of Appetizers, Estimated Time to
Eat/Entertainment, and Estimated Time for Desert!) We would have had a ETF
(Estimated Time to Fly) but we’re not sure we’ll have time for that J Obviously,
we will provide the lat/long coordinates to dial into your GPS (GroceryPositioningSensor)
so that you know where the rest of your buddies are chowing down!
So let me leave you with a few thoughts:
1. First of all …. do PLAN on having a good time! We’re all here to have fun and
it’s nothing more than an all-volunteer gathering of friends. Thanks in advance
for your help! One of the nice things about Petit Jean is that you can actually
be part of the crew! Our only rule here is …. If someone needs help… please help
J It’s supposed to be the easiest fly-in in town!
2. Do read the ARRIVAL document. There is no taxiway so please pay attention to
the radio and listen for advisories. AirBoss Jerry (Homie) Homsley will be on
122.9 – call at least 10 NM out.
3. There will be a parking crew in yellow vests to guide you in. Be careful of
prop blast, we will push to final parking positions.
4. We are supposed to have 4,000 gallons of fuel in the hopper this year! Fuel
should not be a problem.
5. This whole show gets set up starting early Friday morning and the field is
empty by Sunday at noon. IF you get there before we do … and 6 did last year!
Just hang on… we coming!
6. Our SWAG WX system says the weather is looking good with calm winds but
please bring Tie-Downs anyway and chocks if you need them.
7. It could be cool at night on the lake but we will have plenty of firewood.
8. All meals are well covered but you might want to bring your favorite beverage
just in case what we have doesn’t match your taste ….. (it is a state park but
….)
IF YOU”RE HIKING …. Please review the trail info so you know where you would
like to go: Trails, maps, and more : http://www.petitjeanstatepark.com/things_to_do/trails_overlooks.aspx
On behalf of local EAA Chapter 165 North Little Rock, EAA Hot Springs, and the
MidSouthRVators… we are all looking forward to your arrival! Smile for the
camera’s!
See’ya Friday and fly safe!
Bill S
Mon Oct 21
1154z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
It's Not Always About The Flying ...Scott Mills
The one thing Deb and I have learned in our eight years of flying 339A,
is that the RV is more than just a vehicle for transportation.
We've made many good friends as a result of this hobby. On that
note, Deb has always been a big fan of the autumn season and
while at LOE this year, we bemoaned the fact that we hadn't had
a hangar movie night in quite a while. Gary made a suggestion to
do something for Halloween. Like Dracula on a plate of warm
liver, Deb seized upon this idea and set about making plans for
a Halloween-themed hangar party. Welcome to the first annual
Mills/Zilik "Hangar-ween" Bash.
We had a great response to our invitation with a total of 31 adults, 3
kids, and a dog in attendance. This included current builders
from the Denver and Colorado Springs area, some non-aviation
friends, and two of our favorite out-of-state fly-in fiends (I
mean friends), Jim "Jimmy B" & Vicki Baker.
continue
|
N804RV
Officially an airplane builder. The 15 year old plastic film comes
right off. I wonder if the older clear stuff is somehow less of a
problem than the blue stuff.
Fall Colors ...rzbill
Diane and I woke to a beautiful CAVU Sunday morning. We decided to
go to the Runway Cafe at GMU for lunch.
more
Jasper, TX Race results
Grove, OK Air Race 10-26-13
|
Welcome Experimental Goodies
...new VAF advertiser
Experimental Goodies (EG) is based out of Huntsville, Alabama and is
owned by two Engineers who have a passion for flying and building
experimental aircraft. During the building phases of their aircrafts and
being the engineers that they are, they were looking at ways to automate
some of the functionality within the
 experimental
market to include the automation of controlling the oil temperature on
an aircraft without having to continuously adjust the oil cooler air
shutter or air box door. In addition they saw a need for the controlling
of other equipment such as cowling doors and cabin heat vents without
having to
 install
the old method of push/pull cables into the avionics panel. With this in
mind, the first product, an Oil Temperature Controller (OTC) was
developed and tested. Other products such as an RC servo-to-RAC servo
converter currently under development will allow the interface of other
worm driven servos such as the Ray Allen servos to allow controlling
larger oil cooler controls such as those in the Vans RV10. EG is always
looking for new experimental products to develop and wecomes any
suggestions that might be of interest to the experimental market.
fmi:
www.experimentalgoodies.com
Charity Hat Sighting ...DMZ
Best way to fix this
Looking for suggestion on how to fix this crack where the fiberglass
meets the metal.
 |
Living the Dream - An RV Weekend ...Peter McCoy trip
write-up
Here we go again... Six flights, three
passengers and 4.2 hours logged makes for a great weekend in
the RV!
#1 - Flew the wife and our family dog up to Big Bear (L35).
#2 - Flew down from Big Bear to Ramona, CA (KRNM)
#3 - Motivational flight for fellow 9A builder, Bruce Hill.
Nothing better then paying it forward by taking up a fellow
builder who is still pounding rivets.
#4 - Back up to Big Bear to spend the night at our cabin.
#5 - Early morning sight seeing flight for my friend Mark
Rosenfeld. What an awesome morning to fly around Big Bear.
Cool temps and no wind. Amazing.
#6 - The wife and I flew home to Chino. Moved my plane from
Cable to Chino a couple of weeks back.
continue
Re-Birthday flight
A year ago today I was lying in an ICU,
hooked up to a ventilator, with a crew of puzzled docs
trying to figure out why I was dying and they were seemingly
unable to stop it. Fortunately, they did figure it out in
time for emergency mitral valve replacement surgery to save
my sorry life.
Today I got up, had coffee with my amazing wife, went
shopping for some nice wine, went to the hangar and went
flying in my RV6A, now named "Second Wind" in honour of my
new lease on life. By choice, it was a solo flight, with
time to reflect on all that has transpired over this past
year, and how lucky I am to be here. Cracked a celebratory
beer back at the hangar after.
Tomorrow night our family will celebrate my "Re-birthday"
with a special meal and a couple of bottles of particularly
nice wine we've been saving for the occasion. Life is good!
__________________
Gerry Julian
Moose Jaw Saskatchewan
RV6A "Second Wind" C-GERZ (born N242UL)
Clean
Floor / Happy Floor
A thrifty and productive Friday. $2 in Zep floor cleaner and
a friend's rotary floor scrubber and burnisher. Three hours later and 25%
of the hangar (my CPA calls it a rental property for tax purposes - I have
renters) is all nice and pretty. I did my corner first. It'll take
some time, but the floor is going to look sweet. Only out about $10 for a
bottle of floor degreaser and some electricity. Going thrifty for a bit,
compensating for the son's recent stitches bill, has its up side. What is
it about a clean hangar floor that is so appealing? I gotta say I stared
at that floor smiling longer than I would have had I flown. Neat freaks of
the world unite!
Oh yeah, and good morning!
Fri Oct 18
1154z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
I woke up this morning
wondering what the splash image would be for the weekend.
Then I saw
this vid AX-O posted of the Chiefs/Raiders flyover looking
backwards. Well that was an easy decision! Grabbed a
frame.
Wishing you and yours a happy, safe and RV-filled weekend.
First RV
10 project in Chile
...welcome Jorge Arrue of Santiago (and a great idea for a
shop!)
Dear friends,
I wanted to show the first Rv 10 project in chile. We did
the work shop based on a 40 feet container. We
are building the vertical stabilizer and the rudder.
We hope many tips for having a successful home built
aircraft.
Thanks.
Instrument Panel Plan ...Justin Twilbeck SolidWorks model
I used rub-down transfers for...
...my panel. Worked very well.
I used Visio to generate the artwork. Note that the page sizes used are
often standard photo sizes, i.e. 8x10, 11x14, etc., not printer paper sizes.
Make multiple copies of each transfer so you have a spare if you mess up
installation. Nest things like an old model decal sheet to maximize use of
area. I actually did not put a clear coat over mine as I found I never
actually touch the legends and it makes modifications easy. A toothpick or
similar can scrape off the old legend if you want to change a switch
function. (you can see the CB I changed). Of course, install the legends
before you mount the switches.
Flightline Interiors new product
AVIONICS COVER
FOR RV-6,7 & 9.
Flightline Interiors is now offering an avionics cover for
your tip-up canopy to protect your avionics. Please
visit our website on the Accessories page to read more about
this product
www.flightlineinteriors.com, email at
flightline@tds.net or call 262-364-6166.
Thank you!
Abby
First Flight Suspected Engine Failure Video
Below is a
link to the video from inside the cockpit of my first flight
a few months back. If you watch the dynon you will see a
dramatic rise in the CHT and then it suddenly falls off. The
EGT's on the right also acted very odd however that was a
settings error in the way the sensors were reading. After
this 3 minute flight we spent 3 days digging into everything
imaginable trying to find a solution. After talking with
numerous A&P's, Superior as well as a well known engine
builder who is local we determined the Number 1 Cylinder
fuel line was partially blocked during takeoff, as i turned
crosswind the Cylinder became fully blocked which made the
cylinder loose power and drop off, this also reduced the
overall RPM by nearly 1000rpm. Almost immediately the
cylinder cleared itself and returned to normal operations
unknown to me at the time. The aircraft flew for 85 hours
without a single incident until it was sold a few weeks ago.
Please critique, I would love to hear what others think of
the diagnosis or how the situation was handled. Since I am
starting a new aviation career next year this could help out
significantly.
Thu Oct 17
1146z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Fish eye lens. Chiefs/Raiders flyover.
(pic
credit)
By popular request I'll be...
(Walt) ...bringing my prop balancing
equipment if you feel like doing that as an extra curricular
activity instead of hiking. [ed. The Petitt Jean
Mountain RV Fly-in]
Left
timing pin in magneto and turned the prop - what now?
(John Courte) I've been debating
bringing this up here, because it's truly embarrassing and
the kind of thing that doesn't reflect well on my skills as
a builder.
Last Saturday when I was retiming my mags (rt mag way off,
lots of afterfiring) I left the timing pin inserted in the
distributor block when I went to pull the prop through for
buzz box timing. At this point, the right mag is totally
inop. No backfiring or other indication that it's even
working at all.
The "timing pin" in question was only a 3/32 pop rivet, but
it was bent up pretty good when I finally extracted it.
What happens now? Have I ruined the magneto and just bought
myself a $1000 lesson in checklists and details? In your
experience, what's the usual damage from this kind of event?
Control Room Video ....Chiefs/Raiders flyover
A day in the sun ...how the flight came together.
Network Upgrading October 19th,
2013 10pm CT - 11pm CT
(from my ISP)
"...Infrastructure team will be continuing the Data Center Modernization
project on Saturday, October 19th, 2013 beginning at 10pm CT. ISP
connectivity will be intermittent for up to one (1) hour during this event.
Thank you."
Wed Oct 16
1146z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
2013 donation list status.
Sorry to start your day
here with a commercial - I'll keep it short. No
emails. No junk mail.
1,379 donations sent in
during 2013 as of yesterday (7.6% if you compare it to the
18,026 registered forum accounts - 3% if you use all the I.P.
addresses hitting the site, which would include 'lurkers').
We are 78.6% done with the year.
We're doing OK and paying
the bills, but I need to remind folks to please pay sometime
during the year if this site is part of your usual internet
scan. College bills looming. VAF is an American
small business and everything we have is riding on it - the
state of our economy isn't helping!
Back to your regular
site...and thanks for donating if you already have. If
you choose not to donate and don't fit into one of the
exempt categories, my mom is going to come beat you up.
How to donate / exempt categories
TeenFlight RV-12 Auction
...auction ends 6pm Pacific
Time Friday, Nov 1, 2013. Current high bid on the
factory front page (link).
(more
photos)
Eleven Minutes Away by RV… ...Paul Dye
Alpine County Airport (M45)
is just a hop skip and an RV-jump away from our new home
site here in Dayton valley, NV. Just across the border in
California, it is just a couple of miles from Markleeville,
but seems as remote as you can get. There is nothing but a
long paved runway and a tie down area – plus an unimproved
camping area.
continue
Small town air shows are fun for everyone ...Hans Miesler
video
GREAT Video of the Chiefs/Raiders RV Flyover
(Brent Taylor) "Americans
historically and by nature have always found a way to
overcome adversity. Yesterday in KC, at Arrowhead Stadium,
that can do American spirit was on full display. Not able to
call on our military for flyovers of events, due to budget
battles and politics, a group of civilian pilots put
together the largest formation flyover (49 aircraft) of any
sporting event in history. Add to that the fact, these were
aircraft constructed from kits (RV's) by individuals in
their workshops, hangars and garages makes this even more
impressive. But wait there's more !! All the aircraft
trailed pink smoke as they flew over as part of National
Breast Cancer Awareness Month. To all who were
involved in making this happen........Well done, very well
done indeed !!!"
[ed.
Grand slam gang!!!!! I sent that clip to my
whole family tree. Outstanding!!! dr]
Petit Jean Update
...from Bill S.
So here are some highlights
above and beyond the usual just plain hell'uva good time
with your friends:
· We will have flight bags of goodies for the first 60
airplanes to arrive. Better than last year and last year was
really good …. Remember the BMW flashlights, coolers, cups,
and other stuff!
· We will have parking directors on golf carts so please
follow them. We would like to have a spotter with any
running aircraft while in the ramp area.
· Friday arrival lunch (12-2:30) will be some very special
grilled “on the spot” sandwiches made to order while you
smell it on the grill!
· Friday night dinner (6:30 PM) will be a large Italian
Spread with da’ salad, da’ pasta, da’ meat sauce, da’
lasagna, da’ ziti, and da’ desert J We are expecting 140 for
dinner in the StockBarn Room at the Rockefeller Conference
Center. There will be a cash bar for those that like to bar
J .
· After dinner we’ll …… well, we’ll tell you when you get
there J
· After that, we will have live entertainment with our
favorite singer Randy Mason. Dancing and singing until you
drop or… hang around the campfire and visit while you watch
the stars….it’s beautiful !
· Saturday Breakfast ( 7:00 to 9:00) is at the Conference
Center. We will have a very light continental breakfast at
the campground but we encourage campers to jump in the
transport vans and come on over where the real spread is!
· Saturday Lunch (11:30 – 2:00) is at the campground.
· Saturday night dinner (5:30 PM) will be a southern style
BBQ at the campground with pulled pork, ribs, potato salad,
and all the fixings. Some kinda chocolate suicide thing for
desert J
· Before Dinner Saturday night, we will be playing Tail
Number Bingo for some really nice prizes including a $1,000
gift certificate …. From Tru-Trak Flight Systems, and a $200
gift certificate for a smoke system from Hensley Smoke
Systems to mention a few.
· Sunday Southern Style Breakfast (7:30 – 9:00) will be at
the Campground. Bacon, Eggs, Sausage & Biscuits, Breakfast
Tacos, Coffee, Muffins, etc.
· We will collect for all meals and ramp/camp fees at
registration so you won’t have to mess with it again.
(Refunds of course if you leave early)
Just some reminders:
· As always …. This is a 100% volunteer RV group effort so
any and all “helper” volunteers are greatly appreciated!
· Transport will be available running on a continuous loop
to the lodge and scheduled to the trails. We have around 50
folks going to the trails so far.
· We will have water available for hikers but you will need
to carry it yourself J
· Firewood will be available for campers courtesy of EAA Hot
Springs but it’s not unlimited. If it gets cold…. an
extension cord and a heated blanket are nice J
· There are five large campsites with a table and
electricity and we generally put 4 to 5 around each of them.
First come first serve. Nearby wooded area is available for
overflow.
· All meals are available on site but if you have special
needs you might want to bring it.
· We can’t have visible alcohol at the campground or
Conference Center ……. !! (State Park Regulations)
· We will have coolers, ice, and cozies … J
· We will have a lot of chairs but I would bring folding
chairs if you have room.
· We will have 100LL fuel available on the airport.
· PLEASE DON’T FORGET TO BRING TIEDOWNS! About half the
parking is in the grass! We have large hammers
fmi:
Thread on Petit Jean '13
Should I replace?
Tue Oct 15
1144z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
'Dressing' the 48-ship RV Flyover Prior to the Chiefs vs Raiders Game
...3min 33sec video. [ed.
Watch every second of this! dr]
"Instead of being in the formation,
my wife and I got to dress the formation prior to going over the stadium.
Here is my perspective starting 2 minutes prior to pink smoke on!
....I am having to locate the problem plane, then find them on the diagram
to get their call sign, then dress them on the radio, while looking up.
Definitely some of the coolest flying I have ever done!"
Video
clip of Team AeroDynamix flyover @ Charlotte Motor Speedway
...link emailed to me by Virginia Reeves (my mom)
More Pics of the 48-ship flyover
-
Bob
Mills (I)
-
Bob
Mills (II)
About the Smoke System Used ...Bob Mills
Chino to
Santa Rosa ...pmccoy
Since the 9A has been completed, I have
been taking most of the flights with friends or fellow pilots. My wife had
not been to big on the idea of flying in what she likes to call 'Alpha|Bravo'
or "aluminum bitch".
This past weekend may have been a turning point. For the first time she went
with me for a long cross country. We flew from Chino to Santa Rosa.
continue
Van
writes an article on the future of GA
Petit Jean Mountain 2013 RV Gathering Registration Update
fmi: event
thread
E-Z Out Console Caddy from
Aircraft Extras, Inc. ...from Rich Meske
Please go to
www.aircraftextras.com to check out this product and the
rest of our standard products!
Charity Cap PIREP ...and charity
picked.
(Tom Guzman) I ordered a couple of
hats with your VAF logo for my wife and me several weeks ago from Embroidery
King. Talking via email with Ana at Embroidery King was pleasant enough but
I still wasn't quite sure how the actual transaction would proceed or if I
would even like the hats. Well I'm pleased to report that they were ready to
receive my payment over the phone and the person that I spoke to even knew
that I would be calling. I was surprised at the excellent customer service.
In keeping with
your request,
I have made a donation to the Shriner's Hospitals for Children. By
the way, Shriner's is set up to take Paypal donations. Thanks for your
efforts with the website. I have a good place picked out for a picture for
the “hat sighting” thread but I’m waiting for them
to turn off the fusion reactor...
SD card wallet storage on the cheap
There are
some existing products out there that do this, but I'm not spending $7+S/H for
one piece of plastic. Not on something I can use an old ATM card for.
Drew a line around the SD card, then cut out with a scalpel. One piece of
tape across the back to hold it in place.
Every six months or so I walk around the house with a camera and take
pictures of each room and closet. Garage. Hangar. Those 20
or so pictures are on the card also, in case the house is lost to
fire/tornado/etc and I need a accurate record of what we had in there for
insurance.
1 piece of tape across the back to keep the card
from falling out.
New 'Left Seat': Is the Homebuilt Fleet Growing?
"One of the
few specific indicators of E-AB building is the counter on
Van’s website that shows the number of RVs completed
and flying. That number was 8,424 on Monday, October 14, but
even that is not a complete statistic because it represents
only the Vans builders who report finishing the airplane. I
would think most RV builders add their airplane to the
counter, but certainly some don’t."
Mon Oct 14
1152z ....some
interesting tidbits plucked from the
VAF forums (posting
guidelines)
Gary Sobek sent me this pic. RV flyover at the
Chiefs/Raiders game.
iPhone pic of my TV showing the RV flight getting worked into the
show.
Click to enlarge. dr
More video and pics of the flyover:
-
Found a site with video clips
-
More pics
-
A WONDERFUL DAY OF FLYING ...Rosie pic links
-
Rockwoodrv9 pic link
N410BL -
Flies! ...R.Leffler
About 5pm at KDLZ, N410BL took it's first flight with me as
the pilot. Geoff Combs, Phil Newlon, Renee Leffler, Zac Holcomb, Lynn
Coriell assisted me with the first flight. I did a couple touch and goes
with Geoff in his RV-10, then it was my turn. I want to thank everyone
that helped me today.
many
pics
Surplus
Avionics, Garmin, King, TruTrak, etc ...Stein
Canopy
Mistake
Ok, I've messed up! I drilled the front latch hole (for C-409) through
the canopy frame and into the instrument panel (F-403). The problem is I managed
to align the hole exactly with the nutplate that attaches the fwd top skin
(F-421). Anyone have any clever ideas how I can get myself out of this mess? I
might be able to use a thin stop nut instead of the nutplate but I doubt it. In
any case the screw and nut will interfere with the nylon block (C-410). I've
included a few pictures to show my predicament.
|
More
Team Aerodynamix
A true
inflight emergency - a tale of true horror! ...and it's more common than
you might think (military friends tell me this)
Concrete arrows (airmail route)
RV-3 Modifications ...Paul Dye
"After 300 Hours of flying our RV-3, I ran across these notes that i
prepared early on to share with others who might be coming on along behind
us....the file was lost in cyberspace all that time, but now it is found."
Teenager for 36 hours:
...that comes to
$491.62.
On the family front, Tate wiped out on his bike while terrorizing the neighborhood
Saturday, enough to require
four stitches in his left elbow at the local doc-in-a-box. It's why we
didn't get to watch the end of the TX/OU game on TV. X-rays of pelvis and
elbow, stitches, meds, replacement towels for the neighbor they knocked on the
door of - call it a half grand out of pocket. A couple of days back I showed you a
picture of Tate flying the RV. Today I thought I'd include a more recent
one - he's smiling because they are done with the needles and thread. Seven strawberries all down his
left side, pretty much identical to the scars on me (apologies again to my mom,
who I know will read this). Circle of life and all that...
Avgas budget blown for a while, maybe I'll just wash, wax and
vacuum everything real good for a bit.
Hoping your weekend was a little less bloody than ours (rimshot).
PS: That Chiefs/Raiders RV fly-over was
jaw-dropping amazing.
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