'Flash'  The Flagship of  VansAirForce.net. This section of the site shows my airplane from a few angles, and describes some of the upgrades going on.
 


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Latest Updates/Upgrades/News...

  • 5/14/08
    ASA flight timer mounted next to TnB indicator (Pictoral Pilot heading autopilot) for procedure turns and holding patterns.  Acts as a nice Halo headset holder also <g>.   Altitude Hold button seen just under the Pictoral Pilot.  You can see in this 3,000 pixel wide image the newly positioned mag compass on the pax side and the hole cover added (gonna glue the compass correction card on that).  The wire hanging down under the panel near the battery box is the GPS wire from the 496 that'll soon go into the autopilot.  I'm waiting on a cable from Garmin to get that tied in.

    The plan is to be able to shoot an ILS approach using the VOR mounted under the Dynon, but at the same time have the approach loaded in the 496 for situational awareness.

    The tray is working swell.  I stuffed all kinds of junk in there on today's lunch flight.  AFD, sectional, camera and candy bar.

    In the second image you can see the antennae farm that Tony worked up a little better.  It's mounted on the side of the cockpit that I can't turn around to, so it's not in the way.  All three (room for four) pucs have a clear, unobstructed view of the sky.

    Next....calibrate the remote compass.

  • 5/13/08
    Pics of the existing panel's IFR upgrades online at: http://picasaweb.google.com/VansAirForce/FlashPanel051308.  Gearing up for real, honest to goodness IFR lessons in the RV.  Dynon upgraded with remote compass, OAT probe and input from 496.  ADI installed on pax side, compass move over left one hole, wires cleaned up behind the panel and a nice box for AF/D, approach plates, etc ready for use.  Up next, hardwiring 496 into power bar and autopilot.

     

  • 5/11/08
    Existing panel is getting some pre-IFR lesson updates:  remote compass and OAT probe installed, glove box, ADI back on pax side and antennae pucs moved to a tray behind the roll bar.
      Onward ho!

     
  • 5/7/08
    New Panel Layout being finalized.  It'll be on display at the SteinAir booth at OSH '08.  Latest...

    related: The IFR rating / new panel project
     
  • 5/5/08
    Work begins on making the existing panel truly and legally IFR (the new panel will be installed in a few months, so this is a temp upgrade just for the lessons).  Day one: mounting the remote compass module for the Dynon.

     
  • 2008
    All glass IFR panel being planned.  IFR rating currently being obtained. (follow the progress)
     
  • November 2005
    AOA indicator
    Advanced Flight Systems AOA Pro installed.  This thing completely rocks!  It is now my PRIMARY landing instrument.

     
  • October 2005
    TruTrak ADI 
    10/5/05...just installed yesterday over at RV Central.  I haven't flown it yet, but took a picture this morning at 0700 before work.  (moved the Dynon over to the pax side).  Always playing with stuff...
     
  • Jan 2005
    New engine.  Upgraded from a Lyc O-320D2J and Sensenich FP propt to an ECi TITAN™ 180hp KitEngine (see its assembly) and Hartzell blended airfoil C/S prop.
     
  • May 2005
    TruTrak Pictorial Pilot

    ...added May 2005 as a replacement to the Trio Avionics head and Navaid servo out in the wingtip.  Now Flash has a TruTrak servo under the seat (btw, there was nothing wrong with the Trio - it worked flawlessly for the year and a half that I had it.  I'm slowly turning the plane into a IFR platform and this worked for me (can't have enough stuff that clearly shows wings level).
    Bought from www.AviationTechProducts.com and installed at www.RVCentral.us.   
     
  • Dynon EFIS-D10
    2004

     
  • TruTrak Altrak (see installation)
    2003

     

 

Travels to Date
click image for a 2000 pixel wide enlargement

Video: Riding on the Wheelpant

Video: Riding on the Wheelpant


 

 


Flash's A&P is Randy 'Monkey' Richmond.
He does my annuals.


Assorted Pics of the old girl in various states since 2002.
a b c d e
cockpit3.jpg (122602 bytes) cockpit1.jpg (109715 bytes) cockpit2.jpg (121105 bytes) This image taken by Vern Darley. finished2.jpg (212684 bytes) finished3.jpg (159992 bytes) finished4.jpg (282751 bytes) finished5.jpg (140051 bytes) finished8.jpg (126819 bytes) finished7.jpg (98690 bytes) Vern Darley Photo finished6.jpg (159434 bytes) 5

Flash is powered by an ECi TITAN™ 180hp KitEngine (see its assembly)

(9/17/2002)  Jay Pratt at the controls.  My transition trainer was Alex DeDominicis
firstflight_1.jpg (98647 bytes)

a,b,c,d,e: taken by famed RV photographer Ed Hicks at Van's 2003 Homecoming.
1)D.Reeves  2)Tobin Basford  3,4,5)Steve Horstman

COCKPIT

FIREWALL FORWARD

OTHER

The guy who does my altimeter/xponder IFR checks...