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What did you do with your RV this weekend? (1/4-5/2020)

Little Siberia

I was exploring new to me vicinities. Looking for a good ice in Wyoming :)










Planning to meet Greg Arehart today in Colorado. If freezing fog dissipates...
 
I modified my air intake

Ok, so it's not earth shattering, or even sexy in any way, but I've been slowly modifying my intake to get the best performance, which I measure by air intake temperature and by manifold pressure.

What I did this weekend was put a scoop (cut and folded 0.032" scrap I had on hand) over my intake. No, it's not as aerodynamic as it could be or even aesthetically pleasing, but gets the job done. The idea was to validate for myself the difference between a NACA duct and scoop. I can tell you the scoop makes a huge difference.

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I've gone from the original factory "Two inch filter mounted on the intake" to one taking air in over the cylinders, to a 2" NACA duct, and then a 3" NACA duct, to my current, and likely final design, which is the scoop over the NACA duct. The end result is about 0.8" of ram pressure at 120KTAS.

Performance has been wonderful too.
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Still chipping away at the cowling and baffles. Started trimming baffles; getting closer... but I just don't see how RV-8 builders manage to get their oil cooler to fit in the stock position. If any -8 builders want to share photos of their finished baffles on the left side by the oil cooler, or if there are any -8 builders within 100 miles of Clarkston, MI that would be willing to allow me to inspect their cowlings and baffles, I'd be very grateful. (Hopefully Terry Lutz is reading this; then we'd finally get a chance to meet up! ;) )
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Nice evening in Alabama, so I got in some formation practice. Quick over the shoulder shot from Stan Tew, passenger in Kirk Harrell's Mustang II:

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Met up with a fellow VAF'er and sold him my iFly 740b. Gawked at his RV-10 (I wouldn't mind one), and then met up with my wife to take her in our -9A. Flew her down the San Diego Bay, and then back the other way, and stopped at Montgomery Field (MYF) for lunch, and then back home and into the hangar...

Gave a BFR to a non-RV'er in his Piper Warrior later in the day. It's so ... uninspiring. Do I dare give him an RV ride and see how long that it takes to convert him?! :cool:
 
I noticed the brake pads getting a little thin during the condition inspection (450 hours), 2nd flight after the condition inspection my main alternator voltage was venturing above 15 volts. She needed a little more love.
I do not like to rush my aircraft maintenance, it's about balancing research during lunch breaks at work and ordering parts to coincide with free time to put things together at the airport. I ordered new pads, brake rivet tool and regulator. Thanks to Allen at Hartzell Engine Technologies for listening and answering my questions about my PP Alt.

Smushed gasket vs new.

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Old regulator/brushes vs new.

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I broke the wiring connector to the Alt when removing it, re-potted the wires with RTV. My original connector was potted with RTV before first flight and did not show fretting after 450 hours.

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Old Pads removed.

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New Pads installed.

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Test flight a day later showed a happy alternator (and happy pilot) at 14ish volts and some STINKY brake pads from the recommended break in procedure.
 
Still chipping away at the cowling and baffles. Started trimming baffles; getting closer... but I just don't see how RV-8 builders manage to get their oil cooler to fit in the stock position. If any -8 builders want to share photos of their finished baffles on the left side by the oil cooler, or if there are any -8 builders within 100 miles of Clarkston, MI that would be willing to allow me to inspect their cowlings and baffles, I'd be very grateful. (Hopefully Terry Lutz is reading this; then we'd finally get a chance to meet up! ;) )
rDQQJ-Petafyt-znpcJYlXds7GbTgDC4sv82PwDMXQpU4C651i_rCG66xHP09SInJ9XXoACBDWReXBR2tGKC8sLly_o4yEqeleN0rl4LDW7G0eK3Sqgq7grbnocSUqw7pR5WMQSD96iAtG1-lmfnxU_0Gpn822C3-SU913duBWiM37Yba2lMROZ8fz7UySP6qA9aiKrHFIhiaG9RRZ0FSLqK3bXa_B7gJ3hDNbApVMqQ1EHWOGeRnKqxhWyjA76enlQr50qPIVFx9Vi02gvFPedt11eK4zQAgaF4l8GLl-NoLcCWqsf8n606mqqaC8Ma2xfoVJIITaPdYSAWYdVFlG-EEovPRb4ls_xRQB2r0zEZEp4KV-gWP-Ag0CLvwl10NlcCZuuS9jkPy1TMd0OpWfvnEYF6QkuLgLH8AcAzHaygGiOfYKp3qQgeVEbwYJg8ikQKDZSETDYmuiHIgZSGsu9UKyt6Q9f2sMxnzq4JCdknNBkvOjUdjmHoMBMjV9bAsjJwPyHkvaTnP9BZHzuab-Cfo5uXw0_sObvCBVE4NaKyZX66k2Tr7HJK4ZrF0i_3zCiLTeMa2qnMJYG_TsJE1urdtfNZhCNdM9g8dJyDE6RbxPnVl2jhp0rXneJB9hlWKKBVRDVr4-lULh4JScaHSJi-fcKFS_l0FnWC9GU7HjT6W57RRsyxrmI=w1080-h720-no

Martin, here's how I did mine:

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I used 1" U channel on either side of the oil cooler and shifted it down a little to get clearance from the cowl. The extra spacing from the #4 cylinder and the U channel added to the angle I added to the front of the baffle corner makes it very strong. Oil stays cool too (sometimes too cool)
 
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Nice evening in Alabama, so I got in some formation practice. Quick over the shoulder shot from Stan Tew, passenger in Kirk Harrell's Mustang II:

IMG_20200105_164027987.jpg

Dan, what color is your RV? Is that a silver kinda color?
 
Flew from 1A3, Copperhill, TN to KSFB on New Years Eve and then returned Jan 6. Great flights with wife and puppy.
 
Flew from 52F to NEW with friends. Got to spend a whole day at the WWII museum and of course over indulge in some of the best food on the planet. 3.6 hr flight home landing with 5 gal / side.

Out of curiosity: What is everyone else's fuel mins in IO-320 powered RVs?
 
Saturday: Gorgeous day, so up for an hour of messing around practicing some lazy-8's and over to Carlsbad for a landing.

Sunday: I got to ride shotgun with BillC and the Ramona Formation flying gang. That was very cool. I expect now I'll have to join them and continue the fun and learning everything formation-wise.
After that I was hungry so I flew solo off to Hemet for a quick lunch special (BBQ beef sandwich was tasty). I got an email asking for some potential assistance fixing a busted up wing tip that met its fate against a car which carelessly backed into the airplane (RV-6A). Did a detour to Santa Monica around and under the LAX Bravo to take a quick look at the damage, and then on the way back I stopped for gas in Corona.

3.6 hours (not counting the right seat time).
 
I got an email asking for some potential assistance fixing a busted up wing tip that met its fate against a car which carelessly backed into the airplane (RV-6A). Did a detour to Santa Monica around and under the LAX Bravo to take a quick look at the damage, and then on the way back I stopped for gas in Corona.

You're doing aircraft repairs now? Hey, want to install an Advanced Flight Systems panel? :)

BTW, KSDM has gas for $3.99/gallon now, if you happen to be in the area.

To keep this on topic, I ended the weekend by flying up to Santa Monica for maybe my last, or one of my last, meals at the Spitfire Grill. It's closing some time in the near future. New owner, and they're going to renovate it and open a new restaurant once that's done.
 
Mark Dickens, thanks so much for that picture; it confirmed my own suspicions on the finished shape of the aft firewall, and illustrated some helpful modifications. I had already concluded that my guesstimate at oil cooler location was optimistically high; I've ordered some replacement parts and your photos well help my rebuild greatly.
 
Watching from Virginia

Still chipping away at the cowling and baffles. Started trimming baffles; getting closer... but I just don't see how RV-8 builders manage to get their oil cooler to fit in the stock position. If any -8 builders want to share photos of their finished baffles on the left side by the oil cooler, or if there are any -8 builders within 100 miles of Clarkston, MI that would be willing to allow me to inspect their cowlings and baffles, I'd be very grateful. (Hopefully Terry Lutz is reading this; then we'd finally get a chance to meet up! ;) )
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Tim,
As a former Michiganger, I've been following your effort with interest.
Looks like real quality work.
Way to go.
Daddyman
 
Not that weekend, but in the days leading up to it, Steve Smith flew me from Ashland down to Montague in his RV-8 to see the skunk works shop where he and Bob Mills are making the tapered carbon fiber wings that will be going onto Bob's Rocket Six. The day started with an overcast, but cleared up for a beautiful trip across the Siskiyous.

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The next morning we started the annual Condition Inspection by checking the torque on the main landing gear saddle bolts. As described in the Breaking News thread, the good NAS1604 nuts hadn't moved.

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Thanks Frank!

Krea, You guys sure built a beautiful airplane!

The young man in the left seat worked with Jonathan McCormick at Plane Schemers for about 6 months on the design. The design was a bit ?out there? for me, but once we saw Evoke?s paint job, we were blown away.

Thanks again to all of your help with the plenum. So far, it?s working well.

Fly safe!
 
Not quite last weekend, but one of my last weekends flying in 2019. Took a flight out to Chatham, MA on Cape Code to take my bride to brunch. First shot is of the Chatham historic Lighthouse with the airport in the distance (CQX), followed by the Cape Cod National Seashore in Wellfleet, followed by the tip of the Cape - Provincetown Aiport(PVC) and then flying through the BOS Bravo back home.

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Great pics!

I really enjoyed a flight up there last summer. Truly a beautiful part of the country. Meanwhile, travel to/from Cape Cod (especially in the summer) is Exhibit A in support of the claim that flying small airplanes is better than driving.

When we rolled out at KPVC, there was a turkey on the runway - trying to get away from Pilgrims, no doubt. :)

Not quite last weekend, but one of my last weekends flying in 2019. Took a flight out to Chatham, MA on Cape Code to take my bride to brunch. First shot is of the Chatham historic Lighthouse with the airport in the distance (CQX), followed by the Cape Cod National Seashore in Wellfleet, followed by the tip of the Cape - Provincetown Aiport(PVC) and then flying through the BOS Bravo back home.
 
My RV-12 is sitting nice and cozy in the hanger waiting for spring. Grass strip I fly off of stays soft until mid-April.

I go out to the airplane once in a while and she and I talk about flights and mechanical-touching planned for when weather warms.

We understand each other?

nice restaurants in wilmington nc
 
My brother has a house on the bluff in Truro (just below P-town) overlooking Cape Cod Bay. When I visit I like to sit on the porch and watch small planes heading for P-town.

They're usually at eye level.
 
Not quite last weekend, but one of my last weekends flying in 2019. Took a flight out to Chatham, MA on Cape Code to take my bride to brunch. First shot is of the Chatham historic Lighthouse with the airport in the distance (CQX), followed by the Cape Cod National Seashore in Wellfleet, followed by the tip of the Cape - Provincetown Aiport(PVC) and then flying through the BOS Bravo back home.

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Brings back memories in 2004 I made my last ADF approach to Chatham
 
Saturday

Saturday Rita and I flew to Hemet airport for a tasty breakfast, then in the afternoon we rescued an "RV".

This is our newest family member, "ArVee" ;-)

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and
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ArVee (formerly known as Tiger, came from German Shepard Rescue of Orange County.
www.GSROC.org

regards
-Marc and Rita
 
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Arizona Exploring

Friday (1/3/2020), Sandy & I flew from P01 to E60, Eloy AZ for breakfast at the Bent Prop Saloon and Cookery. It was in the 30?s before we took off, so it was nice to be able to wear my knit hat with my CQ1 headset. Nice breakfast. E60 is home of a HUGE parachute jumping operation. The owner told me the do 2000+ jumps on busy days!

Saturday our mission was street taco?s in Mexico. Nice flight from P01 to Nogales. Kit Peak observatory looks very impressive. $40 round trip taxi ride to the border crossing. We couldn?t resist the fresh fruit with chili and lime. YUM. After wandering town for a while we picked La Posada restaurant for lunch. We failed with regards to street tacos?the chicken mole I had was GREAT. We also got some Mexican hoodies for $10 each. Smooth flight back to P01, overflew a very large copper mine south of Tucson.

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Sunday we pulled the prop control cable out of N174RT because the ?guide tube? came loose at the swivel point exposing the inner cable. I mailed the cable to McFarlane on Monday to have a new cable made.

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Sandy has videos from the Friday and Saturday flights and will post them when (IF?) we get decent WiFi.
 
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