Activity Stream

Activity Stream



  1. High Country added a post in a topic N139AH   

    We got the brakes and tires mounted up last night! really happy with the stance it has now. My wife did say "those tires look small with that gear" I heard " lets get bigger tires" but the budget says no. I'm going to start taking the porch apart tomorrow to get it off . will have the tail and wings on by Saturday and its headed for the airport Sunday afternoon to be completed there. I asked my wife for a picture to see the relative height and Scout thought he should be in there to.
     
    -Robert-
     
     
     
     
     
    [edit] the new gear sits 72 1/2" inside to inside and 8' outside. I don't think its quite as high as Bretts though but should be good for my wife to learn ground handling with. at least she can almost see over the cowl.
    • 0


  2. EDMO added a post in a topic Coming out of "retirement"   

    Inverted Landings - also happens to those with the little wheel in back too.
    A friend of mine ran out of runway in Alaska, and flipped his new plane - somewhere I found a photo of a plane with wheels on top of the wings that the pilot could land upside down - I sent it to him - don't think he took my suggestion --
    EdMO
    • 0


  3. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic Coming out of "retirement"   

     
     
    Not just pointed 180º the other direction, but usually inverted, too...
     

    • 0


  4. akflyer added a post in a topic Coming out of "retirement"   

     
    I have... its when the nose wheel folds under and suddenly the front of the plane and the nose wheel is now pointed 180 from where you wanted it and you get to replace the plane most of the time
     

    • 0


  5. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic I'm Flying Again!   

    It was a combination of the gearbox and carb troubles.  I really don't know what I fixed on the carbs...
     
    95% of the vibration is gone now.  So we're back in the air.
    • 0


  6. TreeTopAirways added a post in a topic New Avid Owner in the NorthWest   

    ChrisB,
    Hangered at Martin field. Yes sir would be awesome to meet up.
    Robin
    • 0


  7. lostman added a post in a topic Florida to Missouri in a float plane - Cessna, not Avid though   

    Very nice report. How did you manage to get the flight along with the owner? Glad to see you're using that new seaplane rating.
    • 0


  8. herman pahls added a post in a topic I'm Flying Again!   

    Hi Larry
    Does that mean the vibration problems solved?
    What was causing the vibration?
    Herman
    • 0


  9. Av8r3400 added a topic in Local Fly in's   

    I'm Flying Again!
    Last Saturday's EAA Chapter Meeting!
     

     
    Tonight's Tuesday Night Fly-In.  Held at a local airport because the near by grass strip it was scheduled to be on was too soggy...
     

    • 12 replies
    • 2,469 views


  10. allonsye added a post in a topic N139AH   

     This is an enormously outstanding build. Thanks for taking the time to post.  Well done gents
    • 0


  11. ChrisBolkan added a post in a topic New Avid Owner in the NorthWest   

    Hi there Robbin,

    There are four of us in the Tri Cities who own Avids.

    None of us are on floats, but between us we have a fair amount of accumulated Avid knowledge and experience. We have flown to Martin field a ton. Would be nice to meet. Where are you storing the plane?

    Chris
    • 0


  12. marksires added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    Florida to Missouri in a float plane - Cessna, not Avid though
    Just finished flying a Cessna 180 on straight floats from Tavares, FL to Lake of the Ozarks, MO.
    Got off the water in Tavares at about 8:05 am, had glass smooth air to our first fuel stop at Lake Blackshear in Georgia, about a 2 hour leg. The Lake Blackshear resort marina has a seaplane friendly dock, but the Marina was closed, so we added the 20 gallons we had in cans to make it to our next stop in Guntersville, AL.
    The weather gods were kind to us again, and we arrived at Guntersville after about another 2 hours. The airport has a seaplane dock at the north end of the airport, just be aware of the high tension lines that are also at the north end. Plenty of room as long as you don't forget about them and try to do a big fly around before landing. 

    The staff at Guntersville were extremely helpful. We called about 8 miles out, and when we landed they had the 100LL trailer and the courtesy care waiting for us at the dock. We filled up the airplane and the cans again - 62 gallons total. Guntersville is working on getting an official seaplane base designation, and believe they will have it by the end of the year. They also have a commitment from the TVA to keep the seaplane basin clear of weeds out to the main body of water once the seaplane designation is official. If you've landed there before, and had to fight the weeds late in the summer, this will be a big improvement. They are actively seeking out more seaplane business, a very good thing this day and age!

    We departed Guntersville, and the weather wasn't as good as we'd had, but still pretty good for a long cross country. Scattered at about 2,500, but not too many bumps, and no significant headwind. We had a tailwind forecast, but it had not yet appeared. I count no headwind as a tailwind in most cases anyway.

    The next leg was about 2.5 hours to Lake Wappappello in southern Missouri. No facilities there at all, so we beached next to a boat ramp on one of the branches. There was a guy fishing farther up the branch, so he came down to see what was going on. Very nice, and helped hold the plane on the beach while we lugged the cans up and poured them into the tanks. He was pretty happy he'd have a new story to tell all his friends 

    While we were fueling, the winds picked up. The first takeoff we had to abort, the winds had shifted and we now had a tailwind. We moved out to a more open area, let the plane weathervane to find the right wind direction, and then took off without incident, although the water was significantly rougher than we had experienced so far.

    The next leg was about 1.5 hours to Lake of the Ozarks, where the plane will be based for the summer months. The wind had really picked up, and there was continuous turbulence the entire leg. Not terrible, but I worked harder that 1.5 hours than I had the 6.5 previous hours combined. We did pick up a nice tailwind though, and gained about 15 knots if ground speed.

    We landed uneventfully in a small cove where the plane will be based at about 4:35pm local, or 5:35pm at our departure point. Total time was 9.5 hours, including the 3 fuel stops. I had done all the takeoffs and landings to this point, but the winds were gusting to 23, as a crosswind, and I was tired after dealing with the turbulence the last 1.5 hours, so I let the owner, who had landed in this cove all last summer, handle that landing. We tied up at the dock, met his family there, unpacked the plane. The only passenger was a very unhappy cat, who made the trip with lots of complaining, but no problems.

    It was a fun adventure for a new seaplane rated pilot - 8 hours of flying, 4 takeoffs and 3 landings, all on different lakes hundreds of miles apart, and a lot of low, relatively slow flying from point to point. Until the last leg, our ground speed was around 100kts, the last leg with the tailwind we were typically around 115kts, but I saw 122kts for a few minutes.

    Mark
    • 2 replies
    • 760 views


  13. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic The 180.. saving a ramp mummy   

    Good luck.

    Get your money back from the original guy and go to the new one.
    • 0


  14. marksires added a post in a topic New Avid Owner in the NorthWest   

    Jealous of the amphib floats, I'd love to have those on mine!  Great looking plane, congrats!
    Mark
    • 0


  15. marksires added a post in a topic Off Shore Drilling   

    I think the bunny huggers are actively involved in this process.  The tree huggers might object though....
    • 1


  16. akflyer added a post in a topic Off Shore Drilling   

    hope the bunny huggers dont shut that drilling down...
    • 1


  17. akflyer added a post in a topic New Avid Owner in the NorthWest   

    nice looking bird!  They are Factory Avid Amphibs for sure.  Should be a pretty sweet flying plane!  Congrats.

    • 0


  18. akflyer added a post in a topic The 180.. saving a ramp mummy   

    Well surprise surprise.. The guy from the FSDO was spose to come to the house wednesday to look at it, but he didnt show so yesterday we took the part up to Anchorage to let him look.. There were two inspectors that looked at the work and they came up with even more issues in his work.  They are spose to go have a talk with him next week.  While I was up thre we took them out to another guy that does repairs and while not cheap, his work looks awesome.  We are trying to decide if we give the original guy a chance to fix them right, or if we just take the stuff back to the guy in anchorage, spend lotsa money and have them fixed by someone else.  Should have it figured out in a couple days.
     

    • 0


  19. High Country added a post in a topic N139AH   

    Thanks guys, I gotta say if it weren't for many of you I would have been flying a year ago but due to you're suggestions and other things I've read here I've decided to make so many changes that we're still building. but we are going to be much happier with the final product and I can say for sure we will have a one of a kind bird and possibly one of the nicest model b-c avids in the air. other than the cowl (and were already working on changing that) everything has been upgraded to Mk IV or better. many of the changes include custom heavy hauler speed wing with dual 14 gal wing tanks, Mk IV rudder and elevator with electric trim, dorsal fin and misc gussets added to fuse, fat avid style flapperon controls located under the left seat opening up the entire aft cargo area, modified ridge runner wide bungee gear sits 10" wider than Bretts gear with cross tube on cabane to add structural integrity to the fuse, Nanco 21x12x8 tires, Matco 8" wide single arm tailwheel mounted on two leaf spring, Matco hydraulic brakes with pkg brake valve, carbon fiber instrument panel, basic but full. probably something else that I'm not thinking of right now. over all we are very happy with the results and can't wait to be in the air.
    • 0


  20. wolves200 added a post in a topic N139AH   

    WOW! man looking very good!!!
    • 0


  21. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic The 180.. saving a ramp mummy   

    Updates??
    • 0


  22. BryceKat added a post in a topic Rubber Engine mounting bushings   

    Thanks guys for all the responses. Jim that would be great! Bryce
    • 0


  23. Bandit added a post in a topic Rubber Engine mounting bushings   

    When I needed new ones Brett had the material.
    • 0


  24. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Rubber Engine mounting bushings   

    Hi Bryce,  I have some made up that came with an Avid that I bought a few years ago.  If I can find them you can have them.  I'll look for them tomorrow.  Jim Chuk
    • 0


  25. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic New Avid Owner in the NorthWest   

    Those look like actual Avid amphib floats to me....
    • 0