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Activity Stream



  1. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic Leading Edge Landing Light Install   

    Hmmmm. I wonder what the load on the spar is at the very tip like that... ? Warm fuzzy meter reading of 3.72.

    My landing lights (on the yellow plane) are in the wingtips. Zero structural impact.

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  2. C5Engineer added a post in a topic Sharing a hangar sucks sometimes   

    Yes that was overspray where my hangar mate sprayed Krylon on my Randolph coated Horizontal stab.
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  3. Russ. added a post in a topic Leading Edge Landing Light Install   

    After seeing the scratch on your spar, and this mod, do you feel a bit anal retentive? LOL
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  4. bmcj added a post in a topic Sharing a hangar sucks sometimes   


    Is that the white overspray on the blue or a blue metalflake paint?
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  5. dholly added a topic in Technical tasks   

    Leading Edge Landing Light Install
    Attached is documentation of a AeroLED landing light installed in a leading edge I just happened upon. As someone who agonized over a 1/8" spar scratch that barely caught a fingernail, I am astounded at what I see in these pictures. What say you?
    Aeroleds Landing Light Installation in the Leading.pdf
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  6. 84KF added a post in a topic Matco Brake conversion   

    "...Was there a reason you didn't go with the Grove brakes? "

    I aquired the plane from the widow of the builder..... and they were already installed.

    But the Cleveland wheels and brakes, and Maule tailwheel setup made the decision to buy easier. I like the idea of having "real" airplane parts as much as possible. (I'm still getting used to owning and flying an aircraft held together with "pop rivits".)
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  7. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic Matco Brake conversion   


    Probably the benchmark for good brakes on a small plane...

    Was there a reason you didn't go with the Grove brakes?
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  8. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic Matco Brake conversion   

    Brett has everything you need for the conversion. I think he has at least a couple sets of brakes/wheels on the shelf and I know he has the rudder peddles, I was looking at them today.

    I will be there tomorrow and I'll get the details for you.

    Call you tomorrow evening?


    (Your axles are 3/4" diameter.)
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  9. 84KF added a post in a topic Matco Brake conversion   

    I know the topic is MATCO, but here are some pics of my Clevelands 6.00 - 6, about 95 hrs TT since new. Probably won't help, but what the heck...




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  10. C5Engineer added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    Matco Brake conversion
    I spent some time on Matco's website today and got myself thoroughly confused. Since I'm starting from scratch I was hoping maybe you guys could help out. I want to go with bigger tires down the road and only want to have to do this once. I'm thinking I would need 6" wheels with at least double puck calipers. Which master cylinders? Any idea what a stock axle size is? The other big thing is I'm going to have to modify my pedals to accept the master cylinders. I've read there are mods for this to to get more mechanical advantage and thus better breaking. Wonder if Brett has the rudder pedal assemblies and wheels on hand. Any parts lists anyone has would be great so I can start pricing it out. I got a nice over escrow check from the bank today because we bought a house this year that I think would just about cover it...."ya honey we'll use it for home improvements... "
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  11. bmcj added a post in a topic California and Wisconsin Unite   


    I had the good fortune to grow up around a lot of WW2 pilots and would listen intently to their stories. I still listen with interest to my wife's uncle who, at 86, is one of the few remaining original Tuskegee Airman (he also lives in Vacaville and flies a Beech Skipper). I also enjoyed listening to my grandfather who became a pilot for the US Signal Corps Aviation Division in 1917 and flew with them until 1930 (they changed names twice in that time period from Signal Corps to Army Air Service to Army Air Corps), where he flew at Kelly Field in Texas and helped open March Field in Riverside, CA. After 1930, he flew Ford Trimotors and Lockheed Vega's for Conoco Oil, as well as his own Jenny (for some old fashioned barnstorming), Vega, Trimotor, Travelaire, Ryan SCW, and DC-3.

    I hate that we are losing these voices from aviation's past.

    Bruce
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  12. dholly added a post in a topic FAA Revisions to Sport Pilot Rule (effective April 2, 2010)   

    You're gonna need two props!
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  13. dholly added a post in a topic Eggenfellner Aircraft 117hp Honda Fit Auto Conversion   

    I wonder how many successful flight hours were put on converted 2-stroke snowmobile engines before Rotax hit 10,000 units sold? I'm guessing a shitload. No idea how many flight hrs Egg has on their engine, but I found another apparently unrelated Honda Fit engine install now test flying a with an SDS EM-4 4F ECU system. Pic from http://sdsefi.com/. Flight time as of Dec. 10/09 is 33 hours. -woot- Application newness aside, a couple of things that strike me are 1.) at least Egg has an extended history of Sube auto conversions... although I get the impression the newer engines (not ea-81) may have been problematic (don't know if that is true) and 2.) the Honda is made to run at much higher rpm than the Sube, IMHO has an excellent chance to provide better longevity if they can get it set up right, and 3.) it fits a whole lot nicer than the 3-cyl Suzuki/Geo which has to be turned even more on its side for a tractor install. http://www.raven-rotor.com/ In any event, I like the idea of EFI and hope the engine works because it is not out of the range of possibility for our planes. We need more choices and I don't mean either right nut or left to Rotax for a new 912. Sadly, I am in the Camp of Can't Afford when it comes to a new build and finding a good low hr used 912 -in or out of a plane- has proved near impossible.



    FWIW, I also saw a blurb on the SDS website that said they are developing a new injector boss with 17lb. Bosch injector for Jabiru 2200 and 3300 EFI installations.


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  14. jackak added a post in a topic FAA Revisions to Sport Pilot Rule (effective April 2, 2010)   


    I wonder what the affect of this change is on Private Pilots exercising
    sport Pilot priveliges? Because there are no restrictions relating to speed until you get up into the high performance aircraft, does that mean you have no restrictions in the sport pilot class, and with the removal of make/model/set criteria, can you "legally" fly a float plane without any endorsement? Common sense says get the training. But, is it required? Any instructors out there that know the answer? Does the ASEL/ASES govern the aircraft you can fly? Clarity makes my head hurt.
    Jack
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  15. Trackwelder added a post in a topic Eggenfellner Aircraft 117hp Honda Fit Auto Conversion   

    Looking at the cost of a Rotax 912 and comparing it to the cost of a continental 100 I really wonder how rotax can get those prices more horsepower from the Continental and same price. If the installed weights I am hearing are right they should actually be close to the same weight, I can no longer see the advantage in the Rotax 4 stroke. With that said I only have about 100 hours on the 582 that is in the Avid A model that I am restoring and am not rich enough to buy the 4 stroke if I wanted to but I keep dreaming of the Fat Avid as my next plane.
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  16. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic First real X country trip report!   

    Suber-- Did you need to change master cylinders? I've got the single puck matcos on my 1050 and they suck at best.

    Taildrgfun (I think) - the guy with the dead stick takeoff on YouTube - has dual calipers on his Highlander. Has anyone ever heard of this?
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  17. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic Where did you fly today ?   



    "Today is a good day to die..."


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  18. SuberAvid added a post in a topic First real X country trip report!   

    Way to go Joey; it looks like you have a very cool off airport playground!

    I swapped my original Matco single puck brakes for a set of their tripple puck brakes after the single puck ones put me in the bushes while landing on a narrow little strip. I determined later that a gasket in the master cylinder had failed but they never could hold the plane durring runnup anyway. Now it is no problem to lock the brakes and run it up to pick the tail off the ground, even with my 26" bushwheels on. Good brakes give you very good control authority on the ground especially with the wide gear. They are worth the money.

    Randy
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  19. akflyer added a post in a topic Eggenfellner Aircraft 117hp Honda Fit Auto Conversion   


    yeah, but you dont like flying over pine trees either

    Flight today was over open water... with big ole ice pans... oh, but that's OK, I got a 2 stroke and full lotus so me no scared





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  20. 84KF added a post in a topic Eggenfellner Aircraft 117hp Honda Fit Auto Conversion   

    Looks pretty.

    $9,900 for a USED Honda engine, and you have to sign a liability release form......
    When they have over 10,000 in service around the world (like Rotax) maybe (or maybe not) I would consider putting my life behind one. Just my personal opinion.
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  21. akflyer added a post in a topic First real X country trip report!   


    That is the best money you could spend on the plane right now. I have been doing test flights on a buddies Model "A" with the gocart wanna be brakes.. best things you can do with those it take them off and toss them in the river.. they are a bit of a false sense of security... if it starts to get away from you, there is no way in hell your bringing it back with those brakes! Whoever decided to put mechanical brakes on an airplane needs to be junk punched

    Being cautious and dragging the strip to make sure it is good and doing a few approaches is the smartest thing you can do! I flew in and out of an 800' strip that was plowed down to ice today on the floats.. that was a bit of a pucker factor as there were nice bid snow berms on each end. I touched down within 5' of the approach end at 40 mph and slid up to the far bank and tagged it at about 10 mph. I sure do love those airbags in the floats! Getting out I used less than 1/2 the strip.


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  22. 84KF added a post in a topic FAA Revisions to Sport Pilot Rule (effective April 2, 2010)   

    Here is the Official DOT-FAA version in .pdf format.

    http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-2056.pdf

    I especially like the FAA statement using the term "low mass". This is not the first time that the FAA has, in a Final Rule statement about LSA-SportPilots, used the word "mass" when speaking about weight.(see below) This is the key to understanding the "maximum takeoff weight" issue....., it's not a perceived "gross weight" number on a weight and balance sheet, but the actual mass of the (lsa) aircraft at the time of takeoff.

    (No Make/model â€SET†of aircraft. §61.323 gone now and all related rules for for pilots and instructors. It is now split up for light sport aircraft speed endorsements for an above 87 knots Vh aircraft and now new below 87 knots Vh endorsement for the low mass, high drag, slower speed aircraft per §61.327 for pilots and §61.423 for flight instructors)
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  23. akflyer added a post in a topic Where did you fly today ?   


    I took some pics today, but they are classified... I could post them, but then I would have to track ISP's and kill ya....

    Got some good pics and some video from flying yesterday and today, will get them posted up tomorrow.


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  24. dholly added a topic in Rotax and other engines   

    Eggenfellner Aircraft 117hp Honda Fit Auto Conversion
    Anyone see this?

    http://www.eggenfell...%20Engines.html








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  25. dholly added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    FAA Revisions to Sport Pilot Rule (effective April 2, 2010)




    On February 1, 2010, the FAA released its revision to the Sport Pilot Rule in the Federal Register as law.

    The effective date of the revision will be April 2, 2010.

    For the entire Final Rule including comments, modifications and adoptions click HERE









    The FAA amended its rules for sport pilots and flight instructors with a sport pilot rating to address airman certification and operational issues that have arisen since regulations for the certification of aircraft and airmen for the operation of light sport aircraft were implemented in 2004.

    Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 43, 61, 91, 141

    Here are the highlights of the new rules:



    Maximum altitudes
    Sport Pilots can now fly above 10,000 feet above sea level or if they need to be over terrain or mountains above 10,000 feet AGL or 2000 above ground level, whichever is higher. The 2000 feet above ground level was added. Per new § 61.315

    Minimum Altitudes
    If the operation is conducted without hazard to persons or property on the surface—
    a powered parachute (PPC) or weight-shift-control (WSC) aircraft in non congested areas may be operated at less than 500 feet from any person, vessel, vehicle, or structure. This was only for helicopters before but now PPC and WSC was added. Per new §91.119 Minimum safe altitudes.

    No Make/model â€SET†of aircraft. §61.323 gone now and all related rules for for pilots and instructors. It is now split up for light sport aircraft speed endorsements for an above 87 knots Vh aircraft and now new below 87 knots Vh endorsement for the low mass, high drag, slower speed aircraft per §61.327 for pilots and §61.423 for flight instructors.

    No additional knowledge test when changing categories for private pilots per §61.63

    Sport Pilot Student certificates are extended from 24 months to 60 months. Per §61.19 came out later 2009 but is a significant change.

    Ultralight experience deadline to be able to use ultralight time as FAA recognized dual training time. Ultralight time only good for two more years towards sport sport, flight instructor with a sport pilot rating (CFIs) and private pilot WSC and PPC licenses per §61.52. On January 31, 2012 ultralight time can not be used.

    Student sport pilots pre solo training added, if the aircraft is the faster above 87 knots and equipped with flight instruments, the student will have to have Instrument training (flight by reference to instruments) for solo cross country per §61.93

    Clarified some weight-shift control and PPC private pilot requirements and privileges in Subpart E – Private pilots.

    Clarified the definition in 43.1 (b) as origionally intended for experimental aircraft.

    Cut down requirement the dual flight training time required 60 days before checkride from 3 to 2 hours for airplane and WSC, and from 2 down to 1 hour for a PPC. §61.313

    What they proposed but did not do, withdrawn as they say:



    Withdrawn: Replace sport pilot privileges with aircraft category and class ratings on all pilot certificates (proposal 1)

    Withdrawn: Replace sport pilot flight instructor privileges with aircraft category ratings on all flight instructor certificates (proposal 2)

    Withdrawn: Remove current provisions for the conduct of proficiencychecks by flight instructors and include provisions for the issuance of category and class ratings by designated pilot examiners (proposal 3)

    Withdrawn: Place all requirements for flight instructors under a singlesubpart (subpart H) of part 61 (proposal 4)

    Withdrawn: Require 1 hour of flight training on the control andmaneuvering of an airplane solely by reference to instruments for studentpilots seeking a sport pilot certificate to operate an airplane with a VHgreater than 87 knots CAS and sport pilots operating airplanes with a VHgreater than 87 knots CAS (proposal 5)

    Withdrawn: Remove the requirement for persons exercising sport pilot privileges and flight instructors with a sport pilot rating to carry their
    logbooks while in flight (proposal 6)

    Withdrawn: Remove specific regulatory provisions (under proposed §61.324) for endorsements for the operation of powered parachutes with
    elliptical wings (portion of proposal 7)

    Withdrawn: Add a requirement for student pilots to obtain endorsements identical to those proposed for sport pilots in §61.324 (portion of proposal 17)


    More information available at http://www.eaa.org/ and http://www.sportpilot.org/

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