Knuckledragger

Yes, everything about this picture is sexy, off airport, tires, tailwheel, BLACK. 

I LOVE black toys.

Like removing an old windshield!

Thanks for the great write up FredStork!

Thanks Fly-n-Low.  Its great to get feedback from experienced pilots.  I bet if I could look over my shoulder I would see that indeed I was using more grip than necessary.  Good advice.  I do remember having a death grip on the throttle.

OAN, I just got back from flying my plane back home from the airport where I left it yesterday.  I'm back in the saddle

Does anyone have a procedure for:

Installing a new wing tank in a wing that never had one

Replacing an existing wing tank.

Thanks,

Robb

I encountered a variety of winds and turbulence yesterday.  A couple of guys in a Searey and I left early in the morning for Cedar Key FL from Clermont.  Shortly after reaching cruise we picked up some tail winds.  Tail winds that turned into 20-25 MPH tailwinds.  Got us there pretty fast.

The runway at Cedar Key is situated on a small strip of land off the coast, tall trees and buildings lining either side.   The winds were straight across the runway from the right.  My first time in rotors I could really feel.  I left like a maple leaf on its way to the ground.  Fortunately we've had a fair amount of windy weather lately and I've been out practicing in it.  Landing was without incident though I was not interested in having a cup of coffee aftwards (Video of landing attached below).

A high level of security is maintained at this airport featuring a 4' high fence surround complete with cipher lock gate (shown below).  Yes, the combination is 523 and the sign is printed on both sides in case anyone gets locked out.  I think the wording of the sign is designed to throw off non-pilot types, as it almost threw me off but I was cunning enough to try the three numbers at the bottom of the sign on the lock.

Because of the now steady headwinds, neither plane had what any of us considered to be enough fuel to get back.  While walking down the road toward "town" discussing our predicament an old man and his dog pulled up in a bright yellow '32 Bugatti open cab, powered by a VW engine in need of rings.  Thick Maine accent, he looked and sounded like he could have been one of the Kennedys.  He was a pilot too. He offered to help us out.  He came back in his truck, we loaded up and he gave us a tour of the entire island, stopping off at his residence to grab another 5g gas can, then off to the filling station.

The filling station was a comical affair consisting of barefoot locals with purpose built boats, livestock, dead fish, and pilots in need of fuel.  Oddly, out here on a tiny island, at a filling station that wouldn't be out of place in mexico, they had an ethanol free blue pump!

Flying back inland is where the real fun began.  Well, for me it was anything but fun.  My little plane got tossed around in the most violent thermal activity in my short flying career of exactly 90 days at the time.  Half an hour of working the elevator, ailerons, rudder and throttle in constant motion to keep flying somewhat straight.  At one point I was getting so mentally tired I seriously contemplated putting it down on a pasture that passing beneath me. 

We landed at another airport well short of our destination (Crystal River), had lunch and hung around on the apron trying to talk the weather into calming down with encouraging phrases.  "Look the flag is hanging limp.  But the one 50 yards away is out straight".  We waited until things seemed to ease up and took off heading for the home field to the east in Clermont.  As soon as I got a few miles inland from Crystal River the thermals kicked in again with vigor!  I knew there was another airport a few miles ahead and decided to put it down again.  I just was not up to 30 more minutes of getting tossed around.  My plane spent the night in Inverness FL. My buddies came in the car, a one hour drive to fetch me.

Today I have that fell off the horse and need to get back in the saddle reluctance to fly.  It sucks.  The past few weeks have been consistently windy, but not so thermal-ly, so I got plenty of practice in winds 10-20 mph.  I'm feeling respectfully comfortable with winds and variable conditions, but not whopper thermals.   Yesterday was definitely a reminder that I'm still learning.

Video.MOV

Looks like a slice of heaven!  

"It is widely speculated..." is like saying "It is often written on the internet..."   I would speculate that the refugee crisis is a bonus for the terrorists; an unexpected side benefit.  

As to our "long history of civility" which, given the sentiment of your comments, I read as if written tongue-in-cheek: As much as we want it to be so, this is not a civil world.  There are many who are civil but there are far more who would put a bullet in you and take what you have with heartfelt entitlement and principle.  Its easy to sit in our comfortable heated (air conditioned in my case) homes and wonder "why can't we all just get along".  

Flew the sun down with a few friends this evening.  Very peaceful flight, everyone was quiet on the radios. Still 78 degrees out when we landed. 

Jim, This is a groundlooped bird with a bent tail section.  Out of service to 7-10 years ago somewhere in the NE.  No registration, parts only.  I have a replacement tail section to be welded on if the fuse is to be put back into service.  I can probably put an interested person in touch with guys who know more about the history of the plane if desired.

I've got about 2k into everything.  Trades are fine, trades for cash even better.  I'm in need of a xponder and or dual chan radio.

I was going to put the HH wings on my plane to replace the speedwings.  I've learned to fly the plane like it is and love it so it will be a while before I feel motivated to swap the wings out.

ROFLMAO!

Sweet!  Thank you Joey.

Great job with the graphics too!

Hard for me to imagine that many young men being chased out of their own country.  If those were American boys...

Cool plane, great flying!  I'd like to do that one day   

I really like that go-fast paint job too

Yikes! lol   yes - 12 INCHES.  

A tute' would be great.  Just a few pics is fine, no need for a video IMHO.  If you do do a video, remember that speedo's and needle valves should never occupy the same airspace in front of a camera. 

They're documented as aerobatic, 6g+ 3g-.  From what I can see,  7/8" struts, and ribs spaced 12 feet apart. 

I have a 582 with the extended speed wings.  Today I set up traffic cones on either side of the runway at 250' intervals to practice spot landings.  When I got it right, I could put it down and stop it all within one set of cones or about 200'.   With flaps and a short field take off run up, it will also leave the ground in about 250-300'. 

The wings are also aerobatic.  Yours probably are too.  This is the fun part...  I can dive down and get in ground effect at WOT and get it to ~100MPH by the end of the 1600' rwy.  Then pull back and LAUNCH like a little rocket 1500+ FPM climb for about 7-800' and let it go 0g ballistic over the top or bank it hard while pulling and fly a tight 2g chandelle back up into the pattern.

The best part is, I'm doing all this while dragging my nose around.

I don't know why everyone is so down on speedwings.  I'm having a ball with mine.

Mark, are you in fl?  I'm just a few miles from jack Browns, fly over it all the time. I'm planning to get a seaplane rating there too so I can start flying my buccaneer!  

This describes exactly how I'm set up and operate.  

Thanks guys!  So I think I'll try with the doors just open first.  I was a little worried that an open door would start 'flapping' and smack against the bottom of the wing.  I replaced the gas struts that hold the doors open recently.

Yes!  I finish up for the year today and am looking forward to several weeks of plane time!  I really enjoy flying this plane.  

I can't seem to find definitive information on this. 

Can one safely operate without the doors?

if so, what are the ins and outs?

i realize a quarter folded sectional on my knee might be a tad difficult...

I have the wide gear ready to install.  I'm looking at the Desser 850-6 tires.  Any other reasonably priced tires in that size range?  Anyone have experience with the Dessers?

I have what you seek, but I'm in FL.  I have a complete mk4 airframe with HH wings, dual tanks, nose dragger provision, landing gear, struts, etc.

Lets talk offline if you want to figure out a way to get this stuff out to you.

Thanks for the detailed and candid write up Joey!  I would imagine anyone who already has comfort turning wrenches would not get much technically out of a class like that.  So the value seems to be in clarification of the laws and requirements and conveying wisdom through "stories" and passing along resources available online.  Sitting through a 2 & 4 stroke theory of operation lecture would drive me bananas.  Back when I was in junior high, one of the shop classes that was required had 2 & 4 stroke theory and disassembly/assembly as part of the syllabus.  funny how public school was a resource to us for hopping up chainsaw and mower engines.

The class seems more or less like a punch ticket item that the FAA created to help maintain revenue streams for some of the repair depots.

How, with regard to the fabric, do you move the battery into the tail end of the fuse?  I think I'd like to try this as well.  I can relate to your description: "The airplane flew ok with anything above 80% power"  I also find that I have to add a lot of down elevator trim to fly level at higher power settings.

is it major surgery to open up and move the battery back?