donhallwr

Nice, Jay.... Looks like 75% talent and 75% experience..... and in my case, I'd need another 75% luck.

Where would I be able to order/obtain a blank panel for an Avid Bandit?  Want to redo my panel and a blank would be the easiest way to go.

Posted pics of the tri-gear in the tech section.

Here is the connections for the Bandit tricycle gear (front steering).  Might mention I tried to use weaker springs to make the steering easier, but the weaker springs allow the wheel to lock up at extreme right or left.  Need the heftier springs to pull it back to center. Live and learn.  The bolt going through the center tube was the one that broke in half.  Replaced with an AN4-32 bolt and have had no further problem.  Still keeping a close watch, though.

Learning something every flight..... I just topped off my stated 7-gal tanks with 22 gallons of AvGas.  Still had 1/2 inch in each tank prior to fill.  Hmmmmmm.

What oil do you guys use in the E81?  I'm about a half-quart low and probably need to figure out what I'm using before I need a quart?  The log book just had "oil" and no brand name.  (32 hours finished of the required 40 now)

Lady in Illinois read this and has sent me a 190 with the connectors and mount.  Love this forum!

Nope, just plain broke. Only have 26 hours on the bird at the moment. It's the bolt that runs through the steering tube and connects to the front wheel (tri-gear)steering mechanism.  Has tension on it, but no pivoting or wearable usage.  The tube pivots and the bolt simple pulls the wheel in one direction or another.  I'll take a pic of it tomorrow and post it.  See if anyone else has had that problem (although not many of us has the tri-gear).

Put the bird down on the runway the other day, slowed to a crawl, pushed the rudder pedal to turn onto the taxiway - - plane just kept on rolling straight.  No front wheel steering.  Maneuvered back to the hangar using rudder and prop blast and found the AN4-33 bolt tying the rudder column to the steering gear had BROKEN in half.  First AN bolt I've ever seen broken!  The head markings on it were a "c" and "s".  Couldn't help but wonder if rather than AN it was "Chinese Standard".

Nope, Ed, no wreck.  Had mixed feelings seeing it go.  Ten years in that relationship.  Almost like an old girlfriend.  Main reason for going to SnF is the deals from the manufacturers.  Think I can put in glass and still have room for my iFly if they can get the price down to a reasonable fortune.  Couldn't even think about it in the Tomahawk.  Certified bs, you know.  I do love the fact I can do whatever I want to on this bird.  Believe I can put glass, a real radio, tx and a iFly gizmo ln the panel for around 4 grand.  We'll see in April.  By the way, finally figured out I have 10-gal tanks rather than the 7 per side I was told I had.  Do wing tanks stretch??

Down to one aircraft!  Sold the Tomahawk.  Up to 21 of my 40 hours I have to be a test pilot on the Bandit.  The more I get used to it, the more I enjoy it.  Thinking seriously of taking it to Sun n Fun this year.  Anybody else going?

Thanks...looks like what I need.

Male logic... flawless

This is a conversation between a man and his wife. Please note that she asks five or six questions which he answered quite simply, but then she is speechless after answering only one question. I’ll bet this happens more often than not to most husbands out there:

Woman: Do you drink beer?

Man: Yes

Woman: How many beers a day?

Man: Usually about three

Woman: How much do you pay per beer?

Man: $5.00 which includes a tip.

Woman: And how long have you been drinking?

Man: About 20 years, I suppose

Woman: So a beer costs $5 and you have three beers a day which puts your spending each month at $450. In one year, it would be approximately $5400 correct?

Man: Correct

Woman: If in 1 year you spend $5400, not accounting for inflation, the past 20 years puts your spending at $108,000 correct?

Man: Correct

Woman: Do you know that if you didn’t drink so much beer, that money could have been put in a step-up interest savings account and after accounting for compound interest for the past 20 years, you could have now bought an airplane?

Man: Do you drink beer?

Woman: No.

Man: Where is your airplane?

Thanks, but tried it earlier.  Very nice lady on the phone, but discontinued. 

Anybody have a 12V (cigarette lighter) adapter for a JRC JHP-520?  Tried all the supply houses and it's discontinued or they never heard of it.  Will buy and pay shipping.

Don

Fusion,  attaching an Excel spreadsheet I've used for my W&B.  My Bandit is a tri-gear, couldn't tell from the posts if you have a taildragger,but with the numbers, I'm assuming it's a tri-gear.  I also have 10 lbs of divers weights in the tail section, which put me on a trimmed level flight (finally).  You can change the weights and numbers in the spreadsheet and it'll reflect the new CG.  My wheel weight was with empty tanks, but you can enter the numbers to reflect any amount (6lbs/gallon) you have in the tanks.

Don

WEIGHT AND BALANCE 54VH.xlsx

Also a possibility of getting struck by lightning, Ed.  Probably about the same as a flat spin in a Tomahawk.  They aren't rated for spins, but having accidentally (I guess I have a habit of kicking the wrong rudder pedal) done a number of spins in the Tomahawk, I can personally attest that it's very easy to fly out of a spin in one.  You do have to fly out of it, you just can't turn loose of everything like you can in a 152.  Tomahawks have a rep that I think is very undeserved, although admittedly they require an experienced stick for some of their characteristics.  Guess they are a bit like sushi, you have to acquire a taste for 'em.

Update on the Bandit.  Lengthening the stick helps the control for me.  Gives me a little less 'joystick' feel and more of a 'control' feel.  Using the flaps at 3000', found out the bird will stay up at around 45 or maybe a little less.  Tried to stall on low power and couldn't.  Avid just started to sink, no buffeting or drama, just sinking.  Interesting for a Tomahawk pilot.  Didn't try a power-on stall.  Will save that for a couple more hours experience.  Landing with flaps full is a drop-down.  You get over your spot and you drop down.  'Bout the best I can describe it.  Short-field landing at it's best!  Finding out I have to lead with my foot on sharp turns. No ruddee -- no turnee.  Or at least no coordinated turn.  Learning...learning...  Next on the to-do list is brakes.  What I have now won't hold over 2500 rpm.  Will work on that next week.  Having fun!

I'm using a hand-held radio at the moment, but really would like a panel-mounted "real" radio. Panel is rather full, but may could possibly move things around.  Was wondering what some of you are using and how it's mounted.  Any ideas or pics?  The MGL or Microair series look promising, but am unfamiliar with them.  Have King avionics in the Tomahawk, but don't need the certified price in my experimental (thank goodness).

Good results!  Added only 10lbs to the tail (inside at the conjunction of the tubes) and result was spectacular.  Bird jumped off the ground at takeoff; had to re-evaluate my stick control quickly.  Climb is 500-800 fpm, not sure if this is good or average.  Trim will hold level flight at cruise rpm, but not at full throttle.  Interesting.  Landing was a new experience with the stick so light.  Third one was decent and shouldn't have any problem getting used to the way it handles now.  Did try the flap control on final....pulled it back off quickly...thought I was going to stop in the air.  Will have to give that a try again at 3000' tomorrow so I'll have a bit of altitude to see what it really does and how slow it can go.  Did not have any extra holes in the stab connection, but won't need it now anyway.  Still, thanks for the tip.  Extending the stick is the next thing on the 'to do' list.  I use a cushion so my aged legs won't have to bend quite so much, and now I have to bend over to keep my hand on the stick.  A 4-inch extension should work fine on that.  Appreciate all the comments and tips, guys! 

Good tip, Logtrucker.... That will be Friday's test run.

Most obvious thing I found was a CG that was about an inch on the legal side of the forward limit(-11.185). Going to add 15 lbs to the tail end which will bring the CG to -14.5 (-16.5 aft limit).  Will give that a test run Thursday and see how that works.  Will work on performance after I can keep level flight without straining my right arm holding the stick back.

Evidently age does not equal knowledge!  Posting a pic of the 'way things are' and after next week, should have a new picture of the corrected connection.  I really do appreciate the advice and comments of you guys who have been there and done that.  This learning curve is not fun!  Or maybe 50% fun and 50% frustration. 

Don

That's correct, Ed.  Pull on 'down' and push on 'up'.  I have the smaller wire, which is probably the problem.  The swing on the trim tab causes a small bend in the wire travel.  I'll take a pic of it and post.  I'll dig out the manual, Paul, and see what I can do with that.  Thanks, both of  you.
Don 

It's set to pull on the 'down' trim and push on the 'up' trim.  The trim seems to be too heavy (?) for the cable to handle, so pushing the 'up' trim will slightly bend the wire between the wire housing and the trim tab.  Bound to weaken the wire over time.