Allen Sutphin

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Everything posted by Allen Sutphin



  1. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Avid Airdale with Harley engine on barnstormers   

    I know of one Airdrome Aeroplane Folker that is flying great with a Yamaha engine locked in second gear on the transmission.  I don't think that eliminates an engine, might even open up new possibilities. Weight might come into play of course with a setup like that. Money seems to be the driving force behind engine development. A business has to justify money spent vs. possible return. We aren't a big market for small engines. Most airframes are designed around a certain engine in production. We already know a Avid/Fox older airframe won't handle a 912 type engine or comparable weight. Me, I've always got my eyes open for possibilities.
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  2. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Avid Airdale with Harley engine on barnstormers   

    I wonder about the newer V-Rod engine in the Harley. I watched the original testing video and it was a powerful engine and ran great. I still believe there is a great undiscovered engine out there just waiting for someone to mount on an airframe. It might be a cycle engine, ATV engine or something no one considered at an affordable price, or at least affordable till someone starts selling them. Everything seems to be leaning to water cooled engines, but the right one could be the one that is a perfect match. We homebuilders are a cheap, err, I mean thrifty bunch.
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  3. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Engine mount   

    Guess I'll use my old Sube mount and add a section to it for the Hirth mount. It would be easier than a new mount. Would make it a two piece mount which would have some advantages. Easy engine removal without unclamping the control and wiring harness. Might be overkill since the mount was made to hold a 250 lb Subaru instead of a 100 lb Hirth.
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  4. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Any a&p near hazel, ky   

    Good point! And different people view things a little differently depending on their past experiences. Mark might very well be correct depending on which inspectors he has dealt with and their view on certain processes. Case in point, one replaces his two stroke with a higher horsepower 4 stroke, does an excellent job but doesn't upgrade to bigger fuel lines, didn't do the now required fuel flow test, goes back to phase one, takes off at a normal attitude, does great. Next time does a steep climb and has engine sputtering and loses power. A second set of eyes might have caught it. Maybe not! Sometimes a second inspection isn't a bad thing. A PITA, but not a bad thing.
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  5. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Any a&p near hazel, ky   

    Probably one of the hardest things about buying a EA/B aircraft is sorting thru the paperwork. Some are well organized and some are like a soup sandwich. Most inspections are about the proper paperwork more than the construction. Gotta love the government!
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  6. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Brrr to cold to fly   

    -6 now, dang global warming!
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  7. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Avid Airdale with Harley engine on barnstormers   

    Wonder how many HP that puts out? I have seen a direct drive Harley engine in a couple of experimentals years ago. Never seen them fly.
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  8. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Any a&p near hazel, ky   

    Then the paperwork was filed correctly. The inspector is the one to make any final call. Its been my experience that different inspectors or DAR's in different parts of the country make very different calls. Same goes for FAA reg's. Most all FAA people view them differently. And usually not in our favor!
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  9. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Any a&p near hazel, ky   

    Didn't say it required a new AW cert, just a inspection, and a 5 hour phase 1 or more depending on the inspector's attitude. Every engine change I've done with a different type engine required an additional insp, with the exception of going back to the original engine that the factory approved. Then they let me do the insp and return it to phase 1 for 5 hours. But then we don't have DAR's in WVa.  Only FAA inspectors. And its the inspector's decision whether to reinspect or not. And a different engine requires a new form to be submitted to the FAA for that engine. Its very possible that the VW engine on this plane was never reported to the FAA, just replaced and flown as is. On way to know is get a copy of the doc's filed with the FAA, which is a copy of every paper filed on that N number. We can't really be sure of the situation till one looks at the paperwork, if it exist. A lot of outlaw aircraft out there flying and never caught until there is an incident. And its usually in the hands of some unsuspecting buyer by then.
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  10. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Brrr to cold to fly   

    I guess we have a heat wave here in WV. Its only 11 deg this morning with 5" snow. I guess we have more global warming!
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  11. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Any a&p near hazel, ky   

    If there has been an engine change from the original engine when the AW cert was issued, a new AW insp is required. I am going thru the same situation with mine. Call your local FAA FSDO and discuss it with them.
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  12. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic IVO medium inflight adjustable prop   

    I've never dealt with the IVO CS, but the WD uses an electric system for pitch adjustment. But it was either cruise or take-off position. No infinite adjustment.  Most all IFA (constant speed) props are oil controlled by the governor thru the engine oil, by means of a hollow crankshaft. A few older ones had a separate oil tank for the governor but went away with the use of a hollow crankshaft. They can be a pain in cold climates. Some pilots don't cycle the prop enough times prior to take-off to circulate the oil to get it warm. I don't know what type the new 912 uses. I suspect the electric type due to the gearbox being in the way, unless they use a oil feed line and a return line from the pressure port. Unless one has a definite need for one, they are not worth the trouble and they are pricey. A quick ground adjustable is almost as good. If one gets into a spot where changing pitch can get him out of, then spending 5 minutes changing the quick change pitch might suffice. Unless the grizzlies are chewing on your tail then the prop pitch might be the least worry!
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  13. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Any a&p near hazel, ky   

    When your 81 and still able to fly, no such thing as a wasted morning!  Keeping active also keeps the hamster running in the cage. My hats off to you!
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  14. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Any a&p near hazel, ky   

    New aircraft? C5 is correct,you sign your logbook. No A&P needed for initial AW insp. If you are the builder. I am confused and slow.
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  15. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Any a&p near hazel, ky   

    Don't know where in the sam hill Hazel, KY is, but I am in the middle of WV.  Look up the FAA website and see how many are in KY and then pick up the phone. Only thing different than an annual on a Cub or T-craft and a conditional insp on a Kitfox or Avid is the engine part. A lot of A&P's aren't comfortable with 2 strokes or anything besides a GA engine. The airframe part is a lot easier on an Avid/Fox.  No AD's but I, myself, require all service advisories from the factory to be done. I don't travel too far anymore, but there are ones out there who do.
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  16. Allen Sutphin added a topic in Kitfox II   

    Engine mount
    Needing an engine mount for 503  on a model 2 Kitfox.
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  17. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Primer for fuselage   

    I have seen a few primed with Rustoleum and the poly fiber did fine. I just never had much faith in rattle can primer on 4130 steel tubing. It does good if undisturbed but a nick or scratch in the primer (easy to do with rattle can primer) it (rust) will filter under the primer. Epoxy primer or any two part primer is pretty tough stuff. On a tailwheel aircraft, the rear end catches hades anyhow unless you operate on black or grey grass all the time. Don't know what that is but I've heard of it.
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  18. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Paint   

    And I don't put a lot of paint on my aircraft. Just enough to cover the eko fill. I build safe airplanes, just not show planes. I like light aircraft. Better performance, better handling and less HP required.
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  19. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Paint   

    Picture, don't know if you can see the gloss.

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  20. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Paint   

    Will try to do that soon as its dry.
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  21. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Paint   

    Started painting my tail assembly with the Stewarts paint yesterday. Came out pretty darn good for a shade tree painter. Had a small amount of orange peel and it seems to blend in after a few hours. I know it sure is glossy, looks like its wet. Ended up using 26 psi at the gun and a few minor adjustments on the fluid control. In this temp and humidity about 24 hrs to touch and 48 to dry. Slow process, but hope its worth it.
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  22. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Engine   

    Yes, but not as much as before. Too many irons in the fire. He went to Sebring Monday for the LSA show. He has a couple of good people working for him now. He now owns Stewart Systems, plus has a repair shop #2 in the Midwest.  But still has time to answer any questions one would have.
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  23. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Engine   

    Oil injection has been used on outboards for years and most 582's use oil injection. But it has to be set up properly. No proof exist (yet) that oil injection causes any kind of bearing wear or failure. Just my opinion and I haven't used it. Would be hard to prove that it causes any problems anyhow.
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  24. Allen Sutphin added a topic in Two Strokes   

    Engine
    Got my engine delivered to Heavenbound Aviation today and got to look around in the engine shop for a while. An interesting observation was the number of 582's in his shop for rebuild. Must have been a half dozen or more in various stages of repair. I did notice several 582 cranks that were either worn out or destroyed bearings. I didn't ask about the # of hours on them. I only noticed 1 Hirth in the shop for gearbox repair. Either that means there are 10 times more Rotaxes out there than Hirth, or Hirth is more reliable. I tend to think there are that many more 582's out there which in turn means more overhauls. Most were for lower end problems on the crank. We talked about that and both seem to agree that oil injection could be a factor. I'll explain my theory on that. The oil injection nozzles is located close to the crankcase inlet so the oil and gas does not have time to mix well before entering the crankcase and does not get into the outer ends of the crank. Oil being heavier than gas so it gets to the crank near the intakes and the gas gets to the end bearings, where as pre-mix gets circulated throughout and deposited on the whole crank. This may be all hogwash, but it sure sounds reasonable. That's my story and I am sticking to it.
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  25. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Sealer used for fuel fittings ect.   

    Pretty much the same stuff. Haven't seen the old stuff for a while, may no longer be available. Seems anything that works good, isn't around long.
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