Allen Sutphin

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  1. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Model 2 Prop   

    Thanks, Guys! I am going to try to use a 68 or 70" 2 blade on my Hirth 3202. May have to use a 3 blade.
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  2. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Avid Flyer Mk IV - $18450   

    That doesn't sound like a bad deal at all. There was also an Avid listed for around 12K on the Avid listing. If I am correct, only one service center for the HKS engine in the U.S. I think that was Green Sky in Fla. If one had a four stroke only mindset, that would be the one at a fair price.  As for low and slow morning and evening flights around the area, that's the only reason I fly anymore. If its over an hour somewhere, body parts start to hurt that I didn't even know I had. Getting old really sucks!
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  3. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Copying gear legs   

    If you have a fuselage to go by, use the TLAR method of jigging. I've seen several pictures of this type gear for one to go by.
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  4. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Avid Flyer Mk IV - $18450   

    I guess I am the type of person that takes nobody's word for anything when it deals with buying aircraft. I always end up stripping one down to bare bones and redoing everything. Including engine when I do buy one. And that bad habit has cost a lot of time, work and money but I always know what I got and what I am flying.  Might be a carry over from being a long time A&P since I've seen some stuff on flying aircraft that makes you run into a corner and hide.  This model 2 is most likely my final project so I am redoing it for myself. A new condition restored Kitfox 2 for around 14-15K doesn't seem outrageous at today's prices. But I've never been called a genius, either.
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  5. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Experimental to UL and .... back?   

    Depends on if it was listed as scrapped or just let lapse. The complete paperwork history as an EAB is available from the FAA. Every piece of paperwork ever filed is available for .10 a sheet and you can get a printed copy or CD version. If it was just let lapse, then it can be reregistered but will require a new AW inspection. First thing to do is talk to your local FAA inspector or DAR.
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  6. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic anybody see this Half VW conversion?   

    One advantage of current 2 strokes is they are not dependent on a battery to run. Fuel injection systems are great, efficient and smooth but are computer controlled.  One can look at a carb and tell if something isn't right. A computer rarely fails but with all the electrical connections required, one faulty connection can shut the whole works down. Unless you are an expert, tracking down that one connection can drive you nuts. If one is running a fuel injection system, the electrical system and connections HAVE to be the best they can be. Not the usual soup sandwich I usually see. Most engines do not fail, they are murdered!
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  7. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic anybody see this Half VW conversion?   

    I hope it does very well ! More options cause producers to make refinements to their existing engines to stay viable in this rocky market. Wish them all the success in the world. A flying engine in a proven airframe trumps a display engine any day. Two stroke or four stroke, if its proved to work, I'd consider it. Nothing I do is carved in stone so I'd consider swapping engines for something better, more power, and reasonable in price. But I'd say if it succeeds then the price will go up. As it usually does.
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  8. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic anybody see this Half VW conversion?   

    An outfit called Hog Air was using Harley engines and parts for aircraft. Pretty successful  too. Till Harley got wind of it and threatened them. I believe it was also over the name was the big issue, since Harley registered the "Hog" name. Might have something to do with the parts, also.  You buy something at a yard sale and the company that made it can still tell you how to use it! Only in the lawyer rich United States. Gotta love lawyers!
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  9. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic anybody see this Half VW conversion?   

    Thinking about the hours that the average person would fly, a high TBO is not a big issue. Time will do more harm than hours. And I've never had a plug foul out in a CDI ignition. Changing spark plugs once a year for $3 each for 12 bucks isn't worth talking about. But hey, its your money, butt in the seat, and your peace of mind.
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  10. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic anybody see this Half VW conversion?   

    The big question is why everybody is wanting a 4 stroke engine so bad.  A 4 stroke equal to a 582/3203 two stroke would cost big bucks if it could match weight and horsepower. I for one don't or can't pay 20K for an engine to put on a 9K airframe to fly 50-60 hrs a year. Especially when a 3-4K engine does just fine. Reliability or fuel cost can't be the reason since new 2 strokes are getting close to 4 strokes in reliability and 1-2 GPH difference isn't a deal breaker. It does take a bit of knowledge to operate a 2 stroke safely, but knowledge isn't that expensive to obtain.
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  11. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic home brewed nav lights   

    A GA aircraft can be moved to experimental class, just not in the AB/experimental category.  There are several categories that one could move a GA aircraft to. Such as exhibition, testing, etc. The experimental certificate covers several categories. We just deal with the Experimental AB one. They had the diesel powered C-172 in  the experimental class while they were testing the engine.
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  12. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic anybody see this Half VW conversion?   

    VW engines have been tried many, many times. A few have been successful in certain airframes and applications. This outfit may have a winner but time will tell. If they can run 800-1000 hours without blowing it up or burning it up, then they may have a viable engine. Time will tell.  We've all seen the best engines (their words) disappear in a year or so and never heard from again. Would be nice to have more options though.
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  13. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Rib stitching   

    That appears to be the main thing to be watchful of. A fuel leak if not caught in time can cause a serious problem. A normal fuel spill wouldn't be a big concern as in filling a wing tank and spilling a few ounces.  But then, I never done the same test with poly fiber  as in soaking it in gas. Evidently it has more to do with the crappy gas we have to buy than with the covering system. Use 100LL and you have lead to deal with, use auto fuel and who knows what kind of issues arise. Has anybody ever tried clear aerothane over Stewarts?  I know its some tough stuff.
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  14. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Rib stitching   

    I did try a test on the eko bond and 93 oct gas. Spilling some on the fabric and wiping it off had no effect on the bond. Soaked a strip that was glued in a can of gas for about 3 hours and it did pull apart with not much force. Guess the lesson is not to soak a wing in gas or dip the fuselage in a gas tanker. This was with no other coatings on the fabric except the glue. Will probably go back to Poly-Fiber is I ever recover again. Don't like the stuff but in 30 years I never had any issues with it.  But I have already covered my wings and tail with Stewarts so not going back and redoing them. Only major issue I would see is if a wing tank started leaking or one had a line rupture and dumped several gallons of gas in the wing or fuselage. Don't know why the FAA would approve an STC for Stewarts if this is the case.
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  15. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Rib stitching   

    Just talked to an experienced Stewart Systems guy and I asked about the fuel problem. He said it was the ethanol in the fuel that would soften the glue if left in contact with the fabric. Regular fuel or AV gas would not affect it.  Of course ethanol will do the same with poly tak and poly brush also. But with both systems, occasional contact with gas will not affect it, only continuous submersion would. But I am still going to do a test panel.
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  16. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Rib stitching   

    I'll give that a try with wet glue. It didn't have any effect on what was dry, cause I tested my tank installation and spilled a bit of fuel on the glued fabric and it didn't change any or release any fabric.  But MEK will clean it off your hands and metal parts. But I am curious to see if this is true, if it is, it could be bad, especially around the fuel tank wing area. I don't know of too many pilots or line crew that don't spill a few drops of fuel when filling wing tanks.
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  17. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Rib stitching   

    What was a shock to me was the first time I removed the covering that had been done with poly-fiber. It popped off with very little effort, cleanly I might add. And I've used poly-fiber for 30 years. Would have used it again but decided to try this newer system due to the smell and health concerns. One couldn't go wrong with either system, since they both do a good job.
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  18. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic home brewed nav lights   

    You are100% correct, Mark.  "Experimental" is out of the picture when it comes to true night flying. Same goes with IFR, regs do not specify experimental or certified, just properly equipped per the regs. Been thru that peeing contest before.
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  19. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Rib stitching   

    I just finished covering my model 2 and I glued to the ribs and rib stitched them. I used the Stewart System glue which I believe is quite a bit stronger than Poly-Tak.
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  20. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Is the stock bungee gear the lightest?   

    If mine was a later model with more gross weight, I might consider swapping some things. But with 950 lbs to play with, one has to pay attention to weight.  And with higher weight comes a higher landing speed which causes things to change faster and get out of hand quicker. Touching down at 30-34 mph is a lot nicer than 40-45 mph. Me, I am very content with the low and slow crowd. The ATV tires on my original model 4 were a little bouncy on landing no matter how smooth you were. Plus they were maypops at best. Different tires are a must for me. The wheels, I can live with.
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  21. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Is the stock bungee gear the lightest?   

    Came from the helicopter world myself. With a big R and a big L tattooed on my feet. And it better be second nature to you.
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  22. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Is the stock bungee gear the lightest?   

    I just looked up the Grove gear for the Kitfox and the spec's said 60" wide. My supposedly standard gear is also 60" wide.  Maybe 62" so I just guessed that I had the standard gear, maybe I assumed incorrectly, again!
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  23. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Is the stock bungee gear the lightest?   

    I think I'll try the original gear first and then if needed, I'll go to a different gear. At least I'll know from personal experience how much difference it is. Don't think it will be the Grove gear, though. Way too darn expensive to buy, heavy, and from what I see, doesn't take a side load very well. The spring gear looks impressive, but I have the old time habit of being partial to bungees.  After studying my standard gear, its not too difficult to widen that gear and make it taller and use the original shock cord setup.  6" width extension on each side is not hard to do and 12" wider would help handling quite a bit I would assume.  But, I have been wrong a few times, just ask my ex-wive(s).
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  24. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Is the stock bungee gear the lightest?   

    There is no question that the wider gear is more stable and I will probably switch after I get it flying. Will require modifications to my trailer for the extra width. I rarely land on pavement except when its the county road. 95% of my time is spent on grass or something that resembles grass. And even our few paved runways have an area left or right that is grass. I try to stay away from pavement if possible. For some reason, I can hit a 20' X 600' grass strip every time but put me on a 3000'  paved strip and I'll blow it every time.  Never could land on a 50' wide runway.  I have on occasion, made a few carrier landings (not hard landings, we never do that) when it was crunch time, gusty, tailwind, snake in the floor, and a few other instances.  I did use rubber snakes in and on the plane to keep mice out (works) till I forgot one and it fell out of the overhead compartment in a bounce and ended up in my lap. I did every maneuver in the aerobatic handbook till I got my breath back and body parts let go of the seat cushion. Needless to say I DON'T like snakes!
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  25. Allen Sutphin added a post in a topic Is the stock bungee gear the lightest?   

    Just curious about the standard bungee gear. The common opinion is that its really too narrow and makes for difficult landings or ground handling, but most of the older Avids/Foxes that I see in pictures, videos and on barnstormers have the standard gear.  I am sure the wider, heavier, more expensive gear is better, but is it that much better?  Most of the ground loop videos that I've seen all show either the Grove gear or the bush gear so really makes me wonder if its the type of gear or the type of pilot that is the cause?  Even some so-called pro's with bukoo hours still have ground loops. The old standard gear probably has thousands of hours under its belt without incident so it makes me question if new and stronger is the better way to go. If one hits hard enough to bend the seat structure in the bungee gear, seems the gear type might not be the underlying cause.
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