1avidflyer

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  1. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Leading Edge   

    I am going to be rebuilding my first MK IV soon (hopefully) and I'm thinking I will add this extention also. I already have the aluminum on the top of the wing where the false ribs are, so the aluminum wont have to be as wide as this drawing shows. Being as how most Avids are nose heavy, and I'll have a Jabiru on the nose, I think it will help the CG just a bit as well. It does add a bit of wing area too (about 3 square feet) and I think that can't hurt either. An idea I'm kicking around would be to build the leading edge with foam that is glued to the front spar and then sanded to the profile you want. Once it's shaped then lay fiberglass over the foam to give it some extra strength. If regular building foam is used, the resin in the fiberglass will have to be a kind that wont disolve the foam. Also it would need to be sealed from covering chemicals that would disolve the foam also. Take care, Jim Chuk


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  2. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Gears in the gearbox change   

    Not sure, but I just looked at Leading Edge's price from about 5 years ago, and the set was $520. OUCH! I think when people say make an offer, they maybe still kindof have an idea what they might want. Maybe the guy in New Zealand will come up with a price himself if pressed on the issue. The other thing you could do is run a wanted add on Barnstormers. A call to Steve Beaty at Airscrew Performance might get you a set also, but when I talked to him a few years ago about this, he said the 2.62s were harder to find than the 3-1 sets. Take care, Jim Chuk


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  3. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Leading Edge   

    I have a drawing that shows a way to make a leading edge extention I will post here. It was drawn by Lee Dubay, who worked with Avid early on as a dealer. He did come up with a few nice ideas relating to the Avids. Take care, Jim Chuk


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  4. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Gears in the gearbox change   

    Bryce, I was just looking on Barnstormers, and saw a new set of 2.62 gears for sale. He says make an offer. Only problem is they are in New Zealand.... They probably weigh less than 2 lbs, so shipping shouldn't be to bad. Also, there was a new E box with 2.62 gears in it for $1500. A bit steep just to do some experimenting, but then who ever said anything about aviation was cheap? Take care, Jim Chuk
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  5. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic FUEL MIXTURES and CRANKCASE OIL- 4 CYCLE   



    In reguard to the Marvel Mystery Oil, if you wonder what it contains, this may tell you. Google MMO NTSB and then look at the first listing. According to the NTSB accident report, MMO is 3/4 mineral oil, stoddards solvent, and 1 percent lard. Not sure that it's true, but it is kind of interesting..... Take care, Jim Chuk
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  6. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Wing inspection plates   



    I would ask the DAR. One may be a real stickler on things, and another one may say to himself: You have 40 hrs. of phase 1 time before you risk anyone else. If you're willing to risk your own life, who am I to argue. No doubt, those are the extremes, especially the last one, I'm sure they have guidelines they follow, but I recently heard of a DAR that wouldn't do the inspection because the plane didn't have an ELT in it. I thought that was kind of bougus as there are a number of exemptions to the requirement for an ELT and I think the phase 1 test period would fit into one of those exemptions. It would be good to have a working relationship with the DAR well before the plane is ready for inspection. Take care, Jim Chuk
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  7. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Wing inspection plates   


    On four different Avids I've owned, the reinforcement rings were installed, but the center fabric wasn't cut out. I doubt that they are required, it's an experimental airplane, and you can kindof do whatever you want. If you ever have a mouse build a nest in the wing and you want a way to get all the seeds and stuff they carted into the wing out, the inspection holes will come in handy. Cut out the center fabric, and put an aluminum cover over it. Actually if you have a few of them and paint them with the rest of the aluminum parts, they will match if you ever have to use them. I actually put in a few extra rings so if I ever had to change the pitot hose, I could. Little bit of extra work now could save a lot later. Take care, Jim Chuk
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  8. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Calling Brett at Airdale...   


    I've made four calls to him today as well. Land line and cell. My fusaloge is stripped down and ready to go into the jig and have things straightened out. Take care, Jim Chuk
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  9. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Kitfox Belly Radiator?   


    Just ran out to the garage and shot these pics of a radiator that came off of a Kitfox 3/ 582 project I once had. I'm sure it was supplied by Kitfox. My latest MK IV has foam around the standard Avid MK IV radiatiors that seals them to the cowl so as to force all the air though the radiators, and it seems to cool better than some other Avids I've seen. Take care, Jim Chuk



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  10. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic bing 54 carb vent lines   

    I just dug up 3 different Rotax 582 and 532 owner's manuals, and also my 170 page overhaul manual for 462,532,582 rotax engines. They all say that the carb or carburators should be set at a right angle to the crankshaft. That ofcourse would make them level if the engine was level. If you have either of these books, look at page 13 of the owner's manual, or page 155 of the overhaul manual. Is is possible that that is what the guy at Bing meant? Did you get the guy's name that you talked to? One time when I called them I got a young guy that didn't know what he was talking about, wasn't really the tech guy, I think he mostly took orders. The guy to talk to there is named Charlie. He knows those carbs inside and out. Take care, Jim Chuk

    PS after I posted this message, I looked at it to see it came out okey, and noticed the pictures on the manuals. Carbs are dead level with the engine there as well....



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  11. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic 5500 rpm is scary sounding   

    I started out flying in ultralights with 2 stroke engines and that high rpm was "normal". First 2 Avids also were 2 strokes, then I put a Jabiru enigne in the first MK IV and cruising at 26-2800 seemed just fine and not taxing the engine at all. That plane is still waiting on the repairs from the emergency landing I had to make with it. The MK IV I bought last sping has a 582 in it, and it did feel kind of funny running it up to the high 2 stroke RPMs, but you get used to it after a while. I still like to cruise in the low 5000s for RPM though. When I think that the RPM is to high, I think about the RPM these nearly same engines run in snowmobiles and then it doesn't seem so bad. I think it's all what you get used to. Some guys cruise at 6000 RPM and think nothing of it. Take care, Jim Chuk


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  12. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Rotax 582 Grey Head Water Temp   

    I believe redline is 180 F. You should get a lot more air flow through the radiators in the air. What temperature is your thermostat rated to open at? Lots of planes don't cool well on the ground, so maybe you will be fine with those numbers.


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  13. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic bing 54 carb vent lines   

    Just to clarify things a bit in case anyone is confused by how I worded things. When I said check the float level, I probably should have said check the float bowl fuel level. Just dug out my Proper Care and Feeding of the Rotax Motor manual, and it says that the fuel level should be 1/2" to 9/16" below the top of the float bowl. Just thinking further on it, even if the float bowl fuel level was to high, the float setting might not be the problem. You said the problem started when you changed the float needle. If the needle was causing a problem, (not sealing properly) as the float bowl fuel level gets higher it presses harder on the float needle. If the extra pressure seals off the needle, fuel stops flowing, but now the fuel level is to high. Jim


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  14. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic bing 54 carb vent lines   

    I would check what the float level is first of all, if it's at the right point, the fuel shouldn't spill out of the carb if it's a bit out of level. If the level was to high, then it probably would. Don't be afraid to call Bing as well. Just reread your post again, and you say the problem started when you replaced the needle. Try putting the old needle back and see if the problem goes away. (but check the float level while you're at it) Take care, Jim Chuk


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  15. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Avid MKIV stringer   

    I did a bit of digging through some of my pics and also went out and took a few pics of a C model and my MK IV fusaloge that I just took the covering off of. The MK IV has the metal stringer as was mentioned. The C model does not have it. Then I found a pic I had of my B model that shows down inside the fusaloge and it has a wooden stringer. I'll post the pics of all three. No doubt the stringer on the MK IV adds some strength. Question is: do you need it? As the models advanced, of course they got heavier so perhaps that is why the steel stringer was added to the MK IV. I don't know that answer myself. Would be nice if Steve Winder was on this site and could answer that question. He was around the factory then and would know. We can all do as we like, but if I feel the need to put a door in the back, it would be on the side. If you are mounting a battery there, I would think it would be a lot harder to install if you did it from the bottom. Anyway, here are the pics, hope they are of some help. The C model fusaloge is the brown one, the MK IV is black with some green on the bottom tubes. I'm going to sandblast it clean after I get the tubes repaired. In the pic of the Yellow B, you can see the bottom of the plane under the handle is flat. I think the C would have been the same way with a wood stringer. Neither is like the MK IV at that point. Take care, Jim Chuk









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  16. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic bing 54 carb vent lines   

    I think Steve @ airscrew knows a lot about these Rotax engines, but I've never heard about setting the carbs out of level. I run a straight edge accross the tops of the carbs so they are straight with each other. That would of course also make them level if the engine was level. I've never had fuel comming out of the vent lines with the carbs set like I do it. I would recomend checking what the float level is. If I remember right, the fuel level should be 1/2" below the top of the float bowl if you take the bowl off without spilling any gas. I'm sure that's the level on the type 94 I had in my Jabiru, but I also think it is the same on the type 54 used on the 582. Another thing you can do is call Bing's tech assistance and talk to Charlie. He is very helpfull and happy to talk to you. # is 1-620-767-7844 Take care, Jim Chuk


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  17. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic "C" Drive Oil Type   

    Being where you are at, I would suggest running the synthetic so it doesn't get to thick. I'm running Mystic synthetic 75/90 and it cranks over just fine in the cold of northern Mn. Take care, Jim Chuk


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  18. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Timing Rotax 582   

    If you have a clear hose going up to the bottle, you can stand the plane on it's nose and see if you get any air bubbles going up the hose to the bottle. Actually that takes two people, one to hold the tail way high in the air and one to watch for air bubbles. Take care, Jim Chuk


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  19. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Show me your throttle setup   

    Glad I could help! Should be fairly easy to come up with most of the parts. Sounds like the second poster in this thread (birdog) might even have them. I think my system was standard on the MK IV. Someone going to a 912 would probably go with the dual cable approach that the link in birddog's post shows as the carbs are on oposite sides of the engine. My system of course has all 3 cables (2 carbs pluss oil injection) routed to the right side of the plane. Take care, Jim Chuk


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  20. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Show me your throttle setup   

    I found that I had a few pics of the factory throttel set up for the 582 on my latest Avid MK IV. My first MK IV was like this as well. It seems to work just fine as far as I can see. Smooth operation and all. Take care, Jim Chuk






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  21. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Show me your throttle setup   

    I had this pic in my photos of a 912 setup, it's not my plane. The verticle cable is for the choke, the horizontal cable is the throttel. Back of the engine is on the left. Take care, Jim Chuk

    I am kind of lost on that setup. How does it not work backwards? Is the reverse mechanism inside the sleeve there or do you have to mount it goofy? Do you have a slide carb that the cables go into the top of on the 912? I am just trying to visualize how that dual system works.

    Thanks guys

    :BC:/>

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  22. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic WEIGHT OF BARE FUSELAGE?   

    And the winner is..... Well I got almost everything stripped off my Avid MK IV fusaloge. Only things left on were rudder cables, elevator control tube, flap control and tube, mixer controls behind the seat and the trim lever and cable running back to the elevator. Put it on two bathroom scales and back one said 26 and front one said 46. I think they are fairly close to right. Looks like 70lbs or a touch less stripped clean. Take care, Jim Chuk


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  23. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Skunkworks - Electrical/ Weight Saving   

    I was doing some searching about lithium ion batteries on the web just a couple of days ago, and from what I found, they don't last very long. I do realize that not everything on the web is totaly accurate, so who knows if it's true.?? The batteries I was looking at were for cordless drills so maybe that is somehow different. At any rate, I would check that out before I spend lots of money on a new battery. I do agree that getting rid of weight is the best thing we can do for the plane's performance. To bad it's so hard to do. Sorry if it sounds like I'm trying to bust your bubble, I've thought about getting a LI battery myself. Now I'm not so sure. Take care, Jim Chuk
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  24. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Injection Oil Question   

    You got a good price on the oil, I looked at my reciept and I paid $47.54 pluss tax for the 12 quart box. I wrote on the slip $63.20 for the 4 gallon box. That ends up being $15.80 before sales tax. Take care, Jim Chuk













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  25. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic Injection Oil Question   

    After you recomended it several years ago, I've been running the Citco Sea and Snow oil as well with good results. Priced right also. I buy it 12 quarts to the box from a local distributor. If I remember right it came out to about $4.30 a quart. It got up to +13 F today so I burned some of it in some very smooth Mn flying. Got the skis on early in the week and left some marks on a lake and a friend's strip. Should have got an after pic also, but didn't. Take care, Jim Chuk



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