Emory Bored

I saw that on Barnstormers.  It looks great.  The 447 though.  And it's in MN.  How do you like it?

I guess the problem with Airdale is the lack of communication.  A public post explaining the situation would be better than dead silence.  I think you're right though Leni, none of these one man shops make it.  I'm thinking Sky Raider, Ridgerunner, Airdale, and hundreds of others that are just a memory.  The Buttercup guy is selling plans and somebody else is making fuselages.  The Skyote folks are doing it piecemeal too.  If the Airdale guy would farm some stuff out maybe at least repairs could be made.  But nobody will make any money, that's for sure. 

New idea, new idea.  

https://spokane.craigslist.org/search/sss?query=SkyRaider

I need to go see this one.  Anybody want to go?  I'm in Reno NV and would need to trailer it back.  The engine was bought new for the kit then run a few times ( taxi only of course ) and then has sat around for 16 years.  I imagine the tanks should be cleaned, hoses changed, carb confronted, tires checked and general quality assessed.  The current owner is the original builder and the airplane is not an airplane yet.  No N# no registration.  I'll need to talk to my local FAA mech dude and see if he'll call it parts.  I know it's not an AvidFox but it would never have existed without Avid as the inspiration.  Ship the engine off to Rotax Rick, put a starter and electrical system in it and I'll finally be back in the air.  

Thanks ED:  I must have taken a wrong turn someplace in the members database.  This is the dude I got mixed up:

https://www.facebook.com/nick.lappos/media_set?set=a.10204506616008187.1073741829.1316312324&type=1&l=ed9d700cb5

There are about 477 posts by High Country and I haven't gone through them all to see what he did on that airplane. 

You back in the sandbox again?  Probably can't say eh.   Anyway, High Country is Nick Lappos who took his MKiV from Cal to Conn.  I would like to see that build thread if somebody can find it.  Otherwise maybe a PM to exchange e-mails or text messages with Robert Hast. 

I wonder about that too.  The 912 that I flew was a brick at idle.  

I did question the short flaperons.  About half the airplanes on Barnstormers are not described correctly.  Thanks for the heads up.  Ivo props don't impress either......so a $16K bird soon becomes a $?? bird. 

Here's a link to a new listing this morning on Barnstormers.  I guess my first question relates to the gear.  Isn't the object to get bigger tires on the ground?   That gear looks too tall to me.  I know Joey's airplane is on similar gear but why did this seller put such small tires on those too tall legs.  I dunno.  I'm also 2 smoke adverse, but there are plenty of folks I respect on this forum who swear by them.  And of course some who swear at them too.  That's a good price I think on that airplane.  Isn't it?

http://www.barnstormers.com/classified_1274005_2014+avid+flyer+heavy+hauler+.html

Dan

I was going to start a hangar thread, but this one does it.  I do have questions though. 

What are you guys paying for the building? From whom? I think 44 by 36 will be big enough for me.  

What are you paying for the door? From whom?

I currently rent at Reno Stead and the owner just informed me that he'll start selling out his hangars in the near future.  He asked me if I would buy mine and I asked how much? He more or less said something like "as much as I can get".   He's 81 y/o, a retired Pan Am captain with a much younger wife.  I'm sure he's thinking of her well being going forward.  Not mine.  Probably about $80K+. Anyway, we think the Greater Reno Area has been Kalifornicated to the point where all the charm of living here is gone.  Sixty miles up the road is a little town called Fallon.  Home of the Navy's Top Gun School.  They have a little muni airport there where you can lease the ground for ten cents a square foot per year.  I'm not sure yet of the details but there are a lot of options in the area for building a home.  We may move.  I'm 67 now though and all that work is scary to say the least.  I think I may have one more house in me but the hangar building and concrete I'll have to hire out.  Like some of you I spent a lifetime in construction.  We'll see.  

Hey Mark.  Photos of the finished project with airplanes inside?  

Richard I think your airplane is just great.  I heard about the BMW conversions several years ago.  I think there is even a commercial supplier.  As I recall some of the first were in powered gliders and they were priced in about the same range as the Rotax engines and are just a smidge heavier.  Parts are sure as heck cheaper.  

A nice looking bird all around.  

I can't explain it Ed but I talked to Sterba one time about these mysteries.   One would think that your speed would be equal to the prop pitch multiplied by the RPM but it ain't so.  It goes faster.  Has something to do with what sailors call apparent wind.....or something.  

I would be more interested in the WEIGHT comparison.   Torque is multiplied in the gearbox.  

I had something like that on my '41 Luscombe and I hated it.  Any upset due to turbulence required re-trimming.  Maybe they have new fangled springs in this thing.  It certainly looks nice.  

Here's another one.  A roll even!!

Good looking bird sir!  Ah, Sverige!

Lostman sir:  Just in case you may have missed the humor in my extraordinarily well developed sardonic comment please accept my apology.  I admire a man of your pluck and courage.  Some might quail at such a long flight in so tiny a craft but I think it's a great undertaking.  My comments about wild animal parts notwithstanding the cargo pod is a terrific addition and I'm sure will re-pay handsomely the time and funds you've devoted to it's development and installation.  Some wag might observe that a bird such as yours, though surely safe and comfortable for a flight of perhaps a mile, would hardly be adequate or even sane for a journey of 2100 of same.  Au Contraire Mes Amis!  For every journey of 2100 miles begins with a single step etc. etc.  So lots of photos and a travel log are of course requested.  An acquaintance of mine who lives in the wilds and flies off his driveway uses a 9 gallon reinforced rubber bladder to carry additional fuel for his S7S.  I very much doubt that you would find room for a like container filled in the Teeny Two but something similar may perhaps be jammed somewhere empty in the event that you should find yourself afoot and within walking distance of the odd fuel emporium.  

I hope they're not paying this fellow by the pound......  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjpKgFgoUlQ

Ahhh!  Much better, I want one.  

Looks like the hip of a Zebra with swollen ankles....

I'm leaning toward just plain dumb ass vandalism.  I think it was 2004 when a dipshit drunk from Livengood spent about a month and a hundred rounds of 338 Winchester trying to shoot a hole in the pipeline.  He finally made it through and I spent about 7 weeks up there supporting the cleanup crews.  Stupid people do stupid things.  There are no consequences for this sort of behavior.  Private investigators could find the perps.  Law Enforcement won't bother; no time or resources. 

Start with a good marine washer/cleaner and a soft car wash brush and then top it off with Star Brite boat polish and wax.  You'll be amazed.  West Marine has it all.  When I got my trawler it had sat in Oakland CA marina for about 12 years without being touched.  It shown like a new penny when we were done.  

I think that's a bare minimum distance when buying an airplane.  At least the way I do it.  Why buy a reasonably priced airplane close to home when you can drive a 3500 mile round trip and spend all that extra money for a good deal eh?  I'm trying to break the habit this time around though.  

Hey Joey:

I think you butt dialed me at about 1350Z yesterday.  In any case you didn't leave a message so I doubt it was important.  

I've slept 2000 nights double bunked with strangers on the North Slope in Alaska.  Damned uncomfortable for sure.  I always thought that "snorer" or "quiet sleeper" should have been noted on everybody's badge and then bunk the bastards together you know?  It's bad enough when you only get 5-6 hours sleep a night under normal circumstances but to be bunked with a fog horn too added just a little too much insult to the injury.  

The money was good though.  

I've been working with FAA for 30 years or more.  I used to airboss airshows and had to be on my toes.  I was in charge of the wavered airspace and briefings of performers before the show.  The main deal is ordinary respect and telling the truth.  They catch you in a lie and you are flat screwed man.  

Cheers

Dan

There are a lot of other factors as usual.  Engines made after 2006 have a stronger case design.  Prior to that some engines, particularly the 914s had fretting problems.  All horizontally opposed engines fret, including the legacy engines.  This means that on every power pulse the case halves fly apart a few microns and when they come together they cause wear on the mating surfaces. Rotax added a dowel or two and stronger thru bolts.  The ignition systems on earlier engines have an expensive service bulletin requiring replacement of the rotors.  If you look on the Rotax owners website you'll find a steady and significant list of improvements and changes through the years.  I've seen used prices ranging from $4500 to over $10K.  It depends.  The S engines are worth more than the UL engines.  The cost of replacement parts for Rotax are WORSE than Continental and Lycoming but unlike those engines they tend to go to TBO and beyond without significant work.  I worked on a 914 one time though that was essentially worthless after 450 hours.  It was parted out though and the owner recovered a pretty good chunk of change.  The case was shot, the rest of it held up pretty good. 

The 912ULS is no match torque wise for a Zipper engine.  There is no substitute for cubic inches. 

Absolutely.  I would put the low compression, 104hp Zipper on the 80 only because it lacks the slipper clutch and you can run regular gas in it.  In my opinion, one also needs to use a light weight propeller like the Kool, Kiev, or Whirlwind on any Rotax 4 stroke to minimize sprag clutch problems.  Some believe there is a connection between the dreaded sprag clutch starting problems and the use of a slipper clutch.  It may help in a prop strike but barring that it only makes things less reliable.  Again, IMHO.    

There are only really a handful of Rotax heavy service centers in the country.  Some are better known than others.  I'm an Independent Rotax Maintenance Technician (expired) and I know almost nothing, so you better aim higher than that.  In your neck of the woods it would be hard to beat Lockwood in Florida or Leading Edge in Wisconsin.  Out here on the left coast CPS is well known and reliable as is  www.aircoreav.com    I know the owner at Aircore Aviation and I consider him to be one heck of a fine human being. You could do one heck of a lot worse than joining up at Rotax-Owner if you are going to own one.  They have all the service bulletins and what-not in a user friendly format.  

http://www.rotax-owner.com/en/support-topmenu/find-service