RDavidson

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  1. RDavidson added a post in a topic Flaperon mixer   

    TJay, I'm tracking ya now...I'll look at that in the morning too...Thanks!
    Ron
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  2. RDavidson added a post in a topic Flaperon mixer   

    Well, I briefly looked again and I am definitely not hitting the turtledeck.
    I'm not sure I understand the flaperon hitting the wing comment, that is physically impossible.
    I'm sure that they are at 15 degrees...I have checked that several times.
     
    Im thinking I have something not adjusted right in the mixer...I'm going to go through that in the manual tonight and hopefully fix it tomorrow.
    Thanks for the ideas guys, I'll let you know what I find...
     
    Ron
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  3. RDavidson added a post in a topic Flaperon mixer   

    OK, I muddied the waters...
    I'm just asking if, with the flap handle pulled all the way up and flaperons at 15 degrees, is it normal for the stick to just barely move left and right?
    It makes sense to me that they would work this way, but I just wanted confirmation.
     
    Paul, I did look and the horns aren't hitting the Turtledeck...thanks for that!
     
    I get my fuel servo back Monday night, should start it Tuesday morning and after adjusting I will call the DAR.  I can't wait to get it in the air!
     
    Thanks,
    Ron
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  4. RDavidson added a topic in Avid Flyer General Hangar   

    Flaperon mixer
    Guys,
     
    I see that the more degrees of flap limits left and right aileron input (I know they are flaperons).
    When I have the full 15 degrees the stick only moves left or right a couple of inches is that right?
    This is on the Magnum, but it should be the same on other avids too.
     
    Thanks,
    Ron
    • 27 replies
    • 8,438 views


  5. RDavidson added a post in a topic Wings, metal leading edge or no   

    Rob,
    I was a little nervous to have someone critique my work, but I am glad that I did!  A guy that has built more than one or two airplanes can give you so many great ideas it is unreal.  I am a hermit and like to lock myself in the garage and poke my head out every once in a while, but that is a mistake.  Now I welcome people in to see my project and we all help each other out.
    The EAA is a great resource for more than just building your plane, so join if you aren't already a member.
    I will say that opening your hangar door does allow the occasional sticky airport booger to latch onto you...I have started handing them a broom when they show up, they leave every time!  Ha!
    You are at my favorite stage of the project, good luck!
     
    Ron
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  6. RDavidson added a post in a topic Step 1, build hanger to work on Magnum   

    Barry,
    Congrats!  You turned some dirt over!
    Are you going to be at the site this Saturday?  Tam and I were going to come check it out...
     
    Lookin' Good!
    Ron
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  7. RDavidson added a post in a topic 150 HP Avid Magnum on barnstormers   

    A buddy of mine called about this plane and there were enough alarm bells that I told him to just walk away.
    The price is great especially for the included floats.  However, here are a couple of the things he told me...
    It had been ground looped early in its life and repaired at the AVID Inc when it was still alive.
    The panel has issues and was "crap" according to the owner.  Things didn't turn off when the master switch was off.
    Something is up with the air worthiness...It doesn't have tail numbers on it and the guy selling it went on about not having a complete chain of bill of sales.  So it was unclear as to what the airworthiness status was.
    I am giving this info to you guys second hand and incomplete so call the owner to find out more.  Again, the price is good...it would cost $30-$40K minimum to build this.
     
    Ron
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  8. RDavidson added a post in a topic The start that never happened   

    Barry,
    The Airport sweeper dipped into the nice landscaping pea gravel in between our hangars and launched it everywhere!  Luckily Tammy volunteered to sweep it up...
    It will be about 2 weeks to get the fuel servo back.  I just had my first day of having no airplane project to worry about...it kind of sucked!
     
    Ron
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  9. RDavidson added a topic in Avid Magnum   

    The start that never happened
    Well, I filled her with fuel today and she immediately leaked out the fuel control all over the ground!
    The one part I rolled the dice on has bad o-rings and probably diaphragms.  That is what I get for being cheap! So I have another couple of weeks before I can call the DAR.
    I did get some Vitamin D on the wings though and sat in the cockpit figuring everything out.
    one note of warning...I used the original fuel master valve and that damn thing lets gas flow by when it is closed!  I ordered a new one, but that is a pretty big safety issue.  That being said, the part has been sitting out for 20 years and I bet the plastic has hardened or it shrank a bit.
     
    See ya,
    Ron

    • 6 replies
    • 1,102 views


  10. RDavidson added a topic in Avid Magnum   

    Weight and balance
    Well I knocked out my weight and balance and she's a bit heavy just like me.  Here are the numbers and keep in mind that I have about 50# of added tires, 35# of extra motor, 10# extra suspension system, and other extras like fuel pump, ads-b unit, iLevil, 2x iPads, over 200 wires, and full set of instrument probes, fishing rod tube in back,  and I built the turtledeck out of 1/8" plexiglass.  So, I was actually surprised it didn't reach 1200# empty!
    Public math is always nice...please let me know if I screwed anything up.
    You will notice that I have to go 70# over max gross weight to reach the aft CG limit of 17.5"
    However, realistically fat pilot and passenger will use up a lot of the useful load.
    Ron
    • 2 replies
    • 1,059 views


  11. RDavidson added a topic in Avid Magnum   

    Rigging the flight controls
    I had a good time figuring out the rigging of the flight controls.  Would have been nice to have two people doing it, but after a few F bombs and walking back and forth to the cockpit a million and one times, I got the wings level, flaperons level and made a flap handle detent for 0, 5, 10, and 15 degrees.
    The Bee looks huge with the tail lifted for level flight!  I do the weight and balance tomorrow and then Saturday I will start her up for the first time.  Next I will be calling the DAR...almost there...
     




    • 3 replies
    • 1,215 views


  12. RDavidson added a topic in Avid Flyer General Hangar   

    New med rule in place May 1st!
    The new med rules have been established by the FAA and go into effect May 1st!
    Here is the link
    https://www.faa.gov/news/updates/?newsId=87125&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTkdJMU1XVTRaamszWVdFMSIsInQiOiJYQnM2bGFuQm1jM0NQTGczZ2FSSzJUa0F6c3VjaXlZZTZvWXQ3Z1haUWJEcDlzSW90OHNqNWhENWxubjZsRU85TjNCV1wvZnhDRFBVM3czTnMrUjN1SUZyVXFmNVpVUysyMDJOQWZ0ZXg0RmU3YjAyVXlSSEF6Y3JZZ2hRc0VpdWoifQ%3D%3D
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    • 751 views


  13. RDavidson added a post in a topic Wings, metal leading edge or no   

    Rob,
    The wing looks great!
    The Magnum came with the option of a fiberglass leading edge, so the concern for limiting flex most not have been an issue.
    Im going to explain how I covered my wings, but this was my first shot at it, so there might be a better way.  I used Super flight, but the glueing process is the same as the Poly stuff.
    The superflite glue is blue/green and is like poly tac.  Look at the first pic and you will see glue on the fuel tank, the trailing edge, wing tips, and the entire leading edge.  When you get the fabric on the wing, you will brush glue along the trailing edge and the bottom of the spar.  Once it dries then you can start shrinking the fabric.  After you get everything ironed and all wrinkles gone it is time to brush glue on the entire fuel tank and leading edge plywood. This coat of poly tack is very thin...mostly MEK.
    Rib stitching can be done a lot of ways, or evidently not at all.  I actually started rib stitching on the bottom right behind the front spar.  I took the string through the lightening holes in the ribs until I made it past the leading edge material...then I did it the normal way to the trailing edge.  I came up with that system on my own, so I'm not saying it is right or the only way, but I like how it turned out.
    I hope that made sense, if not, pics are worth a thousand words!
     
    Ron

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  14. RDavidson added a post in a topic CONTRIBUTIONS TO KEEP SITE GOING   

    Leni,
    Thanks for all you do for our group of builders and flyers...just sent you some dough $$$
     
    Merry Christmas!
    Ron
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  15. RDavidson added a post in a topic Merry Christmas   

    Ditto!  I so appreciate Leni keeping this site going and all of the great advice, techniques, parts, jokes and friends I have found on here.  You guys are awesome and I thank you for keeping me building and hopefully flying in 2-3 weeks!
    Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
    Ron
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  16. RDavidson added a post in a topic Wheel and Brake HELL!   

    Thanks guys!
    After fixing the brakes I left on a trip and brought two STOL Aircraft Magazine issues and they did a write up on the new aluminum Alaskan Airframes wheels.  Guess what the main benefit other than weight savings is?
    Spacing between the wheel and rotor to prevent tire rub!  I should have read this last week...it would have given me more confidence in what I was doing.
     
    By the way it is a cool magazine that is published quarterly...This issue covered Planes, guns, dogs, airports and everything STOL.  What more do you need?
     

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  17. RDavidson added a post in a topic Wheel and Brake HELL!   

    The 1/2" spacer did the trick!
    The pics are hard to see what is really happening...I painted my wheels black, so everything washes out, but here is the finished product.
     




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  18. RDavidson added a post in a topic Wheel and Brake HELL!   

    There are certain Wheel/ Brake assemblies that work without spacers...I think 40-75, 40-60, and 199-62.
    There are a lot of different numbered wheels out there, and a lot of post on other forums about needing spacers, so I know I'm not completely crazy  
    I got my bolts this evening, so I will hopefully have this solved tomorrow.  I'll take pics and post them.
    I attached pics of the spacer that came from Alaskan Airframes (1/8" thick).  Next is my drawing of the new 1/2" thick spacer.  Then finally my buddy entering the numbers into the cad program and putting lightening holes in it to save a little weight.
     
    Ron



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  19. RDavidson added a post in a topic Wheel and Brake HELL!   

    Double pucks better hold it or I will just throw one of these out when I need to stop
     

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  20. RDavidson added a post in a topic Wheel and Brake HELL!   

    Ed,
    You did give me a deal on those, and you did me a huge favor!  This post was not me upset with you at all...
    I just couldn't believe that there were so many variations of the same 6" wheel!
    I now have a 1/2" spacer for each wheel and am now waiting on the longer bolts to ship.
    I just wanted others to know that it probably isn't as simple as slapping tires on...
    I took a day off from working on the plane and feel much better about it now.  It felt like I was moving backwards there for awhile.
     
    Ron
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  21. RDavidson added a topic in Avid Magnum   

    Wheel and Brake HELL!
    Well another day, another problem...
    This is a post warning others that sometimes being cheap and finding older wheels can make life miserable!
    It all started with me preparing for large tires.  I knew I wanted double puck calipers.  The Magnum came with single pucks, so I sold them and bought some double puck calipers from Ed here on the forum.  I went to mount the discs and calipers I bought and the discs did not fit my Cleveland wheels.  So, I learned that wheels and discs are not interchangeable.
    Luckily Ed had the wheels the brakes came off of so I bought them.  I thought my problems were solved....nope.
    I installed my ABW 31" tires and when I went to install the calipers they were rubbing the tire!  I realized that I probably needed a spacer and while searching for one of those I found out that certain wheels have the disc closer to the wheels than others!
    Alaskan Airframes sells a kit including four 1/8" spacer and longer bolts.  However, with even 1/4" of spacer the calipers barely clear the tire!
    So, a friend with a water jet is cutting me a 1/2" spacer.  If you go this route, you must pay close attention to the caliper pins to see if they are still able to stay in the rotor plate.  If they don't stay seated you will need to use an axle spacer to push the tire and disc/caliper outboard.
    THE POINT OF ALL OF THIS IS:  It is a real PITA trying to save $ and make a usable setup!  By the time I finish I will have a system for about 1/3 the cost of a new set, but the time invested is ridiculous!  I could take the whole system apart blindfolded after doing it about 3 times today alone!  Maybe buying new is smarter in the long run?
    I'll take some pics and post them later.
    Good luck to the next guy,
    Ron
    • 18 replies
    • 2,178 views


  22. RDavidson added a post in a topic Flapperon end caps   

    You bet Barry!  You are going to have it made...I have all kinds of extras for you!
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  23. RDavidson added a post in a topic Flapperon end caps   

    Cool!  Let's see 'em Leni!
    I finally took some time and looked around the  website...You sure have done a great thing with this forum!  It is great seeing pics from all around the world and have so much information at your fingertips.
    Thanks for keeping all of this going!
    Ron
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  24. RDavidson added a topic in Avid Magnum   

    Flapperon end caps
    I decided to make end caps for my flapperons before I lose an eye on the sharp corner.
    I had some left over nylon/poly block so I shaped a couple of pieces and then covered them in 3M carbon fiber textured vinyl.  It was fun figuring out how to heat and stretch the vinyl.  I like how it turned out, and I will add a pic to this once I have them on the plane.
    Ron
     

    • 5 replies
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  25. RDavidson added a post in a topic Electric trim??   

    I had this problem on another aircraft...the inner cable was sticking out about 6" and I put a 4" piece of small aluminum tubing over it that helped take the flex out of the cable but still allowed the cable to travel the full distance both ways.
    the color of your cable looks like it might be a more mailable metal than standard cables.  You might buy an aircraft grade cable and just slide the center cable out of the new one and into the old housing.
    Another idea would be to extend the trim tab arm so that you can use leverage to override force. You could swap the spring hole with the cable attach and gain a little leverage without any modification...
     
    Ron
     
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