Bandit

The problem with the polymer tanks is that the filler neck is threaded. When you turn the cap to tighten it the cap does not tighten to the same position. This is why I drilled the hole in the cap and pressed the vent in. This way I can turn the vent into the wind each time I fill it with fuel.

I think the tanks are fine. I just need to fix the vent tube.

Lostman,

I have a SkyRaider1 project I might sell.

I had a little excitement last night. It was a beautiful evening. I wanted to check the deer and hunters out. Filled my tanks completely full. That gives me about a hour and half range. 45 minutes into my flight and around 18 miles from the airport I glanced at my fuel level and I only had about a inch of fuel showing in the sight window. I'm thinking what the hell. I was assuming the gas line from my outboard tank to the in board tank was kinked again. I headed straight back to the airport. Bucking a little headwind and flying straight into a setting sun at 200 agl I figured is not going to be a good thing. Finally hit the freeway that goes by the airport. Still 5 miles out. Tried crabbing the airplane wing high. While doing that I reached back and opened the bleed valve.  No more fuel draining into the header tank. In the back of my mind I did not want to land on the freeway. The sun was  right on the horizon so I would have been looking straight into it. I headed away from the highway still at 200 agl and 1 1/2 miles from the airport. Most of the crops have been harvested some fields plowed some not. With a standing corn field and a small river coming up I went through my emergency procedure in my head. Fan stops turning, nose down, look for a spot to land, fuel off, ignition off. I no more than crossed the river and it quit. Nose down, find a spot, fuel off, ignition off. Thank the Lord I was within gliding distance of a harvested bean field. I came close to the trees but made it over them into the field. This was about the only time I look at my airspeed on landing. I set it up at 60 ias. 30' off the ground I pulled full flaps. It was one of my better landings. After calming down a little I got out and checked things over. What I found is my gas cap vent on my outboard tank turned 180 degrees pointing to the rear. It drained some fuel on the wing. I checked the tank, it was full. After a couple of minutes I could hear fuel draining into my header tank. After a few minutes I had enough fuel to fly back to the airport  a  mile and a half away. Lesson learned, make sure your tanks are vented into the wind and I should have not tried to get back to the airport. If it would have quit 30 seconds earlier or later things would have turned out different. 

Gave my neighbor a ride this morning. He is 6' 2", 230 lbs. Wow,we were heavy and awful cozy. That little 503 did a great job though. Got to love it !

Not sure why you would want a lexan turtle deck. I never look that far back.

Leni,

I have an extra manual.

I have been using the Artic Sparrow mixture control for years. Why couldn't you change main jets then turn your needle control full rich then lean it out until you get the right egt temps ?

I do understand the concern, but why fly a airplane that glides like a rock ? That's why I like my Bandit simple and lite. It should glide as good as anything in a engine out situation.

True.

Does it really make any difference to most pilots if we use 150' ft more of runway?

Use a little power thenPush the stick forward and pin it on the runway. 

I have a SkyRaider 1 kit for sale. Complete kit with a SkyRaider 2 tail. Factory built wings, tail section fit to fuselage, controls, header tank and floor installed. The wings and flaps are built. Cowling, instrument panel, turtle deck, droop tips, landing gear, two sets of rims and tires. Wheel penetration skis and fabric. Most hardware and cables. 2 five gallon gas tanks. One in each wing installed.

My tanks rotted and I never ran a once of booze gas through them.

I found a connection at Napa that worked. Tried starting it. It never even fired! I tried folowing the CPS ohms test but could not figure it out. I'm going to check u-tube to see if that can guide me through. Would that short have fried somthing inside ?

I'll have to replace the plug end. The green wire is 75% worn through.

Still fighting my hard starting 503. Tonight I took a plug out to see if I had spark. Nothing. Started to dig into my wiring. This is what I found. The wires were worn through the coating and the powder coat was worn off of the cooling shroud. I pulled the wires off the shroud then I had spark. Going to try to test the electrical system with a ohms meter as long as I have everything open. Does anybody know how to do that? I think this is my problem though. Where can I get a new plug to splice in?

That Avid is much easier to fold.

LEAF has them for $10

This summer my 503 has been starting hard or not starting at all. After three pumps of the primer and a few tugs of the pull rope it would fire on one cylinder spit and sputter then quit. After flooding it to many times to count, I replaced the plugs a couple of times, checked the float level, removed the needle valve, sync the carbs, new pulse line and new inline fuel filter. Still did the same thing. After scratching my ass way to long I gave Brett a call at LEAF and had a good visit with him. After explaining what was going on he said take the plug caps off and check them with a ohms meter. Sure enough the fourth cap I took off did not have a reading. Went to the local snowmobile shop and got a new one and installed it. After three pumps of the primer it fired in one pull. I ran it up and taxied around with everything good I flew it. Ran perfect. After landing I shut it down and let it set a few minutes and it started in one pull. I tried this a couple of times with everything good. Last night I gave it three pumps again and it started on the first pull. Again I shut it down and started it in one pull again, so it looks like my problem was a bad plug cap. Time will tell.  Maybe this can help somebody else if they are having the same problem.

Screw an aluminum tab on the rudder.

After thinking about this, it seems like now days everybody wants the so called "Bush Plane". In all reality how many people really fly off field? I would be willing to bet if you have $60k in a so called bush plane you are not going to take it off field and beat the piss out of it. Look at all the Super Stols that are for sale for $129k that only have 50 hours or less on them. I think some people are dreaming about bush flying and get in over their heads with their decked out airplanes and realize they have way to much money in them to be practical , so  then they want out. Take my Bandit, I love the looks of the tall gear and big tires, but do I land off field other than winter, No !  I will say I do lots of ski flying when the conditions are right though. There are much better deals out there with Ga airplanes, T-crafts, Champs, Cubs ect. Although my Bandit with the 503 has been pretty much trouble free for 1200 hrs, you always have that engine out in the back of your mind.

I flew with Don Lee at Alaska skis and floats a few years ago. He flies a pa 20 for instruction. He said the pa 20 is about a 3rd the price of a super cub. He loved the pa 20. We had 3 people on board with skis and a 160 horse engine. It is a good airplane. Don is one of the higher time bush pilots in Alaska now. He also has the most glacier landings on Denali. Its hard to argue with experience like that. $32 k is steep but it looks to be in good shape. A nice family airplane. Joey I also have been looking at T-crafts, I owned one back in the 70', super airplanes. The only draw back for me is Trick Air skis are not certified on them, going to do some looking at Airventure though. Remember Ed we are in the 0's now. It is not 1960 anymore. I would rather have a pa20 for that price than a over price Kitfox or Avid type airplane.

We might come out a week from today. For sure a week from Friday.

I wouldn't waste any money on sound proofing anything. Any airplane I've flown in you need ear protection anyway.