briankbski

Members
 View profile  See their activity

  • Content count

    40

  • Joined

  • Last visited


Everything posted by briankbski



  1. briankbski added a post in a topic Airdale Backcountry PROUD New Owner : )   

    THANK YOU to all who replied.  Everyone's input and suggestions are GREATLY appreciated.  I am kind of new at this building, owning and flying my own plane hobby.  lol  Definitely a childhood dream to build and fly.  I will definitely keep everyone up to date on my progress with posts and photos.  With owning my own business free time comes at a premium so unfortunately, this will be a slow process.  I also promised my wife I would complete the last few "yard projects" on my "honey to do list" over the next TWO summers.  Only SMALL things like installing a Lock Stone patio and sidewalks,  assemble two "car ports" and set up a enclosed gazebo for her new hot tub, which she will be getting next summer.  The least I can do for her support of letting me chase my dream of flying.  I am knee deep into the Lock Stone.  Having fun, but man o man is it a LOT of work.  GOOD thing our winters are long and I have heat in the garage so I can work on the Airdale.
     
    With respect to the wings I forgot to mention approximately the top 1/3 from the leading edge back there is fiberglass or aluminum sheeting under the dacron.  Would that be why there isn't any rib stitching???  Also, on the leading edge spare there is also the extruded plastic airfoil.
     
    The engine in this Airdale is the Status EA81 with belt PSRU.  Spoke to Jerry about this and his plane has exactly the same set up and apparently it has more than enough power and performs great even when it is on floats.
      C5Engineer ... I like the suggestion of keeping the Catalina, think that is what I will do, in the short term ... hmmmmmm ... wonder how I can get that one by my wife.   Will let you know how that works out.  LOL  Yes, the Airdale on floats in the photo I posted is Jerry Matison's and the one on the Airdale home page.  Not sure if it is the one in magazines or brochures.  I have never seen the articles.
     
    Ed ... as for the wing tips I am not sure the pros and cons of installing either the droop wing tips or the horner wing tips?  I will have to add that to my list of recommended reading and research it a little.  My Catalina has the droop wing tips like you see on a Mark lV.   I live in Canada 15 minutes east of the city of Thunder Bay, Ontario.  Live in a partially sheltered bay on Lake Superior.  My plan (initially with the Catalina now with the Airdale) is to "fly from home"  use my home as my base of operations  ... Skis in the winter and floats in the summer.  My front yard is a sandy beach (well, at least in the summer time it is).  lol   About 2 months ago I picked up a unused pair of Avid wheel through skis from Barnstormers.  Jerry Matison has exactly the same skis and he said they fit and work perfectly with the Airdale.
     
    Bandit ... please pass on my contact information to your friend from Minniapolis MN.  I would LOVE to speak to other owners of this aircraft.   Their experience would be invaluable and a GREAT asset while I complete this project.
     
    Best Regards
    Brian
    • 0


  2. briankbski added a topic in Avidfoxflyers General Hangar   

    Airdale Backcountry PROUD New Owner : )
    HELLO
     
    I am the PROUD new owner of an Airdale Backcountry kit (exactly the same as shown on Airdale's home page.  Serial Number is 007.  The original owner of this kit was Mr. John Larsen.   S/N 007 has has never flown and I am the 3rd owner of the kit.  It is probably 50% complete.  My wife and I picked it up two weeks ago.  We were VERY fortunate to have been able to arrange a meeting with Mr. Jerry Matison (former owner of Airdale).  We also got to see his Airdale S/N 001.  It is in his hanger on floats ... what a BEAUTIFUL sight.  We took a number of photos.  See attachments.  The plane shown on Airdale's home page is Jerry's plane but on wheels.  My plane has the extended speed wings ... not the STOL wings as Jerry's plane has.   Oh ya, the speed wings are missing the fiberglass wing tips.  Apparently, I can order these from Kit Fox.  I have seen an article, detailed in writing and photos, where someone installed these on a wing similar to mine.
     
    I was also very fortunate to be able to speak with Mr. John Larsen prior to purchasing my kit.  As most of you know he has been involved with Avid, Kit Fox and Airdale and has helped design many of the features of their aircraft.
     
    The wings and fusealge are covered and painted with initial silver coat.  I will be stripping off the dacron from the wings to get a better look before I recover them.  One wing has the new Airdale ethanol resistant fuel tank, the other wing has the regular fiberglass fuel tank.  I will try to post a few photos of the kit as it sits now.
     
    Question ... 1) how do i take off the fabric from the wings ... just pull it off?  There isn't any rib stitching, apparently just "glued" on.
             
    I also have a COMPLETE Avid Catalina kit (with a Great Plains 2180 cc VW engine kit) that I MIGHT be selling.  Totally complete kit down to the fabric covering and interior.  The kit is probably 20% complete.  Kit number 148AB.  It has ALL the recommended factory upgrades and is in EXCELLENT condition.  ALL parts are accounted for except the two halves of the engine cowl.  Engine mount is for a Rotax 582.
     
    I say MIGHT be selling the Catalina because it took me 5 years to find a kit that was so complete and so untouched. ABSOLUTELY love the functionality of an amphib like the Catalina.  It is going to be very difficult to part with it.   I MIGHT put the extended STOL Heavy Hauler Catalina wings on the Airdale???   When I was speaking with Mr. Larsen I asked if the longer Catalina wings would fit the Airdale and he replied ... yup, pretty much any Avid or Kit Fox wing will fit as they all use he same mounting configuration (distance from the lead edge tube to the trailing edge tube and from there to the bottom fuselage mount point.  Just to be sure I am going to measure to make sure.  Mr. Larsen said the Airdale should perform even better with the longer Catalina STOL HH wings than the standard STOL wings.  Any thoughts???
     
    Looking forward to any and all comments.
     
    Brian
    Captaincanuck
     





    • 30 replies
    • 5,033 views


  3. briankbski added a topic in For Sale and wanted, you got it, I want it   

    Avid Catalina For Sale
    COMPLETE Avid Catalina kit for sale.  kit #148AB.  EVERYTHING needed to compete and cover the kit (interior and exterior)  NO engine.  Engine mount will fit a Rotax 582 or 618.  Listed on  Barnstormers and UPAC Ultralight Pilot Association of Canada under classified's fixed wing section.  Take a LOOK!
     
    Asking $12,500 Canadian  ($10,000 US).  
     
    Kit is in mint condition 9 out of 10.  All metal parts factory powdered coated.  All factory options and upgrades.  AN parts labled and in storage bins.  Original foam filled floats and lighter Lotus floats (wing sponsons).   Builders manuals and TONS of reference material to assist with the build.  Stored in heated Garage.
     
    Selling because I have put a down payment on an Airdale Backcountry.
     
    Thank you for looking.
    Brian
     
    • 0 replies
    • 1,756 views