N139AH

[1avidflyer 2011]

Bummer about the battery, but better now then when in the air.  Plane looks very nice in the pictures.  I looked at your landing gear, and can see that it uses bungees instead of springs.  I had thought bungees might be better as they would be more adjustable (another wrap if needed) and lighter.  Did someone make the gear for you or do you have plans for the bungees instead of springs?  Thanks,  Jim Chuk

[High Country 69]

The main gear legs and bungee struts are from Ridge Runner. I made the cabane from scratch. It would be a piece of cake to make bungee struts for the factory bush gear that Brett and others sell if someone wanted to convert from the springs. This gear also sits 10" wider than Bretts. its awesome on ground handling.

[Bandit 286]

Like your paint job! You will love the wide gear! Just remember to add a little power on flare out.

[EDMO 1078]

Looks great - Now how about getting that FOD, or your beer can, off of the tarmac!   Photos don't lie, but you can always say that it's a removable  parking marker! 

EDMO

[High Country 69]

Ed, thats the battery It landed there when I quickly removed it from the plane while it was still smoking, It stayed hot for several hours even after being soaked in water. it was still warm the next morning. I think it was having some sort of chemical reaction still.

[Luked 71]

Glad the battery situation didn't have more serious consequences.

 

The airplane looks great. I think I said it before somewhere, but I hope I can build an airplane that looks that nice eventually. Nice job!

 

Luke D.

[EDMO 1078]

I guess L-batteries are like resistors - they are full of smoke - if the smoke gets out, then they are HOT-FOD!

EDMO

[High Country 69]

Luke- thanks this is my first build with little to no experience with most of the different processes and not the greatest tool selection so if I can do it I believe anyone can best secret I can give is to just be patient and don't lower your standards just to get done a little quicker. thats also probably the hardest part. I'm sure yours will be great.

 

Ed- I think all electronics are like that right. they work off the magic smoke and if it gets out there is nothing left to make it work.

[EDMO 1078]

Robert,

    for some reason, probably my fault, my question to you did not post.

I asked, do you have a charging system on your engine with your pull start?

EdMO

[SuberAvid 626]

I sure like your plane.  You probably mentioned your extended strake to the VS, it looks nice. 

 

Sure glade you got the battery out without damage.  I remember reading in KP or SA a few years ago about a guy who lost his newly completed biplane during taxi testing when the jumper battery he was using tipped over and shorted out.  It burnt the beautiful plane to a crisp.

[wolves200 31]

Hey High country;

 

that´s a real good looking plane good job! I guess you are going to make a cover for the bungees? I believe it will be coated with 2 stroke oil as soon as you start flying regularly... Also the original Avid cowling looks very nice without that side radiator.

 

Regards

Dimi3

[thebriman 69]

One of the better looking Avids I have ever seen!!

[High Country 69]

Thanks for the compliments its been quite the trip building and we've had lots of help from you guys and friends here locally. 

 

Wolverine- yes I do plan to wrap the bungees in the future but I'm to the point that I just want to get it in the air and finish up the little things later. I'm trying to decide if i just want to make the fabric ones that Velcro on or to make nice aluminum ones that are faired like Just used on the Escapade 

 

With some help from the club we got the Weight and Balance done last week. came in at an empty weight of 527 Lbs.   left main= 241 right main= 239 Tail wheel= 47

 

We have been fighting with the FAA since April on the registration and finally got the paperwork last week grrr. anyways the rest of the paperwork has been submitted to my DAR and we are hoping for an inspection later this week I will give some PIREPs once we get in the air. cant wait

 

-Robert-

[High Country 69]

2 years 10 months and we finally have our pink slip. hoping to make first flights on Tuesday

[marksires 484]

Congrats!  Great looking couple, and the plane is pretty sharp too!

Mark

[wolves200 31]

congratulation, looks like a proud owners; bet you could´t stop smiling!

[Av8r3400 1184]

She looks mighty fine.  

 

 

 

 

 

(and the plane ain't bad either.)

Edited 4 Oct 2014 by Av8r3400

[lostman 198]

Looks great! I'm standing by to see the test flight reports. That has to be a great feeling to have it ready to go finally.

[akflyer 1428]

Congrats! Standing by for that flight report!

[Luked 71]

Congratulations! I really like those pictures earlier in this thread of the plane right in front of the hangar. It looks like it's ready to jump into the air. Also looking forward to hearing how the first flights go.

[C5Engineer 1170]

Congrats your bird has everything I've wanted to do to mine over the years. Better to do it now and then enjoy it. It's much harder to go out to the hangar and tear into your plane when you can go and fly it instead. Don't know what your experience level is so I will just say this. When everything is right and it's time pour the coals to it and just takeoff. I've seen or heard of way too many people tearing up new planes from screwing around on the ground with them.

[C5Engineer 1170]

I met the 2nd owner of this plane in Idaho back in June and checked it out. It was as impressive in person as the build thread was. It was recently for sale on barnstormers. After a few phone calls to hook them up, a good military vet friend of mine just bought it. One big question I have is on all the extended speed wings I've seen with the short flaperons they extend the tube out of the fuse and attach the flaperon to the most outboard rib. On this one he did the opposite so the flaperon ends 3ft from the wing tip. Does anybody have any input on aerodynamically what the differences would be? 

[EDMO 1078]

I met the 2nd owner of this plane in Idaho back in June and checked it out. It was as impressive in person as the build thread was. It was recently for sale on barnstormers. After a few phone calls to hook them up, a good military vet friend of mine just bought it. One big question I have is on all the extended speed wings I've seen with the short flaperons they extend the tube out of the fuse and attach the flaperon to the most outboard rib. On this one he did the opposite so the flaperon ends 3ft from the wing tip. Does anybody have any input on aerodynamically what the differences would be? 

I think Nick and I just answered this on another of your posts - Bottom line:  Ailerons are more effective on outer 1/3 of wing.  To quote Nick, "These do not have the leverage that the more outboard flaperons would have".  EDMO

Edited 20 Aug 2017 by EDMO

[skypics 89]

High Country:

I flew my model B for a couple thousand hours before I totaled it on a High Sierra strip. 

I removed the 582 and installed a Jabiru 2200 so I had no water cooling issues.

I had to add a belly mount water cooler when I flew behind a 582 to keep it cool in hot SoCal summers. The side mount couldn't cut it. You may want to consider the belly mount before you cut into that nice cowl.

The belly mount has its issues being that it takes in heat from the muffler going back to reduce the efficiency of the belly cooler. I overcame this by dropping the belly cooler down a couple inches and then running a sheet of aluminum from under the muffler and ducted the heat over the top of the belly mount.

I highly recommend using the cheek coolers, but you would have to cut into that nice cowl

I notice that you have installed diamond steel plates in front of the pedals for your heels to rest on. You will find that any thickness added to the this area raises your feet so that your toes may get hung up on the firewall crossbar and interfere with the braking. Secondly, you will want your heels to slide easily on the heel plate, but I suspect the diamond plate, while looking nice, may interfere with the ability of your heels to easily slide on that plate.

I now have a MK 4 which offers a bit more leg room with 135 MPH Vne and 1150 Gross. As I recall the B model is 91 MPH and 911 gross. I exceeded those limits many times and believe they are very conservative. Although... it's your butt on the line.

I frequent the MK 4 Avid Forum if you need to contact me.

I have attached a photo of my B model.

John M

[akflyer 1428]

High Country:

I flew my model B for a couple thousand hours before I totaled it on a High Sierra strip. 

I removed the 582 and installed a Jabiru 2200 so I had no water cooling issues.

I had to add a belly mount water cooler when I flew behind a 582 to keep it cool in hot SoCal summers. The side mount couldn't cut it. You may want to consider the belly mount before you cut into that nice cowl.

The belly mount has its issues being that it takes in heat from the muffler going back to reduce the efficiency of the belly cooler. I overcame this by dropping the belly cooler down a couple inches and then running a sheet of aluminum from under the muffler and ducted the heat over the top of the belly mount.

I highly recommend using the cheek coolers, but you would have to cut into that nice cowl

I notice that you have installed diamond steel plates in front of the pedals for your heels to rest on. You will find that any thickness added to the this area raises your feet so that your toes may get hung up on the firewall crossbar and interfere with the braking. Secondly, you will want your heels to slide easily on the heel plate, but I suspect the diamond plate, while looking nice, may interfere with the ability of your heels to easily slide on that plate.

I now have a MK 4 which offers a bit more leg room with 135 MPH Vne and 1150 Gross. As I recall the B model is 91 MPH and 911 gross. I exceeded those limits many times and believe they are very conservative. Although... it's your butt on the line.

I frequent the MK 4 Avid Forum if you need to contact me.

I have attached a photo of my B model.

John M

 

John,

HC sold this plane years ago..