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What to do with Avid Flyer project?

22 posts in this topic

Posted (edited)

Hello all,

I am wondering what to do with my late father's Avid Flyer project. It has been sitting in the garage for years and it is time to let it go. Any lofty plans my siblings or I had of finishing it out won't happen.

So, it has a covered fuselage, covered folding wings, dials, an EA-81 engine, wheels and a modified boat trailer. No "N" number. In a suburban garage in the south suburbs of Chicago.

This plane was worked on slowly and was brought down to a horsefarm about an hour away, where the local EAA chapter met,  to taxi up and down a grass strip and that's about as far as it got. I'm told it hopped off the ground a couple of times.

Anyways, the plane is sitting. The EAA club has disbanded and I've emailed other chapters to no avail. I don't want to put this up on Craiglist, or Barnstormers etc yet so I figured I'd come here for suggestions after finding your forum.

Please reply. I can email pictures or give more info. I didn't work on the plane but I was around enough to know some of the jargon so feel free to post any oddball questions. I'd be happy to supply photos.

Thank you,

Jude

Edited by Jude

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Posted

Maybe posting up some pictures would help, and also knowing the serial # would help to identify what model it is.  Also, is it short wing or long wing.  Long wing has 5 flaperon hangers, (long ribs that stick out behind the trailing edge of the wings), short wing has 4 hangers.  Subaru engine is a lot of weight on the nose of an Avid flyer, so some who used that engine stretched the fuselage by 18".  If you post some pictures, that should become apparent as well.  Hope we can help!  JImChuk

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Posted


Thanks, Jim. I doubt there's a serial number anywhere. I'll dig up some photos.

 

I appreciate your response

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Posted (edited)

Serial # should be in the paperwork from the factory perhaps,  if there is any paperwork.  Or any forms he was going to file with the FAA.  JImChuk

Edited by 1avidflyer

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Posted


Hello again.

I don't see any paperwork anywhere that would show a serial number. So, what to do?

 

 

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Posted

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Posted

The fuselage and wings have been wrapped in fabric and painted. If I find any pics of that I'll put them up.

I'd say all the fabric would have to be stripped though. I think I hear a mouse in one of the wings.

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Posted

The engine looks like it is direct drive.  With that short propeller, it probably will have a bit of trouble getting off the ground very well.  Usually there is a belt drive or gearbox reduction unit so the prop speed is reduced from the engine's higher rpm.  It does have the longer wings, although they look like the STOL wings rather then the heavy hauler wings.  The rib spacing being 18" tells me that.  Do you have any of the paperwork for the plane?  Was he the original buyer from the factory?  If there was any factory parts list the serial number should be on them.    JImChuk

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Posted


There's no paperwork. I think he got it off the guy that hosted the EAA club, and that guy got it in part payment from someone else and who knows where before that.

From what I understand about EAA is that they'd have someone local that can look over a project like this and certify it as homebuilt if a person did more than 50% of the work. I don't know who that is though.

The local EAA chapter is disbanded. The local clubs aren't emailing me back and I don't know of any EAA club that has people that like to weld or cobble together experimental or kit planes.

So I just have this half built project taking up space and I"m trying to figure out what to do.

Thanks for your help so far. This is the first time in 9 years that someone has been helpful with regards to this.

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Posted

Sent you a PM.   JImChuk

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Posted


It's not that far Jim... :)

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Posted

About 600 miles.  And the Christavia did go down the road a week ago....  I'm intending to downsize though.  Want a Colt project?   JImChuk

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Posted

Had this been posted up on FB?  Avid, KF and Flying Machine boards come to mind.  I agree Jim, looks to be a Mdl C STOL.

paul

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Posted

I'd agree some model C variant.  It has the Model C tail, but it has a trim tab on the elevator, which I didn't think came along until the Mark IV.  My model C has the Mk IV rudder because the builders ground looped it and damaged it, but still has the original elevator with no trim tab (darn it).  Without original paperwork it's as much a paperwork/bureaucratic paper chase project as much as a build project though.

 

Mark

 

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Posted

Not sure what it is.  It's 36" wide, but doesn't have the Avid A model door.... the Avid trim tab is on the opposite side in both of my MK IVs.   JImChuk

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Posted


Hello,

I managed to get some more pics. Hopefully you can zoom in.

I quit Facebook, but if any of you want to share feel free. Tell your friends.

 

 

 

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Posted

More:

The right wing also opens up. Otherwise you'd just go round in circles :)

 

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Posted

Hard to say for sure what model it is.  Door shape is like a B or later models.  36" wide is like an A model.  The joysticks and the way they hook to the cross tube doesn't look at all like an Avid.  Can you get a picture of the controls behind the seat?  That may shed some light on it as well.  Wings do look like an Avid though.  Not sure on the rest, although there are similarities.  JImChuk

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Posted


I don't know about the joysticks and haven't had a chance to look.

Going to put this up for sale on barnstormers and see what happens. Thanks for your help.

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Posted

Could this be a raven/plans built rig?

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Posted

That would be my guess.  JImChuk

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Posted

Well jude, what happened? Did it sell?

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