Activity Stream

Activity Stream



  1. C5Engineer added a post in a topic Avid B model to MK4 Elevator upgrade   

    Made lots of progess on this project today. I got the elevator installed, wiring ran, fairings built and painted, and a few other odds and ends. This elevator looks pretty huge. The fairings are made by RANS and they slip over the tube. They are size specific. The ones I used for the Horizontal Stab struts are RANS Part # JS-FAIR. A 5ft piece was $18. It took both 5ft pieces to do this project. I cut the tapered ends with a good pair of scissors and just rattle canned em. I just finished up making a spot in the panel for the rocker switch and LED indicator. Should hopefully have it going this week sometime. One queston for those with the Ray Allen system can I use the same power (and breaker/fuse) and ground for the switch and LED indicator? Otherwise it's almost 10 wires to run between the two and the servo.
     

     

     

     

     

     

    • 0


  2. C5Engineer added a post in a topic Good lord it's no wonder two-strokes get a bad rap   

     
     
    I took the time to put all the CPS articles onto our forum. You can find them in alphabetical order here
     
    http://www.avidfoxflyers.com/index.php?/topic/2030-california-power-systems-2-stroke-tech-articles-all-in-one-place/
    • 2


  3. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic Cabin Heat   

    I tell you what--  One of these in the cabin with me in the cold winter would keep me pretty warm.
     

     
    …and I could still go ski flying.
    • 0


  4. Luked added a post in a topic The 180.. saving a ramp mummy   

    Ahh, well I guess that complicates things a little. If there's not enough on the top of the wings to protect it from further corrosion then I would probably re-think things.probably depends on how long it would be till a complete paint job. I've used this stuff on old cars with amazing results. Old oxidized paint looked like new. I would only use if for a short term solution. I'm certainly no paint expert though.
     
    http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Magic-TR-3-Resin-Glaze/dp/B000BOKO4W
    • 0


  5. akflyer added a post in a topic The 180.. saving a ramp mummy   

    I have to at least shoot the top side of the wings, the paint is pretty rough up there from tree sap etc etching the paint.  well, I guess I dont have to, I flew it 10 hrs like it is and the only squawk I had was the engine. We had already replaced engine mount rubber,  Elevator trim cables and chain and a dozen other little items the IA didn't like.  Shit, I may just talk him into putting the engine on and go fly the damn thing till the water freezes up... Which will only be a couple weeks   Then I guess we could roll it back in the hangar and do the paint work during the "tweener season" of the water getting stiff and having enough ice to put it on ski's.
     

    • 0


  6. akflyer added a post in a topic Luke's MK IV Project   

    good to see the wheels of progress turning!  Keep the pics coming, it will help you stay working on it to post the progress. 
     

    • 0


  7. Luked added a post in a topic The 180.. saving a ramp mummy   

    Hey Leni I read through some of the comments on BCP (thanks for the link Larry). Like Larry said, I'll be the odd man out, and have a different opinion. Actually I'd be agreeing with one of the guys over there.
     
    I'd be in favor of painting up just the tail feathers, and getting it in the air for now. Or, since you said you have some spare tail feathers, put them on for now, and get it flying. Advantages:
     
    - Less weight
    - Get flying sooner
    - Still have the option to strip it and re-paint at a later date (also less weight)
    - Less expense now
    - Chance to do a good "shake down" and work out any bugs (make changes or repairs before you have new paint)
     
    Either way will work fine though. This is just what I'd do.
    • 1


  8. marksires added a post in a topic Cabin Heat   

    Yep, a bikini on a warm sandy beach is way better than layers of long underwear in muddy slush (we get enough snow in Illinois I know that postcard stuff is a bunch of crap.  About an hour after it quits snowing, it's just a muddy, slushy mess)!
     
    However, you have to keep the eye bleach handy, remember that most of the folks here in the winter are NOT college coeds!
     
    The house in Florida came with a couple of runways and a hangar too.  Now all my toys can live at home!
     
    Mark
    • 1


  9. Luked added a post in a topic Cliff's plane pictures   

    Great paint job. I like the tail the best. It really highlights the round tail. I actually didn't used to like the round tails on Avids, but somehow they grew on me. I really like the color choices too.
     
    Good job Cliff, and thanks for posting the pics Leni.
    • 0


  10. Luked added a post in a topic Luke's MK IV Project   

    Well, after lots of planning and talking about my project, I finally got started actually doing something on it.
     
    The first thing I did was to make a down and dirty rotisserie.

     

     

     

     
    Since I decided to modify a significant amount of the forward fuselage, I needed to brace it up before cutting it apart. I used some clamp on shaft collars to attach the brace tubes.
     

     
    Not sure if you can tell what's going on from the pictures, but I basically made some triangulated structures to replace the support that's currently coming from the overhead tubing structure.

     

     

     
    Next step is to start cutting
    • 1


  11. High Country added a post in a topic N139AH   

    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-
    • 0


  12. akflyer added a post in a topic For Sale: Avid Flyer fiberglass floats   

    Akflyerbob has a set I am going to have to try and talk him out of... atleast long enough to bolt them on and try them.
     
    FWIW, I have heard a rumour that all his KF's (Mod I, III and IV) and Avid Amphib are up for sale.. I will go bug him when I get in and see what the real scoop is.
     

    • 0


  13. akflyer added a post in a topic Cabin Heat   

      well that is one way to do it... but I would guess it is less cost effecting than a simple heat muff  
     
    I would have to say that the eye candy is probly much better there in the winter though... A warm sandy beach does have its good points!
     

    • 0


  14. akflyer added a post in a topic The 180.. saving a ramp mummy   

    All very good points Larry! 
     
    No
    Maybe
    No
    No
     
    The one maybe is...... Adding paint can add 40 pounds or so to the plane.. Should I be playing at a strip where 40 pounds could end in disaster??? No, but I do know me and I do know that sometimes that 40 pounds could mean the difference between the floats just barely dragging the tree tops versus the wings hitting the tree trunks...  Its a long shot, but its the only argument I could come up with for safety
     
    At the end of the day, the plane I learned to fly in (pa12 ironically enough it belonged to the guy I am partners with now on the 180), probly had more patches and duct tape on it than it did covering... But that plane was flown daily by one or the other of us and we had MANY MANY awesome hunts and memories made in that plane.  My #1 mission is to the have the plane to haul the family in one trip and do this safely.  Airworthy is all I really care about at the end of the day.  As long as its safe, everything else is icing on the cake.  sumbitch Larry, why do you have to go and throw common sense into the mix   Your probly right, and I will probly join his thoughts and just shoot it, if we have to do it again in 5 or 10 yrs, so be it, atleast for now, it will be sealed up and protected from corrosion.
     

    • 0


  15. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic The 180.. saving a ramp mummy   

    Here's a link to the entire thread at BCP…  Link
     
    For the honest record, yes a full strip and paint would be the "right" way to do it, but my point is:  Is it worth it?  You are already nipple deep in unexpected costs.  This was (I thought) a budget family hauling bird.
     
     
    Does a complete full strip & paint job help in that mission?  
    Does it add to the safety of the plane?
    Does it make the plane fly faster, further or cheaper? 
    Does it only an additional layer of cost for 10 foot cosmetics (vanity)?
     
    Food for thought.
    • 1


  16. marksires added a post in a topic Cabin Heat   

    I solved my winter heating problem. Bought a house in Florida )
    Mark
    • 1


  17. akflyer added a post in a topic The 180.. saving a ramp mummy   

    For those who are wondering what Larry and I are talking about, here is a question I posted on BCP....
     
     
     
    Need some input from the pros.

    Quick update. Engine FINALLY got back in one piece and looks pretty sitting on the stand. Still sorting out the issues with the tail feathers, but I have a set of loaner spares I can use to get the bird back in the air.

    We had another shop rebuild the ailerons (as mentioned above Grey Morrison at M&M first class A+ job on those, they are PERFECT) I would HIGHLY recommend him to anyone in the area that needs sheet metal work done. Nice guy and he knows his shit, better yet, he is a CRAFTSMAN who actually takes pride in his work! He is also a machinist so we know those guys dance to their own drums and get off on the minute details so he is my go to guy now for aircraft metal work

    Dilemma....

    My partner in the plane has a buddy that has done a bunch of paint work for him the past (matching suburban, drag boat and trailer) and this guy does really nice work. He had him stop by the hangar the other day then he calls me up and tells me this painter says he wouldn't strip the plane just hit it with scotch brite and then reshoot it as the paint is stuck well its just chalky and fading....... mind you the new primer and paint is sitting there ready to do the plane right (in my mind right is to strip it and new primer n paint). So of course, its now a matter of figuring out what we should do. This guy has painted around a dozen planes over the years and is going to take us around and show us how the planes look years after he has painted them.

    I want the plane as light as possible.. to me that is stripping and shooting the new primer and paint so we know how much of what product went on... the painter guy says the new primer will add just as much weight as the old paint we have now and if the old paint is stuck on well, no need to remove... The primer we bought is epoxy so I can see that adding more weight than the original zinc used so in the interest of weight savings do you think there will be much difference. As far as I am concerned, if we just shoot it and get another 5 or 10 years out of the paint and delay the pains of stripping it all down it may be worth it so we can get the darn plane back in the air.

    The control surfaces are all new and will be shot "from the ground up" then balanced so I am not worried about stacking on tons of paint that leads to possible flutter...

    Any opinions I can get from you guys to go back to my partner with to shoot holes in the no stripping route is kinda what I am looking for here I guess, or can you convince me that you have done / seen it done to just shoot over the top of whats there now will work.

    For the record, we are not trying to make the plane nice a shiny so we can sell it to someone that thinks they are getting a new plane. I figure this bird will be ours till it gets wrecked one day. My partner is the kind of guy that will never sell anything he has ever owned cause he gets too attached to it
     

    • 0


  18. akflyer added a post in a topic The 180.. saving a ramp mummy   

     
    On one hand, I could go with the scotch brite then squirt it for now thinking... on the other hand, right now its down and not flying, for a few extra days work I can have it done right.... No, it will not be a hangar queen, the plane will get flown in the bush, but it can start out its new life nice and sealed up good to help protect from corrosion.  Would I like Bigrenna's bird, you bet your ass, is it even remotely practical for me to do that, hell no. 
     
    I think I am going to win out on this one and get it stripped and a paint job done right, but we shall see...
    • 0


  19. dynomike added a post in a topic Cliff's plane pictures   

    paint looks great cliff. it sure does shine!
    • 0


  20. thebriman added a post in a topic Cliff's plane pictures   

    I like the size of your elevator Cliff!!
    • 1


  21. cliff added a post in a topic engine and prop advice   

    They got the new engine on yesterday. Now the cowl needs modified to fit around the C box. i had to work so I haven't seen it yet. I am getting ready to load up all my fiberglass stuff and head to the airport to see what I can do to make it fit. I'll butcher something together.
    • 0


  22. 1wise1 added a post in a topic Good lord it's no wonder two-strokes get a bad rap   

    The articles are still there as of 9/28/2014  But the addressability has gotten more tricky:  The address listed above is no longer valid. Use one of these: 
     
    Easy way  www.cps-parts    when it opens go to the search box and type in Articles. A list will appear and the Rotax series is first.
     
    Difficult way  http://www.cps-parts.com/catalog/rtxpages/articles.php?clickkey=581891  This may work or you could get a "can't find server" message.  
     
    Before you start you need to know there are 63 articles. I respectfully suggest that you NOT start with "Servicing the Gear Box". In addition to a massive headache it will convince you to never remove the gearbox from the engine.  
    • 1


  23. 1wise1 added a post in a topic Cabin Heat   

    I made one using a small piece of furnace duct. It's nothing but a fiberglass insulation tube lined on both sides with aluminum foil.
    You're right about nut using tape, it gets hot and crispy then dissolves in flakes.  Either wire it or use a couple of big big hose clamps.
    Home Depot has 'em up to 4 inches for 3 bucks. 
    I'm expecting to have to make a new one every couple of years because the aluminum lining is not heavy duty enough to withstand the high temperature of the exhaust pipe. 
    • 0


  24. Av8r3400 added a post in a topic The 180.. saving a ramp mummy   

    I had to poke a stick at the BCP jack-wagon crew...
     
    No one there will be happy until you strip, polish and gut the interior of your plane like Big Renna's.
    • 1


  25. 1avidflyer added a post in a topic For Sale: Avid Flyer fiberglass floats   

    Hey Leni,  I could build the shipping box, but the freight would be a killer anyway.  Maybe some will turn up closer for you!  Jim Chuk
    • 0