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  1. EDMO


    Got an initial report on my friend's "repaired" Luscombe - He took 120 photos and started calling head of insurance and all the others involved:   Remember, this was a "award-winning show-plane".

    1.  oilcan dents in belly and another panel - one was strengthened by a riveted angle - still shows dent

    2.  red and other colored screws where white should be, or other way around

    3.  lower windshield attach strip not drilled, and white silicone put where screws were originally- paint on roof damaged

    4.  fuselage was painted with doors closed - paint don't match

    5.  engine was not protected - has heavy coating of sanding dust and paint on it.

    6.  prop bolts overtightened - not torqued.

    7.  overspray on upholstery.

    Meetings are scheduled with insurance.

    EDMO

  2. dholly


    Sounded like he didn't move the carry thru tubes, rather he repositioned the vertical spar pin bushings slightly within the carry thru tube. I wouldn't think that being off center by such a small amount presents any structural concerns. Probably had to enlarge the coves cut into the spars to increase clearance for folding too. More than one way to skin an experimental cat.

  3. dholly


    Willis - here's the page from the Avid manual on how to retrofit electric elevator trim plus a few pics from my Mk-IV that might help. I canned the manual bowden cable and ran nylon tubing through the cable bushings as a protective chase for the servo wiring.

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  4. EDMO


    Yeh, and I'm only starting with my 2nd Bud Lite - It is a left-hand bottle, but I'm holding it in my right hand - but if I turn my chair around backwards, then it is on the left side - right?  :lol:

    Did you know that in some foreign countries, it is considered Bad Manners to change hands with your knife and fork, like we often do, even with propellers?

    EDMO

    Joey, Please inform your Dad that "He is a Shit-Disturber"!  HA! 

    Seriously tho - I would like to hear about and see some photos of the HC in the "other aircraft" posts.

    ED

    Ah-Ha - Knew there was something wrong with swapping tractor props - You cant put a Rotax prop on a Soob - The Hub wont fit - but guess you could swap blades if they will work in a Soob hub.

    Figured that out after 3rd Bud Lite!  :lol:

    I'm finished.....

    ED

    2 people like this
  5. EDMO


    Well heck - first you turned the Soob around so it turns left - then you swap the Soob tractor RH prop for a Rotax tractor prop which turns left, and mount it like a tractor prop backward instead of pusher  - OK.

    No wonder I retired - getting too old - forgoet to take memory pills and cant find my calculater../..... :lol:

    Thanks,

    EDMO

  6. lostman


    Leni,

    Just for kicks I went to look up ENA on the chart just to make sure. You are completely correct that you don't have to have a transponder to go into Kenai. It is a Class D airport. Most of them don't even have the capability to see you since they don't have radar capability anyhow, some do, but it's not common, at least down here in the lower 48.

    Just thought you might want to know you were well within your rights to not have one. I'm still perplexed by the audacity of the controller to tell you, you should have one though.

    Through my career I've known quite a few tower operators, most are good guys, some are old fuddy duddys, but I do realize most of them aren't pilots and really have no idea what it's like to be on the other side of the microphone. I've had some question why I didn't get back to them instantly when I was in a critical phase of flight. I always felt like just telling them I still have to fly the airplane. Further than that in my mind is when they think they "control" me as a pilot. Remember folks, even the all mighty FAA has told us all to Aviate, Navigate, Communicate, and in that order!

  7. EDMO


    mY "quote" still don't work - guess you eliminated it to cut down on traffic?

    Leni,

         for your prop flush question - We torn down and did a O/H on all kinds of constant-speed props - VERY thorough and careful on inspections in a Certified Repair shop - The boss made decisions, I just worked on them.

         For the best answer to your flushing question, I suggest you call Jerry Alsup, owner of Dominion Propeller in Anchorage and ask him.  He is very easy to talk to.  Tell him I referred you to him.

         Sit down when you hear the price of an O/H.....You may want to put a Soob  and WD in it.....Ha!

    ED Ashby

  8. EDMO


    Duh - You turn the engine around too - I never flew a pusher - Guess my HC would have flown backwards!  :lol:

    I TINK I GOT IT NOW!   No I don't------If you turn engine around it turns toward left side of plane now, and it was turning toward the right side, and the prop is made to turn toward the right side, but by mounting it backward, you now have it turning left with the same blades - that just don't sound right?......

    I DONT GOT IT EITHER, unless the blades are symmetrical.

    Why do they sell blades as puller or pusher type if it would work either way?

    EDMO

  9. lostman


    "We'd appreciate it anyways"???? really? I don't even know how to respond to that. Several of my aviation related college courses were specifically about equipment, ATC requirements etc. Not one time did I ever hear or read of a tower that can request you to have equipment just because they feel like it. I stand by your side when calling the guy a douchebag!

    1 person likes this
  10. akflyer


    Ed. When you worked in a prop shop, how did you guys flush out a prop that was run on an engine that had metal going through it?  as in, how did you flush it.  Or do you do a mandatory tear down and OH of said prop and there is no way to flush the old oil out?  I would think I would be able to flush it out and have it usable, but the IA is being a pain in the ass on this one..

     

    :BC:

  11. akflyer


    Leni,

         I guess I spent too many years working in a prop shop - I think of props like the "real" ones - I know about model plane props, but not about Ivo blades - have never touched one - wouldn't the nickel edge be on the trailing edge if reversed?

    Got me confused now!  Ha!

    ED

     

    no, not if you flip the prop.. the same side of the prop will be facing the front of the hover craft as it would if the engine was in an aircraft in the tractor configuration.. think of it as the side the wind will hit in forwards motion.  all that will be different is the side if the prop that will be touching the engine.  The subbie turning right in the tractor config, will now be turning the prop to the left in a tractor install.  Therefore, the same prop will need to be used as that on a rotax 2 stroke instal using a rotax gear box.  The leading edge of the prop needs to turn to the left. 

     

    In the tractor config, your sitting behind the prop and your looking at the "back" side of the prop from the cockpit looking forwards.  The "back" of the prop is bolted to the engine / gear box.  Now put that in the pusher config, still turning the prop to the left as viewed from behind.  You now have to have the "front" side of the prop bolted to the engine.  This makes that tractor prop (left hand prop from a rotax 2 stroke gear driven installation) the correct one in the pusher configuration because of the rotation you have using the belt drive. 

     

    Clear as mud?  :lol:

     

    :BC:

  12. EDMO


    Leni,

         I guess I spent too many years working in a prop shop - I think of props like the "real" ones - I know about model plane props, but not about Ivo blades - have never touched one - wouldn't the nickel edge be on the trailing edge if reversed?   Most "real" props have a cupped backside too.

    Got me confused now!  Ha!

    ED

  13. akflyer


    Kenneth, That is how I responded... and tower asked why not.. I told them it was not required to the best of my knowledge.. towers response.. would appreciate it if you had one anyways.. I went radio silent other than to confirm cleared to land... Had the feller not been douchebaggy with his line of questioning I would not have responded quite the way I did.  At any rate, I didnt get requested to go see the guys in the tower when I got tied down so I laughed it off.

     

    :BC:

  14. akflyer


    sooo.. if its turning to the right in a tractor config, then it will be turning left in a pusher.  The rotax gear box prop is left hand.. Therefore, if you put a left hand TRACTOR prop on the subie in the pusher configuration with the front of the prop (same as mounted in the tractor configuration) pointed towards the front of the hover craft, wala, you have the tractor prop in the pusher installation.. Same thing Jim said, just laid out in a bit more detail.  It all comes down to the direction you are rotating the prop in the particular installation.  If it is belt drive, then the rotation will be the same as the engine.  Gear drive using 2 internal gears will reverse the prop or output rotation.  If you used a 3 gear system, it would put the prop back to spinning the same as the engine. 

     

    I went through this on my electric RC planes using different gear boxes, some are 2 gear drive and driven external gears, some are 3 gear internal planetary drives.  It makes a difference and you have to reverse the wires in some cases to get the prop to turn the right direction.  in pusher installs I was able to use the gear drives and reverse the rotation on the prop to use a tractor prop in the pusher configuration.

     

    Joey, we got ya confused yet :lol:

     

    :BC:

  15. AvidJack


    If you're talking about the wing tanks on the catalina, I had the same concern, and drilled and tapped mine to a larger size- I'm thinking 3/8"  There's an aluminum plate buried in the fiberglass on my tanks (125AB) around the outlets,  which came as a relief.  I *carefully* drilled and tapped mine with NPT threads, which had NOT had any fuel yet..  I don't have a center tank.

     

    Since you've fueled yours, I'd ventilate it for a while- maybe a LONG air hose running off a compressor at 5-10 PSI for a while..  before messing with anything like drilling/tapping/making sparks.

     

    I *think* I sealed threads with permatex #2, build logs are alsewhere.  No leaks thus far.  I used the smallest  strainer I could get from AirCraft Spruce.  I also set up shutoffs for each of the tanks prior to the filters.  Had fuel running out of tanks too often in the MK IV when parked on uneven ground, or when folding wings.  I tested at 12 GPH on each tank, and run both open when flying.

     

    I also sat in the plane, and installed fuel senders when I realized there was no way in heck I could ever see the fuel level on the left wing root through a "window".  I used the falcon capacitance senders and gauge.  I also modified the murle williams header tank with low-fuel warning, and installed it behind the third seat on the pilot side- I have a Hirth F30, which has a fuel return from the mikuni SBN carbs with built in pump and regulator (as well as an an-line facit, which helps prime and clear air), so needed a place to return fuel.  Warning light gives me ~10 minutes of time to panic..  as well as a quick reminder should I be so silly as to attempt a takeoff with both tanks off.  It also acts as a gascolator to catch water- which I thought usefull in a seaplane.

     

    If you do set up dual shutoffs to tanks, I only close one valve to prevent cross-feed when parked.  To shut off both might create a pressure issue, depending on where you plumb in your vent line (mine has an on/off valve).

     

    $.02

     

    Jack

    Austin TX

    Catalina 125AB  Hirth F30  (27.5 hrs)

    MK IV/Bandit  Jabiru 2200

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