Gunderson

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Posts posted by Gunderson


  1. Chris,

    Congratulations.  If you snagged that Cat at the price the auction closed at then you got a steal.  The auction seemed to end a couple of hours early for no apparent reason.  I would have liked to have been in a position to acquire that airplane but alas too many airplanes already in my hangar.  Well done. Enjoy!

    Marlon


  2. Mystik synthetic blend available near me low cost at farm supply stores and maybe Walmart.

    I use an air cooled variety:  https://www.mystiklubes.com/do/product/SNOWMOBILE_EO/663092002   $21/gal

    They make a blend (and a full synthetic) for water cooled as well:  https://www.mystiklubes.com/do/product/663084002  $27/gal

    See the FAQ > small engine oils section (https://www.mystiklubes.com/expert.jsp) for discussion about applicability to Rotax engines and with variable exhaust valve engines.

    1 person likes this

  3. The large electrolytic capacitors in the Whelen power supply are susceptible to loss of polarity if not used for many months or years.

    There is a method to recondition the caps to get them back to working condition if they haven't been damaged by trying to run them too long without polarization.

    That method is described in comment #7 on this thread:

    http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=35298&highlight=power+supply+Dan+Blumel 

    I had this problem with a project that I bought that had never used components, including a Whelan system, but had sat idle in a garage for 25 years.

    1 person likes this

  4. I have the setup I shared here:

    I don't know of a lower cost solution if you already have a Mode C Transponder.  It has worked well for me.  I get traffic and weather on my Android tablet using Avare, one of the few free Electronic Flight Bag apps, which I also like -- gives me free sectionals on my tablet and Airport Facility Directory info -- not as user friendly or full featured as Foreflight, but awesome for free.

    1 person likes this

  5. I used an MGL Xtreme EMS in my Cozy to replace the TACH so I could get 4x EGT/CHT, digital tach, fuel flow, manifold pressure, OAT, Carb temp, and engine compartment temp all in that one instrument and it has worked really well.  The MGL Xtreme EFIS doesn't cost much more and gives you all that plus built in GPS derived bank angle and if you add an external AHRS will give you full PFD.  Engine information requires a remote box that connects to engine sensors and the remote box connects to the display with a serial link.

    -Marlon G


  6. Chris, I would recommend landing at the grass UL strip and camping there by the Red Barn.  You could also do the Ripon approach, land on one of the long runways, and camp in the Homebuilt camping area.  But one advantage of the UL area is they don't charge you a camping fee (at least they haven't for me the last 6 years) since they aren't getting enough UL/ former fat ULs coming in these days.  All other aircraft camping areas require a minimum 3 night camping charge currently $27/night I think (per aircraft).

    That sounds like a great flight. If you and your group want a place to overnight on the way in or out of Oshkosh, I'm in the Minneapolis/St.Paul area 250 miles NW and can arrange a few beds at my place and/or other EAA chapter member's places, airport is 21D.  I'm flying my Cozy this year so won't be in the UL area but will certainly be down there often.

    Marlon Gunderson


  7. There are usually a handful of Avid/Kitfoxes camped by the UL Red Barn.  There may be some scattered around in the Homebuilt camping areas but I'm not aware of any place other than UL camping by the red barn where you would find a cluster of them.


  8. Avid/Kitfox LSA and LSA-like EAB should land via the UL arrival procedures to the grass UL strip to camp in that area by the UL Red Barn.

    Immediately north of that area is Vintage camping for which a 170 is probably qualified--check your year, but the parking crew often isn't all that discriminating.

    I used to fly in with my Vintage Clipper and, along with a VAC sign to request Vintage area camping, I would also have a sign that said "Row 102"  (or whatever row friends had told me they were parked) and the parking crew would always send me to that row.   I don't recall what row number is immediately north of the UL/LSA area so you'd have to figure that out.  Here are pix of a Cessna just one row north of where I camped in the UL/LSA area, and another that shows a perspective of the Red Barn and UL tents with Vintage just north of it, beyond the balloon.  So you could park your 170 right next to the area where any Avid/Kitfoxes would be.  LSA that don't fly into the UL strip could be parked scattered in HBC.

    I'm not sure I've ever heard of anyone who wanted to camp with their plane be turned down and required to go to an alternate, but if the field is closed for an accident you have to go to an alternate.  I have heard of transient parking (day visitors, GAP, VAP, HBP) filling up but not camping areas.

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  9. I have eyebolts in place of the wing swing pins and that works well if you don't often swing the wings.  They aren't quick disconnect.  My Skyraider has a horizontal mounting hole in front of the rudder that was intended for connecting struts to the folded wings; I use this attach point for lifting the tail.

    I didn't have a pic of the eyebolt, but dholly posted a photo on another thread:

    http://www.avidfoxflyers.com/index.php?/topic/4862-old-skyraider-ii-guy/&do=findComment&comment=41931 

    I used a cheap electric hoist like this:

    https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DZM5QPS/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B01DZM5QPS&pd_rd_wg=P3vn0&pd_rd_r=NMHTMRG9QVZ38RGKMNBB&pd_rd_w=at2bW 

    and mounted it in a triangular frame as shown in the photo.  3 pulleys at the far end of the frame distribute 2 cables down to the eyebolts and one cable running back along a rafter to another pulley on the rafter right above the tail attach point.

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    5 people like this

  10. I went BasicMED as soon as it was available last May.  I've had the same GP for 25 years and told him he had new powers now, which was the first he'd heard of it.  My 3rd class was expired for a couple of years since I didn't need it after trading my PA16 for a SkyRaider LSA, but I needed it back before I could start flying my Cozy last June. Timing was perfect for BasicMED coming on line for me.  The GP was cooperative, the process was easy, and my insurance covered the exam (whereas it would never cover the first class exam with an AME in the past).  Coincidentally I discovered in the hearing test portion that tinnitus had snuck up on me without me noticing but I'm very aware of it now.

    How do they test for tinnitus?  I have had it most of my life, and lost some high and low tones in Radio work in Artillery unit in Army.  When I was a child, I had these "radio waves" going thru my head and was afraid to say anything because people might think I was going crazy, or something!  I had bad earaches until I was about 15.  I have had the sounds, on & off, most of my life - especially agitating when trying to go to sleep - I have them right now.  I worry about side effects from any possible drug treatments, since all drugs have side effects.  EDMO

    The hearing test is a series of tones sent to one ear or the other of different frequencies and volumes, and you are asked to raise your left or right hand when you hear a tone in that ear.  My doctor didn't say I had tinnitus, he just said I had lost some hearing in a certain range of frequencies, something to monitor in the future.  But by doing the test I realized that with the headphones on and all sound blocked out, I had a light ringing in my ears that I hadn't noticed before, and it was difficult to hear tones in the range of the frequency of that ringing. 


  11. I went BasicMED as soon as it was available last May.  I've had the same GP for 25 years and told him he had new powers now, which was the first he'd heard of it.  My 3rd class was expired for a couple of years since I didn't need it after trading my PA16 for a SkyRaider LSA, but I needed it back before I could start flying my Cozy last June. Timing was perfect for BasicMED coming on line for me.  The GP was cooperative, the process was easy, and my insurance covered the exam (whereas it would never cover the first class exam with an AME in the past).  Coincidentally I discovered in the hearing test portion that tinnitus had snuck up on me without me noticing but I'm very aware of it now.


  12. Welcome Art!

    I too used to work in Aerospace (avionics for Lockheed Martin), own & fly a Shortwing (a Clipper).  I eventually became disenchanted with having neither STOL or useful XC cruise with a Piper Shortwing, and paying someone else to do maintenance/CI, so replaced it with an Avid/Fox derivative for STOL and a Cozy for speed, both homebuilt so I can do the maintenance and CI.  Hopefully your C model is registered LS rather than EAB so you can train into the maintenance role.

    Enjoy,

    Marlon G, Lake Elmo, MN


  13. You might want avoid listing any information you don't need to, especially weights and addresses, as they may change.

    The only information required to be on there is builder’s name, model, and builder’s serial number per 45.13.  Which as you'll see doesn't include build month/year.
     
    This might help:
     
    Also keep in mind that the forms for application for airworthiness must match EXACTLY.  Capitalization, hyphens, commas, whatever.  It has to be the same.
     
    The blank plates you'll get from ACS will have blanks for all kinds of info that is not required.  You might want to make your own plate with just the required 3 items.
    3 people like this

  14. I'll have my SkyRaider II 424MG camped near the UL Red Barn again. Arriving Mon-Wed depending on when the MN tailwind comes.  I won't be hauling a grill but stop by anyway :)

    1 person likes this

  15. Did my first flights in the Cozy last week.  Learned a few things:

    CHTs hit redline by pattern altitude if I climb at Vx -- have to flatten it out and fly faster for adequate cooling.
    My radio works fine on the ground, but is hard to hear when I"m in the air.
    The aluminum cover on my fiberglass nose gear strut doesn't want to be epoxied to the strut since it doesn't stretch when the strut flexes -- fortunately it didn't depart.
    Landing on a 5500' runway in calm wind is easy, even with a 90 knot approach.
    This thing is fast!

     

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    3 people like this

  16. Finally pulled the trigger after uAvionix started shipping last month.  They ended up separating the ADSB transceiver ($1000) from the position source ($400) since many will already have a WAAS position source built into an EFIS or other NAV hardware. I don't so I bought the two piece package. Very compact and light. I put the magnetic mount GPS antenna on top of my battery box retainer strap in the top rear of the cabin, and ran coax out to a dipole midway out the right wing.

    The transceiver monitors my KT76A Mode C to snoop the squawk code and altitude for complimentary re-transmission with position added on UAT 978MHz, and delivers traffic and weather via WIFI to my Android Tablet running Avare EFB (free app).  A Galaxy Tab A, $150 new, provides a very nice and bright 8" display for moving map and navigation via Sectional, WAC, or a variety of other map options, up-loadable free from Avare with the latest FAA map data.

    Won't be using the 'out' capability until I get my Transponder tested and certified, but can start using the 'in' as soon as I start flying it next month.

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  17. It's the so called 3 place, and it's still pretty snug.  600 lbs useful so 3 place is debatable.  The 3 place has the same gear as the Long EZ, so that's the limiting factor for GW.  The gear were redesigned for a heavier load for the 4 place.  I asked for a larger test area since ground gets chewed up pretty fast at 200 mph and it can glide 25 miles from 10,000'.  I also asked that it include Cumberland, WI since they sell Swift Fuel 94UL; 100LL is hard on my low compression Lycoming and auto fuel can dissolve my epoxy tanks if it has the wrong additives. I'm trying to get some local airports to carry 94UL.


  18. My FAA DAR showed up Saturday to inspect my Cozy.  I now have a certificate and operating limitations and test area for phase 1.  Nice big test area, almost the entire NW quadrant of Wisconsin.  I have a handful of my own squawks to address yet and have lined up transition training during an unrelated trip to CA in mid June, so first flight will wait a while.  Found a Cozy owner who is a CFI and who trains in his own airplane; he (Raven) also happens to be an F-16 and F-35 test pilot at Edwards AFB. I worked for 7 years on F-35 avionics so expect to take some crap for that from him (the software still sucks, http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/air-space/2016/05/10/f-35-test-pilot-edwards-air-force-development/84042220/). I did hardware, so I'll blame the software too (and Lockheed for closing their Minnesota facility mid-program and losing a good chunk of their avionics team).

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  19. I've got a SkyRaider plate available for a 503. The outer engine mount holes are about 6.75" x 9.0".

    Came with my project as the original plate used for a time before changing to a plate that moved the engine forward a bit to fit a starter between the engine and firewall. 

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  20. Yes, those are Hans' photos.  I met him at Oshkosh last summer.  He stopped by my place in his Taylorcraft on his way back to BC.  In addition to local adventures in his Sky Raider, he also flies that Taylorcraft all over the place,  including once to the southern tip of South America. 

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