Jump to content

Berkut Kit


tonyslongez

Recommended Posts

Just acquired a Berkut kit only problem is, it is only the A and B kit I need the C-kit to finish it. Talked with some friends of mine that have access to the rest of the C-kit. The landing gear isn't a problem just the actuators. The strakes and canopy frames are new old stock from a previous Berkut owner. So now tonyslongez project will now be tonys Berkut project. John if you need weights or drawings let me know I also have all the construction videos.

(I can't believe I finally got a Berkut):D

 

Tony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks TMann

 

I now have the strakes and gear and canopy frames nailed down. All I need now are the actuators for the gear. The company that supplied the actuators for the Berkut was bought out and the new owner will not sell them to experimental builders. I'll figure it out, the hard part is done, which was getting the rest of the c- kit. Now for the Million dollar question

20b or IO540?:rolleyes: No seriously! I think I'm going with the IO-540. My buddy John over here in Vega$$ has the IO-540 on his. He thinks making it a IO-360 will be better for gas mileage and be alot lighter. John can do about 230knts in his Berkut. I think James Redmond is only going 180knts (I think)

with his 360. Now, I saw the mattituck TMX-390@ 210bhp that might get me to 200knts on the money maybe 210. Has anyone flown a mattituck engine?

 

 

Tony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The company that supplied the actuators for the Berkut was bought out and the new owner will not sell them to experimental builders.

Try these guys for your actuator. You may have to dig a little but they have it. They also have a list of dealers in your area.

I bought my landing brake actuator from them through precision industries here in Omaha. The subject of what I needed it for never came up (nor was it volunteered.)

 

PS: The 20B weighs less than the IO-540

T Mann - Loooong-EZ/20B Infinity R/G Chpts 18

Velocity/RG N951TM

Mann's Airplane Factory

We add rocket's to everything!

4, 5, 6, 7, 8. 9, 10, 14, 19, 20 Done

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congratulations, Tony. Who's kit was it originally?

 

Don't worry too much about the actuators. They may end up being a custom job, but they're very doable. I actually got a quote for them from a company that does hydraulics for low riders.

 

I have molds for the inner gear doors (the ones that close up the holes in the fuselage) and the belly scoop, if you need them. I know where there are molds for cowls. Do you have an engine mount?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jack- yeah that's pretty good. I thought I saw a youtube video of him going 180kts I thought that was as fast as he could or would go. So my mistake, I have alot to learn about Berkuts.:rolleyes: Johns Berkut is doing 300mph with the IO540. He did say however tonight when we talked that if he had to do it all over again he would've gone with the IO360, to keep it light and have better range. So it looks like the IO360 is the winner.

 

 

Richard- Yeah I may need those molds I'm not sure what is coming with this kit. all I know right now is, the C-kit is the only thing that is missing. I will reveal the owner as soon as I get the kit in my hands it's being shipped as we type. I can tell you this though it isn't the one for sale in Florida. I have it on pretty good authority that the kit in Florida is messed up pretty bad, so I didn't even look at it. How much did they qoute you for the hydraulics?

 

T-MAnn- thanks for the link are you flying a berkut? Who's flying berkuts on this list? do we know?

 

Tony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I didn't know there was a kit in Florida for sale, the only one I remember selling in FL was Mackie Chapman's.

 

The engine mount was a C kit item. It may be the hardest thing to duplicate, especially if you go with a 540. You'd also need the custom engine mount ears for a 540, but those are in the drawing set and would be easy to CNC. They were made by RANS aircraft, but I doubt they still have the jigs - and you'd need permission from Dave anyway.

 

The quote I got for the main gear actuators was $250 each - but that was 10 years ago. We bought a few sets from Aro-Tek, but they had 9/16" shafts instead of 5/8". The leverage on them is so great that we were worried about shafts bending, though we never saw it happen.

 

Mine is upside down on sawhorses right now, but it qualifies as a flying Berkut, I think.

 

A Berkut 360 can do about 220 kts, a 540 about 250 kts if everything is dialed in well.

 

You absolutely need to buy the drawing set from John Griffiths, and join the email list through Rob Cherney.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Richard here is the link for the one in Florida http://www.barnstormers.com/cat.php?PHPSESSID=fcb0c2acc9ae4ef68a93fb040e788fae

Daniell has tried several times now to sell this kit. it hasn't sold because it was assembled incorrectly to the point where it needs a new set of wings, and most likely a new canard. He wants $40,000 :scared: a bit steep for an airplane that may have some major issues. I think if it wasn't so messed up it would've been sold by now. Mind you I'm going on info from people who know this airplane and this builder very well. They wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole. That's saying alot, because you can fix allmost anything wrong with a composite airplane. Apparently this one is way out of tolerances. he might be better off if he parts it out.

 

the engine mount was a C kit item.

the kit has the engine mount for the 360 so we are good there. question will be, if it was assembled incorrectly like James Redmonds was. Hopefully not, but it can be fixed if it was.

 

Mine is upside down on sawhorses right now, but it qualifies as a flying Berkut, I think.

Where is it located?

 

You absolutely need to buy the drawing set from John Griffiths, and join the email list through Rob Cherney

 

John Griffiths has a web site yes?

do you have an e-mail for Rob?

 

 

Tony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Walt's kit was much later than James, the cross tube was corrected by then. Even if it it, it's very easily corrected. Stick with the 360, you'll be happier in the end.

 

Mine's in Santa Ana, CA.

 

John's phone is 310-390-1541

 

Rob's email is rcherney@comcast.net

 

You can fix an amazing amount on a composite airplane. Misha's tumbled on the runway at Jackpot. All the gear was torn out, the nose crushed to the instrument panel, the canard broken, both wings broken, one strake and spar smashed halfway to the fuselage. It was fixed and is flying now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just about any 180 hp 360 that isn't the H2AD.

 

The O-360-A1A is fine, you replace the carb with an Airflow Performance fuel injection servo, replace the fuel pump with a high pressure unit. They're pretty common - the Superior XP engine will work just fine too.

 

You just don't want an oddball engine. You don't want one that's left-turning, or that uses one of the 2-in-1 magnetos. You want one with a sump that puts the induction pointing down (and then you want an elbow from Airflow Performance). Try to get one without a starter or alternator, you'll use B&C for those anyway. One magneto and an ignition from Klaus, a 6" prop extension from Saber engineering. I think that's it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Well I got the Berkut today here are some pics.

 

First let me say it's a beautiful airplane but there is some bad news.:sad: the reason I got this Berkut so cheap from Walt Sally became very obvious after unpacking. The work he performed on this airplane is so bad that I can't use the canard at all. He cut into the hinges with some sorta device not sure with what but they definately can't be used. The layup on the canard is so bad there are huge bubbles along the top of the spar cap how he did that I have no idea but I can say definatively my a$$ is not flying with that canard. My thought is to send the templates to Eureka and have a new canard CNC wire cut. Now onto the wings. The wings don't look to bad but given the work walt performed on the canard I'm not sure I want to use those either they may be salvageable. John Andrewjeski came by to help unload the plane and see the work that was done to it, he wasn't sure about the wings either until we can look at them further. Thirdly, Walt tried to install the spar but he only microd it in, THANK GOD!! he didn't do the layups that would permanently attach the fuse and spar together so, that is good! but, there is a bad spot here as well. You're suppose to trim the fuselage along the trim lines where the longerons would go, once that is complete you can level the fuselage then level the spar and so on and so on. Walt never trimmed the fuselage longeron lines. I have no idea how he got the fuselage level when none of the lines where trimmed to begin with. Now here is the best part of it all, he TRIED! to drill the spar you know the part where you bondo the wing to the spar and drill thru the spar into the aluminum plates that are glassed into the wing and spar? Yaaaaahhhh that didn't go so well there are several holes drilled into the aluminum plates apparently from what I can tell He tried to use a forstner bit instead of a counter bore with a pilot. So the forstner walked all over the place he did manage to get two of the holes drilled correctly but the other four as far as I'm concerned will need some serious attention I may have to cut those plates out of the spar all together and replace them :sad: . In the end the kit was not worth what he is asking for it. That's my opinion. I really feel like the kit was misrepresented. The good news is that it isn't paid for yet. I'm going to ask for a canard and wing allowance if that doesn't work I might just pack it all up and send it back to him. It's a real mess. Any thoughts

 

Tony

post-1222-141090156664_thumb.jpg

post-1222-141090156667_thumb.jpg

post-1222-141090156669_thumb.jpg

post-1222-141090156672_thumb.jpg

post-1222-141090156674_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is the file name for the pictures an editorial comment? (resident evil movie premier)

 

I understand you find the work (ahem) substandard, but it can all be corrected. Whether it was cheap enough is something only you can decide.

 

The canard is a dead-stock Long EZ 1145MS airfoil. Anyone's hot-wired foamcore for that canard would work fine. I'm not sure what the hinge damage is, but it sounds repairable. The canard spar, maybe not. If you're going to do an new canard from scratch, see if Dave will sell you a molded one. You might get lucky.

 

The drilled holes in the canard are absolutely fixable, you may have to strip off the outside carbon wrap plies

 

Sorry for the dissapointment. If I can help, email me directly , richard at riley dot net. John, of course, will be a great help in figuring out what to do, his workmanship is flawless.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm going to ask for a canard and wing allowance if that doesn't work I might just pack it all up and send it back to him. It's a real mess. Any thought.

I think that's the best resolution if you can't use it don't pay for it. I belive he's aware about his "craf-job" and probably he knows that nobody won't buy his canard,wings. The price for the fuselage was 12,470$ so pay only for that. If you have solid canard and wings drawings and manuals just build them like James Redmon did. It will take you more time but at the end you should be happy.:D The only thing with little bit scare are these alloy plates. (I mean remowing them). I believe Richard will help you resolve this problem. He's the Berkut expert.

 

Mak

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The drilled holes in the canard are absolutely fixable, you may have to strip off the outside carbon wrap plies

Richard did you mean the holes drilled in the spar are fixable?

 

I got absolutely no sleep last night thinking about what to do. I just don't think the airplane is worth the hassel. I had no idea someone could be that careless. There is no doubt he got rid of this airplane because of his workmanship :scared: (I use that loosely).

 

John, of course, will be a great help in figuring out what to do, his workmanship is flawless.

Yeah I'm lucky to have him in my corner. I figure I can make a new set of wings pretty fast. After building the Long Ez wings the berkut should be a snap. Plus! I have John, and my other friend Dale who loves composite stuff he built some of the first turbine powered hydroplanes. So no, not all is lost but I think I need a better deal.

 

Tony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

O.K.

 

I got Walt to give a small canard allowance :thumbsup: So I'm sending the check to him today so the Berkut will officially be mine. I've begun to mask off all of the cut lines with electrical tape so they are easier to see. Here are some pics of the road ahead not pretty but I think it can all be fixed, the idea of course being, to fix it with minimal weight penalty. OBTW I've added the pics of the spar attach fiasco. It's a bit hard to see but in one of the pics you can see the layup behind the spar face didn't attach at all to the spar unfortunately this layup looks like it goes all the way down the spar it will be difficult to fix I may have to cut that front spar face off an reattach it corrrectly. The other pic is of the lower engine mount, it looks like he poured about a gallon of epoxy onto the mount. This will have to be replaced. the layup isn't touching the firewall at all on the other mount . Any thoughts

 

Tony

post-1222-141090156677_thumb.jpg

post-1222-14109015668_thumb.jpg

post-1222-141090156682_thumb.jpg

post-1222-141090156685_thumb.jpg

post-1222-141090156687_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

but it sounds like the canard is too bad in other ways.

Well I just don't trust it. My canard on my Long Ez is pretty much perfect. when I saw this canard it looked like a two year old tried to put it together.

I'll take some pics tonight when I get home from work, but givin the pics I have allready posted here you can imagine what the canard must look like.

Everything that was done to the airplane that wasn't factory has to be redone. The nice thing is, he stoped working on the airplane before the point of no return.

 

Tony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information