Dan Tomlinson

I haven't ordered, but I have talked to them some time ago, and they are highly recommended by Tracy Crook at RWS: "" For engine mounts, we recommend Fred Breese at www.conversionconcepts.com We are using his mount in the RV-8."" I'm certainly considering it for mine, so let me know what you find - it is a chunk of change though! Maybe a multi-purchase discount? /dan

So am I and my better half will be there too!

But one of the things I really wondered about on looking at these pics was: Am I doing something wrong? There seems to be 3 people trying to figure out how to draw a line! Seems like overkill to me!

Of course, I did catch dmchaplin working!

Definitely playing something - in fact having much to good a time! Or is that a scream as the fertilizer comes through the nose?

Occasionally I want to visit the forum for a specific article or topic only and only visit for a minute or two for a personal message. When I come back later to read all the messages, they've all been marked as read! Most annoying as now I have to review all the threads and figure out when I last read the forum instead of the computer doing what it should be doing! Ideas? Settings? That's why I prefer the email list - my mail client DOES know what I've read and not read!

I really must say "dust's" plane-day is a great event to get familiar with the process of making writing in a manual become airplane parts! And working with experienced builders like these makes the whole learning process very stress-free! To anyone who hasn't done it, making airplane parts seems really scary - but after the first few, that feeling does go away! Then the excitement of actually building settles in and you can't wait for your next "fix"! A great way to try it is to meet up with someone already building, and actually build a part. My reasons weren't to see if I can build a part - I'm just a bit behind them on airframe, and a little ahead on systems (book 2), but I'll catch up quickly when the weather improves (I hope). But - I still learned a few new things, and got to know even more builders who are very down to earth and committed to enjoying the build process! Would I go again? Certainly - next time I'm in the area when schedules match! And, I send out an invitation to them and others to visit my project too, as there's always something to do! Find a project in your area and adopt it if you need to! Thanks for a great day - and we'll talk soon...

Well, I'm trying to quit too, and it certainly has been a b|+34 I hope by one of the big airshows this year!

I've seen the work, and read the book, but WHY does the leak test need to wait until the outer skin is installed? Certainly it is the internal glass and epoxy that shouldn't leak - not the combination of internal and external. The external will give additional structural flex strength to the strake, and protect the inner glass somewhat, but a very low pressure and low vacuum test now would make finding, repairing and confidence in the tank easier, no?

I use a Pelouze postage scale (digital - 2 gram resolution) and it is about right. I wouldn't go 5 gram - as the tolerance would be a bit wild. 1 oz is 28.375 grams, and I can't remember mixing a batch that small. My normal for MGS 285 (100:40 by weight) would be 50:20 100:40 200:80 and sometimes 400:160 but that large is very rare - 454 grams total is 1 lb, so a large tub. Why the scale? It's fast and easy - each of resin and hardener(s) in a 1 gal bottle with a pump top - measure what you need of each to make the total weight, and mix! Using a matched "measured" metering pump might save 30 seconds or so per batch - but certainly not more. AND if a pump misfires? Just press again until the weight is right - the pump is only a delivery system, not the measurement. Pump or Scale seems to stir plenty of debate - but done like this seems to be close to the best of both worlds! /dan PS: This scale (5505) has an auto-shutoff which is annoying - pressing gram/oz while powering on and holding until it displays SHOF will defeat that "feature". It's not in the manual!

As I'm cleaning up details on the airframe book, I noticed I didn't make the large holes in the top box cover. Are these needed? Access to something? I can easily cut them now, but I'm inclined to leave it solid if there's no need for them to retain what heated air I can!

Sorry, but my point is that we should not be coming down on how bad aviation could look, and re-inforcing the uninformed opinion that all aircraft are immenently going to fall out of the sky should anything happen, especially with the engine. "Flying is not inherently dangerous, but even more than the sea it is unforgiving of inattention or carelessness, or lack of respect" - aviation safety letter quote If nothing else, a number of quality hours in a Traumahawk will greatly improve the skill and attention span of most pilots, as their characteristics are "abrupt" when hitting the edge of their envelope! As will a helicopter! Both are recoverable given altitude! Of course, envelope testing should only be done with recovery altitude available below you - and they are FUN aircraft to fly! Microlights? I don't have experience with them, so I won't venture on them.

No4: As a comment to your accident report reading - you're possibly skimming and acting as a press reporter (who condenses to the point where the information is useless and misleading) and giving aviation a bad name. This is the problem with brevity in reporting! Look MUCH closer. IF you are reading accident reports, get the full reports - not the summary list of events, and ANALYZE each one. Look at the "chain" of errors - there is ALWAYS a chain of events and factors in almost every accident. AND there are usually at least three separate events where if a different decision or action was taken, the accident would not have occured. The same happens with car accidents, and IF you saw a listing like this, you would never go near a car again! The investigation reports go MUCH deeper and will usually highlight the chain of problems. ALL aircraft types have an accident rate that is "statistically safe", or no-one would ever fly again. Homebuilts have a first-flight "crash" record according to press summary reports that is "so bad" that they should be banned. Realistically, IF the reports are analyzed properly, homebuilts are slightly safer than the aging production GA fleet. Then again, if you really wanted to, you could show that the most dangerous time for flight is right after it has been repaired by a certified mechanic. But again, that is the "first" step in the chain where IF the flight test pilot is doing his job properly, it will be returned as a snag before flight and no accident occurs - IF (s)he's not distracted by outside events; and even if missed there, experience in handling of the problem in flight can and usually does result in a "successful" flight. Because the chain was broken and the problem realized! I have had the opportunity to fly with several amazing stick & rudder men ever to fly up here. I'm not in that category - but it's a goal! However he was lax with procedures, and a hot-dog pilot who could fly all the edges of the aircraft's envelope, and regularly did! He finally was on the wrong side of an overweight heli-lift load and didn't make it after 8,000+ hours. I wouldn't fly with him after a few hairy flights in fixed-wing because he was always too close to the edge for my taste when there was no real need for it! Cavalier style and pushing the limits will eventually get to you!

I also have to agree with Steve and John - everything SHOULD stay, although for long-term - it is better to have edited or condensed archives. Jon mentioned that you can only "rate" with moderation on. ? Is there a way to turn moderation on and automatically accept all messages without intervention? OR can the "best-of" messages be added / copied to a best-of thread by chapter and kept alive, meanwhile the free-form discussion remains. Or does cross-posting not exist in the software> We need the free flow of ideas etc, but we don't need typos archived forever! So, if the "best-of" is kept forever, and the general threads are only kept for a year or so? Thoughts?

Chris - is that an air powered linear sander? What brand/type etc? I've been seriously considering one, but concerned that I'd have problems driving it well, as most I've seen are only about 1.5" wide. I'm assuming you still used it like a spline sander, but with more "oomph"? Please, tell more! My main "concern" is unlike the USA system, my craft must be basically complete for inspection before I can fill/prime etc - so the whole plane will basically be sanded at once - and there's a LOT of surface area! Of course, for cutting out things like control surfaces, nothing beats a Fein!

An 8' door (probably 7'6) is fine until the centerspar is mounted and you want it outside (to flip etc). Apparently there is some way to maneouver it out through an 8' too, but lots of help. I've never tried. Realistically, if it's a 2-car, 2-door garage, you "could" do everything inside (mating wings etc out through an open door) right through the end, then have the pillar removed (theoretically holding the center with a crane) to remove and take to the airport. In most cases though, YMMV, the center pillar could be removed temporarily without problems with minor reinforcement possiblym, and some are purely decorative! Consult a qualified structural guy (builder, architect, engineer) to be sure. Not a problem that needs to be dealt with for some time anyway!

Well, 20x20 is almost perfect from what I've done as long as you can have a large (12+ foot) door. You need to get the plane out a few times. My shop is 18x19 and a couple extra feet would be great. I have the plane with spar on and can have the canard on, with the 12' x 36" table, and still move around somewhat. Of course, only 2-3 people can comfortably be in the space like that. 14x30+ is great for fully assembled, but another couple feed on width for fully assembled to be able to move around - but that would be rare. The big thing will be heating - which is more economical. Almost everything until the spar mating or canard fitting (chap 12 and 19) would work nicely - in fact, with the 2 20x9 spaces divided, I could easily see building in that space, for the first couple years! Most everything is long and thin - dust built in the basement! Congratulations on the start!

No - it's not. It's just a matter of setting up climb rates + Vx Vy etc and cruise speeds at various altitudes and power levels. You can also do it at different weights, but that is usually "noise" at that point. I've used it for many flights in 3 different AC types, and it is pretty good. It basically takes all the time-to-climb, time/rate to descend, speed at altitude etc info into account that long cross-country flight planning calculations from the Private and Commercial licenses, and does it all at computer speed.

I don't often go that high - of course in a Cessna it's not usually possible! I suspect it would be rare to be above 12 for most trips - even in the Cozy, as the climb/cruise/descent profile I've seen looks like about 500 miles is the break-even for 12-14. And about 16 for an 800 mile leg. I've used westbound (always a headwind) using "default" upper winds. This is what I'm seeing out of Flitesoft Pro.

Baggage pods are always useful in a plane - any plane! While I expect I'll normally have plenty of space (my normal mode will be 2 plus baggage and dogs) having someplace to stow the chairs would be great - the chairs we have collapse to about 3-1/2 ft long by about 6" tubular each. So - am I better building one larger pod, or two matching "missile launchers" - or two slightly mismatched so one could be stowed within the other for easier transport?

Well, an option is a trailer! A construction/office type trailer is 10-12 feet wide, and a 24 or 36 foot would work well. It could be possibly "installed" down the sloped area, and would be plenty big (even a 18') for much of it. I'm in a 18x19 tent and for some I'd prefer a trailer! It would be easier to heat! It's currently -5F an hour north of Buffalo. /dan

Just order the plans, and of course materials to get started and you have all you need to build. The Owners/Flight manual is possibly needed for flight, but the serial# is that of the plans! Glad to hear from you here again Nat! Hopefully you and Shirley had a happy and healthy Christmas and New Years. Regards, /dan #0962

What reason are they giving to not use the Turbo - oops production aircraft - And they're letting you put a rotary in? Is the Turbo restriction on all? or just on you install as the "original" didn't have a Turbo? Regards, /dan N of Toronto

Well - especially for Clifford - as originally a Sarnia boy, it has to do with border hassles and excessive brokerage charges, nothing else. UPS Shipment as an example - a US$9.50 charge to ship to Buffalo on a package instantly becomes US$34 to get it 30 miles further north. Now there are local taxes on it, but those are the same no matter how I import it. Then UPS will have the nerve to collect an additional ~$40 (US$30) for processing the paperwork to collect the tax, and then US$5.00 for collecting the tax! That's US$60, or recently $100 CDN for the privilege of ordering from the USA. Ordering from some other countries is simply prohibitive! We won't mention that a several of the items are manufactured in Canada, shipped to the US, then shipped back which can often double the out of pocket cost. It's simply economics - nothing more, nothing less! Regards,

That might be me. Actually, foam is a big shipping saver - and much of it is available in Canada, Divinicel PVC possibly not at preferable pricing, but usually reasonable, Styro is about the same, and urethane is usually available also. Sometimes one way, sometimes the other! Much of the hardware I've bought from Demel Aircraft in Penticton at comparable prices, and I prefer to leave my money in Canada - especially with how volatile the $ has been. Depending on which epoxy you plan to use, there are C$ suppliers relatively local to you. Aeropoxy you can get from Leavens in Edmonton, MGS, I'm not sure who's local, but Toronto has it. Now, to answer your question :-) Glass - clean and dry. Foams - clean and covered and protected from bumps. Certainly out of the light really helps. Private Msg me for more.