Serious Project Guy- Like Me!

Highly inspirational, though I am sure that I would never dare to make my own airplane.

I like this quote from him:

``In the last year I've flown to Wisconsin, central Florida, South Carolina, West Virginia, northern Illinois, northwestern Iowa, and everywhere in between. I'm now planning a trip out west to see the desert next fall. I am so eaten up with flying that I basically don't do anything else...sort of like a meth addict. My basement shop is a mess, I never watch the news anymore, I haven't washed my car in months, and I can't even find time to buy new underwear or socks. But I do manage to keep several 5 gallon cans of 93 octane fuel in the hangar at all times (I wouldn't want to run out), my flight bag in the trunk of the car, and the key to the plane with me at all times, just in case.''

I can relate to this guy. Because of my helicopter project I now have a Victor 16X40 lathe, a Bridgeport mill, Tig Welder, Plasma cutter, high pressure washer, box brake, roller and a throatless shear. None of this was required when I just maintained my car. 240 hrs on the helicopter now. See

Still got that Marlin 39? Im still interested in checking out your machines...

Gunner

Political Correctness

A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical liberal minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.

If I did, I sure wouldn't put a Corvair engine in it! Corvairs were fun to drive, but the engines sucked.

Ron Thompson On the Beautiful Florida Space Coast, right beside the Kennedy Space Center, USA

JR: I can do better than that. Go to

Gunner: Yep I looked at it the other day. I've been thinking about getting together on the machines and Marlin. I've got a plate full right now with a building extension and the helicopter annual, but I certainly have your name on my dance card.

Sounds like you know a thing or two. I would never be able to build a flyable airplane. The things that I do to compensate for various deficiencies of my building skills, such as overbuilding, would not work in an airplane since it would not fly if it was overbuilt.

I admire the person who made that plane.

Actually, the only thing really wrong with the corvair engine was keeping oil in the thing. The oil pan design was particularly crummy. This engine has been heavily modified, I saw thick aluminum plates in place of all the OEM covers, and it looked like some kind of after-market valve covers, too.

The turbocharged 180 engine could definitely be abused by a lead foot, but I can't remember anybody having much trouble with the engine, other than throwing the fan belt. This engine doesn't need the stock cooling blower, so that failure mode goes away, too. (One guy at my high school used plaster of paris in a last-ditch attempt to get his corvair to stop leaking oil. It actually worked, but the debris that wound up in the oil did the bearings in. Gee, no surprise, there!)

Jon

Anyone with a little common sense, reasonable discipline, and a lot of willpower can build an aircraft. When you break it down it's just a whole lot of very small projects.

Any involvement with aviation will help cure you of that "more angle-iron is better" mentality. The sooner you learn to solve problems with smarts instead of heavier steel, the more money you'll save on all your other projects. And the reward of flying something you build yourself is beyond compare. It's not as expensive as most believe either. One can buy and renovate a tired ultralight for instance. One of my neighbors just traded a propane refrigerator (worth about $500) for a complete paraplane, including many extras like upgraded canopy, spare prop, helmet, walkie-talkies etc. I could have had it flying in a week without spending much at all. I guarantee you that if he ever takes it up (and lives :-) ), he'll have a smile on his face for a month.

Wayne

Well... I was kind of expecting that someone would expect this opinion, which I respect but do not want to accept personally.

The problem is 1) lack of room for "overbuilding" and 2) The cost of mistakes. When I build things, such as a trailer that I completed, I compensate for possible design mistakes by "overbuilding". That is not possible in an airplane since it would not fly.

So, if my trailer's frame is not performing at 100% of its potential capacity due to hypothetical poor welds, poor fit, etc, that's OK because it will survive that due to having enough strength even at a fraction of that potential.

Now, that inability to overbuild, brings us to a second point, which is that consequences of failures in aircraft are much worse than in trailers. If my aircraft motor fails, I get a 100% probability of dying. If my trailer fails, I would be highly unlikely to die, and motorists near me have greater chances of surviving, as they likely will avoid collision, the trailer has breakaway brake controller, tow chains etc.

So. If I could find a perfect aircraft plan, and follow it, and make everything to spec, of course it will work. The problem is that that is not easy for me to do.

I guess so, but I also have enough fun on land. Feel free to call me a chicken.

I was with you until the last sentence. I personally know an old Air Force vet that had been in 3 aircraft crashs and didn't seem any worse for the wear. My flight instructor does test pilot work for homebuilts and claims 6 forced deadstick landings without injuries.

Many people doing homebuilts and ultralights install ballistic parachutes as a last resort in case of structural failure. An engine-out is not considered grounds for deploying the chute unless you are totally out of options.

All airplanes are "overbuilt" by some margin, usually

Cool, keep me in mind. Im coming into my slow period..so will have some time on my hands.

Gunner

Political Correctness

A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical liberal minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.

I'm a civilian pilot. I underwent a lot of flight training in my specialty in the Nav, although I was not a pilot there.

At least one basic tenet marks the difference between a civilian pilot and a military one: A civilian pilot is (often) taught that, if you crash, you die. A military pilot is (always) taught what to do _after_ a crash.

The difference in perspective is remarkable.

LLoyd

Biggest difference between this guy and me: He actually finishes a project ;)

Nice work too!

i second that

....>

To the contrary, if you are a competent pilot the chances of engine failure being fatal is closer to 1%. With a little good luck as to the terrain below, it is not uncommon for deadstick landings to be accomplished without damage to the aircraft.

In sailplane competitions "off-field landings" are quite common.