Tailwheel fun

2014 totally got away from me. Away with work for almost six months and then catching up with the demanding farm work meant that I could only get around to reorganizing the benches in the workshop in December. About the time I had to renew my medical grade two now annually over 60 and with acquiring old age diseases. Touch wood, just saw the AME and given the all clear for another year. But part of the questionnaire is how much flying in the past year? Thought I better do some. So Thursday fortnight before last down to Central Coast Flying Club at Warnervale to hire their nice little Citabria for some tailwheel refresher training. After all I will be
needing it WHEN I finish the Corby Starlet.

A. the instructor is a nice man about my age. He flipped through the log book and decided he could probably reinvigorate my flying career. Push out the pretty blue and white fabric into a low overcast and rather windy day.

Warnervale is a narrow strip. But seemingly the Citabria is easier to taxi than I recall my initial attempts at the Decathlon I earned my tailwheel ticket in over a decade ago. So I was a little overconfident for take off, but got her up with a certain amount of screaming from the backseat. It handled fine in the air and I got ahead of it again on downwind and planned my approach. Badly. The trees on late final were alarmingly, but normally close. The touchdown resembled a crash from my position. Luckily A. took over and regained control of my overcontrolling careerings. Oh I can see how a ground loop occurs.

After the second circuit we changed circuit direction to the north. That gave us less crosswind and downwind, which definitely helped. Other aircraft movements were ok, and by the fourth circuit I was getting the stick to stick the tailwheel down and stay there. Just not pulling it back far enough - seemingly into my gut. The last circuits of the hour (8-9?) were great. Nailing it every time, and such a contrast to the first half dozen screamers.

Good Job A. I will be back for more. So satisfying landing these guys.

Oh and bonus. I ticked over my 300th logbook hour on this flight.

Sat 12 Oct 2013 0.9 hours C-150 Circuits

Having just had a painful, though successful BFR due to not flying in 12 months, I took up a 150 for circuit work. Plodding around on a most beautiful spring day I kind of got into it after the first two circuits and felt a part of the busy life of the regional airport. ATC even thanked me after expediting a base turn to assist sequence an A320 inbound, me watching it land proudly over a sharp turn onto downwind. There was a change of runway half way through with a couple of knots of downwind to add some spice to the landing and flatten the take off. The best moment was on the crosswind climb, head swiveling for traffic spotting when I spot something large in my one o'clock. Alarm turned to amusement when I focus and see the waxing half moon emerging planet sized from behind my cowling. I felt more like an astronaut for a moment, rather than an aeronaut.

Sold the farm, moving to a bigger one with a bigger workshop

Therefore must crate up the wing so the ribs dont damage thanks to its upswept shape it wont sit flat. Of course, Crated up and ready to go.

First build of the year 2013

Some distractions I tells ya. Fist I go on a much needed very enjoyable three month holiday in the new caravan. (Which if I sold I could buy Two second hand Corby Starlets, and still have change).

Then we decide to sell the house and look for a new one. So renovations and improvements. Move all the junk in to the garage, my building space! To keep the rest of house uncluttered and desirable.

Anyway, getting ready to move into a place that will have a brilliant building space and workshop spaces for laying out drawings, benches etc etc.

Anyway have to get the wing and fuse ready for the move. In its current state the fuselage is fragile until it gets its plywood skin to give it strength. And the leading edge piece of the wing has been sitting loose for Ages.

So first gluing in a very long time. Some minor repairs to the fuse where bumped stringers came unattached. Fixed. And of course the wing leading edge glued, fixed and now ready for the plywood bending over the leading edge wing "box". Do I dare before I move? I have about five or six weeks to decide.

Motorcycles and aeroplanes

Which is best? What's the common link? That sort of thing. Well, unlike most other vehicles, they roll into the turn, unlike boats, which roll out. But the motorcycle does not pitch, except under vary hard acceleration. And of course, does not operate in the 3rd dimension except under direct influence of the terrain. But having said that, and ironically, which having control over altitude, one quickly loses sense of the terrain, unless its very large, as when largely above it, it diminishes its visual impact very quickly, flattening it out. Of course, the view from the air is quickly staggeringly interesting. Motorcycling is immersed in the terrain and retains its visual impact throughout. By proximity. From the air, the visual impact is by distance. The hands operate the throttle in both, and controls the roll. Brakes not so important in the aeroplane, or definitely defined right hand right foot. The feet in the aeroplane control the yaw. Controlled by the handlebar on the bike. Really the bike roll is not easily described as simply handlebar control. Counterturning handlebars on the bike, or weight shift leaning, or both. Aeroplane simple stick right or left for appropriate roll. They are complimentary interests. Ride to the airfield. Fly above. Then ride home again.

Firewall secure

And finally, after making sure it fits, adjusting here and there and so on. It is done. The firewall is now glued onto the longerons. Some of the side diagonals in the first two stations are in place. And I can separate my bottom half fuse from the jig after almost three years in it. I dont think I would have started if I'd known I would be this slow. But at least now I can rotate it and start fitting the bulkheads. After first shaping them out of ply.

And the firewall goes on for fitting prior to gluing

At loooong last...

Ribs glued to Spar

Fourth rib glued to spar last weekend. Two to go for the mod, requiring separate front/back parts of the rib aligned carefully, Remainder are in one piece fitting arund the spar and thus self aligned. Sort of.

Gluing Firewall frame together

Thank you Mr West for your epoxy Part A to mix with Epoxy Part B. Ammonia smelly part B. And gushy Part A. These four bits of stick took me ages to laminate, plane, shave and sand into my best approximation of 2.5 x 0.75" and 2.75 x 0.5" out of my spruce stock. Agonisingly the plans leave you with your own approximation of how it fits onto the fuse. I am screaming for someone to tell me how to do it. Just do it.

Anyway part way there. Be a whole lot more finished when I marry with the front end of the fuse and can unclamp that part of the job after more than a year!

Did this while listening to King Crimson "Red" album. Kicker. Much better to concentrate on gluing than having TV in the background.

Firewall

Nice to be gluing again. Took ages to get bits laminated to the correct dimensions. And find the correct bolt placements for the Jabiru installation. Hope to get it onto the front of the fuse soon, then photograph it.

Back to work

I can't believe I left it so long, but at last I've started aligning the ribs on the spar prior to gluing. You'd think I could have done that ages ago, but no. Got cold feet. Thought the worst might happen. Too busy etc etc. Meanwhile back at the fuselage I'm still stuck on the Jabiru firewall dimensions.

outboard ribs mounted

 
Taking far longer than I ever c ould have imagined. I imagined - finish spar, slot ribs on. Not what? Doesn't fit. Smidge to wide. Sand here, and here and here, and oh a bit more and oh my goodness three, no four, no five months later!
Now to get them accurately aligned and glued in. Then make ailerons. Etc etc

fuselage

such as it is..

wing spar finished

Aint she a beauty? Only took me $2000 and two years to complete. Unbelievable. Now to put the ribs on. Ailerons. Leading edge ply. trailing edges. Rig and cover.

Spar stories

Getting almost to the end of the trimming of that most important aeroplane part, the wing spar. In this case the one-piece aerobatic heavy duty modded wing spar. I am sanding down to the mm tolerance now before mounting it in a new jig to thread the ribs and ailerons on.

 
Finally have gotten around to building this. Already have the 1/2 inch ply laid on top and marking it out for the sides to bend and glue onto the spacer / bulkheads inside the fuselage. I'm working again on this thing!

Reciprocal saw for the wing spar

I've been cutting that spar by hand for what? seven or eight months? A year? I cant remember. And only half way through it. So over it. Then someone said, why dont you get a reciprocal saw? What's that I said. Never heard of one! THat's it lying on the spar. Like one of those electric knives for carving meat. Anyway, it's not that much quicker than by hand! Actually I measured it and it's abotu ten time quicker! But the blasted spruce is that hard that it still seems slow. I should finish within a month now at this rate. Instead of about another year!

Fuselage jig

This is the base for the fuselage jig. I have already put on the 1/2" ply top and drawn the fuse outline on it. I already have the fuse sides. Now, to jig up and cut out, then join.

Checked out in the Victa Airtourer

160hp constant speed prop flaperons sliding canopy with centre-stick. What's not to like about this Aussie veteran which is the club's replacement aero mount from the Robin. Good radio stack. K took me up over the bombing range for an upper air check out. THere was lots of traffic and one of my headset's phones was shot, so I was only hearinf out of one ear, which wasnt helping me concentrate on all the calls as well as what K wanted me to do. Steep turns and wing overs were fun as was stalls and then we glided back over the field for a PFL. Gliding into two helicopters, an incoming 150 followed by an Airbus and I mucked the approach by waiting my turn in the pattern. On climb out from the second botch after putting on too much flap we notice the Manifold Pressure gauge was sticking again, this time for good. We had done three perfect landings so we packed up and K checked with the engineering and maintenance people for the club about it. Get her to Cessnock where R was waiting to fix her up. But how, I wasnt checked out in the Archer, our only other aircraft and K and I were the only pilots on the ground.Fine, I'll fly the ATourer with the broken MP guage. Just set the prop by ear. It's the second time I'd flown it! Kerry will follow in the Archer.

Airborne and set in the cruise at 1500 ft K formates on my left wing as he said he would. Holy shit! I'd never been so close to another aircraft so close even on the ground! Dont look at it, look ahead and fly smooth. K is the formation instructor. He pulls back and underneath and formates on my right then comes up. I ease away a little to the left opening up a space between us. Is he looking at my MP gauge?!

He adds speed and I follow him about 150 metres, and keep bouncing in his wake! Ease right takes care of it. I hear C call into Cessnock in his helo. "Hi C" "G'day mate" He thought I was someone else.

K is 2/3 a mile ahead of me into the pattern and I am on final as he is pulling off the runway. Another fine landing and I taki to R's hangar our repairer and C's dad. We chat and then head back. K gives checks me out in the Archer on the way back. It is easy to fly. Just a big old Warrior. The check out is part of the Tourer ferry, so it pays to be at the right place at the right time. Three flights for the price of one. And two checks. Did I say the weather was wonderful flying weather.. ? Ahh Hunter Valley flying. It's the best!

Fuse jig table

 
Finished the 1/2" ply top and drawing the dimensions on it now.