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Twenty two point three . . . . they're not after me That said, I strongly disagree with the FAA for moving forward without the normal comment period etc. bumper

Oh . . . . darn. Wurf waiting for. Have 'em (4 of the Par 36) on my Husky . . . 2 taxi and 2 landing. On "wig-wag" or "landing lights", they ALL come on. Impressive*. *Disclaimer, I impress easily. bumper

AeroLeds SunSpot 46, at 70 watts*, consumes *double* the electrical power than Whelen's Parmetheus, at only 36 watts - - and the SunSpot costs twice as much too! However, if you are into having as much light output as possible, truly an astonishing amount, AeroLeds really shines (pun intended), putting out over 5000 lumens.. *Even at 70 watts, still well below the max 200 watts (and at best 2000 lumens) from an incandescent. bumper

Assuming conditions are reasonable (.i.e low wind, no turbulence, airplane into the wind - and "set up" and balance procedures are done properly), then being unable to achieve a satisfactory balance can be indicative of mechanical problems, a broken motor mount, bad damper, something untoward going on in the engine can cause issues. I once couldn't get a decent balance on a C185. Unbeknownst to the owner, the previous owner had a weld repair done on a cylinder and that weldment intruded significantly into the combustion chamber, apparently raising compression well higher than the other jugs . . . that is what he told me after the fact, I didn't get a chance to look at it though. Some balancers will display a percentage of error, or interferance, on the balance screen. On mine that will typically be 3% to 5% if all is well. If you have a good balance done, and nothing changes, no grease slinging, prop dings filed out etc. it should stay smooth 'till it gets rough :c) bumper

Sure, no problem. You can use petroleum, synthetic, or silicone lubricant with the 'blue" fluorosilicone O-rings.

ips stands for inches per second, and is a measure of vibration amplitude. A linear accelerometer is installed, hopefully near the front of the engine and near centerline. Then a photo-optical sensor is installed to sense a piece of reflective tape on the prop. The computer then knows how much vibration amplitude there is, the prop rpm, and where the peak vibration amplitude is in relation to the reflective tape. It can then recommend a "trial weight" size and location. When the trail weight test is run, the computer will then recommend a new (and hopefully much more accurate) trial weight and location. The aircraft should be faced into the wind and with no obstructions upwind to cause turbulence in the airflow through the prop. Best results are obtained when max wind is less than 10 knots, less than 5 is even better. Some props are more susceptible to turbulence interference than others (the Stemme S10-VT prop comes to mind as being particularly touchy). I purchased my Aces 2020 computer balancer back when the cost almost 5K . . . there are doubtless cheaper good alternatives now, though the 2020 still works just fine. Renting or loaning out a balancer can be a dubious proposition. Drop a linear accelerometer (the device that measures vibration amplitude) and it's toast - - and they aren't cheap. Normally, weights are not attached to the prop. It is acceptable practice to *properly* attach weights to the spinner back plate. When doing the test runs, it's often most expedient to simply attach the weights to the existing spinner attach screws (or longer screws if required). Then there's a formula to calculate the additional weight required as the final weight will be installed at a lesser radius. bumper

Military definition of a chopper, "A mass of fatigued metal, rotating around an oil leak." Favorite aviation quote, "Oh shit!" bumper

You're all welcome. For awhile there I thought I might have to make a small rubber band gun for #10 O-rings. Keep in mind that Fluorosilicone, like the stock Buna-N O-rings, are compatible with gasoline and most other petroleum products. Unlike Buna-N, Fluorosilicone is very resistant to UV and ozone weathering. But, Fluorosilicone is not very abrasion resistant. So I think it a good idea to lubricate them, especially the ones you get from me for the shaft, with grease. Either silicone grease* (Dow-DC4 or similar) of a petroleum grease will do. If you use silicone grease, you can also wipe it on the large outside O-ring too as that will help prevent abrasion wear. *You *need* some silicone grease anyway, it's great stuff to weatherproof coaxial connections, electrical connections, spark plug connectors, and lubricate O-rings of all sorts including water filters as most silicone grease is food safe (but NOT for use on plain silicone O-rings). This is a lifetime supply for most - - get some small containers and share with neighbor and family: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009CFNL46/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 bumper

Rip Okay, comin' off the fence and placed my order too! bumper I placed my order directly via PayPal on the CYA-100 website . . . is there a group buy discount?? Did I miss out (as usual)? If there's a group buy, I'd be happy to organize another on both the Husky and BackCountryPilot web sites . . .

The large O-ring 338 in fluorosilicone is available on Amazon for about $10.5 includes shipping (prime) here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0055E1RLM/ref=ox_ya_os_product The little one, size 010 in fluorosilicone is also for sale . . . in packages of 100! I bought that, so have so many little blue O-rings I'll never use them all. If you want two little blue O-rings for free, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: bumper (O-ring offer) 194 Taylor Creek Rd. Gardnerville, NV 89460 Limited to stock on hand, all entries remain the property of Bumper LLC, decision of judges are final, we reserve the right to refuse service to anyone (or eveyone, for that matter), if you like your O-ring you can keep your O-ring.

A heated pitot may remain accurate, though "iced up" stall speed would be unknown. Heated or no, I would think that carrying ice the AOA's calibration would no longer be accurate. Then there's tail plane stall speed to consider. bumper

Would if I could. Darn near impossible to buy cadmium though. A friend has some "pure" cadmium - - uses it to plate in white the bits and pieces on Brit motorcycles he restores. Star of the show is a very nice Vincent Black Shadow. He stocks my hangar fridge with root beer and ginger beer and I help him now and then fixing little bits of broken bikes. bumper

I'm betting you meant to say re-alodined rather than re-anodized. Alodine is a surface conversion process. Anodize would involve dumping the part (in this case the whole airplane) in a dilute sulfuric acid bath and attaching DC positive (anode) to it and DC negative (cathode) to the solution via a lead plate or similar! Alodine makes a thin and relatively fragile surface while anodizing makes a layer of very hard and durable aluminum oxide. Unfortunately, since anodizing creates a thin, hard, egg-shell like surface layer, if there's flexing of the part, the harder surface can crack and that crack can then propagate into the underlying parent metal - - this is why anodizing is not often used for structural components. To test a surface to see if it's anodized or not, you can use an ohm meter and touch the probes to the surface - the anodize layer is an insulator so no reading. Sorry - - couldn't help myself (grin) . . . I have a small anodizing set up at my hangar machine shop, so love this stuff. bumper

Was that $400 per hour for a Spitfire? And was that wet? I've been an AOPA member almost 30 years. I got PO'd about their exec salaries and quit a couple of years ago. That lasted right up 'till insurance renewal time. The AOPA discount that I was no longer going to get would end up costing me more than paying my membership (I have 3 airplanes so it adds up). Like many here, I'm still not feeling all warm and fuzzy about AOPA, but EAA and the money plucking they do at Oshkosh isn't much better. Both organizations have long ago left their grass roots behind and turned more toward self serving. bumper

And it's not just in Chinese? bumper

Here's some photos of the upper cowl portion of the fix. The first 2 show the hardwood wedges that are glassed in near the rear edge of the cowl. These butt up against two stainless "L" brackets (short lengths of 1/8" thick aluminum angle would work just as well) that are bolted to the underside of the upper firewall lip using #10 countersink screws. Bracket shown in pix 3, mounting screw on top is not clearly visible as it's covered with UHMW anti-chafe tape. Near the front of the cowl there's an STC'd honeycomb reinforcement to prevent the usual cracking on each side of the "spinner bump". bumper

I adjusted mine over 20 years ago. The warning horn would not come on until almost stall break, and my instructor wanted to hear it blaring steadily through a MCA turn. I was somewhat uncoordinated and was rewarded with a flip over the top spin entry. Make a small mark on the paint at the top edge of the stall warning mounting plate with a fine line marker. Loosen screws, mounting holes in plate are slotted to allow movement of the plate. Shift it up, try 1/8" or so (you can always return it to the starting spot by aligning the mark). Go fly and test operation. Mine is set at about 3 knots above stall - I think. bumper

I have a SwitchBox too, no problems so far - - except it really should have LED pilot lights to indicate output status - I added them I have it mounted up 24' high in my hangar with extension cords that pull down for two aircraft. That said, and disregarding all the forum loyalty to Phillip's SwitchBox for a moment, if you search <GSM switch> on eBay, they can be had for $44 (including free shipping) - - not much of a gamble there . . . even has 3 separate outputs. bumper

"My fiancée and I are getting married in playa del Carmen at the royal resort On Feb 26th 2013 and we're going to . . . " Umm, hate to break bad news, but you are really late for your wedding! Suggest you put it off until 2014. Congratulation, bumper

I use a home made pre-heater when camping in the Idaho back country with my Husky (plane) and Golden Retriever (dog). The pre-heater is made along the lines of the "Northern Companion" http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/ncpreheater.php but costs a whole lot less! Heater consists of a good multi-fuel camp stove, Primus or MSR - - one with a remote fuel bottle is best. Example: http://www.amazon.com/MSR-11774-Dragonfly-Stove/dp/B000BBGQ7O some sheet metal vent fittings from Home Depot (reducers from large to 4") and a length of 4" silicone scat hose. The largest reducer has vent holes drilled around the bottom (large end) and small holes for some stabilizer legs so it won't tip over. The large end and goes over the stove. Scat hose is routed into lower flap opening. Engine blanket with far side air inlet left open for venting completes the package. Obviously one cannot leave the aircraft unattended when using this type of heater. The good news is it doesn't take all that long, raising engine temps from sub-freezing up to 60 or 70F in maybe half an hour. Incoming hot air measured with an IR spot can exceed 200 F, and this is with the stove throttle down below medium. In the hangar, I use a cheapo EZ-heat sump heater, an old sleeping bag cover (with zipper removed), and a cell phone switch to turn it on the night before. bumper

I had exactly the same thing on my '87 201. It was one case bolt loose at the lift ring. There was a 4 or 5 inch diameter area that was oil wetted, but all the oil was blown off and then went forward and out the small gap between the spinner back and nose bowl. Clearly there is a significant amount of cooling air that is lost due to the centrifugal action of the spinner back plate and the fact that there is no top front blocking baffle that goes from each inlet across the top of the engine as is used on many more modern designs (Van's RV's etc). A friend of a friend's uncle built such a baffle for his Husky and lowered CHT's by 40 degrees in the climb. bumper

Jetdriven, I haven't seen the LASAR version of the fix. My version does not replace any original fasteners. It does add a SS strap*, not visible when installed, that slides under the existing skins and ties into the Cherrymax rivet line going aft on the boot cowl at that point. A single #10 countersink screw with Tinnerman washer goes into a new hole drilled near the bottom of the lower cowl and into the nut plate carried by the SS strap. Not even noticeable when looking at the plane as the new screw and washer is almost on the underside of the cowl. *My strap was the original prototype, it works well but like many such things, you make one and then realize there's a better or simpler way to make the next. Thus mine is more complicated than it needs to be and the strap sold by LASAR is simpler. I will take photos when I de-cowl for the annual next month. bumper

Jetdriven, I know that before LASAR got the strap fix, Paul was changing out the floating receptacles for fixed ones. My distant recollection (this was in the mid 90's, so I might be off on this) is that when I gave them the strap part of the fix, along with the wedge they didn't use, Paul allowed as to how the fixed camlock receptacles were not always doing the job alone. I was not aware they continued with the fixed camlocks as well as adding the strap. Couldn't hurt I guess. What I do know from my own albeit limited experience, is that the SS strap, along with the glassed in wedges for the upper cowl, completely solves the cowl "ride up" issue without the need to modify the factory fasteners - - other than adding the two #10 countersink screws w/Tinnerman washers to tie the lower cowl to the SS strap (and of course, riveting the SS strap in place. bumper

It's hard to add much to something written by Don Maxwell. But a bit more on the "201 cowl riding up" issue. The 201 rides up due to aerodynamic forces. This results in paint chipping and abrasion along the rear of the upper cowl half. At the rear of the bottom cowl, forward pulling stress tends to tear the upper portion of the boot cowl. Years ago, I developed a stainless steel strap "fix" for this, and gave the idea to Paul Lowen at Lake Aero Styling and Repair. The strap ties into the rivit line going aft and provides an AN nut plate for an additional #10 countersunk screw at the bottom rear of the lower cowl - - no more tearing. I also made a fix for the upper cowl, two glassed in hardwood wedges, one each side at the rear edge to butt up against two small SS angle brackets screwed to the upper firewall lip. These keep the 1/16" spacing across the back of the upper cowl to prevent chafing and chipping. I think Paul felt that part of the fix was unnecessary . . . maybe not, but it does work well for sure, even if it might be overkill. Prior to my strap fix (that I think LASAR still sells), Paul experimented with replacing the rear floating fastener brackets with fixed ones, but IIRC, that fix, mentioned by Don, didn't work all that well. I found Don's article most helpful and my engine sits nicely aligned thanks to him. Next time I have my cowl off, I can take some pictures if requested. bumper

Bought a new Husky A1-B back in '05 . . . the engine was sagging within two years. Replaced the Barry's with Lords and they are still good. bumper