Crucial Faqs: Engine Oil for Aviators

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Around the Patch BY MARC COOK

Airport management has to realize that Closing the loop on GA is important—a contributor to the local economy, not a burden. That’s for them, for us: We all need to straighten our shirts and comb LSA initiatives. our hair and look enthusiastic, honest and welcoming to those who would join us as pilots and aircraft owners. If we act like our ranks ought to be closed, like new recruits must pass a rite of initiation to join us, we will fail. n this issue, we’ve given a lot of my gear. The sheer indifference of the Moreover, should we commit the mis- thought and a fair bit of ink to the staff made me seethe. calculation of treating Sport Pilots like Inew Light-Sport Aircraft segment. I’m I know it sounds like a small gripe, second-class citizens, we will fail. No encouraged by the endeavor even if I but this experience is added to a stack amount of reduced regulation, no fl eet can’t count myself among those who see of annoyances grown to toppling. Had of comparatively low-cost airplanes this as the one way to save general avia- this been an isolated incident at Long will overcome indifference and lack of tion. The simple fact is that we have a lot Beach, it wouldn’t bother me much. application. It’s up to us. of battles to fi ght on the way to resetting But the same part of the fi eld where I light aviation’s halo—and it’s going to had a hangar 10 years ago and built my take a strong economy in addition to our Pulsar is a much different place now. So Long, Turbo Tom efforts to make it happen. It’s true that there’s a spanking We have some tragic news to report— But I have to wonder if it’s going new development at the fi eld’s south- in late January, powerplant guru and to work equally well across our coun- west corner, something I thought KITPLANES® contributor “Turbo” Tom try, beyond the many bucolic rural would never come to fruition, but Wyatt was killed in a traffi c accident airports that dot the land. Perhaps it’s much of the GA side seems neglected. near Atlanta. Turbo Tom introduced my perspective—living in Southern Where airplanes used to park are himself to KITPLANES® readers in 2001 California and operating from a large now scores of idle rental cars, usually when he wrote a three-part series that airport—but I’m having a hard time delivered to their spaces at high speed chronicled the process of converting seeing how we’re going to get our by minimum wagers who don’t seem a Subaru EJ22 for use on an RV-4. The future pilots onto the typical busy ur- to care that the airplane you’re trying success of that series led to another, ban airport and into the hands of those to taxi among the potholes is worth “How Piston Engines Make Power,” who will train them and, as a result, a lot more money than that Taurus. which ended just a few months ago nurture this category. Why should we Cramped parking lots crowd decaying with the publication of Part 8 in the care about urbanites? Because the city hangars separated from the unwanted December 2004 issue. is where the money is, and where we’re public by chainlink topped by razor Turbo Tom had an exceptional likely to fi nd the next group of pilots. wire. The fl ight school whose airplanes ability to convey highly technical sub- It’s hard enough for us enthusias- I use was unceremoniously kicked out ject matter in an easy-to-digest format. tic, already certifi ed pilots sometimes. of a small offi ce on one part of the fi eld We received countless comments on Case in point. The winter of 2004-’05 and offered space in a temporary build- his piston engines series from readers was a wet one here, but after a couple ing whose walls are so thin you can who were enlightened by his straight- of weeks of hard rain and nasty fl ying hear the toilet fl ush. From outside. forward explanations. weather, the sun returned along with Stand back and try to imagine And Tom truly embodied the calm winds and near-perfect visibility. the impression this would make on spirit of homebuilding—he had a On the spur of the moment, I booked a a well-to-do individual wanting to genuine love for sport aviation, glider Cessna 152 from my local fl ight school realize the dream of fl ying. Would you fl ying, airplane building and engine for a quick fl ight over to Chino to see shop at a grocery store where the light tweaking. He was an excellent writer what’s up at the Planes of Fame muse- fl ickers inside a grimy freezer case? and performed a worthwhile service um. (I mean, it’s criminal to drive over, Would you appreciate having it made in helping other homebuilders under- right?) The airplane needed fuel so the clear that your time is of far less import stand the concepts that came so natu- owner of the school called the mega than those arriving in a multimillion- rally to him. FBO across the fi eld to dispatch a truck. dollar airplane or, perhaps, somebody’s At the time of his death, Turbo I sat there for half an hour. Nothing. 10-minute break? Tom was in the midst of another Another call. The lineman’s radio must For LSA to work—to truly make airplane project—an RV-8 with a be broken, said the girl behind the a difference in our world—this early planned Franklin engine—and he’d desk in the shiny offi ce across the fi eld. enthusiasm has to be carried all the proposed a number of upcoming ar- So...? Finally, after 45 minutes I decid- way through, from the FAA and ASTM ticles to further enlighten our readers. ed the fl ight wasn’t to be and closed up committees to the guy who unlocks the On the pages of KITPLANES® and in the airplane. The guy driving the fuel fl ight school door promptly at 8 a.m. the hearts of those who knew him, truck fi nally arrived as I was gathering and has a fresh pot of coffee brewed. Turbo Tom will be missed.

2 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com Letters

May 2005 Volume 22, Number 5

April 2005 Volume 22, Number 4 Wield a Better Stick EDITORIAL I was reading the “Get a Grip” article (March KITPLANES®) and a thought Editor-in-Chief Marc Cook came to me. The author mentions that he placed the new stick in the swivel [email protected] Editor Brian E. Clark tube, sat in the cockpit and checked to see if his measurements were right. Technical Editor Ed Wischmeyer Although this worked for the builder, my suggestion would be to Contributing Editors Ken Armstrong, fabricate a plywood prototype to check fi t, length, angle of the bends. All Mary Bernard, Cory Emberson, Dave Higdon, Dan Johnson, you would have to do is cut a three-quarter-inch thickness of plywood to Gary R. Jones, Geoffrey P. Jones, John M. Larsen, the desired shape and length with a jigsaw and then place it in the swivel Howard Levy, Rick Lindstrom, Dick Starks, Barnaby Wainfan, Jim Weir tube. You could make infi nite adjustments by cutting a new blank. Stick too Senior Art Director J. Anthony LaGrasta short? Make a new plywood blank a little longer. Bend not just right? Again, Webmaster/Data Manager Julia Downie make your adjustments then cut a new piece. Cartoonist Robrucha Once you were satisfi ed with the length and position of the stick, then

ADVERTISING you take it to your fabricator/welder and have them use the wood as a tem- Publisher/Ad Director Cindy Pedersen plate for the tubing. This way there is no misunderstanding as to exactly [email protected] what you want between you and the fabricator. Senior Advertising Manager Chuck Preston [email protected] Brad Cohen

BUSINESS OFFICE 531 Encinitas Blvd., Suite 105, Encinitas, CA 92024 A Winner By Any Other Name Main Number: 760/436-4747, fax 760/436-4644 Editorial: 973/227-7660, fax 973/227-7630 In your article “Reno 2004: Battle Royale,” you make reference to Dave Morss’ Lancair 320. I’ve seen #99 referred to as a Lancair 320 in other publi- PRODUCTION & CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING cations. However, you can clearly see that #99 is a Legacy, not a 320. Production Manager Marsha Blessing By the way, I was at Reno watching Greenamyer and Parker 717/433-7985 [email protected] dueling for the gold and it was indeed exciting. I watched most of the rac- SUBSCRIPTION DEPARTMENT es from the pits, standing as close to the ﬂ ightline as was allowed. The 800/622-1065; 386/447-6318 sound of Greenamyer’s Legacy going past at more than 300 mph was truly [email protected] awesome! I was disappointed that Nemesis NXT wasn’t able to race—not as Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235 disappointed as Jon Sharp, I’m sure—but there’s always next year. For Canada: Box 7820 STN Main, London, ON N5Y5W1

BACK ISSUES Tom Gourley P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235 800/622-1065 You’re right and author Tim Kern agrees: Morss’ Lancair is indeed a Legacy. Our www.kitplanes.com only defense is that the Reno Air Racing Association (RARA; www.airrace.org) lists QUALITY REPRINTS AVAILABLE it as a “Morss 320.” We didn’t catch that mistake, but there’s a smidgen of com- Minimum Order: 500 fort in knowing that we’re not alone. Our apologies to Dave Morss for arbitrarily Contact Mona Kornfeld, 203/857-3143 downsizing his ride. —Ed.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS? BACK ISSUES: Call 800/622-1065 MISSING ISSUE? WEB SITE INFORMATION: SUBSCRIPTION QUESTION? General homebuilt aircraft information, back issue availability, online directories ordering info, plus a KITPLANES® article index and selected articles can be found at www.kitplanes.com. Visit www.kitplanes.com/magazine. Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome on an exclusive basis, but none can be acknowledged or returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. No responsibility is assumed for loss or damage to unsolicited material. Or call 800/622-1065 from the U.S. and Canada. KITPLANES® (ISSN 0891-1851) is published monthly by Aviation Publishing Group, LLC, an affiliate of Belvoir Publications, 800 Connecticut Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06854-1631, Robert Englander, Chairman and CEO; Timothy H. Cole, Exec. Vice Pres./Editorial Director; Philip L. Penny, COO; Greg King, Exec. Vice Pres./Marketing Dir.; Marvin J. Cweibel, Senior Vice Pres., Marketing Operations; Ron Goldberg, CFO; Foreign, call 386/447-6318 Tom Canfield, Vice Pres., Circulation; Michael N. Pollett, Sr. Vice Pres., General Counsel. or fax 386/447-2321. Periodicals postage paid at Norwalk, CT, and at additional mailing offices. Copyright© 2005 Aviation Publishing Group, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. Printed in USA. Revenue Canada GST Account #128044658. Canada Publishing Agreement #40016479. Subscriptions: One year (12 issues) is $29.95 U.S. $41.95 in U.S. funds in Canada, includes GST. $41.95 in U.S. funds for Foreign surface mail or $57.95 in U.S. funds for Foreign Air Mail. Single copy price $4.99 U.S., $5.99 Canadian. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes and subscription inquiries to: KITPLANES®, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235 or call 800/622-1065. KITPLANES® and SportPlanes™ are registered trademarks of Aviation Publishing Group, LLC.

KITPLANES May 2005 3 Contents MAY 2005 VOLUME 22, NUMBER 5

On the cover: Kevin Wing captured Julius Szalontai’s amphibious Murphy Rebel near the company’s Chilliwack, British Columbia, headquarters. Flight Reports 49 SPRAY BOOTH SECRETS With basic materials and a little know-how, you can 6 POWER OF TWO build a respectable paint booth; by Ishmael Fuentes. Murphy Aircraft celebrates two decades in the business, 65 ENGINE BEAT and much of the company’s success comes from its Engine oil for aviators—some basic considerations; two-placers; by Marc Cook. by Tim Kern. 54 ROTOR ROUNDUP 68 AERO ’LECTRICS The Rotor Flight Dynamics Dominator-innovative by Keep your plane from having a drinking problem; design; by Ken Armstrong. by Jim Weir. Light-Sport Aircraft Special Designer’s Notebook 31 THE LSA REVOLUTION: WHERE ARE WE NOW? Progress has been made since the rule was unveiled last 57 WIND TUNNEL summer...and lots more work remains; by Ron Wanttaja. Aerodynamic interactions aren’t always what they seem; by Barnaby Wainfan. 34 CONSENSUS STANDARDS UPDATE: THEY’RE HERE! The industry-developed consensus standards for Exploring Light-Sport Aircraft design and quality assurance have 2 AROUND THE PATCH arrived; by Ron Wanttaja. Closing the loop on LSA initiatives; by Marc Cook. 37 MAKING THE CHOICE: AMATEUR-BUILT VS. SLSA VS. ESLA 4 WHAT’S NEW Are you a potential aircraft buyer confused by all these options? Start here. By Ron Wanttaja. Sensenich goes composite with new ground-adjustable propeller; edited by Brian E. Clark. 41 FROM FAT TO LIGHT 17 DESIGNER SPOTLIGHT: RANDY SCHLITTER If you ﬂ y a two-seat or overweight ultralight, you have until January 2008 to transition to another category; RANS Aircraft has weathered ups and downs to become by Rick Lindstrom. an industry stalwart; by Tim Kern. 73 LIGHT STUFF Builder Spotlight Air Creation’s new TanarG is a high-end, high-energy 23 MERKEL’S MAVERICK alternative; by Dan Johnson. The Mark IIC may be a one of a kind, but that’s not why it’s unique; by Dave Higdon. Kit Bits 60 COMPLETIONS 3 LETTERS Builders share their successes with our readers. 64 LIST OF ADVERTISERS Shop Talk 70 BUILDERS’ MARKETPLACE 42 PERFECT PAINT JOB, PART 1 75 THE CLASSIFIED BUILDER It’s about understanding the basics so you don’t build a 80 KIT STUFF Frankenplane; by Rick Lindstrom. Drawing on experience; by cartoonist Robrucha.

73 49 6

KITPLANES May 2005 1 What’s New

RVator Archives Available Sensenich Goes Composite from KITPLANES® Bookstore A new 420-page book titled 24 Years of the RVa- With New Ground-Adjustable Propeller tor contains every technical article from past issues of the Van’s Aircraft bimonthly builder’s and pilot’s newsletter and is now available from KITPLANES® Bookstore. Edited by Andy Gold, the book is considered by Van’s Aircraft a valuable ad- dendum to the After fi ve years of research, development manual and con- and testing, Sensenich Wood Propeller struction plans. Company has announced the availability Each article is accurately reproduced of a new ground-adjustable composite pro- with photos and drawings and then rearranged peller. Designed with an EZ-pitch hub, the to follow the same sequence as you build, test and fl y an RV. This book contains every article high-performance propeller will result in ever written on building the empennage, wings, improved performance on aircraft using the Rotax 912 or 914 series engines, fuselage, as well as fi nishing, electrical, engine says Donald Rowell, Sensenich general manager. installation, panel, propellers, and details on The new propellers are manufactured hollow using carbon-fi ber, prepreg other components. There is a complete chapter fabrics in a high-temperature, internal-pressure-molded system. According to on tips and tools, another on performance and the company, this production process yields a durable, low-inertia propeller. c.g. issues, and another on basic and sport fl ying The propeller is designed with a swept-blade planform for maximum effi - techniques in RVs. ciency. The EZ-pitch hub features a pitch cam that will rotate each blade when These are in-depth articles written by Dick the hub halves are loosened; no protractor is required. Only six clamping bolts VanGrunsven and his technical staff explaining need to be loosened, then the cam can be turned and then retorqued. how the airplane is assembled. This $29.95 book is backed by a 100% Sensenich’s ground-adjustable propeller is in stock and available in 66- satisfaction guarantee. If it’s not everything to 70-inch diameters. The average retail price with the co-cured nickel leading you expect, it can be returned for a full cash edge is $1525; without the nickel leading edge, the average price is $1400. refund. For more information or to order, visit the For more information on the new propeller, contact Sensenich at KITPLANES® Bookstore online catalog at www. 813/752-3711 or visit www.sensenichprop.com. kitplanesbooks.com or call 800/780-4115.

Velocity Aircraft Adds BRS Parachute System To submit a press release on a homebuilt-related product, e-mail a detailed description and to XL-5 high-resolution photograph to Ballistic Recovery Systems, Inc. and Velocity Aircraft announced that the BRS [email protected]. Mailing airframe parachute would be added to the design for the Velocity XL-5 kit address is KITPLANES® Magazine, airplane as a result of customer requests. Velocity has already received initial New Products, 239 New Road, Suite orders for the BRS system, which is said to have recorded 18 saves in 2004 for B-201, Parsippany, NJ 07054. a total of 177 since the company’s inception. Visit www.kitplanes.com/free “With the addition of the BRS system, glass cockpit and new quickbuild info.asp for instant information on options, we think that the popular BRS parachute system will increase the “What’s New” items and advertised passenger comfort level and add to the exceptional safety features already products. Select the issue in which integrated into our design,” said Scott Baker, Velocity’s vice president. the item appeared, and then select Hardpoints for the BRS system will be incorporated into all production the categories of information XL-5 kits so future buyers will have the option to purchase the parachute. or individual advertisers you’re And the system can be added to existing airplanes by purchasing an retrofi t interested in. You’ll receive an e- kit direct from Velocity. Prices were not yet fi nalized at press time, but were mail response from the companies expected to fall in the low $20Ks for both new and retrofi t systems. selected and have the option to re- For more information, contact Velocity at 772/589-1860 or visit www. ceive printed catalogs or brochures if they’re available. velocityaircraft.com or www.brsparachutes.com.

4 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com EDITED BY BRIAN E. CLARK

Savvy GPS Pilot GARMIN’S LATEST— Training Program Earns FITS Approval, A Ready-to-Fly Aviation PDA Avemco Discount Garmin International announced its latest GPS mapping gadget—the iQue 3600a. According to Garmin, the product is the fi rst Palm-powered aviation When you use an IFR-certifi ed GPS during IFR device that comes ready to navigate right out of the box without extensive operations, your life can depend on your ability set-up procedures. The package includes the iQue unit with built-in basemap, to quickly access the appropriate functions and terrain, obstacle and Jeppesen databases, as well as a yoke-mounted cradle. make the appropriate control inputs. While it’s “It’s like fl ying with a portable MFD,” said Gary Kelley, Garmin’s director possible to achieve adequate profi ciency on your of marketing. “Pilots will fall in love with the rich color, the high-resolution own, it can be time-consuming and frustrating display, the sectional chart-like presentation, the terrain-mapping and obsta- for some pilots. According to Aeromedia, Inc., cle-alerting functions, and the overall ease of use.” The iQue 3600a’s features include the follow- the company’s Savvy GPS Pilot training course ing: mapping data with aviation navaids, airport and allows students to go from novice to confi dent airspace; topographic data and obstacles; GPS- GPS users in two days. derived speed, altitude and guidance features To accelerate the learning process and maxi- in an aircraft panel format; and a digital log- mize retention, Savvy GPS Pilot instructors use book that tracks fl ight time, mileage and an integrated multimedia teaching technique start/end points. In addition, the unit’s called Ground School in a Box. Students learn QueTerrain feature uses the topographic/ the relevant theoretical and regulatory knowl- obstacles database to alert you of poten- edge and apply it by practicing instructor-led tial terrain confl icts near your fl ight path hands-on exercises. The FAA has accepted the using pop-up windows. course as an industry-conducted recurrent train- The unit weighs 6.2 ounces and ing program, and pilots who complete the course features a 3.8-inch diagonal TFT display screen. The rechargeable lithium are eligible for premium credits from Avemco ion battery provides up to 9 hours Insurance through its Safety Rewards program. of continuous use at the minimum Training is available for the Garmin GNS backlight setting. Dedicated Direct- 430/530, the Apollo GX 60/50 and the King KLN To, Nearest, Menu, Escape, Enter and 94. Two-day seminars (a pre-requisite to fl ight directional rocker buttons are built into training) are offered monthly at Aeromedia’s the unit, so no stylus is needed in the cockpit. Las Vegas location. Other locations are available In addition, the iQue 3600a is a fully functioning upon request for groups of six or more students. Palm OS PDA; it features automotive turn-by-turn capabilities and comes with The $349 course fee includes the course work- a suite of personal information management applications including address book and a completion certifi cate valid for the book, date book, memo pad and to do list. seminar requirement of the FAA Wings program. The iQue 3600a lists for $1099. For more information, call Garmin at 800/800-1020 or visit www.garmin.com. For more information or to register, call 800/315-0242 or visit www.mygpscourse.com.

TLC Trailers Announces Powered Parachute Hauler

TLC Trailers introduced the Little Conestoga, a new trailer for powered parachute aircraft featur- ing a built-in air-controlled lifting and lowering system—no ramps are needed. Constructed of durable, lightweight aluminum, the trailer will easily track behind a car or truck, the company says. Equipped with a Firestone Sport-Rite Air Ride System that is rated to 3000 pounds at a maximum 100-pound pressure, the trailer can easily be adjusted for a soft ride. Each wheel can be independently adjusted to handle unbalanced loads. A safety spring latch can be engaged to prevent the trailer from lowering if air pressure is ever lost. The Little Conestoga features turbo lube hubs—sealed, oil-ﬁ lled hubs that eliminate the messy task of packing the wheel bearings annually. Other features include a lighted toolbox, interior lighting and a 12-volt/120-psi air compressor. Also standard is a convertible top that can be raised to protect the plane or lowered to show it off. The aluminum frame and tractor-trailer grade cover is designed to ﬁ t the powered parachute frame, and the convertible covers come in a variety of colors. The trailer weighs 1200 pounds and has a 12-foot-long interior dimension; it retails for $6995. Shipments were scheduled to begin in March 2005. For more information, contact TLC Trailers at 574/267-0634 or visit www.tlctrailers.com.

KITPLANES May 2005 5 Power of 2 Murphy Aircraft celebrates two decades in the business, and much of its success comes from the two-placers.

BY MARC COOK

ou can measure success in a lot of ported line of aircraft—is mere survival. ing kits and say he’s done pretty well. ways, but in this industry perhaps Living to tell the tale, it’s called. As kit His company, Murphy Aircraft, located Y the most powerful indication of manufacturers come and go, constancy in scenic Chilliwack, British Columbia, getting it right—beyond having a great becomes a principal virtue. has been at it for 20 years, building a design available at the right time that Darryl Murphy has earned the right reputation with a characteristic lack of matures into a popular and properly sup- to look back over two decades of build- fanfare and blatant self-promotion.

6 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com More than that, though, Murphy spectrum are impressive indeed. also covered in fabric from the leading- the company produces a surprising It’s the middle ground, however, edge D section aft. (Even today, fabric range of aircraft, from the JDM-8 ul- that’s been so fertile for Murphy. The is still the lightest material for an air- tralight to the massive four-plus-seat, company’s mainstream two-seaters, the plane of this weight and speed.) The 360-hp Moose. In between, you’ll fi nd Rebel and the Elite, are in many ways structure is as simple as it can be. a lightweight biplane (the Renegade), a the bricks upon which the rest of the Murphy offers the Maverick convention-fl outing two-seater that fi ts company is built. The mainly metal two ways. The long-wing version has into Canadian ultralight rules, and a Rebel was Darryl’s second commercial a wingspan of 32 feet 5 inches and a pair of two-plus-seat designs. Not many design after the Renegade, and it refl ects total wing area of 162 square feet—near- companies can boast such a range—even his no-nonsense personality. It’s square ly that of a Cessna Skyhawk. The large those that absorbed outside designs—so where many similar designs attempt to wing is needed to meet the stall-speed the engineering and production talent be sleek and curvy. Murphy aircraft are requirements of the ultralight regs. The required to support both ends of the this way simply because boxy is easier short-wing version, which I fl ew, has a to build and, often, quite a bit stron- span 3 feet shorter, resulting in a total ger. Form should always follow func- wing area of 147 square feet. Also for tion—and while it’s not fair to say that regulatory reasons, the extended-wing in the Murphy designs form has been version has a lower gross weight (850 locked in a closet while function ate all pounds vs. 950). Listed stall speeds are the hors d’oeuvres—they most defi nite- 32 mph for the short-wing/high-gross ly appeal to pilots who prefer LL Bean version and 28 mph for the other. over Armani. Although the Maverick shares Let’s have a closer look at Mur- the same basic airfoil with the Rebel phy’s “middle kids,” the Maverick, and the Elite, it does so without fl aps. Rebel and Elite. The conventional ailerons are covered in fabric. Come See the Maverick The Maverick began as a challenge Pick Your Powerplant from a group of Japanese ultralight en- Powering the Maverick will be your thusiasts to build an aircraft that would choice of Rotax two-strokes—the 53- meet their ultralight regs that wasn’t— hp 503 or the 65-hp 582. However, the how can we say this?—not quite so airplane Murphy had for review was a ultralight-like. Indeed, that was Darryl special version testing the HKS 700E Murphy’s challenge, to build a side- twin-cylinder, four-stroke engine rated by-side two-seater out of conventional at 60 hp. Murphy pegs the cruise speed materials that would be light enough at 85 mph for the short-wing, 582-pow- to meet the regs. Not only that, Mur- ered airplane and 80 mph with the long phy wanted it to fl y much like a regu- wing. The 503 version is 5 mph slower. lar airplane, meaning good control re- It follows that to make an air- sponse and harmony. plane light you have to be clever in Walk around the Maverick and your design and application but it also the weight-savings measures are ob- helps if the airplane is small. That’s the vious but not at all out of place. The case with the Maverick. Two full-sized Maverick’s fuselage is aluminum with pilots will be rubbing elbows the whole the company’s trademark longitudi- time in a cabin that’s perhaps a bit larg- nal creases that add stiffness without er than a Cessna 150’s. actually adding structure. The tail group The HKS wakes with a shudder is made up of prebent aluminum tube and then settles into an opposed-twin covered in fabric. The wing—using the thrum that would be familiar to riders thick, forgiving NACA 4415 airfoil—is of BMW motorcycles. On takeoff, the engine seems less stressed, less busy than some of the smaller four-strokes There are three ways to slice the Murphy two-seat pie: The Canadian-ultralight Maverick and certainly less so than the beehive (bottom); the Rebel Elite (upper left) and the two-stroke engines. Murphy says the Rebel (on fl oats.) Maverick will be off the ground in 100

Photos: Kevin Wing, Marc Cook KITPLANES May 2005 7 Power of Two continued feet on the Rotax 582 but the demonstrator used a bit more than that, like, oh, another 20 feet. Big deal. The sensation is like levitating. The view over the stubby nose is sublime and the Maverick just hoists itself up on that big wing. Climbing at 45 mph and 600 fpm gives it a pretty impressive climb gradient. In cruise at low altitude— approximately 2500 feet MSL—the Mav- erick came up just shy of the claimed speed for the 582. However, the HKS is rated for 5 fewer horsepower and, on our fl ight, the engine instrumentation was Murphy’s Maverick looks conventional but is extremely light, enough so to meet Canadian ultralight acting up to the extent that we had little regulations. Beyond that, it fl ies well. idea of engine speed—except to say it was somewhere between idle and valve fl oat. Standard fuel capacity is 5 gallons don’t seem to be any demons hiding Maverick—or any of his designs—for in a header tank but there’s an optional in the handling; the stick throw during the LSA category. Time will tell. 9-gallon wing tank. normal fl ight describes a good-sized box in your lap, which helps tremen- You Call Yourself It Flies Like a dously to provide good feedback to the pilot. The Maverick has positive yaw a Rebel... Real Airplane! stability, as you’d expect, but it’s not After a couple of iterations of the bi- Murphy intended for the Maverick to exactly eager to return to coordinated plane Renegade, Darryl Murphy turned fl y like a conventional airplane and fl ight once defl ected. You might call it his attention to more mainstream ideas hit that target with amazing accuracy. a “rudder airplane.” and eventually produced the fi rst Rebel. True, the Maverick has light wing load- In Canada, the Maverick is Designed to take a wide range of pow- ing so it’s a bit fl oaty and sensitive to licensed as an ultralight, but in the erplants—from the 80-hp Rotax 912 to, wind gusts, but its controls are very U.S. you’ll need to register it as an now, the 160-hp Lycoming O-320—the well harmonized and weighted. Roll Experimental/Amateur-Built. Darryl Rebel had to be light and strong. response is brisk with a reasonable Murphy says he’s watching the LSA Murphy looked long and hard at amount of adverse yaw. (Again, that’s market carefully but he is holding the way metal airplanes were built and on the short-wing version.) There out making a decision to produce the simplifi ed wherever he could. The all- metal wing is a constant-chord design without any twist or washout. (This makes it easier to build and allows for a great commonality of parts under the skin.) Does the empennage look a bit unusual to you? That’s because it’s perfectly symmetrical; the tops and bot- toms, left and right sides are the same- shaped thin slice of metal. You can just imagine the effi ciency of production and the ease of assembly that stems from this choice. Playing Match Game What’s more, the Rebel was the fi rst kit airplane delivered with match-hole construction, a fact that makes Darryl

One of the main draws of the Murphy line is its versatility. The Rebel can be put on conventional gear or either straight or amphibious ﬂ oats.

8 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com Murphy proud. A CNC punch machine precisely sets pilot holes in the aluminum sheet, so that the builder does not have to mark and drill rivet holes or create fi xtures to maintain alignment of the parts during construction. More- 1.25” Depth Available* Now With HP Readout A MUST Have Instrument over, the holes are placed so there’s no chance of mis-indexing to parts. “We’ve purposely placed the holes so that there’s only one way two or more parts could go together,” says Murphy. Finally, the Rebel can be put together using AVEX rivets, a kind of very sophisticated blind rivet that means there’s no need to buck from the back- side as with conventional rivets. The Rebel slots perfectly into the * Optional UBG-16 remote display makes the mounted depth of the display 1.25” line between the Maverick and the All Instruments STC’d/PMA’d, many TSO’d as Primary Replacements. Elite. Its 1650-pound maximum gross weight allows a useful load between You’ll be money ahead to invest in EI instruments, which will protect your 700 and 800 pounds, depending upon engine and save you money! Here’s how: which engine you choose. There’s a ton Head off major problems. Find minor problems (clogged injectors, worn rings, of headroom in the cabin and more fouled plugs, sticky valves, etc.), before they become major repair bills or safety issues! elbow room than in a Cessna 172. Be- hind the front row, there’s space for a Gain significant fuel savings. It’s vital to lean your engine properly. If you’re pile of baggage or a single jumpseat. leaning “blind,” you could be taking a chance of causing preignition, detonation, excessive In order to maximize the Rebel’s buildups on valves and cylinder walls, or overtemping the valves and heads. short-fi eld capabilities, Murphy designed it with full-drooping fl aperons Reduce maintenance costs! Running your engine at proper temperatures and covered in fabric. This system gives the pressures WILL keep your engine running healthier and longer. Rebel a commendably slow, 40-mph Stop adding extra legs to your flights. How much time have you wasted with stall speed but also introduces a change unnecessary fuel stops because of a lack of accurate fuel information? in roll feel and effort from clean to fl aps- down. Otherwise, the Rebel’s fl ying Stop harming your engine with inaccurate RPM readings. You could qualities are conventional, with mod- be cruising at redline and not even know it! Mechanical gauges are notoriously inaccurate. erate control pressures and moderate longitudinal stability. Befi tting its bush- Pre-diagnose your engine problems. This will substantially minimize the fl ying orientation, the Rebel is happy troubleshooting time and costs of your mechanic. Just imagine being able to tell your mechanic to check cylinder #3’s injector for a clog or a fouled plug! Electronics International Inc. EI Phone: (541) 318-6060 Fax: (541) 318-7575 www.Buy-EI.com

The Rebel Elite is identiﬁ ed by the constant- chord tail and the extra length of ﬂ at section in the belly of the fuselage.

KITPLANES May 2005 9 Power of Two fl ying slow as long as you keep up with full fl aps. Because you move the control continued the rudder requirements—this is defi - stick through a large range of motion, nitely not a “feet on the fl oor” kind of any change in aero loading or speed is airplane—and mind the sink rate with immediately evident in the position of your fl ying hand; you can, for the most part, look out the windshield and con- centrate on your fl ying in lieu of staring at the airspeed indicator. Although it’s lighter than brother Elite, the Rebel isn’t quite as speedy. The book says 120 mph at ideal cruise with the O-320, 7 mph down on the aerodynamically cleaner Elite. But the lack of weight pays off in climb, as the Rebel has a 200-fpm advantage on the same power. That’s probably why the Rebel is so popular as a fl oatplane, even if the Elite, too, can be confi gured for your choice of straight or amphib fl oats. If Elite Is What You Seek Murphy Aircraft introduced the Elite in 1996 as a grown-up Rebel. The intention was to improve the Rebel but also allow it to fi t into a marketplace demanding ever-larger aircraft. Where The standard Rebel panel is large and blocky, but easy to manufacture and quite fl exible for the builder. the Rebel can take as much as a 160-hp

10 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com MURPHY MAVERICK MURPHY REBEL MURPHY REBEL ELITE

Price (excluding quickbuild options) ...... $15,036 Price (excluding quickbuild options) ...... $16,647 Price (excluding quickbuild options) ...... $23,413 Estimated completed price ...... $20,000 - $30,000 Estimated completed price ...... $30,000 - $45,000 Estimated completed price ...... $45,000 - $60,000 Estimated build time ...... 800 hours Estimated build time ...... 1200 hours Estimated build time ...... 1200 hours Number flying (at press time)...... 138 Number flying (at press time)...... 729 Number flying (at press time)...... 173 Powerplant ...... HKS 700E Powerplant ...... Lycoming O-320 Powerplant ...... Lycoming O-320 60 hp @ 6200 rpm 160 hp @ 2700 rpm 160 hp @ 2700 rpm Propeller ...... GSC three-blade fixed-pitch Propeller ...... Sensenich two-blade fixed-pitch Propeller ...... Sensenich two-blade fixed-pitch Powerplant options ...... Rotax 502, 582 Powerplant options ...... Rotax 912, Lycoming O-235 Powerplant options ...... Lycoming O-235, O-360, IO-360

Airframe Airframe Airframe Wingspan ...... 29 ft 6 in (short-wing version) Wingspan ...... 30 ft Wingspan ...... 30 ft 4 in Wing loading...... 6.46 lb/sq. ft Wing loading...... 11.0 lb/sq. ft Wing loading...... 11.8 lb/sq. ft Fuel capacity ...... 5 gal Fuel capacity ...... 44 gal Fuel capacity ...... 44 gal Maximum gross weight...... 950 lb Maximum gross weight...... 1650 lb Maximum gross weight...... 1800 lb Typical empty weight...... 410 lb Typical empty weight...... 915 lb Typical empty weight...... 950 lb Typical useful load...... 540 lb Typical useful load...... 735 lb Typical useful load...... 850 lb Full-fuel payload ...... 510 lb Full-fuel payload ...... 471 lb Full-fuel payload ...... 586 lb Seating capacity...... 2 Seating capacity...... 2 + 1 Seating capacity...... 2 + 2 Cabin width...... 37 in Cabin width...... 44 in Cabin width...... 44 in Baggage capacity ...... 50 lb Baggage capacity ...... 175 lb Baggage capacity ...... 175 lb

Performance Performance Performance Cruise speed (with Rotax 582) ...... 85 mph (74 kt) Cruise speed...... 120 mph (104 kt) Cruise speed...... 127 mph (110 kt) 8000 feet @ 75% power, 4.5 gph 8000 feet @ 75% power, 7.2 gph 8000 feet @ 75% power, 7.2 gph Maximum rate of climb ...... 900 fpm (at max. gross) Maximum rate of climb ...... 1200 fpm (at max. gross) Maximum rate of climb ...... 1000 fpm (at max. gross) Stall speed (landing configuration) . . . .32 mph (28 knots) Stall speed (landing configuration) . . . .40 mph (35 knots) Stall speed (landing configuration) . . . .42 mph (36 knots) Stall speed (clean) ...... 32 mph (28 knots) Stall speed (clean) ...... 44 mph (38 knots) Stall speed (clean) ...... 46 mph (40 knots) Takeoff distance...... 100 ft Takeoff distance...... 300 ft Takeoff distance...... 600 ft Landing distance ...... 200 ft Landing distance ...... 400 ft Landing distance ...... 400 ft

Specifications are manufacturer’s estimates and are Specifications are manufacturer’s estimates and are Specifications are manufacturer’s estimates and are based on the configuration of the demonstrator air- based on the configuration of the demonstrator air- based on the configuration of the demonstrator aircraft. As they say, your mileage may vary. craft. As they say, your mileage may vary. craft. As they say, your mileage may vary.

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KITPLANES May 2005 11 Powerplant choices vary depending upon model. The basic Rebel can take anything from a Rotax 912 to a Lycoming O-320, while the Elite starts with the Lycoming O-235 and goes up to the IO-360 of 200 hp.

Power of Two The trigear Elite—the only of the smaller aircraft offered with the third wheel in front—sacriﬁ ces a bit continued of speed for easier ground handling. By far, the conventional-gear Elite outsells this model.

O-320, the Elite was designed to use up c.g. with heavier engines. The fuselage between 920 and 980 pounds (depend- to a 200-hp IO-360. (The 160- and 180- bottom is fl at—meaning the inside ing upon engine and other variables), hp engines are a popular choice for the is a giant box—from the structural leaving between 820 and 880 pounds airplane, too.) If you need more than members at the forward doorpost. The for fuel and people. Standard fuel that, you’ll have to step up to the much Rebel’s fuselage begins to taper about capacity is 44 gallons in two wing larger Super Rebel (capable of holding midway along the door. tanks. After full fuel and a pair of 190- a Lycoming O-540) or the aforemen- The reason for the Elite’s recon- pound pilots, that leaves nearly 200 tioned, radial-engined Moose. fi gured fuselage is mainly to allow for a pounds for kids and gear. You could look at an Elite and a tricycle-gear option, but it also benefi ts Rebel parked side by side—consume interior room. Where the Rebel could Looks the Same, an entire slice of astoundingly good be fi tted with a single jumpseat in the pie from the Chilliwack Airport Coffee second row, there’s enough space in Isn’t the Same Shop (motto: “I fl y for pie.”) gazing at the Elite for a pair of seats suitable for It’s not just because it can pack more them—and still perceive but a fraction children. Like the GlaStar Sportsman, power that the Elite can have a higher, of what’s different. For starters, the it should be considered a true 2+2. 1800-pound maximum gross weight. Elite is 3 inches shorter overall as an There’s payload for a couple of urchins The stout, constant-chord wing has aid to maintaining the desired empty and their stuff: Typical empty weight is thicker leading-edge skins than on the

Simple is as simple does, eh? The Rebel and Elite control systems center on this massive torque tube running along the cabin ﬂ oor. It con- nects the elevator via cables and the ailerons (or Contrast the Rebel’s panel with the Elite’s, which has a curved upper section. Still, fuction prevails. ﬂ aperons) through push-pull tubes.

12 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com Aviation Consumer Awards ECi TITAN® Cylinders “Editor’s Choice” for 2004

Rebel and beefed-up structure, but is FAA-PMA Replacement Cylinders for still made with as few different parts Lycoming Parallel Valve, as possible. The integral fuel tanks, TCM C-/O-200,300/GO-300 for example, are simply sealed-off sec- Series, and 470/520/550 NEW AIRCRAFT CYLINDER ASSEMBLIES tions of the wing. Whereas the Rebel Exclusive TITAN Features has fabric-covered fl aperons, the Elite’s • TITAN® Advanced™ surfaces are separated into conven- Aluminum Alloy • Nickel+Carbide™ Barrel tional aluminum-skinned ailerons and Coating simple-hinged fl aps. To make up for • Plasma Sprayed Top Compression Ring some of the lost fl ap area, the Elite’s • Valve Guide Ballizing ailerons droop slightly when the fl aps • and many others... are extended. Further changes are in evidence Call for a FREE booklet on these and other exclusive at the back of the airplane. A one- features not found on OEM or other PMA cylinders. piece, straight-section stab replaces ©2005 ECi. the tapered horizontal stabilizer; the Recognize Excellence. Ask for it by Name. SALES HOTLINE ECi is recognized for Quality Management System Registration to ISO 9001:2000. 1-800-ECi-2FLY ENGINE COMPONENTS, INC. | 9503 Middlex | San Antonio, TX 78217 | 210-820-8101 www.eci2fly.com

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Murphy’s 2800-ton press is used to produce stamped items such as wingribs quickly and accurately.

KITPLANES May 2005 13 Power of Two elevator is a symmetrical slab with intended to fold. Also larger are the continued massive static and aerodynamic bal- rudder and vertical stabilizer. ance surfaces. This is a much simpler I ﬂ ew two Elites on my recent design than the Rebel’s because it isn’t visit to Chilliwack, one trigear and one

Jim Jeffries (below left) bases his Elite on his own 1000-foot turf strip. Julius Szalontai’s amphibious Rebel (below right) displays the kind of fanatically great workmanship that makes the rest of us look like dullards. Alan Thistleton and Wendy Anderson (opposite) share two Elites.

14 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com taildragger, both with 160-hp, fi xed- 320, no doubt at a considerably slower pitch installations. Both are admirable airspeed. If you elect to take off with performers in the ways you’d expect fl aps, you’ll be surprised by the fl at from a Murphy. Takeoff roll is short climb angle. Just be prepared to retrim and the initial climb rate is very good a bit when you stow the fl aps. 750 fpm at a modest 65 mph indicated; I’ve noticed a great disparity in the book says 1000 fpm with the O- control feel among the various Mur- phys I’ve fl own. The pair of Elites I fl ew offers an interesting comparison. The trigear Elite had a fair amount of control friction, such that on the fi rst takeoff I slightly over-rotated in an attempt to break out elevator movement. One instant we’re accelerating happily as I start to bring in aft stick. The next instant the stick is free and the nose is rising rapidly. A quick stab of forward stick gets us on the way, and me feeling less like a just-minted pilot. The conventional-gear Elite had next to no control friction at all, allowing me to place the nose exactly where I wanted it without so much as a second thought. I asked Darryl Murphy about this characteristic and he commented that Although normally a two-place airplane, the there are differences attributed to con- Elite can be confi gured with a jumpseat in the struction—it is a homebuilt airplane, aft cabin. Amazingly, there’s still some luggage after all—and some airplanes just have capacity as well.

KITPLANES May 2005 15 Power of Two continued

more friction than others. I suspect the massive torque tube that runs across the cabin just below the pilot’s knees is part of the issue. If it’s clamped down too fi rmly, the stick will feel stiff and unre- sponsive. For all of you building Murphy aircraft, this admonition: Pay particular attention to control friction. Ideal cruise performance—at 75% power and 8000 feet—shows the 160-hp Elite going 127 mph TAS and the 180-hp The Rebel Elite design, like all Murphy aircraft, has evolved over time and can be fi tted with a host of version going 132. The trigear version I options, including a variety of windows, gear designs and engines. fl ew was spot on the predictions while the taildragger was slightly slower. I believe that’s the result of his airplane using a fi ne-pitch prop; the throttle was way back to maintain 2500 rpm in level cruise fl ight. Murphy’s attitude has always been to favor the low end of the speed range to ensure good short-fi eld performance and the ability to out-climb terrain near that perfect camping spot. There’s something about the line of Murphy aircraft—an innate, unmis- takable honesty, perhaps—that sug- gests you’ll fi nd no surprises in performance or handling. It’s terribly refreshing that Murphy isn’t out to lure customers with grandiose claims. Just about everything to do with Murphy is understat- ed—from the large but hardly lavish factory that’s not actually on expensive airport land, all the way to the proven, durable ma- chinery therein. It’s the mark of the man: Darryl Murphy will sit down with you at the Chilliwack pie emporium, share a cup of coffee and look you straight in the eye as he answers questions. His airplanes, should you care to anthropomorphize them, would do exactly the same.

FOR MORE INFORMATION on the Murphy line of aircraft, contact Mur- phy Aircraft at 604/792-5855 or visit www.murphyair.com.

www.kitplanes.com Randy Schlitter RANS Aircraft has weathered the ups and downs to become an industry stalwart.

BY TIM KERN

viation is in Randy thing, but a father/son Schlitter’s blood. His project never happened. Adad fl ew all kinds of He was just too busy small airplanes and owned with running the airport. more than one FBO. Grow- But seeing how one man ing up in aircraft-hotspot could rebuild a wreck Kansas, Schlitter got to see into a beautiful plane, the Cessna plant in Wichita well, that inspired me, while he was still in grade and ever since I always school, and it helped him wanted to make things, understand what it took to to build aircraft.” build an airplane. After high school, “I was convinced at Schlitter went to A&P the ripe old age of 13 that school. For extra credit he I could become another built a sheet metal sail- Cessna,” Schlitter recalls. ing tricycle. Convinced Always one to experiment, it was a viable product, he built a lifting-body air- in 1973 he established a plane when he was 13. small manufacturing fi rm “I loaded it up with called RANS to build his weight and balanced it invention. The product so it was level by sliding line blossomed into land a weight on the towing sailers and recumbent beam,” he said. “It had bikes, and soon RANS was a stiff towing beam—a more than just one man couple 2x4s I had nailed and two part-time high- together—and we towed school kids. it on its own wheels be- Schlitter recalls that hind Dad’s pickup. It took “planes were always on off at just the speed I had my mind, and as RANS calculated, and fl ew along Twenty-two years after the fi rst fl ight of the prototype Coyote I, Randy Schlitter is started growing, an old pretty well...until I added still at the helm of RANS and producing new designs. pastime of mine played control inputs. The rudder into a fateful turn of and aileron controls were events.” One day while somewhat coordinated, but the aileron At that point, Schlitter’s career hang gliding at Wilson Lake in Kan- went into full lock. The oscillations got got its jump start. “I was standing there sas, an “aero-contraption” showed up. bigger and bigger, and after a couple ready to repair my airplane, duct tape It represented an attempt to motorize impacts, the left wheel departed, we and new axle ready, when my dad said: a Rogallo-style hang glider. “I reacted skidded to a stop with only a skinned ‘Dismantle it and I’ll teach you about adversely to this,” he said. “Being a pri- nose and broken wheel.” real airplanes.’” vate pilot, it looked ridiculous to me, Schlitter never abandoned his And so it began... and it hardly fl ew. I told them to give fascination with lifting-body designs, it up and get a ‘real’ plane. Then my but this attempt was a turning point in A Career In the Making buddies who had bought land sailers how his life evolved. “I was going to That semi-successful attempt at a home- from me said I ought to look into mak- just fi x it up and try again,” he said. brew design only whetted his appetite. ing a Part 103 ultralight, urging me on, “I had already shown that it could “After that fi rst project, my father saying they thought I could make a lift my weight—I was working toward suggested a [Thorp] T-18 or a Midget quality unit.” perfecting it enough to take a shot at Mustang,” Schlitter said. “He liked This was not such a leap since piloting the machine on a rope tow.” sheet metal, and I was open to any- Schlitter was already working hard

Photos: Tim Kern and courtesy Randy Schlitter KITPLANES May 2005 17 Randy Schlitter continued

on a foot-launched sailplane, bor- ing his slope mates with sketches and schemes. “I merely took the design study in progress and started over, adding power,” he said. “I looked at every way you could conﬁ gure a plane, and much to my chagrin it came out looking like a Piper Cub.” It was the summer of 1982 when a friend saw the design for the ultralight. “He asked why I wasn’t building it, and I told him I lacked funding,”

An enthusiastic teenager with a love of aviation, Schlitter began designing aircraft at age 13. This lifting-body design was the ﬁ rst he tried to produce, and he successfully ﬂ ew it with a tow assist from the family pickup. Control inputs forced a crash landing, and Schlitter’s dad suggested he move onto “real” airplanes.

Schlitter said. The friend put up the money and a partnership and corporation called Aero-Max was formed. In November 1982, construction started on what would become known as the Coyote I. A Bumpy Start The fi rst fl ight of the Coyote in March 1983, fl own by the investor himself, ended in a non-injury crash. After the same pilot had another non-injury crash, the partnership weakened. Aero-Max dissolved in 1984, and RANS gained sole rights to its main asset— the Coyote I. situation, reducing a problem to a weak, but the son could see his desire “Ads about the Coyote were solution. “I love her for that,” he said, to get into the air and decided to take causing the phone to ring like never offering an example. “One day I was him fl ying. “Even though I had to lift before at RANS, and we were ready mulling over the trouble of running him into the plane, he quickly shaped to go to Oshkosh ’83,” Schlitter said. two locations when she said, ‘Why not up once behind the stick,” Schlitter “But I didn’t think the product was buy the land around us and build an- said. “I just sat back and crossed my really ready.” other building?’ That worked fi ne.” arms. He fl ew from start to fi nish. I That decision to delay may have Still, the family patriarch was never once touched the stick.” saved RANS from failure. Late that Schlitter’s greatest infl uence. “He Although praise was long in summer, CBS’s 20/20 news show aired was an absolute artist with a plane,” coming, it meant a lot. “As we taxied a highly dramatic and critical segment Schlitter said. “To have him fl y my in he said, ‘This is the best one yet.’ on ultralights, and the bottom fell out planes and offer favorable criticism... My heart swelled with pride thinking of the industry. Schlitter believes that well, that was a true reward.” His what a great moment, what a great had he gone to Oshkosh in 1983, he father slowly warmed up to the idea day! I think we both knew that would would have taken many orders, as did of his son’s career too. “Fifteen years be his last time ever in an airplane.” many other manufacturers. He now after that fi rst Coyote fl ew, he went to That same Shekari was the last plane thinks a surge of orders followed by a Lakeland [Sun ’n Fun], and while there his mother, also a pilot, fl ew. “I’ve had near shutdown of the business would he explored other booths, met others such a rich life in aviation, and I owe have been tough to weather. “Instead, in the industry,” Schlitter said. “They it all to my parents,” Schlitter said. “I we built up RANS slowly and in a real all knew about RANS and must have miss them dearly.” economy,” he said. said some nice things. Dad later commented ‘By God, they know you and Flying and The RANS Family think you build pretty good planes.’ From then on, it was his idea that I Lessons Learned “I had no formal aeronautic train- got into the airplane business.” When he was young, Schlitter fl ew ing—just experience,” Schlitter said. Schlitter’s father fl ew nearly spamcans in addition to the Coyote. “I give my father a lot of credit. He every airplane RANS built, “from the “It was the only ultralight I had fl own,” always put the bar high for me, and original Coyote with a 277 to the S-16 he said. “Then one day at the airport, a had hopes of me taking over his Shekari,” Schlitter said. “I will never guy showed up with an early Flightstar. spray-plane operation.” Schlitter fl ew forget that S-16 fl ight.” The elder We traded fl ights. I was really pleased Cessna agplanes for a number of years Schlitter was sick with cancer and was at how well it compared—of course I at the same time he was building planes. “Dad asked one day: ‘What makes you think you can build an airplane better than anyone else?’ I told him, ‘Because I’m your son.’” Schlitter is the fi rst to admit he did not do it alone. Even though his father was a hard sell on the plane business, it was easy to garner the support of others. “Three really important people have been there for me,” Schlitter said. “My mother lent me the money for my fi rst real tools—a lathe and drill press—both of which are still used at RANS.” Schlitter’s younger brother, John, was a strong player in both bikes and planes, and for 20 years worked at RANS, wearing about all the hats. “I knew the day would come when John would want to be on his own,” Schlit- ter said. “It was not easy seeing him go, but I am proud he is making waves in the recumbent bike world.” Paula Schlitter, Randy’s former wife but still full-time partner, remains another icon at RANS. “She is truly incredible,” Schlitter says. “Somehow over all these years she has made me look smart, but she is a genius in so many ways.” Schlitter explained the At age 15, Schlitter (left) designed and developed plans for these land sailers and marketed them at a sudden clarity Paula can bring to a local store.

KITPLANES May 2005 19 Randy Schlitter continued The S-11 Pursuit One design that has seen less produc- liked the Coyote better.” tion but generated more questions The Coyote’s handling was its than nearly anything else Schlitter has strongest point. “At one of the fi rst fl y- built is the S-11 Pursuit. A single-seat, ins, we arrived with three Coyotes and composite lifting-body design, it was noticed nobody was fl ying,” Schlitter a radical departure for Schlitter, and said. Gusts were around 20 mph, a bit its crash (after an engine stoppage) high for early generation ultralights. nearly took its designer’s life. Did he “I guess I was coming off a bit cocky, learn anything from this? “Yes—don’t so someone offered me his Quicksil- fl y when there’s a loose nut behind ver. After a fl ight in that Quick, I knew the stick!” there was lots of room for us in the in- But Schlitter said the S-11 is dustry. We had an ultralight that fl ew truly misunderstood: “It was a design like a plane.” study for a transport aircraft. It was Many people in their fi fties, giv- less parts-intensive and less labor-in- en what they know now, would opt to tensive, and it had a higher payload. do things differently than they did at With the Pursuit, the philosophy was age 20, to redress the mistakes of their to do more with less.” youth; Schlitter is no exception. “I Schlitter claims the airplane was wish I had done everything different- tough, and the second and third ver- ly,” he said. “Some designers are like sions fl ew well. “The fi rst S-11 went artists, always a little unhappy with a divergent above 130 mph. After the design, always fi nding ways to tweak engine quit, I dove to maintain glide it or diminish tradeoffs. I constantly speed in a turn and was left with little try to question, to reinvent my work. up elevator. Like I said, it was a tough What I’ve come to know over the years plane!” A fuel tank ruptured on im- is that it’s hard to understand a design pact, and fuel released into the cock- until you’ve lived with it a while. With pit, dousing Schlitter. The crash could A younger Schlitter poses in the early ’90s with that experience, you could always do it have fi nished the company, but instead the S-11 Pursuit project, the design he calls his a little better.” it worked to bring the RANS family most misunderstood.

The S-11 Pursuit was a design study for a transport aircraft—fewer parts, less labor and a higher payload. An accident in the prototype landed Schlitter in a medical care facility for more than a month.

20 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com together. “I have to thank the staff and the customers,” Schlitter said. “They bought a lot of airplanes while I was at the ‘HMO Resort’ for 34 days.” On Sport Pilot Schlitter says everyone is trying to “fi x aviation,” but he wonders whether it is really broken and surmises that the problems are largely of our own making. “We as pilots have convinced the general public that we’re some sort of heroes,” he said. “Just listen to a group of pilots talk; there will be mentions of close calls and even mishaps. Such stories can have an effect on those wanting to enter into aviation.” He advises exercising a little more caution with the war stories. “I think in maybe more than a small way it turns people away, builds this wall of heroism that maybe the average Joe is not willing to climb.” The Light-Sport Aircraft/Sport Pi- lot route may be attractive to newcomers, however. “You can get the thrill of fl ight in reliable equipment, and not so much is invested that you feel obligated to make it practical transport,” Schlitter said. “It took over three decades—the ‘50s through the ‘80s—to convince people that private fl ying

In 1988, Ray Schlitter—son of Randy and Paula—was run over by a RANS factory demonstrator! The couple’s other three children—Ben (in the airplane), Nick (thumbs-up) and Travis (at the nose)—were the culprits!

KITPLANES May 2005 21 Randy Schlitter The single-seat S-4 continued Coyote I was the fi rst RANS product. Many isn’t practical. Once planes started of the originals used the 42-hp Rotax 447 costing more than a year’s salary, per- and were registered sonal fl ight declined. Sport planes so as ultralights, but far look to be viable in at least the cost- others used heavier effective aspect.” engines and moved If Schlitter decides to enter the up to Experimental/ Amateur-Built. Sport Pilot ready-to-fl y market, his planes will be built at the company’s central location in Kansas with some distribution potential in a dealer network. In 2001, RANS certifi ed its S-7C under The RANS Philosophy the FAA’s primary The RANS Coyote II was displayed at category. The ready- the Sport Aviation Expo in Sebring, to-fl y version of the Florida, last October and Schlitter can’t airplane was based on the original S-7 Cou- praise it enough. “It’s all you need, and rier, designed in 1985. it’s everything you need,” he says. “It Today, it’s available as fl ies well, it works on fl oats and on a production aircraft land, and it’s cheap to keep.” Coinci- or in kit form. dentally, he sold that airplane the fi rst day of the show. An S-19 is also in the works (Schlitter numbers his airplanes in The RANS S-6 Coyote sequence). The S-18 debuted at Sun ’n II series, which Fun in 2002, and a new version is prob- includes the S-6 ably two years out, Schlitter said. “It’s Sport shown here, an improved version of the Shekari.” has produced the most completed Schlitter doesn’t think outside the aircraft over the box—he doesn’t even recognize that a years. At press time, box exists. “You have to be a risk-taker the company had in this business,” he said. “It’s up to shipped 1554 kits. you to determine whether the risk is worth it.” Regarding other leaders in the kitbuilt industry—Lance Neibauer, Darryl Murphy, Dick VanGrunsven, Chris Heintz and sons, among others— The S-9 Chaos is a Schlitter says: “We obviously enjoy the mid-wing aircraft industry, or we wouldn’t be here. We designed for light enjoy doing our own thing, but I think aerobatics. the bottom line is we love fl ying.” Although Schlitter has made the big time, he scoffs at the idea of being an industry leader. “Mattel grosses more on Barbie Dolls than our whole industry,” he said. For those seeking a career in sport aviation, he offers the following advice: “You have to wonder if sport aviation is where to spend your time,” he The S-17 Stinger is one of Schlitter’s most said. “Space is truly a more deserving recent designs, along frontier. I guess if I were a young man with its brother—the wanting to work or develop my talent, two-place S-18 I’d go for space—hook up with Rutan Stinger II. Low build or be another Rutan. Challenge your- times and low kit prices will make these self. Push the envelope of the machine two airplanes integral and your mind.” parts of the RANS lineup for years to FOR MORE INFORMATION on any of the come. RANS products, contact the company at 785/625-6346 or visit www.rans.com.

22 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com M aMerkel’sv ericckk The Mark IIC may be a one of a kind but that’s not why it’s unique. BY DAVE HIGDON

You won’t see the Maverick in every barn, or even at many airshows because it’s truly one of a kind.

Photos: Dave Higdon KITPLANES May 2005 23 atching pilot Ed Merkel Merkel expounds on the design consid- Merkel fl ew Century Series aircraft maneuver the biplane he fl ew erations of his unique creation, as well for the U.S. Air Force, including the F- W into position for my camera as its evolution—from a graduate thesis 104 and F-105, and was familiar with kept me challenged to focus (pardon the project in 1963—into hard metal. He the successful exploitation of power as pun) on the job at hand as we cruised alone knows the history of the Merkel a solution to weight and aerodynamic lazily above rolling landscape. The job Maverick from initial drawings to a issues. He also was familiar with the was to capture images that show off this fl ying aircraft that has used three precision of maneuvering and timing distinctive plane for a presentation the different engine installations. required to fl y a bomb run in an air- designer was invited to give at a confer- The choice of the word “unique” craft with a minimal margin for error. ence celebrating the centennial of fl ight for the Merkel Maverick comes with “Airspeed, angle of dive, release point, at the Wright Museum in Dayton, Ohio. recognition of its considerable overuse the Gs you had to pull to successfully Edwin W. Merkel stands as the these days. But everything about the recover and the angle of climb needed to world’s foremost—in fact, only— Maverick—the choice of materials, the escape were all defi ned very precisely,” authority on his self-designed and fl ight-control system Merkel designed Merkel said. “The margins separating built Merkel Maverick Mark IIC. With and its execution—makes it stand alone success and survival and failure—with the precision of the engineer that he is, among Experimental and certifi cated its possible fatal implications—were

The Maverick’s LOM inverted six-cylinder engine The air-cooled LOM engine receives an internal is surprisingly light and powerful enough to push cooling-air plenum to ensure that the rearmost Merkel’s design with commendable alacrity. of the six cylinders are adequately chilled.

aircraft. The Maverick is, in the end, as razor thin. My goal with the Maverick distinct as its designer. It is a refl ection was to create something that was less of his two decades of military fl ying demanding than most high-perfor- and subsequent three decades of light mance aerobatic airplanes.” plane aerobatics. Merkel created the initial Maverick design at WSU between 1960 and 1963. Performance by Design Think for a moment about the state of Merkel sought to build a biplane with the Experimental aircraft movement at monoplane fl ying habits and power that time. In 1963 the Experimental Air- requirements, designed to meet the craft Association turned 10; Oshkosh, strictures of FAR Part 23. “Too many as home to the annual EAA meeting aerobatic airplanes depend on a large and convention, was still years away. engine in a small airframe to deliver That same year, at the opposite end of their ability to perform,” Merkel said. the scale in Kansas, Learjet fl ew its fi rst “So as a master’s candidate in aero- design, the model 23, and the Beech nautical engineering, I tried to create King Air was coming just around the something different. My intent was Most aerobatic biplanes have fabric-covered corner. Cessna was still known solely wings, but the Maverick has metal wings and a to create an aerobatic airplane that’s for its propeller airplanes, as the fi rst steel-tube fuselage structure. elegant to fl y on moderate power.” Citation wouldn’t fl y for years to come.

24 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com certify my design,” Merkel said. So he formed The Merkel Airplane Company. “Basically, I started the company to build and certify the Maverick.” Over the next decade, Merkel scratched together the funds to make considerable progress. He built a one- fi fth-scale wind-tunnel model to verify his design and conducted three weeks of testing in WSU’s Walter Beech Wind Tunnel, a 7X10-foot low-speed tunnel used for decades by major manufacturers and developers. Merkel won approval for his initial engineering package and load date from the FAA’s Small Airplane Directorate in Kansas City. He built his prototype, today still the only example, from 1963-1973. Success! Merkel opted to conduct the fi rst fl ight of his creation on April 11, 1973. You were expecting an EFIS, perhaps? Note the inversion of the manifold-pressure gauge. This Success! Well, sort of. The Maverick was way, at maximum power, both the MP and rpm indeed fl ying (with a 220-hp Franklin), needles are pointing the same way. Ah, clever but with no money to move forward on man, this Merkel. certifi cating the design, Merkel Airplane Company went out of existence. But Merkel and the Maverick fl ew on. He Amid these forward-looking times, this continued to develop and evolve his budding aeronautical engineer was design and put the results on display designing an open-cockpit biplane as by fl ying hundreds of small airshows his master’s project? and fl y-in events for nearly 30 years. Merkel would go on to work in the lightplane industry, contributing his passion to manufacturers in and out of Wichita. But it was the development of his thesis—his paper airplane—its realization and evolution, that outlasted all of those jobs put together. Starting in 1963, Merkel acted on an admonition from one of his WSU instructors. “He told me if I really want to understand how general aviation works, I should build and

Here’s something else you don’t see on every aerobatic biplane: a stabilator horizontal tail. All four wing surfaces act as ailerons and droop The tab, which spans nearly two thirds of the together to a maximum of 18° as ﬂ aps. tail, is for both trim and anti-servo function. Kitplanes.com/directory

26 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com Merkel Maverick three aircraft should ﬂ y some day, and continued Merkel’s own Maverick will no longer be the lone example.

After being hiring on at Great Lakes under Dean Franklin in 1980, it appeared Building a Better that Merkel might be able to add to the Aerobatic Biplane Maverick’s numbers. Franklin, then The most obviously distinct trait of owner of Great Lakes, contracted with Merkel’s Maverick is its construction. Merkel to build a Mark II and complete The Maverick is an all-metal airframe, certifi cation work. However, in a tale unusual in a world of biplanes built familiar in general aviation, Franklin with fabric-covered metal or wood- pulled out because of troubles with his and-metal skeletons. Anyone familiar own company. When worked stopped with Mooney airplanes of the past fi ve at Great Lakes in 1982, Merkel moved decades should recognize the blend of back to Wichita with two Mark II air- materials and construction techniques frames, each about 60% complete. Merkel employed in the Maverick. For In the late 1990s, Merkel needed the forward fuselage—with its tandem to replace the original Franklin, so open cockpits and attach points for the he redesigned the Maverick Mark II lower wings—Merkel opted for a weld- into the Mark IIB to take a Lycoming ed structure of 4130 steel tubing that O-360. For a variety of reasons, the stretches from the fi rewall to behind conversion never came to fruition, and the second seat. Rearward from the aft Merkel adapted the plane instead for end of the cockpit, Merkel employed a power that made the Maverick into the semi-monocoque structure of alumi- Mark IIC version fl ying today. With num, skinned in 2024-T3. Much like a the help of neighbor and fellow avia- Mooney, in other words. For pitch control, Merkel opted for tion engineer Dave Blanton, the two This is one of the two other Mavericks, previously 60%-fi nished airframes are in line for a stabilator incorporating a mechanical completed approximately 60%, that Merkel hopes completion, one after the other. All anti-servo trimtab spanning more than will one day join his original in the air.

KITPLANES May 2005 27 Merkel Maverick letters of the alphabet we haven’t seen. legs, was designed by Merkel and fabri- continued Roll control takes the form of four cated to order for the Maverick. full-span aerodynamically balanced three-quarters of the trailing edge. The surfaces. Having four ailerons on a bi- vertical stabilizer sports a conventional plane isn’t unique, but the Maverick’s Everything Old is New balanced rudder with its own ground- surfaces also droop symmetrically as The Maverick Mark IIC uses an old en- adjustable trimtab. fl aps, making them actually fl aperons. gine design that is, surprisingly, fi tted The zero-dihedral wings employ a That’s a lot of effective fl ap area, which with modern touches. Today’s Maver- two-spar design with 2024-T3 skins; the only helps reduce stalling speed. ick takes full advantage of the 250 hp upper wings sweep back 12°. The no- As you’d expect, the landing gear from the LOM 337C six-cylinder in- sweep lower wings mount to extensions is strictly conventional. The mains have verted inline engine and a LOM V541 designed into the steel-tube structure of cantilevered leaf-spring struts made of constant-speed propeller. Built in the the cockpit section; the upper wings E6150 steel, and the steerable tailwheel Czech Republic, the LOM is certifi cated join the upper cage through N-shaped is a cantilevered leaf-spring design. The in its home country. “This is a fairly center-section struts. Outboard from tailwheel assembly stands as the only light motor that has some positive, the fuselage, I-shaped interplane struts commercially available component unique features that would make it an connect the upper and lower wings. in the airframe. Everything else, from ideal powerplant for an economical, There are probably other structural the engine mounts to the landing gear lightweight, high-performance aero-

28 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com batic aeroplane,” Merkel said. At 360 pounds, including a lightweight B&C Specialties alternator and starter, the LOM 337C tips the scales some 15 pounds lighter than a 250- hp Lycoming O-540-A. Aside from its light weight and the elegance of its narrow form factor, the LOM also uses a host of modern touches that increase power and ease the pilot’s workload. For example, this engine provides automatic mixture control that responds to power demand and density altitude. The LOM’s engine-driven supercharger improves the power available by providing a manifold-pressure boost of 6 inches above ambient. “This cockpit- controlled supercharging reminds me of my ﬁ ghter-pilot days when pilot- controlled thrust augmentation by afterburner was a delightful feature of the Century Series ﬁ ghters,” Merkel said. “It’s a nice feature for takeoff and climb, but also affords an extra margin of safety in performing aerobatic maneuvers. You get maximum power up to 3000 AGL around here [approximately 4300 MSL from about 1300 MSL], and that makes a tremendous difference in takeoff and climb,” Merkel said.

Let’s Talk Aerodynamics The Mark IIC delivers a top sea-level speed of 163 mph and 75%-power cruise of 160 mph at 7000 feet MSL. At a 55% economy cruising speed of 125 Ed Merkel and his Maverick. It has to be a labor of love to stay true to the design for so long. Two more mph at the same altitude, the Mav- Mavericks are under construction. erick turns in a 300-mile range with the standard 22.4-gallon tank in the fuselage. The Maverick also delivers at the slow end of the envelope by providing a deliciously slow stall speed. With the ﬂ aperons deployed to their 18° limit, the Merkel Maverick enjoys a maximum aerobatic weight (1600 pounds) stall speed of 51 mph indicated. It’s off the runway in 300 feet and clears a 50-foot obstacle in 406 feet. Sustained climb rate at below gross is 2500 fpm. Takeoff and climb performance does, of course, beneﬁ t from the Maverick’s low weight—

KITPLANES May 2005 29 Merkel Maverick continued

1260 pounds empty—and good aerodynamics. Even at its normal gross weight of 1800 pounds, the Maverick provides a 2200-fpm rate of climb. Merkel takes pride in the low entry speeds and low maximum G loads needed to ﬂ y the Maverick through maneuvers such as loops and Cuban Eights, as well as the simple, safe recovery from six-turn spins in

only 300 feet. Merkel and his partner, wife, fellow pilot and engineer Bonnie Johnson documented the altitude lost with a video camera during tests. It showed that during the six turns and recovery the altitude loss was a mere 2400 feet. What’s more, the Maverick’s spin recovery is, as Merkel put it, “pas- sive idiot proof.” Simply pull the power to idle and release the controls, and the Maverick’s positive control characteristics basically stop the spin with no further input. “The whole idea was to make a modern airplane with the strength, agil- ity and economy of some of the classic biplanes of years gone by—the Bücker, Stampe, Tiger Moth,” Merkel said. Even as many aeronautical engineers seek to reinvent their design philosophies, it’s hard to envision a time when the Merkel Maverick and its originator will not be considered unique.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, contact Ed Merkel at 11 High Point Rd., Valley Center, KS 67147-8566; phone 316/755-2842.

30 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com The Light-Sport BY RON WANTTAJA Aircraft

Revolution: Where Are We Now?

FAA stepped briskly in a new direction. Progress has been The Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA) certifi cation Revisiting the Rule The centerpiece of the new rules is the made since the rule category and the Sport Pilot license prom- was unveiled last ise to revitalize American aviation. legal defi nition of a new type of air- No one expected the changeover craft: the Light-Sport Aircraft. Aircraft summer...and lots to the new rules to be smooth. By na- that meet the LSA defi nition can be more work remains. ture, transitions are diffi cult—there manufactured and maintained a lot are always gotchas no matter how well easier than Standard category aircraft. things are thought out in advance—but Less training is required to fl y them, bout nine months ago, a revolu- the process is continuing apace. and the medical requirements are tion of sorts hit general aviation. KITPLANES® described the new rules much less formal. A Following literally decades of in detail in the November 2004 issue. A new certifi cation category al- ever-more-stringent pilot training and Let’s recap quickly, and then take a look lows simplifi ed development and pro- aircraft certifi cation requirements, the at what’s been put in place since then. duction of new small aircraft. Special

Illustrations: Ron Wanttaja KITPLANES May 2005 31 LSA Update there are signifi cant complex design and two powered parachutes. continued issues for gyroplanes that are unre- The FAA has modifi ed FAA Order solved by the industry.” Sport Pilots 8133.33 to incorporate an LSA sub-cate- Light-Sport Aircraft (SLSAs) can be sold can fl y existing Experimental/Ama- gory into the DAR functions. DAR-LSAs ready-to-fl y or as Experimental Light- teur-Built gyroplanes that meet the will be able to perform the inspections Sport Aircraft (ELSA) kits. Two new re- LSA requirements, but there won’t be necessary to certify ELSAs and perform pairman certifi cates make it easier to any gyroplanes certifi ed as SLSAs for the safety inspection prior to certifi ca- maintain and inspect the new aircraft. the foreseeable future. tion of ready-to-fl y LSA aircraft. A new simplifi ed pilot license One provision of the new rules is The new rule also created two complements these simple aircraft. the elimination of the two-seat ultra- new repairman certifi cates based on Training requirements for the Sport light exemption and a tightening of the LSA category: (1) The LS-Inspection Pilot license are signifi cantly reduced the Part 103 requirements. The FAA is (LS-I) allows the owner of an ELSA to compared to the existing Private and now accepting applications for two- perform the annual condition inspec- Recreational Pilot licenses. Possession seat and “fat” ultralights to receive tion on his or her aircraft; a 16-hour of a valid driver’s license is all that’s ELSA certifi cation. Owners must apply course must be completed to earn the required for proof of medical fi tness. for aircraft registration (an N num- certifi cate. (2) The LS-Maintenance Moreover, persons with higher licenses ber) and have the aircraft undergo a (LS-M) allows a builder to perform can exercise Sport Pilot privileges with one-time inspection by a Designated maintenance, 100-hour inspections a driver’s license in lieu of an FAA med- Airworthiness Representative (DAR). and the annual inspection for a partic- ical...unless their last FAA medical had Existing two-seat ultralight gyroplanes ular LSA class (airplane, weight-shift, been denied or revoked. can receive ELSA certifi cation. glider, etc.); for the airplane class, the It should be understood that a At press time, fi ve ELSA airworthi- course totals 120 hours. Since our last person with a Sport Pilot license can fl y ness certifi cates had been issued, all of update, the FAA has released Order any aircraft that meets the Light-Sport them occurring at the FAA’s fi rst Sport 8000.84 detailing the requirements for Airplane defi nition. They are not lim- Pilot Examiner/Sport Pilot Instructor the two types of repairman certifi cates, ited to fl ying only aircraft certifi ed as Examiner course in Sebring, Florida, and the EAA has announced it will host SLSAs or ELSAs. last January. The fi rst was awarded courses for the repairman certifi cates. to Romke Sikkema and Jeff Hudson’s Dates are yet to be announced. Aircraft Certifi cation Maxair Drifter, a converted ultralight. When the LSA regulations were In addition, certifi cates were awarded fi nally announced, it was believed that Update to the owners of two Air Creation trikes the prohibition against retractable gear If you rushed out on September 1, 2004 to buy a Light-Sport Aircraft (Special or Experimental), you no doubt came home cruelly disappointed. None existed then. SLSAs must be designed One Regulation Change Affects and manufactured in accordance with an industry-developed consensus stan- Experimental/Amateur-Built Pilots dard, but it didn’t yet exist. For the most part, the rule changes that implemented the Sport Pilot and Operating under the auspices of Light-Sport Aircraft programs don’t affect “traditional” homebuilders. The regu- the American Society for Testing and lations covering construction and certifi cation of Experimental/Amateur-Built Materials (ASTM) International (a stan- aircraft are unchanged. dards-development group), the LSA However, there is one change in 14 CFR Part 61 that does affect homebuilt aircraft operation. Entry 14 CFR 61.31 exempts pilots of Experimental aircraft industry group published a large por- from needing the ratings for the appropriate aircraft class. For example, one tion of the standards in October 2004. didn’t need a rotorcraft rating to operate a homebuilt rotorcraft, nor a glider rating At press time, work remained on some for a homebuilt sailplane, nor a multi-engine rating for a twin-engine homebuilt, standards required before SLSA certifi - nor a seaplane rating for an amphibious Experimental. Still true, but as part of the general changes relative to Sport Pilot/Light- cates could be offered, but that work Sport Aircraft, the rule has been changed slightly. Now, an appropriate rating is may very well have been completed by required if a passenger is carried. For instance, one can fl y a homebuilt twin with the time you read this. As soon as the just a Private Pilot ASEL, but the pilot must hold a multi-engine rating to legally standards are fi nalized, the FAA will be carry passengers. ready to offer SLSA certifi cates to manu- This rule change has its greatest impact in the rotorcraft world. Certifi ed training gyroplanes are few; many current gyroplane pilots received their instruc- facturers meeting the standards. That’s tion in two-seat gyros operating on the Part 103 training exemption. The training when production can begin and you’ll didn’t lead to an FAA gyroplane rating; it didn’t need to since the pilots would fi nally get the opportunity to purchase be fl ying homebuilts. Now, though, to legally carry passengers in N-numbered that aircraft you’re longing for. aircraft, these pilots must gain their gyroplane rating. This will require passing both the written and practical tests. These new SLSAs won’t include —Ron Wanttaja gyroplanes. To quote the FAA: “...unlike other kinds of Light-Sport Aircraft,

32 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com would not apply to amphibious air- training course is available for Sport Pi- craft. This is apparently not the case. lot Flight Instructor Examiners (the FAA LSAs may have only “repositionable” representative who will conduct check- gear; in other words, the gear can only rides to authorize Sport Pilot Instructor change position either on the ground ratings). The fi rst Sport Pilot Examiners/ or while in the water. This means that Flight Instructor Examiners graduated any amphibian that allows the pilot on January 22. This course will be of- to retract or extend the gear while in fered at least 12 times in 2005. fl ight cannot be operated by those Owners of two-seat and “fat” with Sport Pilot privileges. ultralights who convert their aircraft to ELSA should remember that they Sport Pilot Update will have to have at least a Sport Pi- lot license to fl y their aircraft. If they If you possess a Recreational Pilot are registered with an FAA-recognized license or higher and possess a valid ultralight association (EAA, USUA or driver’s license, you can now fl y as a ASC), their previous fl ight time counts Sport Pilot unless you were previously towards the license requirements. They denied a medical and did not regain it. will have to pass the written exam and The EAA and FAA are still working to take a fl ight test. Those ultralight pi- establish procedures in these cases. lots registered with the EAA can obtain The FAA instituted the processes their certifi ed training records online. for training new pilots going for their Sport Pilot license in the last months of 2004. Written tests have been What Else? developed, as have the standards for the Read the following articles for more up- practical test. A communications prob- dates and guidance for those pilots and lem within the FAA caused denial of some potential pilots interested in getting of the fi rst batch of applications for Sport involved in the Light-Sport aviation Pilot student certifi cates; the FAA took world. And keep watching KITPLANES® steps to correct the problem. Magazine and www.kitplanes.com for By the time you read this, the fi rst continuing coverage of the implemen- Sport Pilot licenses should have been tation of Sport Pilot and the Light- issued. To assist this process, the FAA Sport Aircraft category. has developed a training course for Sport Pilot Examiners (the FAA repre- FOR MORE INFORMATION, visit http:// sentative who will conduct checkrides afs600.faa.gov/AFS610.htm, the web site for new Sport Pilots). In addition, a for the FAA’s Light-Sport Aviation Branch. Consensus Standards Update: They’re Here!

The industry-developed cover. (It’s important to note that all pound person defi nition, while Part ASTM standards are living documents 23 still uses 170 pounds for Normal consensus standards that must be reviewed every two years category aircraft. for Light-Sport Aircraft and can be changed as needed to One interesting item is the addi- improve their functionality. In other tion of a useful load requirement. For design and quality words, there will be additions and fi xed-wing LSAs, the useful load is de- assurance have arrived. changes in the future.) fi ned as the weight of the occupants Simplifi ed? Yes. But that much (either 190 or 380 pounds, depend- ne of the major hurdles of the different from Standard category re- ing upon the number of seats) plus new Special Light-Sport Aircraft quirements? Not really. one-half the engine horsepower. This O (SLSA) category was the develop- means an LSA manufacturer won’t be ment of industry consensus standards for Structures and Flight able to license a “two-seat” aircraft un- certifi cation. Instead of requiring SLSAs less it can actually carry two 190-pound to be certifi ed per 14 CFR Part 23, the Characteristics occupants plus a nominal amount left FAA is allowing the industry itself to de- ASTM Specifi cation F2245 is the equiv- over for fuel, and still come under the fi ne the certifi cation standards. alent of Part 23. When paging through LSA gross-weight limit of 1320 pounds After a handful of industry meet- the two documents side-by-side, it’s (1430 pounds for seaplanes). ings over the past few years, a number obvious that much of the wording for Load factors are simplifi ed com- of industry standards have been pub- the ASTM spec came right from Part pared to Part 23, and put the fi xed-wing lished. The new document—ASTM 23. The FAA standards cover a wide LSA somewhere between Standard and Standards on Light Sport Aircraft— variety of non-LSA-applicable confi gu- Utility category aircraft. (See Figure 1 provides the design and performance rations and performance (retractable for the specifi c numbers.) Like Part 23 specifi cations for powered parachutes, gear, multiple engines, turbochargers, aircraft, LSAs must include a factor of fi xed-wing aircraft, lighter-than-air and for example) that eliminating these safety of 1.5 (no structural failures until gyroplanes (despite the fact that the areas alone accounts for a signifi cant loading is equal to 1.5 times the load FAA says it will not issue SLSA certifi - drop in the page count. limits listed in Figure 1). However, some cates for gyroplanes in the foreseeable But there are subtle differences. components on LSAs must use higher future). It also includes specifi cations For instance, the LSA spec uses a 190- factors of safety. These include castings, for the required quality assurance and required operational safety monitoring for each type, as well as the design and performance specifi cations for power- plants used by LSAs. For Light-Sport Aircraft, the new standards are the equivalent of 14 CFR Parts 21 (Certifi cation Procedures for Products and Parts), 23 (Airworthiness Standards: Normal Category), 27 (Air- worthiness Standards: Rotorcraft), and 33 (Airworthiness Standards: Engines). My commercial copy of these regulations is more than 240 pages long. The ASTM Standards book is 83 pages and includes some elements (such as powered parachutes) that the FARs don’t Figure 1.

34 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com BY RON WANTTAJA

fi ttings, control system components the standard TBO of and seat and seat belt attachments. the engine can be Flight characteristic requirements set to 80% of the are similar to those of Part 23. The total time accumulated aircraft must exhibit positive stability during the fl ight testing. in all axes and be controllable through its entire c.g. range. Spin requirements are slightly Quality different. An LSA for which the manu- Assurance facturer will prohibit spins must meet the same spin requirements as Part and Operational 23 Normal category aircraft: It must Safety recover from a one-turn or 3-second spin (whichever takes longer) within Monitoring a single additional turn after starting The released standards also the recovery sequence. LSAs that are include specifi cations for approved for spinning must recover the required quality assur- from a three-turn spin within one ance programs for LSAs, as and a half turns of initiating recov- well as specifying the standard ery. Part 23 requires a six-turn spin practices for monitoring and for Utility and Acrobatic categories. maintaining airworthiness of One interesting item is in each aircraft in the fi eld. the Required Equipment section. Under Quality assurance includes Flight and Navigation Instruments, only a system with designated inspectors and estab- an airspeed indicator and altimeter are equivalent in-fl ight lishment of the record keeping listed. As required by 14 CFR 91.205, reliability. Single-seat aircraft required during the manufacturing Standard category aircraft must also are allowed to use single-ignition process. An operational safety fl ight have a compass. While it doesn’t apply engines. Electronic controllers used test is required of all SLSAs after com- to Special Light-Sport Aircraft, it’s cu- with LSA engines must be single-fault pletion. A sampling of the produced rious that a compass requirement was tolerant: No single failure should cause aircraft also undergo a Design Confi r- left off the consensus standard. a signifi cant loss of engine power. mation Flight Test, which verifi es that Engine manufacturers must per- the aircraft produced complies with form either of two durability tests to the original design requirements. Engine Standards establish the time between overhaul The Specifi cations for Operational The requirements for Light-Sport Aircraft (TBO) of new engines: Safety Monitoring establishes the process engines are contained in ASTM Specifi ca- The Accelerated Overhaul Test is a by which the manufacturer monitors tion F2339. This spec is just three pages ground test that simulates the typical the problems that occur in the aircraft it long, versus 20 pages for Part 33 (Airwor- life of the engine through its specifi ed has produced and the process by which thiness Requirements: Engines) in the overhaul period. It is operated with owners are notifi ed of recommended traditional FARs. But, again, a signifi cant a propeller and all accessories. About or required actions. Manufacturers will portion of Part 33 addresses items not 8.3% of the time must be at full power review service diffi culties and perform allowed on LSA aircraft (turbochargers (5 minutes every hour), and the engine a simple risk assessment procedure to and jet engines, for example). must be stopped and restarted at least evaluate the need for notifi cation and Not all LSAs must use engines once every 5 hours. At the end of the required changes. that comply with Specifi cation F2339. test period, a teardown must confi rm One interesting item in these The design requirements for powered that all engine components conform to specifi cations is the requirement that parachutes state that an FAA type cer- at least the overhaul limits established a manufacturer make an effort to fi nd tifi cate is not required, and comments by the manufacturer. If so, the TBO can an entity to assume the operational that “...the engine is not considered to be set to the test period used. safety monitoring function should it be a safety-of-fl ight component.” How- The other option is Endurance no longer be able to support the air- ever, both the fi xed-wing and gyroplane Testing by Fleet Leader. The engine craft. Hopefully, this should reduce the specifi cations require that engines meet is installed on an aircraft and exten- problems faced by those who end up Specifi cation F2339 as a minimum. sively fl own. Periodic inspections are owning “orphaned” airplanes. Engines certifi ed under 14 CFR Part 33, required, but replacement of any part Still under review at press time is JAR-E or JAR-22 are also permitted. requires the test clock to be “zeroed” the specifi cation for LSA maintenance. The engine spec includes a again. At the conclusion of the endur- This specifi cation will describe the re- requirement for full dual ignition ance test, the engine is torn down and quired level of detail in LSA maintenance (two plugs per cylinder, two sepa- inspected. If all components are still in manuals and the qualifi cations neces- rate sources of electrical energy), or conformance with the overhaul limits, sary to perform certain procedures.

KITPLANES May 2005 35 See you at Sun ‘n Fun A world-class light aircraft company Lafayette Texan The Lafayette Texan is a real Consensus Standards Texan. Solid, powerful, proud continued The and loyal, it loves wide-open Lafayette spaces. Wallaby (LSA) Smart little bird with farst foldning wings, The FAA small store’s can be equipped with ballistic parachute of the Certifi cation Process BRS/GRS serie and winter kit unique in it’s category and When a manufacturer is ready to pro- exding to fly. duce a Normal category airplane, the company submits paperwork showing New Masschi Lafayette STORK Series (LSA) its analyses and the results of its fl ight a 100 hp Engine. Only 56 kg The Stork classic has high aerodynamic test program to the FAA. There, gov- with radiator/engines support, efficiency allows for a shorter take-off and oil and water. 2,6 liter. 3000/min. landning roll,a rapid clime rate, and a fast ernment specialists examine the data No reduction. Distribute AGA cruise speed. to verify that the new airplane does, indeed, meet Part 23 requirements. AGA Head Office & Workshop 1270 Biscayne Blvd, Suite 7 & 8 • Deland, Florida, 32724 • Phone: 386 740 7140 • Fax: 386 740 8621 The LSA process is much simpler. www.aircraftkit.com • www.contactaircraftkit.com • [email protected] The manufacturer submits the aircraft’s operating instructions, maintenance and inspection procedures, fl ight training supplement data and an affi davit stating that the airplane meets the LSA consensus standard. The aircraft itself undergoes a safety inspection by the FAA, but otherwise, there is no FAA verifi cation of the manufacturer’s analysis or test information. The manufacturer merely agrees to allow the FAA unrestricted access to its facilities if so desired. It’s worth noting again, however, that a task group was formed at an October 2004 ASTM meeting to inves- tigate whether an independent audit method of some sort should be put in place. In theory, an audit would allow a third-party representative to examine hard evidence to determine whether the aircraft manufacturer has adhered to the rules for design and quality assurance created by the manufacturers themselves. Some in the industry have called for mandatory audits to be required and others have suggested that any type of audit system be completely voluntary. Still others believe that no audit guidelines should be added to the consensus standards. (For more detail, see “An LSA Standards Progress Report” on Page 33 of the March 2005 issue of KITPLANES®). How will all this work? We’re about to fi nd out.

TO ORDER a copy of the ASTM Standards on Light-Sport Aircraft, visit www.astm. org and search for “aircraft04.” Cost is $125 in North America, $138 elsewhere.

36 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com Making The Choice: BY RON WANTTAJA Amateur-Built vs. SLSA vs. ELSA

Are you a potential and none of the maintenance or modi- condition inspection. This Repairman aircraft buyer confused fi cation rules of SLSA or ELSA apply. Certifi cate is applicable only to that Forgive the redundancy, but let’s just particular aircraft and is not transfer- by all these options? drive this point home, because it’s one able to any subsequent owner. Those Start here. that’s lost on many newcomers to the who purchase completed homebuilts LSA rule: If you currently fl y a 51% must either have the original builder homebuilt that meets the LSA aircraft or a licensed A&P mechanic perform ith the advent of the Light-Sport defi nition, you do not have to (nor can condition inspections. Aircraft category, potential you) make any changes to the aircraft Other than that, things are pretty W lightplane buyers have two new certifi cation. If you don’t want to renew much wide open. The owner may per- choices: They can buy a ready-to-fl y LSA your medical, you’re simply able to fl y form all maintenance and repairs and can (a Special Light-Sport Aircraft, or SLSA) it under Sport Pilot privileges as long make any modifi cations desired. If the or build an Experimental Light-Sport Air- as you conform to the more restricted modifi cations are major (such as chang- craft (ELSA) from plans or a kit. fl ight rules. ing engine type), the builder is required These new categories offer free- A builder of an Ex/AB aircraft can to have the aircraft inspected by the FAA doms—and restrictions—different from receive a Repairman Certifi cate that or a Designated Airworthiness Represen- those of the traditional Experimental/ allows him or her to perform the annual tative (DAR) and fl y off a test period. Amateur-Built aircraft. The fi nal choice among the three will depend on the desires and goals of the customer. Let’s take a closer look at the differences between these two new LSA categories and Experimental/Amateur- Built aircraft. Traditional Homebuilts Let’s clear up one point right away: The Experimental/Amateur-Built (Ex/ AB) category was not changed by the new rules. You are still allowed to build to your heart’s desire as long as 51% of the tasks are performed for recreation or education. The new LSA categories are brand new, not changes to the Ex/ AB rules. If your Ex/AB homebuilt meets the basic defi nition of a Light-Sport Aircraft (given in 14 CFR Part 1), you can fl y it with a Sport Pilot license (or higher license) without an FAA medical. The airplane remains in its original Experimental Amateur-Built category,

Illustrations: Ron Wanttaja KITPLANES May 2005 37 Making the Choice issuing mandatory safety alerts and ap- continued proving modifi cations are all left in the hands of the manufacturer. The FAA does not issue ADs on SLSAs—but the Special Light- manufacturer can issue a Safety Alert that owners must comply with. (ADs Sport Aircraft on certifi ed parts on SLSAs—such as a The rules for SLSA—basically, ready- Lycoming or Continental engines—are to-fl y LSAs—are closer to Standard still mandatory.) category aircraft. Owners can perform It’s unknown how much leeway limited preventative maintenance, but the manufacturers are going to grant. all repairs, major maintenance and They may say, for instance, that any required inspections are the province radio that fi ts within a given space of professional aircraft maintainers. may be installed as long as certain pre- However, a new type professional cautions are followed. Or, they may maintainer’s license was created for the require the installation of a particular SLSAs: The Light-Sport Maintenance radio. In which case, you’re stuck. (LS-M) Repairman Certifi cate. The holder of an LS-M can perform main- Experimental Light- tenance, 100-hour inspections and the annual inspection for a particular Sport Aircraft LSA class (airplane, weight-shift, glider, ELSA is a brand-new certifi cation cate- etc.). Any A&P mechanic can also per- gory under the Experimental umbrella. form these tasks. While there are similarities to the Ama- Those who modify Standard teur-Built category, ELSA is entirely category aircraft must document the separate. Just because something is process with the local FAA offi ce, either allowed in Ex/AB does not mean it’s a Form 337 for minor modifi cations or permitted in ELSA, or vice-versa. a Supplemental Type Certifi cate for There are three basic ways an air- major ones that need FAA approval. craft can receive an ELSA airworthiness The good news—neither Form 337s certifi cate: (1) conversion of a former nor an STC is necessary for SLSAs. The two-seat ultralight trainer (through bad news—that’s because no one can early 2008), (2) construction of the air- modify an SLSA except in accordance craft from an ELSA kit or plans, and (3) with the aircraft manufacturer’s proce- conversion of an existing SLSA. dures. (That’s if you want the aircraft It takes no FAA approval to put to remain an SLSA—we’ll get into tran- together an Ex/AB kit to sell to other sitioning categories below.) builders. A potential ELSA manufac- The FAA is completely out of the turer, however, must build a prototype modifi cation and maintenance loop on aircraft, ensure it meets the LSA con- SLSAs. Tracking mechanical problems, sensus standards, pass the FAA inspec-

Neither the Special Light-Sport Aircraft nor the Experimental Light-Sport Aircraft category is directly connected with the Experimental/Amateur-Built category.

38 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com U. S. DEALERS WANTED tion and receive the SLSA certifi cate. At that point, the manufacturer can either begin producing ready-to-fl y SLSAs or ELSA kits. The building process is different from traditional homebuilts. Unlike Ex/AB aircraft, the ELSA builder must strictly comply with the manufacturer’s instructions—no changes or modifi cations are allowed. Like the SLSA, if the manufacturer specifi es a Fysbyn 5000 navcom, that’s the only radio you may use. You must use the specifi ed materials, you must use the named epoxy, and you must install the engine called for by the manufacturer. In exchange for these considerable restrictions, there is no 51% requirement. An ELSA kit can be sold from 0% to 99% completed. The After the aircraft is inspected by the FAA (or DAR) and receives its ELSA airworthiness certifi cate...well, things open up considerably. The owner is no Allegro 2000 longer restricted by the manufacturer’s instructions. He or she may change Light Sport Aircraft by Fantasy Air USA™ the aircraft as they desire as long as it still meets the gross weight, stall speed, cruise speed and other limitations of • Light Sport Approved the LSA defi nition. The local FAA may • ELSA - Quick Build Kits also require a repeat of the test period. Like an Ex/AB aircraft, the owner • SLSA - Ready-To-Fly can also perform all maintenance. • Also Available With Floats ELSA aircraft builders do not receive Repairman Certifi cates, so they cannot perform the annual condition inspec- Contact: B Bar D Aviation - U. S. Fantasy Air® Distributor tions on their aircraft. However, they can take a 16-hour training course to Phone: (336) 449-7770 Fax: (336) 449-9923 receive the new Light-Sport Inspector E-mail: [email protected] (LS-I) Repairman Certifi cate. An LS-I holder can perform the annual on any ELSA that they own. Unlike subsequent www.BbarDaviation.com owners of an Ex/AB, one will be able to take the course once and then annual any ELSAs they later buy. Before you second-hand homebuilt owners clog the phone likes with your next question, here’s the answer: An existing aircraft cannot be re-certifi ed as an ELSA. I’d love to transition my purchased Fly Baby to ELSA so I could do my own annuals instead of fi nding an A&P every year, but no dice. The same holds true for new-construction Ex/AB aircraft, unless the kit manufacturer receives SLSA certifi cation for the design. And even then, only airplanes begun subsequent to the WWW.EGGENFELLNERAIRCRAFT.COM certifi cation would qualify.

KITPLANES May 2005 39 Making the Choice continued

The SLSA to ELSA Transition There is an interesting feature in the ELSA rules. As noted above, the owner of an existing SLSA can transition his or her plane to ELSA. This means you can buy a ready-to-fl y aircraft, apply for an ELSA certifi cate, and, once it is received, you can do nearly anything you want. Want an auto-engine airplane but don’t want to spend years building an Ex/AB machine? Buy an SLSA, switch to an ELSA certifi cate, pull the installed engine, and put in your favorite Subaru or Honda. You’ll need the FAA signoff and have to fl y off a test period, and, of course, the plane must still meet the basic LSA defi nition. That’s probably the most interesting thing about ELSA: If you take the LS-I course, you’ll have the same freedoms as an Ex/AB builder without having to actually build an aircraft! Buy a ready- to-fl y plane, convert it to ELSA (if it isn’t already), then do all your own maintenance and inspections and modify it to match your needs. But the Ex/AB still has plenty of benefi ts as well: it’ll cost you less overall (because in general, the more time you spend building, the less money you’ll spend), you won’t be limited to the fl ight restrictions if you fl y with a Private Pilot license, and you won’t have to take any course to be able to perform maintenance, modifi cations and inspections. Then there’s that sat- Built better than it has to be. isfaction knowing that you truly built Thorp T211 SPORT-E your machine. FAA Certified Normal Category, or It’s all a game of tradeoffs. The Light Sport Aircraft/Sport Pilot Ready big thing to remember: SLSA, ELSA and Experimental 51% Quick Build Kit Experimental/Amateur-Built are three Builder Assistance Program separate categories with three sets of Matched Hole Drilled rules. Each category has its benefi ts, IFR Capable and each category has some drawbacks. By careful comparison of the rules, you can pick out the perfect ownership option for your situation.

Indus Aviation, Inc FOR MORE INFORMATION, visit http:// afs600.faa.gov/AFS610.htm, the web site 5681 Apollo Dr., Dallas, TX 75237 877-GO INDUS www.indusav.com for the FAA’s Light-Sport Aviation Branch.

40 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com ort BY RICK LINDSTROM From Fat to Light

If you fl y a two-seat or bit. But Part 103 will remain as-is; you to do your own maintenance and in- can still fl y and maintain your true, less- spections with a Repairman Certifi cate overweight ultralight, than-254-pound ultralight as before. without supplemental training. There you have until January If you own a machine heavier are also no prohibitions against fl y- than 254 pounds, you have options ing over FAA-defi ned congested areas. 2008 to transition to beyond simply hanging it up when the However, you may not use the aircraft another category. rules change. There isn’t a big rush, for any commercial purpose, includ- however, as the deadline for converting fl ight training. You may also be re- ing your aircraft to a different category quired to fl y off anywhere from 10 to f you’re an ultralight pilot, you’ve won’t arrive for nearly three years. 40 hours, regardless of how much time likely been following the Sport Pilot/ All of the options involve get- has already been fl own. ILight-Sport Aircraft proposal. Before ting an N number, fi reproof dataplate The other option, converting to the rule was unveiled, we weren’t sure and airworthiness certifi cate for your ELSA, also has its share of pros and exactly what the implications would be airplane, and a Sport Pilot (or higher) cons. Because the 51% rule doesn’t for pilots of single- and two-place ultra- certifi cate for yourself. Also required apply to this class, forget about docu- light vehicles. Now we know that “fat” is an airworthiness inspection, a menting the building process. And (heavier than 254 pounds) and two- fl ight test prior to carrying passengers two-place aircraft can continue to seat ultralights will no longer be legal and for two-seat aircraft, an ELT. The be used for training until January to fl y after January 31, 2008. inspection is conducted by an FAA 31, 2010. As an ELSA owner, you can Before you dust off your black examiner or designated airworthiness continue to do preventive and over- suit and order fl owers for the funeral, representative (DAR), who are cur- all maintenance, but you must take take heart. The ability to fl y these air- rently in short supply. (The FAA has a 16-hour course to earn the new craft legally will remain. True, it does already recognized this need and is Light-Sport Inspector (LS-I) Repairman involve becoming part of the system beefi ng up its infrastructure.) Certifi cate to perform 100-hour or that applies to all certifi ed, Experi- There are other requirements as annual inspections (and only on your mental/Amateur-Built and the new well, having to do with proper switch, airplanes, not for hire). Further, ELSA category of Light-Sport aircraft. control and instrument markings. The aircraft are prohibited from fl ying over Many of us witnessed the emer- word Experimental must be prominently congested areas. gence of the powered hang glider— displayed near the cabin entrance, and Although the FAA charges noth- borne of a chainsaw motor coupled to your 3-inch N numbers must contrast ing for the required aircraft inspections, a crudely fashioned propeller—quickly with the background. In short, you’ll EAA members can save the cost of the followed by the explosive growth of need to conform to the standards that inspection by a DAR, as the organiza- the ultralight industry. The relatively apply to most other categories of Experi- tion underwrites the customary fees, simple Part 103 was grudgingly accept- mental aircraft, including a weight-and- which average $325. You may receive ed to bring some semblance of order balance sheet. additional discounts on the repairman and safety to aviation’s own band of Did you build your airplane from courses through the association. EAA innovators who pioneered fl ying on plans or a kit? As long as you can docu- can also guide members through the sofa change. Suddenly, almost any- ment that you built 51% or more with required paperwork to apply for an N one who wanted to fl y could. Arise, a building log and photos and can number and aircraft registration. common man! show the chain of ownership from the Once the FAA issues an N num- As the ultralights themselves kit manufacturer to you, consider con- ber, your previous ultralight is no more became more sophisticated and verting your aircraft to Experimental/ and may not be legally fl own until capable—and heavier—the ultralight Amateur-Built. The other option is to the conversion process to ELSA or Ex- community itself proudly maintained convert to Experimental Light-Sport perimental/Amateur-Built is complete. its tradition of the proletariat avia- Aircraft (ELSA). Both paths have some And starting then, you’ll need that tor. The reputation for scorning the advantages and disadvantages. Sport Pilot certifi cate to fl y legally. So burden of regulation in favor of inde- Going the Experimental/Amateur- a little planning with the calendar can pendence, self-reliance and freedom is Built route involves the same consid- help you avoid being grounded during well earned. Predictably, any new rules erations for other homebuilts meeting those glorious sunlit days that beckon coming down the road tend to chafe a the LSA limits, including being able with warm air and soft winds.

KITPLANES May 2005 41 Mike Campbell’s Giles 202 Primal Fear is an example of detail design and paint application that’s gone way, way over the top. And Campbell wouldn’t have it any other way.

In Search of… the Perfect Paint Job Part 1: It’s about understanding the basics so you don’t build a Frankenplane.

BY RICK LINDSTROM

gly. Unless you’re confronting pleasure to behold, or just makes you for 20 bucks, there’s just one thing to inclement weather blocking wince, is often dictated by how the do: Tell him to keep walking. U your route or a last-minute IFR paint job turned out. Ugly, like beauty, Fortunately, you can easily avoid routing that bears little resemblance to is in the eye of the beholder. ending up with a “Frankenplane” with your initial plan, ugly is a word that you And, boy, there are some real a bit of planning during the building seldom hear in aviation. stinkers out there. You’ve probably phase and avoiding the temptation Good airplanes are inherently seen a few yourself, hiding in dark to rush through the fi nal fi nishing beautiful—the exceptions might be hangars or tucked out of the way in a process. You may not be building special-use aircraft built for singular remote corner of the ramp. In many a future Grand Champion, but not mission profi les, but they’re no doubt cases, these visual abominations are having to make excuses for how your beautiful in their own way. This natu- the direct result of impatience in airplane looks is, on the face of it, a ral beauty can be destroyed instantly completing the airplane, or bungling good thing. The goal of this series is by a badly designed or applied paint the design and application of the to help the builder avoid the common job. Perhaps it’s not fair, but the ini- fi nshing touch. If that guy with the roll pitfalls encountered when fi nishing tial reaction to an airplane is governed of masking tape and a can of Krylon the typical metal, composite, tube and by how it greets the eye. Whether it’s a offers to do the stripes on your airplane fabric, or wood airplane.

42 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com Form Following Most homebuilders do not have computer with a high-speed Internet a background in graphic design, so the connection, you can quickly browse a Function design of an individual paint scheme cornucopia of paint schemes that have Paint does a lot more than improve is rarely hatched without some outside worked well for other builders. the appearance of an airplane. It helps assistance. Noting what looks right (to Craig Barnett is the motivating protect the surface of the airframe you) on other airplanes is a good place force behind Scheme Designers (www. from corrosion and the harmful effects to start while considering the require- schemedesigners.com), an Internet- of UV radiation. Although many metal ments of your particular airframe. Most based company that specializes in airplanes do just fi ne with a polished builders have at least a rough idea of creating custom designs for all things surface, composite, fabric and wood what they want their fi nished project aeronautical. Having “grown up in airframes owe their continuing air- to look like before the big box is fi rst the back of an airplane” and having worthiness to maintaining a protective unpacked, but others will put off even signifi cant experience in computer- coat of paint. thinking about it until it’s time to begin aided design, Barnett has taken his art The design of the paint scheme the fl ight test part of the project. to an unprecedented level. With a few makes a defi nitive statement about the Ideally, planning your perfect mouse clicks, you can peruse myriad purpose of the airplane. Military replicas paint job will start a year or so prior to sample designs of many popular kits usually sport authentic camoufl age and at no cost whatsoever. Although the unit markings, aerobatic performers services of Scheme Designers are in tend more toward the bold and bright, high demand from many certifi ed and record-setting aircraft leave plenty aircraft manufacturers, they certainly of room for displaying their sponsor haven’t ignored the homebuilder. logos. Many classic aircraft feature “The Internet is a wonderful tool painted accents over polished alumi- for discovery,” Barnett says. “And every- num or naked metal fuselages mated one can use some design help at some with painted wings and fl ying surfaces. point.” Having provided designs for Some builders regard their airframes as fl ying works of art, opting to involve airbrush artists to create a one-of-kind A detail of Campbell’s exotic Giles 202. Airbrush paint scheme that pulls the observer in artistry can lend a true “other world” attitude to to a whole new level. your project. Coming up with the ideal paint scheme for a particular airframe depends on the surface to be painted, the state- the fi rst fl ight. Strange as it may seem, ment the builder wishes to make, and your most valuable design tool may above all personal taste. Most designs well be your personal computer. complement the kinetic nature of the airplane, with the elegant simplicity of one- Design Shopping Online or two-color horizontal accents over a You could start the design process with solid base coat. This is the most common some airframe line drawings and a box of Once upon a time when paint was expensive and design in certifi ed and homebuilt aircraft colored pencils, but why not see what’s saving weight was everything, many designs due to its straightforward nature in both been done before with a similar airframe? used polished aluminum with paint only as a trim design and application. If you’ve already invested in a modern color. Still looks good today, doesn’t it?

Neo-military paint schemes can help bring out the “inner ﬁ ghter” in many designs.

KITPLANES May 2005 43 Photos: Rick Lindstrom, Mike Campbell; Illustrations: Courtesy of Scheme Designers, AircraftColor.com Perfect Paint continued almost every airframe from the Kitfox to the Boeing 727, Scheme Design- ers has a “soup to nuts” approach to their services. For a fl at rate of $995, Scheme Designers will produce a custom paint scheme design based on the input of the client, as well as Barnett’s creativity and experience. This includes as many design revisions as needed to reach a fi - nal, approved design. Often a client will choose a particular scheme, and then have a change of heart after having lived with the high-resolution rendering for a while. So, the more time you have to live A well-executed design can lend some swoop and curve to even utilitarian designs—to very good effect. with your particular design before com- mitting it to paint, the better. But if changes are required, so be it. The ultimate goal is to make sure the client remains pleased with the chosen design before the fi nal detailed drawings and specifi cations are delivered to the paint shop. “We typically spend three months in the design process, from start to fi nish,” says Barnett. “But sometimes it goes much longer.” Clients are sometimes surprised to fi nd Scheme Designers anticipating minor touches like the placement of logos or the pilot’s name under the canopy in various font styles. Indeed, the fi nal specifi cations package provided to the paint shop may run up to 15 pages, including pre- Professional design help can give you a tremendous set of tools and, almost as important, another set cise placement and measurements of of eyes to vet design concepts—even if you choose to start from a “canned” design like this. accents. “No matter how good the design looks on paper,” Barnett says, “it always looks better on the airplane.” to a grand for a unique, personalized You can even download profi le line But if you’re building a taildragger, paint scheme seems excessive, you can drawings of many kit aircraft for free, it’s important to consider how the spend $39.95 at Scheme Designer’s although you should know that the proposed scheme will look in both sister company, AircraftColor.com, for number of kit types is greatly outnum- attitudes. “Sometimes, it just doesn’t access to 3000-plus canned designs. bered by certifi ed aircraft. look right unless the tail is up on a True, they may not have the individual If the color profi le line draw- box,” adds Barnett. personality of a custom job, but for ing download you purchased seems If the thought of spending close the money, it’s a good place to start. inadequate to take to the paint shop,

Good design ﬁ rms will show you mockups of your paint scheme as they would look on the ground and in ﬂ ight.

44 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com you can add on increasing levels of customization through Scheme Design- ers, who will credit the $39.95 toward further services. The $150 Base Package adds your individual N-number and a variety Painless • Safer • Quieter of color options without making any design changes to your specifi c aircraft type. Detailed specifi cations, however, Painless, Safer Seat Cushions are not included. for Any RV or Other The $300 Bronze Package adds See Us at custom colors, as well as detailed specs Homebuilt Aircraft SUN ’N FUN and drawings to ensure precise place- Bldg. A-40 ment of accents. The $495 Silver Package adds the • Aircraft Interior Upgrades ability to rework a single design with as RV-8 many minor design changes as needed • Painless, Quieter Headset Upgrades to achieve the desired results. A client • ShockBlockers™ Insole Inserts website is created to archive all of the design variations for future reference. Free 800-888-6910 • www.OregonAero.com The $595 Gold Package gives the Catalog client the option of modifying a design Money back guarantee. Visa, MasterCard and US Government IMPAC cards accepted. created for a different airframe type for use on another aircraft, with as many FOUR STROKE POWER! THE 700E - 60 H.P. revisions as needed to reach the desired graphical effect. The $995 Platinum Package is • LIGHTPLANES • 122 LBS. COMPLETE the same as going straight to Scheme • UL TRAINERS • LOW FUEL CONSUMPTION Designers in the fi rst place, for a full- • GYROS • SUPER QUIET MUFFLERS blown, highly detailed, custom design • TRIKES • 2 REDUCTION RATIOS project with all the bells and whistles. • REPLICAS • PUSHER OR TRACTOR If you use a Windows XP sys- • PPC’s • WARRANTY tem, you can even work real-time HPower - LTD. with Scheme Designers once you’ve contracted for their design services. P.O. Box 690 Being able to work interactively in real Ellington, CT 06029 time saves the delay involved in the 860-875-8185 • Fax 860-870-5499 • HUNDREDS FLYING review and approval process for any given stage in the project. “You can www.HKS700E.com - SPECS • 3 VIEWS • INSTALLATIONS see exactly what I’m seeing, while I’m doing it,” says Barnett. “Unfortunately, it’s not available to you Mac guys.” Another online design service is offered by Aircraft Paint Schemes A 2 Place Cross Country Gyroplane! (www.aircraftpaintschemes.com). For Tax deductible $39.95, you’re allowed to access the Crop dusting Predator control company’s database of 948 designs (as Windmill inspection of this writing) for 30 days and down- Stock count & inspection load them in PDF format via Adobe Arial photography & mapping Acrobat. These consist of color pro- Power, pipe & fence inspection fi le drawings, but no modifi cations or Brochure • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Free placement specifi cations are included Info pack • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • $12 USD at this price point. Line drawings of Info pack & video NTSC (110v) • • • $28 USD Info pack & video PAL(220v) • • • • $40 USD 378 specifi c aircraft are available at $19.95 each in various formats. Should you purchase a profi le line drawing of your airplane, you can download free drawing software to try your hand at designing your own ROTARY AIR FORCE MARKETING INC. TEL: 306-463-6030 scheme. For $129.95, you can have a Box 1236, 1107-9th Street West FAX: 306-463-6032 photo of a paint scheme from another Kindersley, SK. Canada S0L 1S0 Email: [email protected] airplane transferred to your aircraft For more details visit www.raf2000.com type, in your desired colors with your

KITPLANES May 2005 45 Perfect Paint Whether you need just a little or Preparing to Paint continued a whole lot of help in coming up with Once the fi nal design has been nailed the perfect design for the perfect paint N-number. Unlimited Custom Design is job, your computer can make the task down, it’s time to start planning the available for $650, where an artist is as- of reviewing existing designs or creat- fi nishing process. Most homebuilts are signed to your project until consensus ing a new one much easier. Best of all, fl ight-tested without any adornment is achieved. The fi nal design is fi rst de- it will certainly help avoid any possible or in a primer coat only, other than livered via e-mail in a PDF fi le, followed disappointments when your freshly temporary N-numbers, as there’s no by a full-color 8.5x14-inch laminated painted project is rolled out into the reason to risk dinging up the beautiful rendering for use by the paint shop. sunlight for the fi rst time. paint job as the airframe is undergoing

Earl Hibler’s Baby Doll Reno racer uses a very speciﬁ c paint scheme to make its intentions known.

46 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com Inspiration is where you ﬁ nd it. It’s said that airbrush artists aren’t “like the rest of us.”

fi nal adjustments and tweaking. Typi- cally, a homebuilt will have a few fl ight hours on the meter once the pilot is fi nally satisfi ed with the fl ying qualities and is ready for the fi nishing touch. (Then again, some pilots never seem to get around to painting their projects, opting for the bare metal look as they swear they’ll fi nish the plane “someday” as they happily rack up the Before you can start spraying anything resembling fi nal color, you must have the overall scheme fl ight time in their pride and joy.) worked out. There’s no such thing as shoot fi rst, think later. Whether you’re working with a paint shop or doing the painting yourself, the airframe will need to be and contaminants. If you’re tempted airframe parts will need to have their prepared to receive the fi nish coats. As to apply corrosion-blocking compound pinholes fi lled and sealed, and primer the preparation of different types of (other than primer) to the inside of a applied and sanded smooth. Water- airframes (composite, metal, fabric and metal or tube airframe prior to paint- borne polyurethane primers can be wood) varies, we’ll discuss the process ing, don’t. These corrosion inhibitors applied with a foam roller or spray gun; for each surface type in detail later in have a tendency to fi ll gaps and voids in they dry quickly and feature easy water this series. But no matter what your air- the structure and will migrate through clean-up and UV inhibitors. frame is made of, there are some con- rivet holes and joints to the exterior, Dents, voids and low spots will siderations that are common to all. preventing primers and paint from need to be fi lled and sanded smooth; All surfaces to be painted will adhering properly. the fi ller material used will be depen- need to be absolutely free of grease Composite surfaces and molded dent upon the airframe material.

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KITPLANES May 2005 47 Perfect Paint continued

The best paint jobs result when the airframe is disassembled into its major component groups, such as wings, fuselage and control surfaces. It’s much easier to paint both sides of a wing when it’s detached from the fuselage, especially with low-wing aircraft. Because the weight of freshly applied paint can easily change the balance of the control surfaces, it’s imperative that the controls are rebalanced prior to reassembly. “Painting is 90 percent preparation,” says Steve Green of Steve Green Aircraft Reﬁ nishing in Ashland, Or- egon. Green paints a good number of RVs and Lancairs every year, and is in- timately familiar with preparing home-

Actual Size 6"W x 2.75"H x 2.5"D builts for paint. “The builder knows the airplane best, so together, we disassem- ble as much as possible—right down to removing the canopy rails.” Anticipation So now you’ve got a detailed paint plan Prices include probes. in hand and an airframe that looks like it has leprosy from the ﬁ ller and primer spots, and you just can’t wait to see your project resplendent in its new livery. But before paint can be applied to the airframe, we have a few more decisions to make. In our next installment, we’ll compare traditional spray systems with High Volume Low Pressure (HVLP) units and discuss the various primer and coating options available for each airframe type.

Contact Information AIRCRAFTCOLOR.COM www.aircraftcolor.com 201/569-7785

AIRCRAFT PAINT SCHEMES www.aircraftpaintschemes.com 530/265-8878

SCHEME DESIGNERS www.schemedesigners.com 201/569-7785 STEVE GREEN AIRCRAFT REFINISHING www.stevegreenair.com Kitplanes.com/directory 541/482-2635

48 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com The Priming Box Every construction method, whether composite, metal, wood or tube-and- Spray Booth rag, has dozens of small parts that have to be primed or painted before fi nal assembly. Beginning builders quickly learn that setting the parts down on a board in the corner of the shop and giving them a quick squirt with the spray gun just doesn’t work. Overspray drifts everywhere, and light aluminum parts are simply blown off the board Secrets into the dust and chips that abound in even the cleanest workshops. One simple solution to both problems is a large cardboard box with an open top. The box should be lined with furnace fi lters, and the top covered with hardware cloth or window screen. You can set the parts on the screen where the blast of the gun can pass by. The fi lters will trap the great majority of the overspray before it can rebound and fl oat around. Want to increase the effi ciency of the box? Cut a hole near the bottom of the box and hook up a shop vacuum. The vacuum will pull air through the box, helping keep the overspray in the

Here’s a simpliﬁ ed look at what a basic walk-in paint booth might look like. The illustration depicts a “puller” version, in which the fan is placed next to the ﬁ nal exhaust exit. Most experts agree that this type of setup allows for slower air movement in the booth—this means that spray patterns are not disturbed and the result will be better.

With basic materials and a little know-how, box where the fi lters can trap it. It’s hard to beat this priming box you can build a respectable paint booth. idea for cheap and simple, and it is surprisingly effective. It works best if it BY ISHMAEL FUENTES can be set up outside, where the vapors and overspray that do escape don’t poison the shop. aint is nasty stuff. It is normally that keeps the paint in and bad things applied as an atomized mist; a out—a paint booth. Professional shops P state in which it fl oats around have entire rooms, some of them big The Paint Closet in the slightest breeze and lands in all enough to contain a Boeing, dedicated A more elaborate variation on the sorts of places it doesn’t belong. As a to paint. Those of us building airplanes theme might be called a paint cup- semi-liquid resting on a surface, it will in our garages don’t have the luxury of board or paint closet. It isn’t big happily trap dust, drill chips and insects a permanent paint booth, and, really, enough for the painter to enter, but unknown to science and preserve them we don’t need one. We’re only going it is big enough to accept larger sub- permanently. When it has dried, sanding to spend a small part of our time on assemblies and works reasonably well and polishing results in a fi ne powder the project painting (although in the for fi nish paint as well as primer. This that covers everything. And just to make midst of it, it may seem like forever). version was designed and built by it more fun, all three stages include the What we need is some sort of tempo- Oregon-based builder Brent Anderson, potential to be hazardous to the painter’s rary structure that suits the purpose. It who primed nearly every component health. Somehow, that paint must be should be cheap, easy to build, effec- of his RV-4 in it. He calls it a paint contained and controlled. tive and safe. overspray collector. The solution, surely as old as Here are a few varieties of paint The system works by drawing a sprayed paint itself, is to build a box booths, each sized to fi t a different need. high volume of air through a chamber

Illustration: Steven Karp, Photos: Ken Scott, John M. Larsen, Roberta Hegy KITPLANES May 2005 49 Paint Booths continued formed by a big plywood box, running it through standard paint booth fi lters into a collection plenum built into the back and exhausting the air to an open outdoor area. The air is moved by a tubeaxial paint booth exhaust fan with an explosion-proof motor—in this case, a one-piece unit sold by the industrial supply fi rm Grainger. The perforated plenum separator is made of thin plywood with a series of 2-inch holes spaced closer together as distance from the fan increases. This is intended to promote even airfl ow across the whole paint fi lter surface. Industrial paint fi l- ters are held to the face of the separator by light bungee cords. “This idea actually worked very RV-7A builder Robert Hegy built this 20x10x10-foot paint booth with 2-inch PVC pipe and plastic sheet- well,” Anderson said. “I hung parts in ing. The total cost was around $300 and the labor was complete after a weekend of work. front of the collector and stabilized the lightest of them by hanging weights on the bottom. I could spray in my attached that paint won’t hurt and that won’t McDaniels, who has painted several garage, and we never smelled paint in form mud or dust while work is in airplanes including some of the Van’s the house at all. The collector would progress. A dirt or gravel fl oor won’t Aircraft demonstrators. “I’d never do pull all the overspray through the fi lters do. Concrete, wood or asphalt is fi ne. it again. I found I had to replace the and out through a duct I’d installed in Putting plastic drop cloths on the plastic after every paint session, or I my garage door. When I was done, I just fl oor might seem feasible at fi rst, but was just stirring up a snowstorm inside put the paint cans inside and closed the plastic is slippery and fabric sticks to my supposedly fi ltered clean area. If I doors, using it as a closet.” shoes. Worse, paint sits on the surface really had to protect the fl oor, I’d use The designer did learn some and dries, whereupon it becomes paint heavy paper or even canvas—some- things along the way, however. “You chips that are scuffed into the air with thing that will absorb the paint rather can see the casters on the back of the every step. than letting it dry on the surface the box,” Anderson said. “I should have “I put plastic on the fl oor the way plastic does.” put those on the bottom, because I fi rst time I set up a booth,” said Scott It’s better, or least more simple, to never used the box in a horizontal orientation. Most of the parts on my RV-4 were long and skinny, so hanging them vertically worked better. “And I learned that explosion- proof fan systems are expensive; my unit cost about $700. I justifi ed the cost by rationalizing that even the smallest explosion or fi re in my garage would cost far more than the fan system.” A Simple Booth When it comes to painting a complete airplane, or at least large components like wings or fuselages, a small box won’t do—obviously. For this job, a real paint booth that both the painter and paintee can occupy is required. Because most builders do not have enough space for a dedicated paint booth, they must build a temporary one somewhere in the shop. Rather than use the booth frame itself, Hegy designed some extra PVC fi xtures to hang parts while The fi rst thing to consider is the they were primed and painted. A 2-inch box fan was used to circulate air, and standard furnace fl oor. This should be a solid surface fi lters kept it clean.

50 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com it around on the fl oor, this breaks the air seal at the fl oor (which is one of the points of building a booth, after all), and sooner or later it will pull something loose, knock over a mixing table or get pulled across a freshly painted surface. A much better method is to plumb in hose connections just below waist level at several places around the circumference of the booth. The universal materials of choice for a freestanding temporary booth seem to be PVC pipe or 1x2-inch wood for framing and plastic sheeting for covering. It’s simple to frame a box out of either pipe or wood and cover it with plastic; the most complicated parts will be a door and fi ltered air in- lets. These can be combined into one unit by building a fi lter door. One builder used a lattice garden gate as a door. This was purchased as a complete unit from a big box home store These photos show the front view (left) and and proved perfect for the job. The side view of RV-4 builder Brent Anderson’s open lattice allowed plenty of air to paint overspray collector. It isn’t big enough fl ow through, and it was easy to attach for the painter to enter, but it can accept larger subassemblies and works well for priming and paint fi lters. Another builder bought a painting airframe components. cheap hollow-core, pre-hung door and have a fl oor that will just accept paint. If your spouse objects to a multi-colored garage fl oor, promise to paint the whole fl oor a uniform color when you’re done. In a perfect world, the fl oor should drain away from the painting area so it can be sprayed down with water before painting begins. A good wash will go a long way toward keeping chips, shavings and grit out of the paint job. Once the fl oor is right, it is time to build the box that will keep paint where it belongs and keep away things that don’t belong in paint. The size of the booth depends on many factors and really isn’t important as long as the size suits the job. It should be high enough that fairly big airplane pieces can be lifted and turned without pok- ing a hole in the top. There should be an opening big enough to get parts in and out without damage. The painter should be able to move freely around the pieces being painted. The compressor or turbine powering the paint gun should be stationed in clean air outside the booth, so you (the painter) will be dragging a fairly stiff hose around behind you. It is important to design the booth with no projections that will snag the The system works by drawing air through the chamber formed by the plywood box, running it through hose. And while it is possible to slide air fi lters into a collection plenum (above) and exhausting the air to an open outdoor area. The air is a hose under the booth wall and drag moved by an tubeaxial paint booth exhaust fan (inset) with an explosion-proof motor.

KITPLANES May 2005 51 Paint Booths booth means that it and the electric fan next to the fi nal exhaust exit to continued motor powering it are not in the path open air is often an easier installa- of paint fumes and potentially fl am- tion and takes less space. (They fi gure mable particles. This means the fan that anyone working around vapor- cut holes in it for fi lters. It was more doesn’t need to be the expensive ized solvents without explosion pro- work, but the pre-hung feature allowed explosion-proof variety. They also tection is taking an unnecessary risk.) him to nail the doorframe right into claim that pushing air in results in the They also claim that air movement is the wood frame of his paint booth. The booth always remaining under positive slower and more even throughout the result was a door that sealed well and pressure, so dust and corruption don’t booth, which means spray patterns are had a real door handle. fi nd a way in as easily. not disturbed. They like putting the There are many ways to attach “Pullers” say that putting the paint mixing station near the air outlet the plastic sheet to the frame. One of the best is double-sided carpet tape. It avoids the holes staples or brads would make, and it helps seal along the whole seam. And it will work on PVC pipe; staples will not. To Push that Paint, or Pull? A paint booth must have a way to move air through it or the painter will fi nd himself in a blinding, poisonous fog. It is better to have a high volume of air moving slowly so the paint won’t be disturbed between the spray gun and the object being painted. But should the air be pushed through the booth? Or pulled? There are proponents of both systems. “Pushers” point out that putting the fan on the upwind side of the If you can’t make do with the natural light that enters your paint booth, you may consider building a roll-around cart that holds fl orescent bulbs; you can move it around the booth as needed.

inside the booth, so vapors can be sucked out of the booth immediately and any spills are contained. Most experienced painters seem to be “pullers,” and real professional paint booths are universally arranged this way. But the choice is yours. Filtration, Lighting and Climate Control There are two reasons for ﬁ lters. Filter- ing air entering the booth keeps the paint job free of the usual small bits of dust and debris ﬂ oating around. The cleaner the air, the cleaner the paint

Full protection of your body and lungs is a necessity, particularly when using two-part paints and primers. This builder is protected by a fresh-air system that uses fresh air pressure from an outside source to keep the painter from breathing any fumes. If only he could ﬁ gure out why no paint will spray. (Kidding!)

www.kitplanes.com job. Filtering exit air won’t help the rod that supports a heavy canvas cur- paint job, but it will keep paint out of Another Solution tain. The curtain hangs from the rod a unintended places—like the neighbor’s There are some fortunate souls who few inches below the ceiling to within car. Good fi lters designed for paint are able to build a shop specifi cally a few inches of the fl oor. It is white, are available in all sizes from many for an airplane project. In this case, it which helps refl ect the light from roll- industrial supply houses. In the small is possible to build many provisions around fi xtures equipped with explo- temporary paint booth world there for a painting area into the structure sion-proof switches and bulb guards. doesn’t seem to be any rule of thumb as the building goes up. The area may As a safety measure, the overhead about how big fi lters should be. In not necessarily be dedicated to paint- lights are not used when painting. small booths that would hold a typical ing all the time, but it can be set up When it is time to paint, the homebuilt’s fuselage, an average of 12- quickly, easily and repeatedly as the fl oor is washed, usually twice, with 20 square feet of fi ltration area seems need arises. clean water, which leaves through the to be the norm. When one kit manufacturer drain in the fl oor. The curtain is pulled Lighting is another consider- moved to a new facility a few years ago, and the exhaust blower is started. All ation. Many temporary plastic booths the company dedicated a large shop paint mixing, spraying and clean up simply make do with the light already behind the hangar to building proto- happens in the enclosed space. This available in the shop. Some painters types of new models and maintaining arrangement is effective enough that make roll-around fi xtures that hold demonstrator aircraft. The room is big it is quite possible to have one person fl orescent bulbs and move them enough to hold three or four airplanes painting inside the booth and anoth- around the paint booth as needed. at a time, so it was quite possible that er working on an uncovered airplane Some are overhead and others hold the one or two airplanes would be under- a few feet away. About the only draw- bulbs horizontally about thigh-high. In going maintenance when it was time back is the noise of the big blower. It either case, a screen or transparent to paint a new prototype. certainly isn’t a professional, climate- cover should protect the bulbs so a A corner of the shop, large controlled paint booth, but it has wayward broom handle won’t smash enough to hold a Cherokee-size served its purpose well. them. Putting incandescent lighting airplane, was set up to serve as an —with its white-hot elements —in a occasional painting area. It really isn’t paint booth just doesn’t seem to be a a sealed booth, but it serves the same A Word of Warning particularly good idea. purpose; it keeps the paint in the Every person interviewed for this Controlling heat and humidity right place. When the building was article stressed the importance of in a temporary booth is quite diffi cult. designed, a drain was placed in the body protection. The paint booth or Most painters just wait until there’s a fl oor. A paint mixing table and storage overspray collector is there to protect day when the atmospheric and weather cabinet area was built along an outside inanimate objects and make the paint conditions are right and don’t fi ght it. wall, and a large squirrel-cage blower job better, but it does little to protect Obviously, if you’re being careful about and exhaust hood with fi lters was the painter. A professional-quality avoiding sparking switches and electric installed underneath it. Around the respirator is the minimum protection motors, putting a heating element in perimeter of the painting area—defi n- required, even if it is just spray-can the booth defeats the purpose. ing the area, actually—is a strong steel primer wafting about. However, nobody I found was satisfi ed with that. Tyvek bunny suits, overshoes, gloves and full-hood positive-pressure respirators were the norm, even for those who never intended to paint another object after their airplane was done. When I asked a local painter if a $700 fresh-air system didn’t seem a bit expensive for a one-time project, he shook his head. “Have you priced lung tissue on the open market today?” he asked. Point taken. Can you handle the paint job on that homebuilt you’ve got in progress? In most cases, yes. You can paint components along the way without disturbing the rest of the work area. You can probably paint your fi nished project in the shop you built it in. Just make sure you’re working with a safe, adequate setup. A little bit of pipe, plastic sheet and light lumber, Builder Chuck Dowrick created a paint area by adding a wall and ceiling to the corner of his hangar. along with some care and practice, The open corner is draped with plastic when in use and is later opened for storage; the tail of an can result in a perfectly respectable aircraft can fi t into the booth. paint job.

KITPLANES May 2005 53 Rotor Roundup

The Rotor Flight Dynamics Dominator— Innovative by Design.

revolutionary gyroplane in 1988, “we just about got laughed off the fi eld,” Boyette said. However, his low passes along the fl ight line, where he pumped the cyclic full aft and then full forward without losing control, quickly im- pressed onlookers. As the story goes, Igor Benson, the father of the Gyro- copter, said at the time: “I approve.” Boyette estimates that more than 200 Dominators are now fl ying worldwide. A Sensible Design RFD’s gyroplanes share common design concepts that make a lot of sense. These include large tires and shock absorption systems with 9 inches of travel in the Two tandem-seat Dominators from Rotor Flight Dynamics demonstrate the beauty of open-cockpit mains and 5 inches on the nosegear to gyroplane fl ying. tame rough paddocks and fi rm arrivals. Boyette claims this gear is the answer to the “stop-and-drop” landings that p front, I’ll admit that the (when the thrust line is above the drag sometimes occur when gyro pilots try Dominator from Rotor Flight vector and the application of power to touch down with inadequate rotor U Dynamics (RFD) is the two-place causes the nose to pitch down and inertia. This capability is also handy on machine that beckoned most after my reduction of power makes the nose emergency landings in rough terrain introduction to the world of gyroplanes. pitch up, as opposed to most aircraft), because the suspension will conform In a world where form should always and the RFD team set out to solve the to the topography, reducing the likeli- follow function, the Dominator just problem. Discussion has dominated hood of rollover. looked right. My dream was not in vain, the industry concerning centerline Differential brakes and a castor- and neither was my meeting with the thrust as a means of overcoming piloting nosewheel allow the gyroplane to opinionated designer of the Dominator— induced oscillation (PIO), which leads be landed in crosswinds without risk Ernie Boyette. to a bunting action and a resulting of careening off the runway due to a With years of successful designs, negative angle of attack that creates canted nosewheel. These features also beginning in 1986 when he joined fl ow downwards in the disk and causes make for a small turning radius, which business partner Chuck Beatty in the gyroplane to tumble out of control. means sharp maneuvering in crowded Tampa, Florida, and 7000 hours of gyro Different manufacturers have different ramp areas. time (much of it instructing), Boyette solutions to this problem—RFD has is a man worth listening to. He claims, simply avoided it from the beginning however, that Beatty is the world with designs that place the horizontal Dragon Wings authority on gyros with his wall stabilizer directly in line with the cen- RFD’s Dragon Wings rotor blades are in full of credentials including that of ter of the propeller hub. Tall vertical demand with other gyroplane manu- physicist. Boyette says he’s nothing rudder/stabilizers are also in line with facturers because of their aerodynamic but a shade-tree mechanic with build- the hub’s center where they can maxi- refi nement—a span-wise twist help to ing intuition—yet when he combines mize the propeller’s thrust for stability reduce drag and increase performance. his theories with Beatty’s, the result is and control. The tall vertical stabilizer With more than 1100 rotor sets sold the creation of successful machines. cancels P factor, as thrust is equal on to companies such as Air Command both sides of the fi n. Boyette claims International and Little Wing Autygyro, A Little History a takeoff is possible with your feet off RFD is the leader in production and Crashes of Air Command gyroplanes the pedals if there are no crosswind development of gyroplane rotors. After in the 1980s were eventually attributed conditions. having fl own a half dozen training gy- to the thrust-over-drag phenomenon When RFD fi rst introduced its ros, it was obvious to me that the Dom-

54 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com BY KEN ARMSTRONG

inator was superior in performance to While blade weight is often associated the others thanks to the Dragon Wings, with autorotational inertia, Boyette and this with less horsepower. increases this energy by putting small It’s signifi cant that Boyette brass weights in the blade tips where mounts every set of blades he manu- the inertia is multiplied by the lengthy factures on his own gyroplane for moment arm into more kinetic energy testing, balancing and tracking before than other blades have. Numerous sending them to a customer. This helps power-off landings confi rmed the ex- in troubleshooting after the blades are cellent autorotational energy. mounted on a customer’s aircraft. A One edge of each Dragon Wings testament to the effi ciency of Dragon rotor blade has a 6°, non-linear twist Wings blades is the world altitude with the outboard section at a higher record for gyroplaness under 500 kilo- pitch angle. This allows the gyroplane grams—24,463 feet, set in Florida by Bill to fl y at higher speeds because it delays Clem with a turbocharged Rotax 914. the onset of rotating blade stall, a factor This bettered the previous record by a that limits the cruise speeds of similar vertical mile. aircraft (and helicopters, for that mat- Boyette’s RFD gyroplane also uses ter). Clem has exceeded 130 mph in his large-diameter propeller blades, as they Dominator, Boyette says. provide considerably higher performance in the pusher confi guration. The tandem seating confi guration intrinsi- cally creates less drag than side-by-side seating, as well as increasing accelera- tion, glide angle and cruise speed. RFD’s tandem trainer is powered by a converted Subaru auto engine and produces 105 hp, making it one of the smallest engines currently operating in a two-place gyroplane. A hydraulic pre-rotator, coupled to the diminutive four-cylinder engine, enables spooling up the rotor disk to 50% of the normal blade speed. Hydraulic systems allow more horsepower to be transmitted to the rotor disk and are more durable than the friction wheels typically used on other gyros, Boyette says. Although the RFD blades are long, their lightweight aluminum construction results in operating weights that Converted Subaru automotive engines (top) are popular options for the RFD gyroplanes (don’t worry— are less than half the competition’s. the propeller is attached before fl ight), as are the ubiquitous four-stroke Rotax models.

RFD’s models include the single-seat gyro (left ) and the two-place, Subaru-powered tandem-seat Dominator, which the author ﬂ ew during demonstration ﬂ ights.

Photos: Ken Armstrong and courtesy Rotor Flight Dynamics KITPLANES May 2005 55 Rotor Roundup continued

Another of RFD’s inventions is Turning into the fl ow at the the two-bearing rotor head, which runway’s threshold, Boyette engaged replaces bushings with needle rollers the pre-rotator while applying takeoff to relieve the coning stresses that have power, and we were airborne in roughly caused failures in many gyros at about 500 feet. Directional and pitch control 300 hours of fl ight time. To minimize were excellent, and we accelerated in potential rotor head damage, Boyette ground effect to 60 mph, initiating a employs various techniques includ- steep and sustainable climb that ex- ing a slide to allow some fore and aft ceeded 500 fpm. rotor head motion to relieve stresses Visibility was excellent up front on the mast, a teeter bolt to allow some and down below as Boyette, at 800 sideways rotor motion and a hydraulic feet, demonstrated steep banks with damper that will not allow sudden mo- extremely high turn rates. These were tions that could harm the systems. more aggressive than I have witnessed The company also has its own in the six two-place gyros I had previ- version of the bifi lar “tuned damper” ously fl own, and they really captured found on late model helicopters. In my attention. RFD’s installation, a fi berglass rod Moments later I assumed control with a sliding weight allows Boyette to and found that level fl ight was easily “tune” the rotor blade to minimize the accomplished, as were balanced turns. feedback associated with the natural The natural stability of the Domina- A two-bearing rotor head is one of RFD’s innova- frequency of the rotor disk. tor with the centerline thrust is readily tions; Dragon Wings rotor blades are another. The blades are popular with other gyroplane manu- apparent and a joy, unlike some other facturers as well due to their aerodynamically gyroplane fl ights during which I had refi ned shape, which incorporates span-wise In-Flight Proof to constantly make “corrections” in twist to reduce drag and increase performance. Boyette’s tandem is outfi tted with turbulence—often leading to the need an Engine Information System (EIS) to correct for the corrections. The many that confi rmed the Subaru’s burst gyro pilots who have experienced that into life and all parameters. As the situation know how challenging and Returning to close-in circuits rotors spooled up and we taxied in the fatiguing this phenomenon can be. (gyroplanes tend to glide like greased 15-mph crosswind toward Boyette’s With the Dominator, pilots can con- crowbars, remember), several touch- into-the-wind grass strip, the ground centrate on the view and let the gyro and-go landings showed just how easy handling was precise with differential handle cruise fl ight at 75-80 mph with the Dominator is to fl y. Boyette al- breaking, and the shock absorption of a fuel fl ow of 5-6 gph. It will go a lot lowed me my fi ll of power-assisted and the gear was superb. faster, but who’s in a rush? simulated engine failure approaches. On one of these, I got a little slow in the fl are and dropped the Dominator in from about 1 foot. The shock absorption was so good that it made the landing seem quite reasonable. During a demo fl ight in another gyroplane a few days earlier, my demo pilot dropped his prototype in when he was gusted in a crosswind—it jarred our teeth. Not so with the Dominator. Crosswinds posed no problems thanks to the castoring nosegear. Pilots will never experience that lurch that occurs in other gyros during touchdown when the direct connection to the rudder cants them into the wind. Overall? The Dominator was a gyroplane I could get used to fl ying on an everyday basis.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, contact Rotor Flight Dynamics, Inc at 813/634- 3370 or write to 19242 Grange Hall Loop, The author (front seat) and Ernie Boyette enjoy the scenery as they prepare to launch the Subaru- Wimauma, FL 33598. powered tandem Dominator.

56 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com Wind Tunnel BY BARNABY WAINFAN

Aerodynamic interactions aren’t always what they seem.

wing fl ows smoothly into the upper skin of the fuselage. The fuselage side does not cut the upper surface of the wing, and hence does not interfere with the fl ow over it. The wing/fuselage intersection on most high-wing airplanes affects only on the less critical lower surface of the wing. While this is advantageous, with proper design of the fuselage and the wing-to-fuselage junction fairing, low-wing airplanes can have interference drag that is no higher than that of high-wing airplanes. The Special Case of the Low Wing Because the airfl ow over the upper surface of the wing is so sensitive, the or many years, designers believed Interference Drag design of the wing-to-fuselage junc- that they could determine the The drag caused by the interactions of tion area requires careful attention, F total drag of an airplane simply the component airfl ows is called inter- particularly on a low-wing airplane. by measuring (or calculating) the drag ference drag, and it can be a substantial One myth that appears over and over of each one of its components—wing, portion of the drag of an airplane. in the popular aviation press is that body, tail, landing gear—separately and One of the most critical interfer- if the angle between the wing surface then adding up the drags of the com- ence drag areas on an airplane is the and the fuselage side, in the front view, ponents. Unfortunately, it turned out junction between the root of the wing is 90° or more, the junction does not that this method was not very accurate. and the side of the fuselage. A poorly require a fi llet or any form of fairing. Sometimes the drag it predicted was designed wingroot junction can cause This is most defi nitely not true. There close to the actual drag of the airplane a large increase in drag, particularly in are many airplanes with 90° or near- and sometimes it was not. The reason climb and economy cruise where the 90° wing junctions that could benefi t for this is that the “summation” method lift coeffi cient is high. signifi cantly from the addition of a root of drag estimation ignores the aerody- Generally speaking, junctions on fairing. A rule of thumb that is useful is namic interaction between the various the upper surface of the wing are more that if the junction occurs at an angle parts of the airplane. critical than lower-surface junctions. of less than 90° then a fairing is usu- When the wings, fuselage, tail, The airfl ow over the upper surface of ally necessary. This does not mean that landing gear and other components the wing is much more sensitive to in- a fairing is unnecessary if the junction are assembled to form an airplane, the terference that might cause premature angle is greater than 90°. airfl ow over each component is altered separation or stall. The plan (top) view shape of the somewhat by the presence of the other Better wing-to-fuselage junctions fuselage in the area of the wingroot components in the airstream. Usually are an argument in favor of high-wing has a large effect on the fl ow over the these interactions have undesirable airplanes. On most high-wing con- wingroot. On many light airplanes, the effects on drag. fi gurations, the upper surface of the fuselage sides begin to pull inward

Illustrations: Barnaby Wainfan KITPLANES May 2005 57 Wind Tunnel YOU CAN’T PAINT continued IF YOU CAN’T Breathe!

immediately aft of the cabin. Unfortu- corner between two surfaces is slowed nately, this occurs ahead of the trailing down by skin friction with both sur- edge of the wing in an area where the faces. This causes the boundary layer surface of the wing is sloping downward to thicken and generate more drag. It The CITATION HVLP PAINT and also pulling away from the direction also may produce early separation. By SPRAYER/RESPIRATOR system of the airfl ow. The air may not be able to radiusing the corner with a fi llet, two offers you the best of both worlds. follow the changing slopes of the wing things are accomplished. First, the and fuselage at the same time in the area wetted area in the area of the corner is A very high quality paint sprayer of the junction. The fl ow may separate reduced. Secondly, the air will not have combined with a supplied-air and cause drag and premature stall. to rub against both surfaces forming breathing respirator. Now you can Because most wings stall from the the corner and will produce less skin achieve great finishes in complete root fi rst, a poor root junction design friction drag. Fillets are particularly comfort and safety. can cause a portion of the wingroot effective in areas where surfaces meet PRICING IS COMPARABLE to stall at climb angle of attack. This at angles signifi cantly less than 90°. TO COMPETITIVE premature root stall will hurt the rate One common example of this of climb and increase the stall speed of situation is at the wingroot of a low- SPRAYERS ALONE! the airplane. This situation is illustrated wing airplane with a rounded fuselage Call Jan or Don at 888-458-1322 in Figure 1. The separated zone can be cross-section and/or dihedral in the for more information eliminated by the use of a proper fi llet, wing. With no fi llet, the air must fl ow Or visit our website at even if the fuselage is pulling inward through a narrow channel, getting over the wing. Another solution to the rubbed on by the skin on both sides. www.axispro.com junction problem is shown in Figure 2. Adding the fi llet will clean up the fl ow If the fuselage has its widest point at or in the corner area and reduce drag. near the trailing edge of the wing then Proper design of the fuselage can premature fl ow separation at the wing- minimize the interference drag caused root is much less likely. The Thorp T-18 by the wingroot junction and reduce and the Questair Venture both use this the size of the root fairing required. type of fuselage shaping to minimize A high-wing confi guration with some separation at the wingroot junction. dihedral is an example of a low interference drag design. The upper surface Filleting is Good of the wing is uninterrupted and the Even in a situation where larger sepa- lower surface joins the fuselage at a ration is not expected, some fi lleting large angle, thus minimizing the unde- is still a good idea. Air fl owing in a sirable corner effects on the airfl ow.

58 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com Rules To Design By •Avoid gaps between the wing and fuselage. Any gap between the root Here are a few general rules for the de- of the wing and the fuselage should be sign of low interference drag wingroot well sealed. Air leaking through such junctions follow: a gap can markedly increase the drag •Keep the included angle between of the airplane. Leakage can produce the wing surfaces and the fuselage as fl ow separation on both the wing and large as possible. This is particularly fuselage where they join. It can also important on the wing upper surface. increase the induced drag of the •The sides of the fuselage should airplane. The gap acts somewhat like not pull in sharply in the top view in an additional wingtip. This effect the area of the wing-to-fuselage junc- decreases the effective aspect ratio tion. Again, see Figure 1. of the wing by reducing the span Without the fi llet, the junction effi ciency factor and increases the in- is likely to exhibit separation in the duced drag of the wing. shaded areas at relatively low angles •Avoid situations where the of attack. The airfl ow may be separated wing is pushing air one way and the during climb and slow cruise. This early fuselage is pushing it the other way. separation will hurt rate of climb and An example of this is an aft-cambered increase stall speed. If other design con- wing mounted low on a fuselage that siderations force the fuselage to have pulls up sharply just aft of the wing. this type of shape, then a large fi llet The air leaving the wing is being should be used to eliminate the root defl ected down. The air fl owing over fl ow separation. If the fuselage has a the bottom of the fuselage, just inboard constant or slightly increasing width in of the wing is being defl ected up by the the area of the wing the chances of early fuselage. Clearly, the air right at the fl ow separation at the root are reduced. junction is likely to be severely con- A fi llet may still be required but it can fused and will likely separate or form a be smaller and the penalty for not fi llet- vortex. This will cause additional drag. ing this type of wingroot confi guration Proper design of the wing to fuse- will be much lower than it would be for lage junction is particularly important a confi guration where the fuselage is if the designer chooses to use one of pulling in sharply over the wing. the new generation of aft-cambered •The fuselage should have no airfoils. Because of their camber distri- corners or areas of large curvature in butions, these aft-loaded sections are the top view in the area of the wing. A likely to be sensitive to perturbation of sudden change of direction in the the airfl ow produced by the fuselage. A shape of the fuselage can induce separa- good wingroot junction is essential to tion even without the wing attached to prevent separation. the fuselage. The addition of the wing Wing junction design seems to makes the airfl ow more sensitive and be one of the most neglected areas in easily separated, particularly just above light airplane design. Many produc- the wing. If the airfl ow does separate at tion and homebuilt airplanes lack any the corner, it will cause separation over form of root fairing at all and many the upper surface of the wing in addi- others have root treatments that are tion to the fuselage side. inadequate to minimize interference If other considerations cause the drag. What is true of wing-to-fuselage fuselage to have a break, the break junctions is also true of tail-surface-to- point should be aft of the wing to fuselage and wing-to-nacelle junctions reduce the chances of separation and on multi-engine airplanes. interference drag. Corners are not good from the drag point of view in any Aerodynamic questions of a general na- case but if they are going to be used to ture should be sent to editorial@kitplanes. reduce construction cost or time then com with a subject line of “Wind Tunnel.” they should be placed where they do They may be considered for future topics the least harm. of this column. Department Completionscontinued

Ken Beanlands’ Christavia MK 1 I started building this Christavia MK 1 from plans (Serial Randy Garrett’s Van’s RV-6A No. 363) in September 1989 and fi rst fl ew on July 4, 2004. I have no idea how much time it took to build my RV-6A Powered by a 120-hp PZL-Franklin 4A-235-B31, I see a 95- quickbuild kit (quick being a relative term!), but it was about 100 mph cruise and a 700-fpm climb rate with the McCau- four times longer than I thought. Having said that, my only regret is that I did not begin sooner. ley 71x53 prop from our 3400-foot MSL strip. The useful load is 573 pounds with gross listed at 1650 pounds. For a fi rst-time builder, the secrets were focusing on The aircraft is covered following the Aircraft Finish- building one part at a time, doing lots of research, being ing Systems process. Construction started in Newfound- fortunate enough to fi nd some very patient teachers, and land, but in 1995 the project was trucked across Canada to having lots of perseverance. The end result is completely Alberta, where construction was completed. Since the fi rst worth the occasional frustration and mishap. I sometimes fl ight, I have enjoyed approximately 75 hours in tempera- tell people this is my third airplane. Unfortunately, the fi rst tures ranging from -20°C to 30°C (-4°F to 86°F) thanks to a two are in the trash bin. Tanis heater and an excellent cabin heater. Eighteen months after fi rst fl ight I have 250 hours on Thanks go out to Mike Sweer, Glen Bishell, my parents the plane including a cross-country trip from California to and especially my wife, Renee, for the support and assis- Massachusetts by way of Sun ’n Fun in Florida. I am enjoy- tance in completing the project. ing fl ying the New England countryside and looking for- Calgary, Alberta, Canada ward to trips into Canada and ultimately to Alaska. [email protected] A list of people who helped would take this whole page, but special thanks to Art, Bill, Bruce, Rick and Pete. 47 Lancashire Drive Mansfi eld, MA 02048

Tim Wagner’s Fisher FP-202 Koala This is my Fisher FP-202 Koala, which took to the air on October 3, 2002, after six years of part-time construction. My Koala now has more than 50 hours of fun-fi lled fl ight. Factory support was excellent during the building process. Michel Laroche’s Cozy Mk IV A Kawasaki 440 engine swinging a three-blade Ultra- I took my Cozy Mk IV for its maiden fl ight on August 13, prop enables the Koala to climb at 700 fpm and then cruise 2004, after 12 years of building time. This fi rst fl ight went hands-off at 55 mph. I used latex exterior house paint, uneventfully. It has a brand new AeroSport XP-360 with an which I brushed and then sprayed on. Ellison TBI and a performance prop. I would like to thank Lewis Dewart for his assistance So far, I have 37 hours of pleasant fl ight time with as well as the members of the Fishnet, an online forum for only minor adjustments. I would like to say a very special builders of Fisher aircraft. Hats off to Fisher Flying Products thank you to co-builder Marc Lefebvre and his wife, Pau- for such a fun little plane. line, who supported him during these years. Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania Edmonton, Canada [email protected] [email protected]

60 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com Department BUILDERS SHARE THEIR SUCCESSES. continued

Russell Phillips’ Whisper Motorglider Weasel Graber’s Van’s RV-4 After 11 homebuilt and restoration projects over 20 years, I After becoming a pilot about fi ve years ago, I became inter- decided it was time to develop my ultimate fantasy—a two- ested in building an airplane. When I was young, I helped my seat motorglider. The process took 19 months and included dad build a Fisher biplane. About one and a half years ago, I making all the plugs, jigs and molds as well as completing came across an RV-4 project that someone had started. the prototype. The prototype fl ew on January 9, 2004, and I spent all my late nights, vacations and any other time has now completed 80 hours of trouble-free fl ying, which I had into building. I took my vacation from Christmas to has included all the fl ight and structural testing required by New Year’s 2004 off to do the paint, and by March I was the South African CAA to get the type accepted. ready to fl y. I got my tailwheel endorsement in a Citabria As a result of the positive response received by all who and had an hour dual in the pattern in an RV-6. The fi rst have seen or fl own in the Whisper, I decided to offer a construc- fl ight was smooth and uneventful. These planes are nice! tion manual and a basic kit. So far we have 16 Whisper projects The engine is a Lycoming O-320 with a constant-speed underway in South Africa and the inquiries keep rolling in! Hartzell prop. I have a few speed mods including Sam Jones The Whisper is a two-seat conventional motorglider wheelpants and wingroot fairings. True airspeed is about that can cruise at more than 100 mph as a regular aircraft 165 knots at 8000 feet and 8.5 gph fuel. This is less than with 6 hours endurance. Or the engine can be shut down, 75% power; at 75%, it’s around 170 knots. All of the tem- and it can be fl own as a glider with a glide ratio of 1:28. peratures stay cool, and the plane is great fun to fl y. Thanks to Stewart Clegg and all the other folks who At present I have 100 hours on it. It’s so nice to walk helped make the Whisper a reality. out your backdoor, get in your plane that you built and fl y [email protected] off 500-600 miles. Brooksville, Mississippi [email protected]

Bill Gillam’s Titan Tornado S Barry Kropelin’s GyroBee Here is a picture of my new Titan Tornado S. I picked the First fl ight of my GyroBee was in March 2004 with test pilot kit up in March 2004 and had it fl ying by late summer. The Ron Awad at the controls. The gyroplane was built from engine is a 100-hp Rotax and the plane gets off the ground plans designed by Ralph Taggert, and it fl ew excellent right in 200 feet. It stalls with fl aps at 42 mph and will cruise at from the start. The aircraft has a Rotax 503, 24-foot Sport- 110 mph. Copter rotors and a 60-inch Warp Drive propeller. It is a fun little plane to fl y. The kit was well put to- Many thanks to my airport buddies Ron Awad and gether, and factory support was great. It fl ew hands-off the Mike Biek for all their advice and support. Thanks also to fi rst fl ight. I now have 60 hours of fl ying time to date. My my wife and kids for putting up with Dad’s toys. wife thinks it is great fun. Matthews, North Carolina Hulett, Wyoming [email protected] [email protected]

KITPLANES May 2005 61 Department Completions continued continued

Wayne N. Wilson’s Ragwing Storch On July 4, 2004, exactly six years after the fi rst fl ight of my Ragwing Ultra Piet, my Rag- wing Storch Tandem took to the air. A usual Roger Mann design, the aircraft is wood and fabric and in New Zealand fi ts our ultralight category—1200 pounds max gross and 45 knots minimum fl ying speed. It is strong, stable, and a real head turner. It is powered by a Subaru EAS1 built per Don Brouchards’ videos and pulled along with a three-blade, 72-inch Ivoprop. I have limited the max rpm to 5000 and the engine/prop combo still gets it into the air quickly. It has a full instrument panel and heavy-duty everything—a real shock on the fi rewall-forward weight! Still it performs as expected with slow fl ight possible on the slots. I haven’t fi nished a full test program, but am confi dent I can come to grips with it. I now have the full spectrum with a screamer of an airplane with obscene performance (a SkyRanger with a Simonini V2, 98-hp), a Storch and a Piet. That and two hangars make Jack a happy chappie. Christchurch, New Zealand [email protected]

Winn Harris’ Van’s RV-4 This is my pride and joy—an RV-4 originally built by Bob Fuqua. Bob built the plane over an 11-year period culminating with a fi rst fl ight in 1999. He then sold it to me in 2001. I fl ew the plane to work (100-n.m. round trip) from 2001 through May 2004 in primer paint with a Lycoming O-360 that had operated for 30 years and 2500 hours. In 2004, I took the plane to Darrell Morgan at Firebird Aviation in Mineral Wells, Texas, to convert the carbureted Lycoming and fi xed-pitch propeller to a fuel-injected Superior with a constant-speed Hartzell. I purchased the XP-360-B1A2 and personally built it up at the factory. Following the aircraft’s engine transplant surgery, I had the exterior completed with custom paint applied by GLO Custom Aircraft at North West Regional near DFW. Now, in 2005, I’m once again set to fl y to work in a completely revitalized RV! Louisville, Texas [email protected]

62 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com Department continued Authorized Kodiak Service Center For:

AIRCRAFT ENGINES Engines, Parts, & Related Accessories. Serving the industry for over 10 years 250+ page catalog 1-800-LA-ROTAX (1-800-527-6829) Orders Phone: (863)655-5100 Fax: (863)655-6225 e-mail: [email protected] Roberta Hegy’s Van’s RV-7 www.lockwood-aviation.com My RV-7A was fi nished in March 2004, certifi ed on May 6, and test fl own on May 7. It Lockwood Aviation Supply, Inc. has a Lycoming O-360-A1A with a Hartzell blended-airfoil constant-speed propeller; it Master Service Center 1998/99 cruises at an honest 200+ mph and climbs at more than 1800 fpm at gross weight. The plane was a quickbuild using a Van’s-supplied engine, propeller and Lockwood Aviation Repair, Inc. fi rewall-forward kit. Build time was 1300 hours over 18 months including paint, Specializing in the repair interior and avionics. I fl ew the -7A to New Mexico, Lake Powell, over the Grand and overhaul of Canyon and to Leadville, Colorado, on a May 2004 shakedown trip after the 25- ROTAX Aircraft Engines hour fl y-off period. I’m lovin’ it! FAA Repair Station #L2DR339H Thanks to EAA Technical Counselor Ron Scott, Chuck Ebert, (MKE FSDO), (863)655-6229 Van’s Aircraft and my wonderful hubby, Rich, for believing in me. East Troy, Wisconsin [email protected] KITS! INTORDUCING OUR NEW QUICK BUILD SPORT TRAINER KITS HAVE YOUR NOSTALGIC J-3 REPLICA IN NO TIME!

We want your plane! CALL FREE TODAY! CATALOG! Submissions to “Completions” should include a typed, double-spaced description (a few paragraphs only—250 words maximum) of the project and the ﬁ nished aircraft. Also include a good color photograph (prints or 35-mm slides are acceptable) of the aircraft that we may keep. Please include a daytime phone number where we can contact you if necessary. Also indicate whether we may publish your address in case other builders would like to contact you. Submis- sions should be sent to:

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KITPLANES May 2005 63 List of Advertisers By Dave Martin

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Inc. 70 812-384-4972 Total Enclosed ______Kitplanes.com/directory 48 kitplanes.com/directory VISA/MC #______Rollison Airplane Co. Inc. 71 812-384-4972 Leading Edge Airfoils 58 800-LEAF-INC Exp. Date______Schweiss Distributing Inc. 71 507-426-8273 Signature______Lockwood Aviation 63 800-LA-ROTAX Phone # ______SportsFlyingShop 70 1-877-8FLYING Murphy Aircraft 30 604-792-5855 Send To: Back Issues Supermarine Aircraft 71 863-698-8491 P.O. Box 420235 Oregon Aero, Inc. 45 800-888-6910 Trio Avionics 72 619-448-4619 Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235 $9.50 per issue. Includes shipping and handling. Rotary Air Force 45 306-463-6030 Vortech (Vistas) 70 410-663-8022 Or fax to: 203-461-4802

64 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com Engine Beat BY TIM KERN

Engine oil for aviators— some basic considerations.

t’s slightly amazing (or perhaps that lobes and the rest of the valvetrain, Rust, on the other hand, involves should be amusing) to consider that the piston ring/cylinder interface, and water on ferrous metals. Ia subject so controversial—engine many bearing surfaces. This is why an Oil picks up pollutants (byprod- oil—in fact serves such straightforward oil’s staying power—its ability to with- ucts of combustion and wear) during and understandable purposes. Primarily, stand high pressure for long periods of operation and when it sits, but an oil it does just what you’d think: provide time—is crucial. fi lter can handle those. Water is the critical lubrication that allows internal This also explains why so much bigger problem, Antika says, and two engine components to slide past one an- engine wear is caused by the dreaded kinds of moisture can be present in other without wreaking mechanical or cold start: when an engine is stopped oil — dissolved water and suspended wa- fi scal havoc. But it’s also in your engine and oil is not pumped, splashed and ter. The only way to get rid of the dis- to prevent rust and corrosion and act as circulated, it drains into the sump and solved water is to change the oil—but a cleaner. Beyond that, oil picks up heat makes puddles in other places, leaving the amount of dissolved water, as a pro- from various locations inside the engine most of the metal bare, or nearly so. portion of the moisture in your engine, and in doing so helps cool the engine. is miniscule and really not in the same These are all important functions that Rust and Corrosion league as suspended water as the chief are interrelated by the oil itself. As a rust and corrosion preventative, troublemaker. Every engine owner needs to oil’s job is to cling to metal surfaces, Address the suspended water and understand these functions to make with or without pressure. Air is what let the dissolved water take care of it- informed decisions about which oil ultimately corrodes (or rusts, if water self. “Suspended water,” Antika says, to use and how often to change it. (In and iron are present) metal. If there is “is bad. It sits on metal surfaces. We this installment, we’ll discuss aviation a coating of oil on metal, air can’t get design additives to keep the suspended oils for conventional aircraft engines. to that metal and cause corrosion. The water off the metal.” Next month, we’ll look into the special longer oil can stay on a surface, the less And not surprisingly, the presence needs of auto-engine applications and chance air has of getting through. of water is directly affected by your the Rotax 912/914 series.) Rust and corrosion are not the operating habits and physical environ- same things. “Corrosion is a chemical ment. “Water is especially problematic attack on the metal, due to additive if you fl y infrequently and/or in a hu- Let’s Start or oil degradation,” Antika says. “It’s mid environment,” Antika says. You With Lubrication typically seen in higher temperatures.” accumulate water, and you often don’t Oil provides lubrication by getting Water is not part of this phenomenon. get enough high-temp time to get rid of between metal parts. If bearings, camshafts, piston rings or other components come in contact with other metal parts (crankshafts, tappets and cylinders, for example), under pressure, they will inevitably trade bits of metal—not a good scenario for long engine life, as you can imagine. Engine bearing design depends on this cushion of oil; there should not be metal-to-metal contact. Dr. Shlomo Antika, Exxon Mobil aviation lubricants product advisor, puts it simply: “What oil engineers do is create molecules that get between the moving metal parts.” That works fi ne while an engine is running—oil is pumped and splashed over all the moving parts—but when the engine stops, oil is squeezed out from between surfaces, particularly at This is classic lifter spalling and related camshaft damage. The mottled appearance of the lifter faces high-pressure areas such as camshaft shows where rust took hold and eventually wiped clean the surface of the cam lobes.

Photos: Tim Kern KITPLANES May 2005 65 Engine Beat continued it. Suspended water will boil (surprise!) addressed with the AD oils. The most at water’s boiling point. “You have to popular AD oils are a blend of natural exceed that temperature for some time, crude and synthetic base stocks. and there has to be an area through Furthermore, oil is classifi ed by which the water can escape. Some water weight, which is a direct indicator of its condenses and returns—that’s why the viscosity—a way of describing its fl ow duration of high-temperature operation characteristics at various temperatures. is important.” We’re concerned about viscosity be- But how hot is enough? Antika cause oil’s changes so dramatically with gave an example: “If your oil temper- temperature. It can be molasses-like ature gauge says 190°, it’s likely the when cold and downright watery when The cam lobe in the center really should have working surfaces are 220°, 230°—it’s very hot. Unfortunately, at cold start-up a pointed end like those to its left and right. A at those surfaces where water will time is when oil is thickest, just oozing fl attened lobe will reduce valve lift and the performance of the cylinder or cylinders oper- fl ash off. If you run long enough, hot through its passages, slowly getting to ated by that lobe. enough, you’ll get rid of the suspended the areas it needs to cushion and coat- water. That’s the best you can do.” ing the surfaces it needs to protect. For decades, oil formulators have Temperature Control given us an option: multi-viscosity oil. what’s going on outside—they know A 20W-50 oil, for instance, fl ows like about all the additives on the market Because it is circulated over virtually a straight 20-weight at low temps, yet but choose carefully what to use in the entire interior working surface of provides protection at operating tem- their products. “This fi eld,” he warned, the engine, oil also carries heat. It peratures equivalent to a 50-weight oil. “is mired in misinformation, on dubi- warms sections of the engine as it cools A straight 40W oil, by comparison, will ous science. If there is an additive that others. Oil cools through conducting be much thicker when cold and yet still is good, it is known by and available to heat through the engine cases but, most be thinner than a 20W-50 when hot. the formulator. Now, a lube formulation effectively, when it is routed through Plan your oil selection according is a very careful balance—too much of an oil cooler, which takes advantage of to your engine’s anticipated operat- any additive can be a bad thing.” ambient air to wick away heat. ing environment and demands, taking Think of additives as components So, how about an oil heater like a into account advice from your engine’s of the oil in the crankcase: for every heated dipstick or a jury-rigged hotplate operating manual. In cold weather, drop of additive, a drop of the actual under the sump? “People use oil heaters tend towards lower numbers; thick oil oil is removed. Jim Olofsson, piston to help with the fl ow at startup,” Antika at cold temperatures can raise pressures engine oils marketing manager for Air says. “That’s fi ne, but when you leave high enough to split oil lines or fi lters, BP’s Castrol Aviator line, summed up: the heater on all the time, you’ll be or even oil coolers. In hot weather, a “You take all these goals (corrosion and percolating the oil in the pan. Oil will higher-weight oil can better protect rust prevention, anti-wear and clean- drain off the static surfaces, yet you’re the moving parts. But the advantage liness) and reach them in the most still percolating the water in the oil in is tied to the engine and installation; harmonized way. If there’s a proper the pan. That water will condense on a cool-running engine won’t benefi t as product in the fi rst place, there’s no the exposed surfaces and much of it will much as a tightly cowled, high-horse- reason [for an aircraft owner] to add just return to the pan; the rest will stay power turbocharged powerplant that anything. Why buy a $20 additive and on those exposed surfaces.” works its oil much harder. put it in a $20 case of oil when you Without an escape path, water Would you ever want to use a could buy a case of good oil for $36?” just stays in the engine—but now tem- straight-weight oil? Sure. For many pi- Beyond the perils of home- peratures are higher and the chemical lots who operate mainly in moderate brewing, the additives must be kept reactions are accelerated. “Additives climates, the straight-weight might be suspended in solution. The fi ne art of will help maintain a barrier to the the best bet. But for those whose air- formulating an oil comes in balancing water,” he said, “but why stress them planes see frequent cold starts, there’s components in the additive package— more than you have to?” no denying the viscosity advantages of dispersants, corrosion inhibitors, sta- Too much of a good thing may be a multi-weight. bilizers, and the like. Each brand of a bad thing. Use a heater in cold cli- Additives are the main differen- oil is formulated to embody a slightly mates, Antika said, but “Turn it on a tiators among oils. The mix of addi- different philosophy. The problem is, couple hours before fl ight; don’t leave tives determines a particular oil’s su- there is no independent, reliable source it on all the time or even overnight.” periority in any particular application. of information available to the pub- As with everything in life, additives lic that tells us what that philosophy Oil Types and Additives involve tradeoffs. There are hundreds is—favoring anti-corrosion over anti- There are two basic types of oil in use of additives on the market, and their wear, for example—and if there were, in piston-engine aircraft: mineral oil purveyors claim all of them will make it would be nearly impossible for a lay- (sometimes called straight oil) and your oil work better. man to tell any difference. The good AD (ashless-dispersant) oil. Addition- According to John Cooper of Air news is that all approved aviation oils ally, there are synthetic oils, which, BP, the big oil company formulators do a good job—if we do a good job of for the purposes of this article, will be aren’t living in caves, isolated from keeping them clean, fi ltered and fresh.

66 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com Next Month

(More to the point, as we’ll discuss The Lycoming Additive next month, the additive package for An important development in oil automobile oils assumes a certain kind technology was spawned by Lycoming’s of engine, with far tighter clearances requirement for a specifi c additive— than our beloved air-cooled clangers.) bascially an extreme-pressure additive According to Air BP’s Oloffson, to help reduce camshaft/lifter spall- “Wear and corrosion have been largely ing. All aviation oils now have it, but ‘engineered out.’ The general fi eld of not all old stock does. So Lycoming’s lubricants has made a lot of progress.” elixir—known as LW-16702—needs to He suggested checking approval dates be added to this old stock. for the latest formulation when look- “One or two quarts of a Lycom- ing for a tie-breaker, because “once a ing additive oil in an 8-quart sump lube is approved, the recipe is frozen isn’t good enough.” Oloffson noted. in time.” He added, though, “Don’t Again, having the right mix matters. worry about a few months, or even a year or two difference.” Contaminants Not every engine thrives on the most Recommendations modern AD and synthetic oils, though. •Drain the oil, change the fi lter, and As Antika notes, “Some engines are so refi ll every 25-50 hours or every time old, they depend on deposits to keep there is a change of season, whichever from leaking.” Conventional wisdom comes fi rst. (Occasional fl yers often is to avoid semi-synthetics on “ma- forget the calendar recommendation.) ture” engines. Most, though, are better The more often you fl y, the longer your off with cleaner insides. hourly intervals can be. You must keep the oil clean of •Cut open your old fi lter, every mechanical debris (carbon, metal time, and have a look at what’s in it. shavings, ‘goo,’ small pieces of broken DO-IT-YOURSELF If you have any doubts or you’re at all things); that is what the fi lter does. INSTRUMENT PANELS surprised by what you see, enlist profes- Changing the oil without also chang- In this new series with RV-8 builder Ken sional help. ing the fi lter is therefore not a good Balch, we’ll take you through the step- •Flushing with a lighter agent (e.g., practice because it will eventually by-step process of building an aircraft kerosene) leads to dilution and can cre- reach its fi ltering capacity. How do you panel—from conception to actual con- ate a fi re hazard. According to the peo- struction. You’ll learn what you need to know? You don’t, which is why this ple at Air BP, a half-percent of kerosene know before tackling the job. conservative approach to changing the or gasoline can remain in the sump for fi lter often is considered to be best. the life of the engine. BUDGET BUILDS In addition to water and the •If you don’t plan to fl y for a while, Think it’s impossible to build a two-seat, byproducts of combustion, raw gasoline run the engine until it reaches a good cross-country capable aircraft for less can fi nd its way into the oil. Not only operating temperature, drain the oil, than $40,000? Think again... does gasoline reduce the oil’s lubricat- change the fi lter and fi ll with new oil. ing ability, it can cause other troubles, Run the engine up to operating tem- BUYING USED: including, in extreme cases, a risk of perature again, and park it. If you leave DOES IT MAKE SENSE? fi re. “All oils,” Antika says, “require a the old oil in, the absorbed acids and Technical Editor Ed Wischmeyer retells basic level of fi ltration—you have to his (sometimes harrowing) experiences water will have plenty of time to work remove the dirt, contaminants and with a purchased RV-4, describing how on the innards. byproducts of fuel degradation. The he turned it from a pile of problems •When you’re going to light the only way to get gas out of the oil is to into a genuinely safe airplane. engine the fi rst time after a long sleep, run it out, or, of course, to change the pull a plug out of each cylinder and oil. This is not a fi lter issue.” DESIGN TESTING FOR HOMEBUILTS hand-prop the engine through dozens How well has your airplane been tested of revolutions. Then turn it over with by the kit manufacturer? Choosing the Right Oil the starter—mixture at idle cutoff, mag- For Your Engine netos off—until you see oil pressure on PLUS... the gauge. Then reassemble everything All the major aviation oils—Aeroshell, COMPLETIONS and perform a normal engine start. Castrol Aviator, Exxon Elite, Phillips ENGINE BEAT •The best advice: Fly often, fl y far. XC II—are vastly better choices for WIND TUNNEL aviation use than automotive oils, For more information visit www.aeroshell. WHAT’S NEW under normal conditions. Their addi- com (Aeroshell); www.airbp.com (Air BP’s KITSTUFF tive packages are designed to address Castrol Aviator); www.phillips66aviation. aviation oil’s biggest problem (cor- com (Conoco Phillips); www.exxonelite. Available May 10 rosion), and they all do a good job. com (Exxon Elite).

KITPLANES May 2005 67 Aero ’Lectrics

of the dielectric constant between Keep your plane from having a the plates (measured in farads or bil- lionths of a farad, picofarads). Therefore, if we have air (de=1) drinking problem. between the plates, we will have a capacitor of one value, but if we have gasoline (de=2) between the plates, we will have double that capacitance. t wasn’t but a couple of dozen years So, what had been a blessing now By means of a capacitance meter, ago that the EAA and Petersen Avia- turns to somewhat of a curse. How do we can tell if we have gasoline or Ition simultaneously came up with you tell whether or not the gasoline air between the plates. Moreover, if the unthinkable—using auto gas in you buy at Joe’s Fuel Emporium has an only part of the plates is covered by airplanes. For those whose airplanes alcohol content? Unless you demand gasoline, we can tell how much gas applied, the STC for standard-airworthi- to see the analysis printout for each is in the tank as a function of how ness aircraft as well as a lot of test data tank of fuel you buy, you are at best much of the plates have gasoline on homebuilt aircraft cut the fuel cost guessing whether or not your gas has between them. This was the basis of fl ying nearly in half. booze in it. of the capacitor fuel gauge in the Enter the devil: alcohol. With the Until now. Enter the KITPLANES® KITPLANES® articles. EPA regulations requiring a “clean” fuel, Booze-O-Meter, sometimes called a That’s fi ne, if the gasoline is pure. we tried MTBE (nasty to the water sup- Percentage Of Alcohol meter. If the gasoline has alcohol (de=30) in ply) and a few other chemicals to force it, the capacitance will change again. the gasoline to burn clean, but for a lot Capacitance We will exploit this large difference be- of reasons—practical and political— tween gasoline and gasohol’s dielectric alcohol was the additive of choice. To the Rescue constants to tell how much alcohol is Call it gasohol. Run yourself back to KITPLANES® in the gasoline. June 2000 issue. We found that two Clean, But conductors (a couple of aluminum No Need plates) separated by a dielectric insula- Not Good For You tor formed a “capacitor”. The capacity To Crack a Textbook Alcohol burns clean, it helps the gasoline of this confi guration to hold electrons Without bringing back the horrors of to burn clean, but it eats rubber seals for is a function of the size of the plates, Algebra II—“if John has 50 ml of a 12% lunch. Rubber seals, as in some o-rings, the distance between the plates, and salt solution and mixes it with 200 ml carburetor parts, fuel bladders, and a few the “dielectric constant” (de) of the of Mary’s 32% solution...”—we can say other fuel system parts. Not good. As insulator between the plates. that the dielectric constant of the mix- a matter of fact, the FAA, the EAA and If we keep the size and spacing of ture will be somewhere between the Petersen all prohibit the use of any the plates constant, the “capacitance” 2% of gasoline and the 30% of alcohol. alcohol-laced fuel in their programs. of the capacitor is solely a function For example, a 5% alcohol mix with gasoline gives us a “de” of around 4.2. We ought to be able to detect this sort of gross change quite easily. So what to use for a capacitor that will allow gasohol to displace air between the plates? Let us travel back to those hallowed days of yesteryear when we had radios that glowed in the dark and warmed up the room quite nicely. They all, each of them, used a particular value for tuning capacitor: 365 picofarads. And, they all had air as the dielectric. Using one of these old air-variable tuning capaci- tors as our sensor is the easy way of detecting gasohol. From here it is pretty easy—put the capacitor into an oscillator circuit The Booze-O-Meter Schematic. where the capacitor controls the fre-

68 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com BY JIM WEIR

quency and then detect the frequency. Sounds pretty simple, and actually it is. We’ve got two absolute calibration points, pure air and pure gasoline, and from these points we can calibrate our meter in percentage alcohol. Pure gasoline? Sure, 100LL or 80 octane is about as pure as it gets. We will calibrate the meter with air, calibrate it at a second point with avgas, and then we ought to be able to detect any alcohol in the gasoline. Put To the Test Actually, I’ve got a disadvantage that I’m going to turn around to make sure that this system works as intended. Zie Kalifornia Governator—how can we ever get tired of making fun of the guy?—has dictated that our gasoline This is the tester immersed in a sample of gasohol. Note the reading after calibration. has 5.5% alcohol in it. I now have a calibrated third point to prove that the KITPLANES® Booze-O-Meter works as advertised. The circuit is really simple, but there are some variations from theory. With air the oscillator (U1A) oscillates around 9.8 kHz, as expected. With pure gasoline the frequency is around 6.5 kHz (de = 1.52) and with 5% gasohol, the frequency is around 5.8 kHz (de = 1.68). Why the disparity between theory and practice for the oscillator frequencies? For one thing, the book ﬁ gures for pure gasoline’s dielectric constant were done during WW-II on 100/130 with its strong tetraethyl lead content. For another, I suspect that the heavy rains around here and the resultant high humidity sucked some of that alcohol out of the gasohol and Testing a sample of untainted 100LL, the Booze-O-Meter shows a noticeably different reading. dropped it to the bottom of the jar. But The lower the reading, the less alcohol is in the fuel. No smoking in the lab, please. not to worry, we can simply proceed goodies in this article: the 365pf air on the basis of experimental data. capacitor in a jar of suspect gasoline variable capacitor is available (Part If we pass this oscillator signal and anything more than 10 indicates No. C-V365, $12) from Antique Elec- through a low-pass ﬁ lter with a cut- gasohol...the higher the reading, the tronics Supply (http://www.tubesand off frequency well below 5 kHz, the more the alcohol content. more.com). The meter (as well as all resultant output will be a voltage that I have calibrated this system to the semiconductors, resistors, and ca- corresponds to frequency. Once we make each minor tick on the meter 1 pacitors in this article) are available have this, the rest is nothing more percent of alcohol, but by choosing from The Shack (meter Part No. 22- than making the voltage levels drive other resistor values, I can make it any- 410 $13). the meter the way we want it to look. thing I please. Normally, you will not Here’s the drill. We adjust R108 have to make the air/avgas calibration again once you make it, but you might Jim Weir is the chief avioniker at RST En- to read full-scale on the meter with gineering. He answers avionics questions want to check it once a year. the capacitor in air. We then dunk in the Internet newsgroup rec.aviation. the capacitor in avgas and adjust homebuilt. Check out his website at www. R112 to read two-thirds scale (“10” Finding Parts rst-engr.com/kitplanes for previous articles on our meter). Then dunking the You need a source for a couple of the and supplements.

Illustrations: Jim Weir KITPLANES May 2005 69 Builders’ Marketplace

AVIATION OXYGEN SYSTEMS

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70 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com Welds That’ll Fly By Any Inspection

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72 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com Light Stuff BY DAN JOHNSON

Air Creation’s new TanarG lowers the trike’s overall c.g., and stability is increased due to rack-and-pinion nosewheel steering.

On the horizon—Air Creation’s new TanarG is a high-end, high-energy alternative.

hanks to aviation pioneers in the term tanarg “is an ancient word emphasis on the G (like ‘energy’), it will France, Americans use terms such meaning a strong natural force, such as be easier for the American tongue.” T as empennage, aileron and fuselage. a tsunami.” Given last January’s earth- I like it better than TanaRG, the For 2005, we can learn a new French quake in the Indian Ocean and the company’s original Americanization, word: TanarG. This is the name of a new subsequent disaster, tsunami takes on which suggested retractable gear. aircraft from Air Creation, the world’s new meaning. largest trike builder. And based on a fi rst Air Creation’s Jean-Luc Tilloy ex- review, this is the slickest rig from the panded on the defi nition: “Apparently An Airborne Motorcycle company to date. it is more specifi c than just a strong The TanarG’s new body fairing incor- At fi rst glance, the TanarG Air natural force. We understand tanarg re- porates elements of the modern breed Recreational Vehicle (it’s a trike) may fers to thunder. The origin of the word of high-speed motorcycles often re- appear like the company’s Clipper is very old—how old we don’t know. It ferred to as crotch rockets, which help model, but look more carefully. This is not found in any modern language lend a dynamic appearance to the ma- new chassis has so many changes that we can fi nd.” chine. According to Kemmeries, “The up close, it bears little resemblance to Tanarg is also the name of a TanarG brings the highly developed earlier models. mountain near the Air Creation facto- innovations of the motorcycle, ATV, jet ry. The French say a monument at the ski and automotive industries to bear base of the mountain refers to thunder with the same clear focus Air Creation What’s In a Name? but gives no information as to the ori- applies to safe, practical, maintainable When I fi rst heard from John Kemmer- gin or exact meaning of the word. “We performance and handling.” ies of Air Creation USA, he said that feel that if we spell it TanarG, with the Like the Honda Gold Wing mo-

Photos: Courtesy Air Creation KITPLANES May 2005 73 Light Stuff continued

either the Kiss for its sweet handling Sun ’n Fun 2005,” Kemmeries said. “It or the iXess for excellent all-around appears that the price will not discour- performance and handling. The lat- age the well-to-do buyer, as the fi rst ter is most valuable for cross-country batch has already sold.” fl ights; it is quite speedy. To date, Air Creation USA has “The TanarG utilizes adjust- ordered 20 units for 2005, and the able rack-and-pinion steering, company is hoping to double that. But allowing the pilot to be seated demand is high in other countries, so behind the front wheel as op- Kemmeries doesn’t know if he will get posed to over it,” Kemmeries many more than 25 units. “We may says. Such an arrangement helps sell out this spring,” he said. Air Creation’s trademark red- and-gray color scheme helps illustrate the to signifi cantly lower the aircraft Air Creation has been working on TanarG’s resemblance to the company’s other c.g. When coupled with all-wheel a new factory in China to help keep up models; but, the difference is in the details. hydraulic disk brakes and large-foot- with demand. “China is up and running, print tires on a longer wheelbase, the producing the current GTE, Clipper and TanarG provides the stability, handling XP models,” Kemmeries said, “but this torcycle, this is a deluxe trike. “The and driving performance found in rally won’t help the U.S. market until the ini- only nonstandard OEM options are race carts. Since steering is adjustable, tial Asian order is completed.” towing [linkages] and dual control for the TanarG can accommodate persons Meanwhile, Air Creation USA will instructional use,” Kemmeries says. ranging in size from 5-foot-5 to 6-foot- be out in force promoting the compa- Aftermarket options include an emer- 10. “All points of pressure on the oc- ny’s entire line of colorful trikes. “We gency parachute plus radio and instru- cupant have been eliminated,” Kem- will be sending a team on a market- ments. In addition, Air Creation USA’s meries said. “Wide seats and full back ing tour this summer to fl y to events custom shop can add anything on a support provide lounge comfort for and shows around the country with a time-and-materials basis, including po- any waistline.” TanarG 912 and a GTE 912, both fi tted sition lights, Mode C, GPS and more. Easy setup and handling is engi- with the iXess wing,” Kemmeries said. But the TanarG is not for those on neered into the new geometry, which The tour starts in June. If you’re a po- a limited budget—it retails for $52,750 represents a radical departure for Air tential high-end trike consumer, don’t (at current dollar/Euro exchange rates) Creation. The mast connecting wing to miss the chance to check out this sleek with a Rotax 912 and the top-of-the- chassis now hinges on a structure piv- new machine. line iXess wing. “Our current 912-pow- oting near the fore/aft center of mass ered rig is about $10,000 less,” Kem- so that one person can more easily do FOR MORE INFORMATION, contact Air meries says. “We will continue with the a solo setup. Creation USA/Kemmeries Aviation at www. aircreation.net or call 623/566-8068. GTE and Clipper 912 models to remain With good speed, a highly reli- To review all “Light Stuff” columns viable to a larger demographic.” The able four-stroke engine, easy fl ight that have appeared in KITPLANES®, visit company also sells a modestly priced characteristics, plenty of occupant www.ByDanJohnson.com, which links Fun Racer. comfort, and space for gear and sup- to the KITPLANES® website with articles The TanarG can be fi tted with plies, “TanarG is the ultimate touring of interest. the Fun 450 wing (slow), the Kiss 450 machine,” Kemmeries says. wing (medium), or the iXess wing (fast). I’ve fl own all of these wings and Coming to America each has something to be said for it, The TanarG is coming soon. but I would recommend “We will have the fi rst TanarGs in Arizona in late March and will show them at

Folding down the TanarG will be a whole new (and better) experience for owners who want to do it solo. The fulcrum is now much farther forward Formerly, the structure of all Air Creation trikes was built of aluminum. than on older models. Now, a weldment does the job, offering a new look.

74 KITPLANES May 2005 www.kitplanes.com The Classified Builder

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KITPLANES May 2005 77 The Classified Builder continued

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Unique pitch adjustment, PO Box 747, Brookshire, TX 77423 Ph: 281-375-5453 Email: [email protected] CHALLENGER VIDEO, $10. Exciting 45-minute no protractor needed. Low drag hub. 30-day www.betterhalfvw.com VHS video of Quad City Ultralight’s Challenger money back guarantee. Ivoprop Corp., PMB Kits & materials pkgs., welded fuselages: John Bolding, II and Challenger II Special. We will also include 281-383-0113. Estimated cost $5,000-$7,500. #330, 15903 Lakewood Blvd., #103, Bell- a complete information package with prices. Send $12 to QCU Aircraft Corp., PO Box flower, CA 90706. Call: 800-FOR-PROP or LEARN ALL ABOUT FLYING ULTRALIGHTS 562-602-1451. Fax: 562-602-1374. Website: 370, Moline, IL 61266-0370. Web page: AND LIGHT-SPORT AIRCRAFT from the world's Ivoprop.com E-mail: [email protected] www.quadcitychallenger.com Or call: 309- oldest and largest magazine dedicated to ultra- 764-3515. Fax: 309-762-3920. We accept Visa/MC. SENSENICH WOOD PROPELLERS light and light-sport aviation. 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KITPLANES May 2005 79 Kit Stuff BY ROBRUCHA

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