From: krnet-bounces@mylist.net To: John Bouyea Subject: KRnet Digest, Vol 347, Issue 422 Date: 10/21/2005 7:46:08 PM Send KRnet mailing list submissions to krnet@mylist.net To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://mylist.net/listinfo/krnet or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to krnet-request@mylist.net You can reach the person managing the list at krnet-owner@mylist.net When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of KRnet digest..." Today's Topics: 1. RE: making covers & other upholstery matters (Doug Rupert) 2. Re: Gear legs and belly-boards (Dan Heath) 3. Sand Bag Testing (Orma) 4. Re: Steve Jones' Crash (Dan Heath) 5. Re: BRS (Dan Heath) 6. Re: Sand Bag Testing (Dan Heath) 7. Weight testing (Frank Ross) 8. Re: BRS (Ron Smith) 9. Re: Steve Jones' Crash (Ron Smith) 10. Re: BRS (Ron Lee) 11. Re: BRS (Ron Smith) 12. Re: Sand Bag Testing (Dennis Mingear) 13. RE: engine break-in (Scott Bailey) 14. Re: Weight testing (Orma) 15. Re: Gear legs and belly-boards (VIRGIL N SALISBURY) 16. Got my fix. (Mark Jones) 17. Accidents (Scott William) 18. Tweety update (Orma) 19. Re: Gear legs and belly-boards (Mark Langford) 20. RE: Steve Jones' Crash (Brian Kraut) 21. Re: Accidents (Mark Langford) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 18:49:04 -0400 From: "Doug Rupert" Subject: RE: KR> making covers & other upholstery matters To: "'KRnet'" Message-ID: <000601c5d691$a644b5d0$6204e440@office> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1250" Don: When I get to the finishing stage figure on doing my cockpit as well as covers for the whole bird. I put my Mercury panel truck on the line last night to William in exchange for that completed engine he has for sale. We'll have to see what he says. Damnest thing is the panel is worth as much as an IFR rated used Cherokee and has been appraised at 50K US$ as it sits since there were only 135 of them ever built that year which was the last production year for the panel. I hate to do it but flying takes precedence over just about everything right now. Doug doing professional looking looking upholstery really does depend on what equipment you have at your disposal as the craft itself is not difficult. The difference is that an upholsterer has a repertory of techniques and has a hands on knowledge of the materials being used, thousands of hours at the craft also shows in the finished product. -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.12.4/142 - Release Date: 10/18/2005 ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 19:09:02 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time) From: "Dan Heath" Subject: Re: KR> Gear legs and belly-boards To: Message-ID: <4359750E.000001.03640@DANHOMECOMPUTER> Content-Type: Text/Plain; charset="iso-8859-1" If you want simple, use the Grove single piece gear. Expensive, but reliable simple, and easy on maintenance. Much easier to install and does not require as much surgery to the KR. I have installed both, and there is no comparison for simple. I think the belly board is the only way to go. Simple and the last thing you need when landing is more lift generated by flaps. But, I have neither, however, did stay at an Holiday Inn Express last night. See N64KR at http://KRBuilder.org - Then click on the pics See you in Mt. Vernon - 2006 - KR Gathering There is a time for building and a time for FLYING and the time for building is over. Daniel R. Heath - Lexington, SC -------Original Message------- Gear legs and belly-boards ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 19:15:19 -0400 From: "Orma" Subject: KR> Sand Bag Testing To: "KRnet" Message-ID: <006401c5d695$4f731360$0302a8c0@ROBBINS1> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Years ago I flew with passengers. Most of them under 150. Recently I had been flying with salt bags of 40 lbs each for a total of 160. I did not make the jump to 200, because I wanted to fly with the 160 until I got used to the weight. I think now before I fly with weight again, that I will weigh the aircraft with the different weight configurations and see before hand where the CG numbers are and compare that to what the 160 lbs felt like. I would be interested in reading how others have increased their weight and what experiences they had. It is my understanding that the stall speed could all but double in a bank. Colin is good with that kind of info and perhaps he will weigh in with a few of his brief remarks. Orma Southfield, MI KR-2 N110LR 1984 See Tweety at http://www.kr-2.aviation-mechanics.com See other KR spces at www.kr-2.aviation-mechanics.com/krinfo.htm ------------------------------ Message: 4 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 19:16:59 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time) From: "Dan Heath" Subject: Re: KR> Steve Jones' Crash To: Message-ID: <435976EB.000003.03640@DANHOMECOMPUTER> Content-Type: Text/Plain; charset="iso-8859-1" You are absolutely right. It is dangerous. I look back at when I tested the Little Beast, and I am ashamed to tell you that I used concrete blocks. Every time I look back on that, it scares me. To think that I could have used such bad judgement. What if I had suffered a rough landing and those things had started having a mind of their own? What a horrible thought. I am going to put sand in a pair of pants and secure it with the seat belt. Then I am going to add a shirt sewn and filled with sand and have it secured with the seat and shoulder harness. I am going to tie the legs and arms together so they won't flop around so much. The only thing is that I need to get as much weight as Jerry and that is going to be hard to do. See N64KR at http://KRBuilder.org - Then click on the pics See you in Mt. Vernon - 2006 - KR Gathering There is a time for building and a time for FLYING and the time for building is over. Daniel R. Heath - Lexington, SC -------Original Message------- Every time I see someone on the list talk about sandbags in the cockpit I always worry about the darn things shifting around and as we all know it doesn't take much shifting around, not to mention a loose 50 pound bag of sand, in a KR to make things interesting for the pilot. ------------------------------ Message: 5 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 19:20:09 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time) From: "Dan Heath" Subject: Re: KR> BRS To: Message-ID: <435977A9.000005.03640@DANHOMECOMPUTER> Content-Type: Text/Plain; charset="iso-8859-1" There is one person who has done this, that I have seen. He is happy with the results. I would like to see a better implementation. So, when all of you who are determined to do this, actually DO it, I want you to know that I am very interested. What we all need to see is Action and Examples of How to do it, not so much talk. Yes, it is the way to go, but I am from Missouri, SHOW me. See N64KR at http://KRBuilder.org - Then click on the pics See you in Mt. Vernon - 2006 - KR Gathering There is a time for building and a time for FLYING and the time for building is over. Daniel R. Heath - Lexington, SC -------Original Message------- You should learn from bad decisions..not die from them. my $.02 ------------------------------ Message: 6 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 19:23:10 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time) From: "Dan Heath" Subject: Re: KR> Sand Bag Testing To: Message-ID: <4359785E.000007.03640@DANHOMECOMPUTER> Content-Type: Text/Plain; charset="iso-8859-1" I can tell you that when I tested the Little Beast, I knew when to stop. I was at 120 pounds and the plane felt very "squirrely", so I quit there and set that as my limit. See N64KR at http://KRBuilder.org - Then click on the pics See you in Mt. Vernon - 2006 - KR Gathering There is a time for building and a time for FLYING and the time for building is over. Daniel R. Heath - Lexington, SC -------Original Message------- compare that to what the 160 lbs felt like. I would be interested in reading how others have increased their weight and what experiences they had. ------------------------------ Message: 7 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 16:49:21 -0700 (PDT) From: Frank Ross Subject: KR> Weight testing To: KRnet Message-ID: <20051021234921.21545.qmail@web32006.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Sand or salt can get loose and cause problems just as a cement block or weights can. You do not want even 25 pounds of loose sand sliding to the rear of the plane when you put the nose up. You could make "rope dummies" like we used in air-rescue training. That way you can make different size dummies and strap them in real good. We used heavy rope, wound in figure-of-eight with additional rope wrapped around to make legs, arms, torso and even the head. I'm talking THICK rope. When we had the dummy completed we put an old flight suit on it, but you could probably use an old pair of overalls, and could lift it, carry it, put it in the basket or on the hoist and pull it into the helicopter. Works good. You'd be surprised how heavy these things can be in the same size as a human. Maybe not as heavy as Jerry or me... Good luck, Frank --- Dan Heath wrote: > You are absolutely right. It is dangerous. I look > back at when I tested the > Little Beast, and I am ashamed to tell you that I > used concrete blocks. > Every time I look back on that, it scares me. To > think that I could have > used such bad judgement. What if I had suffered a > rough landing and those > things had started having a mind of their own? What > a horrible thought. I am > going to put sand in a pair of pants and secure it > with the seat belt. Then > I am going to add a shirt sewn and filled with sand > and have it secured with > the seat and shoulder harness. I am going to tie the > legs and arms together > so they won't flop around so much. The only thing is > that I need to get as > much weight as Jerry and that is going to be hard to > do. > > See N64KR at http://KRBuilder.org - Then click on > the pics > > See you in Mt. Vernon - 2006 - KR Gathering > > There is a time for building and a time for FLYING > and the time for building > is over. > > Daniel R. Heath - Lexington, SC > > -------Original Message------- > > Every time I see someone on the list talk about > > sandbags in the cockpit I always worry about the > darn > > things shifting around and as we all know it doesn't > > take much shifting around, not to mention a loose 50 > > pound bag of sand, in a KR to make things > interesting > > for the pilot. > > > _______________________________________ > Search the KRnet Archives at http://www.maddyhome.com/krsrch/index.jsp > to UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to > KRnet-leave@mylist.net > please see other KRnet info at > http://www.krnet.org/info.html > Frank Ross, EAA Chapter 35, San Geronimo, TX RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, England, UK Visit my photo album at: http://photos.yahoo.com/alamokr2 __________________________________ Start your day with Yahoo! - Make it your home page! http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs ------------------------------ Message: 8 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 17:00:22 -0700 (PDT) From: Ron Smith Subject: Re: KR> BRS To: KRnet Message-ID: <20051022000023.68841.qmail@web81707.mail.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 --- Ron Lee wrote: > Ron, How will I get into a flat spin? > > Answer: It won't happen or has such a low > probability > that it is not worth being part of a risk > assessment.> Ron, How will I get into a flat spin? > > > My piloting skills: Good to better than average > > Pilot judgement: Superior > > Flight currency: 250 hours a year the last three > years > > Current training: instrument rating > > As I said, if you or anyone else desires to install > a BRS, go ahead. > I have seen several cases where they were used were > use masked > extremely poor judgement. > > The aileron case may be viable if and only if > detection of the maintenance > problem was undetected during a normal preflight. > That does not apply to > me since I know the status of my control system. > > The argument that everyone makes bad decisions is fundamentally flawed > and cannot support a universal mandate for BRS > systems. I don't make > those kind of decisions, which is why I am a safer > pilot than many. FACT! > > Ron Lee Ron, I don't want to argue with you. If people want to put a chute in or not, it is up to them. I am not calling for anything to be mandatory. I am a LIBRITARIAN!! LOL I don't see why a person knowing the facts would not. That is all. I'm sure your're a fine pilot. A lot of pilots better than you, died. Most of the time, thorough their own screw up. Sometimes because of someone elses screw up. Sometimes because of an "act of God". If it makes you feel better not having one. Right on Brother! I pray, in all sincerity that neither you or anyone else ever dies in a KR again. I'm sure they will though. I have not compiled the number of hours flown in KRs and devided it by the number of deaths, but I'm sure if I did, I would not like the number. I read somewhere that flying in GA is about as risky as riding a motocycle in an urban area. That's fine. I'll bet that flying experimentals is a little more risky. If someone turns left in front of your Harley, there is no handle to pull. At least in aviation we have a few seconds, at the end, where we know we are going to die. I will have the handle to pull if I screw up. That is no garentee I will live, but it is better than no chance at all, which is what you have with no control at 200 alg, decending rapidly. BTW Ron, Your Wrote,> The argument that everyone makes bad decisions is > fundamentally flawed It is not flawed. Everyone who is a pilot has, or will make a bad decision. Were you not taught that in your training? The problem is that we sometimes compound that bad decsision with another one, till there is no possible recovery. Generally pilots die because of a series of bad decisions. Sometimes though one bad decision is enough in the right circumstances. Here is the bottom line for me. Of those all those who died in small experimental planes that crashed, how many would have been saved if they had the option of a BRS? 90%? 50%? 20%? 10%? Twenty pounds 3000 dolars A little extra work A Weight and balance recalulation A little less cargo area Or......... My life and perhaps my passengers life? Easy decision. All I have to say on the subject. ------------------------------ Message: 9 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 17:14:04 -0700 (PDT) From: Ron Smith Subject: Re: KR> Steve Jones' Crash To: KRnet Message-ID: <20051022001404.43633.qmail@web81708.mail.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Dan wrote: The only thing is > that I need to get as > much weight as Jerry and that is going to be hard to > do. LOL! BTW what you said about the blocks is exactly what I'm talking about. If we were God we could forsee every little thing that could go wrong. We can't. I remember when Mark Jones lost his spinner in flight. Wanna know what I was thinking? I was thinking He was EXTREMLY lucky that the spinner didn't break off part of his HS. If it did..............Well I don't wanna even think about it. Weird stuff happens. ------------------------------ Message: 10 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 18:15:23 -0600 From: Ron Lee Subject: Re: KR> BRS To: KRnet Message-ID: <6.0.1.1.2.20051021180817.01c78350@mail.pcisys.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Ron, your career choice as a LIBRARIAN is fine but not relevant to this discussion. By "bad decisions" surely you mean something that could get you killed dead. I am very careful about my flying and cancel on many occasions if I do not like the conditions. You are right that better pilots than I get killed. But their better piloting skills cannot overcome stupid decisions such as the pilot who landed in Little Rock late at night after a long day during a severe thunderstorm. Very dumb..and deadly. I make up for less than Chuck Yeager skills (which I will never have) with judgement. And per another post, I hope that you have done the structural analysis to verify that your BRS installation will not destroy the aircraft upon activation. If I were really concerned about my safety, I would wear my chest mount reserve. Ron Lee ------------------------------ Message: 11 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 17:20:28 -0700 (PDT) From: Ron Smith Subject: Re: KR> BRS To: KRnet Message-ID: <20051022002028.74306.qmail@web81707.mail.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 --- Ron Lee wrote: > Ron, your career choice as a LIBRARIAN is fine but > not relevant > to this discussion. LOL! I wrote "libritarian"! Ok Ron, We smokem peace pipe and no make war dance! Ron Smith Kr2ssxl Cypress Ca U.S.A. mercedesmann@yahoo.com http://ronsmith.myphotoalbum.com/albums.php ------------------------------ Message: 12 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 17:24:51 -0700 (PDT) From: Dennis Mingear Subject: Re: KR> Sand Bag Testing To: KRnet Message-ID: <20051022002451.59576.qmail@web51404.mail.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 That sounds like a good idea to me Orma. Place the tailwheel on something that places the KR in its normal flight attitude with scales at all three points and measure and verify the actual CG location, prior to flying. We W/B some of our gliders this way and it works fine. I would be very reluctant to load and fly and hope that everything would be fine. Denny ... Trust but Verify --- Orma wrote: > Years ago I flew with passengers. Most of them > under 150. Recently I had been flying with salt > bags of 40 lbs each for a total of 160. I did not > make the jump to 200, because I wanted to fly with > the 160 until I got used to the weight. I think > now before I fly with weight again, that I will > weigh the aircraft with the different weight > configurations and see before hand where the CG > numbers are and compare that to what the 160 lbs > felt like. > > I would be interested in reading how others have > increased their weight and what experiences they > had. > > It is my understanding that the stall speed could > all but double in a bank. Colin is good with that > kind of info and perhaps he will weigh in with a few > of his brief remarks. > > Orma > Southfield, MI > KR-2 N110LR 1984 > See Tweety at http://www.kr-2.aviation-mechanics.com > See other KR spces at www.kr-2.aviation-mechanics.com/krinfo.htm > > _______________________________________ > Search the KRnet Archives at http://www.maddyhome.com/krsrch/index.jsp > to UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to > KRnet-leave@mylist.net > please see other KRnet info at > http://www.krnet.org/info.html > __________________________________ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Message: 13 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 17:40:35 -0700 From: "Scott Bailey" Subject: RE: KR> engine break-in To: "'KRnet'" Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Fred - My suggestion is that you ask Joe at Revmaster for his recommendations. As I recall, there are some recommendations Revmaster lists in their engine documentation. If you don't have a copy of the engine "manual", Joe will send you one. At least he did for me. Scott Bailey Belmont -----Original Message----- From: Fred Lowerre [mailto:daaddo2@yahoo.com] Sent: Friday, October 21, 2005 4:53 AM To: krnet@mylist.net Subject: KR> engine break-in I have a question for you experienced VW guys.......I'm just about to get my engine back from Revmaster after a total rebuild.[New cyls,pistons,rings,heads,etc] What has been found to be the best way to break in the engine and get it ready for that first flight? What oil has been found to promote longetivity and should I use a break-in oil like on Lyc's and Continental's? And realistically, what's the TBO on these engines? This is my first VW....still lots to learn........Fred. --------------------------------- Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click. ------------------------------ Message: 14 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 21:10:14 -0400 From: "Orma" Subject: Re: KR> Weight testing To: "KRnet" Message-ID: <008101c5d6a5$5d4136b0$0302a8c0@ROBBINS1> Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original My problem with a dummy that weighs 200 is that I could not lift it into the plane. I always tied down my bags of salt, using the seat belt and shoulder harness and extra rope to secure the load. Orma Southfield, MI KR-2 N110LR 1984 See Tweety at http://www.kr-2.aviation-mechanics.com See other KR spces at www.kr-2.aviation-mechanics.com/krinfo.htm ------------------------------ Message: 15 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 21:03:00 -0400 From: VIRGIL N SALISBURY Subject: Re: KR> Gear legs and belly-boards To: krnet@mylist.net Message-ID: <20051021.210945.1072.3.virgnvs@juno.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii If you float, you are carring too much speed on final, Virg On Fri, 21 Oct 2005 17:37:05 -0500 "Rich Meyer" writes: > Joe, > Can you (or others) give me the pros and cons of aluminum > gear legs > vs. the Diehl scotchply composite? I'm about a week away from > ordering the > Diehl kit for converting from original retracts to fixed trigear. > Simple, > tested . . . Are there other options I should consider? > > As we open our wing stubs, change our brakes and seat, and > otherwise > cut and machine and fiberglas, seems we might also want to add > either a > belly-board or flaps. We've been warned that otherwise we'll be > half-way > down the runway before we stop floating. On first glance, > belly-board looks > simpler. (Right now, I like simple, I want to fly soon and I can > save some > upgrades for another winter.) > > We're eager for advice, > Rich, for the Benton Aero Club and N26LT > ---------------------------------------------- > -----Original Message----- > From: krnet-bounces+cptcsd=npcc.net@mylist.net > [mailto:krnet-bounces+cptcsd=npcc.net@mylist.net] On Behalf Of Joe > Beyer > Sent: Monday, October 17, 2005 3:02 AM > To: krnet@mylist.net > Subject: KR> (no subject) > > > Message: 8 > Date: Sun, 16 Oct 2005 18:58:58 -0500 > From: "M & C" > Subject: Re: KR> Aluminum barstock > To: "KRnet" > > I did this back in '88 and it works fine. Send me your email address > and I > can send some pictures. > > -Joe > > >I've still got the old spring bar for the oringal retracks so I > plan to > just > >cut it into and use it. The oringal bar was designed to handle the > > >landing loads so it it should handle any loads imposed on it in a > fixed > >gear position. I've never heard of one breaking?? Commits or > >suggestions welcome. > > > > _______________________________________ > Search the KRnet Archives at > http://www.maddyhome.com/krsrch/index.jsp > to UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to KRnet-leave@mylist.net > ease see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html > > Virgil N. Salisbury - AMSOIL www.lubedealer.com/salisbury Miami ,Fl ------------------------------ Message: 16 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 20:18:20 -0500 From: "Mark Jones" Subject: KR> Got my fix. To: "KR Net" Message-ID: <004a01c5d6a6$7e15cbc0$6401a8c0@wi.rr.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Yesterday I was at the airport after work and was checking things out in the engine compartment when I noticed my battery had bulged quite considerably on the side. It was a sealed battery. This afternoon I arrived the airport about 5pm and installed a new battery, put the cowl back on, preflighted her and took off at 20 till 6. I managed to get 1/2 hour flight in before it got too dark to fly with no interior lights, which I will be installing soon. Anyway, I greased a landing and tucked her away for the night. The rain is coming in tonight and is not predicted to stop till Monday so I just had to get that fix just in case I can not fly any this weekend. Mark Jones (N886MJ) Wales, WI USA E-mail me at flykr2s@wi.rr.com Visit my KR-2S CorvAIRCRAFT web site at http://mywebpage.netscape.com/n886mj ------------------------------ Message: 17 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 18:28:02 -0700 (PDT) From: Scott William Subject: KR> Accidents To: KRnet Message-ID: <20051022012802.18290.qmail@web31502.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 I promised not to post much, but I must share this. On December 19, 1999 Myself and a friend decided to leave my house on our motorcycles and go to the local Hooters restaurant for wings. We never made it. After watching the space shuttle night launch from my driveway, we departed. Approximately 1.4 miles from my house, in a residential area, going 35mph, a drunk driver coming from the other direction crossed the centerline and hit us head on. I had the most severe injuries. After a long hospital stay, and many months of recovery, I finally was able to get back to work and life. My point???? Since I was old enough to ride, I have owned, raced, wrenched, prepared, and trained on motorcycles of every different caliber. I wore the best safety equipment, became a certified safety instructor, and was considered by all who knew me to be one of the safest motorcyclists around this area. "Never in a million years would I dream that it would happen to you", is what people would say to me. But it did. Preparation, knowledge, a mentality of safety first, and all of the scenario practice cannot stop what may be simply inevitable. Or maybe it can. I don't wish to expound my religious beliefs on anyone. But I believe that when it is your time, you will die. That night, it wasn't my time. It was Steve's time. It may be yours next. >From someone who came close, please listen to me. You can analyze Steve's accident all you wish, as it's a good tool to learn. You can prepare your plane all you like. But if you haven't walked up to the people you love and told them so lately, you are not prepared. Because, all of you great engineering minds, statistics show that it isn't your plane that will kill you.....it's disease. ANd you can't engineer your way out of that one. So when you are done reading this, you can heed my advice, curse me, love me, or tell me to go away. But tell someone you love them, before it's too late. Because no matter what you think, you just never know when it's time. Was Steve's wreck cause by an accelerated stall from the added weight and a steep turn? I don't know. Was it control surface failure? I don't know. Was it a mistake on his part? I don't know. What I do know is that the show of support from all these friends is the true measure of what his life really was. Can you say that about yourself? Live his example.....with or without the damn parachute. Scott __________________________________ Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ Message: 18 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 21:48:52 -0400 From: "Orma" Subject: KR> Tweety update To: "KRnet" Message-ID: <009001c5d6aa$c2dcecd0$0302a8c0@ROBBINS1> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" As most anyone that follows the net knows, Tweety became seriously ill on the way home from Mt Vernon. I finally opened her engine to detect the reason for her illness. As I had previously stated, the cam was not turning and I had suspected a break. I was wrong. The full story: During the engine buildup, I installed a new cam. It required that I remove the rivets in the old cam gear and attach that gear to the new cam, using the supplied bolts. I had clearance problems with the oil pump. I had to shave some of the head of the bolts to gain clearance. I installed and torque the bolts. I did not use lock tight. My engine manual did not address the installation of an aftermarket cam in the engine. Over the course of the year, the bolts loosened and setup the problem that followed. The bolts could not come completely out due to the oil pump. They did begin to hit the pump and after loosening, the bolt holes elongated and it appears that the cam gear teeth started to wear thin. At the time that the engine quit, most teeth were thin and razor sharp. The point of failure occurred when a series of about 10 of the thinned gear teeth finally sheared and the cam stopped turning. The rest is history. The crank shaft mounted cam gear is galled, the crank needs polishing, I need a new oil pump, serialized aluminum parts are in every orifice in the engine, and the cam is useless. >From here it looks like a total rebuild. The problem with the head burning through is still a problem. I have been talking with Fat Performance, they race turbo VW's. They have a process that is designed to provide a better seal for the cylinder heads to prevent leaks of the type that I had. I will be shipping my heads to them. Orma Southfield, MI KR-2 N110LR 1984 See Tweety at http://www.kr-2.aviation-mechanics.com See other KR spces at www.kr-2.aviation-mechanics.com/krinfo.htm ------------------------------ Message: 19 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 21:11:11 -0500 From: "Mark Langford" Subject: Re: KR> Gear legs and belly-boards To: "KRnet" Message-ID: <005701c5d6ad$dfab29f0$1202a8c0@1700xp> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > I think the belly board is the only way to go. Simple and the last > thing you > need when landing is more lift generated by flaps. I'm not sure if I believe that, because no airplanes would have flaps if that were the case. The big thing that flaps give you (besides free drag) is they lower the landing speed by 5 mph (in my case). That's got to be good for something. I look at the extra lift as basically meaning that I'm flying a lighter bird, so my landing speed can be slower. I will agree that belly boards are easy to install and are quite effective, but they won't give you the 5 mph lower landing speed. That's not to say that some day I may show up with a belly board TOO though. Yesterday I did a little glide testing with and without flaps. Glide ratio is about 11:1 without them at best glide speed (80 mph or so) clean, and 9.5:1 with flaps. My flaps only drop 30 degrees due to lack of geometrical room under my seats for the jack screw to operate, and lack of foresight as to where my torque tube is located (which limits bellcrank length to exactly what it is now). If I had 60 degrees of split flaps, I'd have a real speed brake. I'll fix that one of these days though. Something else I determined yesterday is that propwash must be the problem with my static system, not proximity of the wing or tire. I put a 10" extension on the static tube and it made no difference. Readings were way off, so I pulled the hose off after I leveled off, which opened the static line to the cockpit interior, and everything started reading more accurately. I did a little sanding on my wing, and when I fired up the engine it blew the dust off 2' out from the stub wing junction. My static/pitot tube is at the stub/outer wing junction, just like the plans call for, but it ain't working for me! Mark Langford, Huntsville, Alabama see KR2S project N56ML at http://home.hiwaay.net/~langford email to N56ML "at" hiwaay.net -------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Message: 20 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 22:37:07 -0400 From: "Brian Kraut" Subject: RE: KR> Steve Jones' Crash To: "KRnet" Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I was fortunate in the fact that I had a five gallon tank in each wing stub in addition to a 15 gallon header tank. I had no intentions of ever flying with a passenger and fuel in the wing tanks so that made things a little easier. With full fuel in the tanks during the testing that brought me 60 pounds closer without having to worry about securing it. I also got the rest by two cement blocks on the seat and a five gallon drywall bucket on top of them filled with water and the lid securely on. I was able to put the seat belt around it and wrap it around the bucket handle so it was pretty secure. Certainly not the best way, but it worked. Ideal would be a crash test dummy, but i don't happen to have one. Lead shot if you have a bunch is a good way to get the weight without taking up a bunch of room. We have two 25 pound bags of lead shot at the glider club that we put under the front seat of the gliders if the front passenger is under 140 pounds. I used them in my Midget mustang under my seat cushion where they didn't take up much room and were not going to move anywhere. If you can get ahold of enough lead I suspect that you can get up to 200 pounds in a 5 gallon bucket and secure it adequately. Brian Kraut Engineering Alternatives, Inc. www.engalt.com -----Original Message----- From: krnet-bounces+brian.kraut=engalt.com@mylist.net [mailto:krnet-bounces+brian.kraut=engalt.com@mylist.net]On Behalf Of Dan Heath Sent: Friday, October 21, 2005 7:17 PM To: krnet@mylist.net Subject: Re: KR> Steve Jones' Crash You are absolutely right. It is dangerous. I look back at when I tested the Little Beast, and I am ashamed to tell you that I used concrete blocks. Every time I look back on that, it scares me. To think that I could have used such bad judgement. What if I had suffered a rough landing and those things had started having a mind of their own? What a horrible thought. I am going to put sand in a pair of pants and secure it with the seat belt. Then I am going to add a shirt sewn and filled with sand and have it secured with the seat and shoulder harness. I am going to tie the legs and arms together so they won't flop around so much. The only thing is that I need to get as much weight as Jerry and that is going to be hard to do. See N64KR at http://KRBuilder.org - Then click on the pics See you in Mt. Vernon - 2006 - KR Gathering There is a time for building and a time for FLYING and the time for building is over. Daniel R. Heath - Lexington, SC -------Original Message------- Every time I see someone on the list talk about sandbags in the cockpit I always worry about the darn things shifting around and as we all know it doesn't take much shifting around, not to mention a loose 50 pound bag of sand, in a KR to make things interesting for the pilot. _______________________________________ Search the KRnet Archives at http://www.maddyhome.com/krsrch/index.jsp to UNsubscribe from KRnet, send a message to KRnet-leave@mylist.net please see other KRnet info at http://www.krnet.org/info.html ------------------------------ Message: 21 Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 21:49:45 -0500 From: "Mark Langford" Subject: Re: KR> Accidents To: "KRnet" Message-ID: <006101c5d6b3$44db7410$1202a8c0@1700xp> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" My vote is no on the BRS, thank you. I rode my mountain bike for two hours this afternoon on the side of a mountain, and could have easily broken something (like I did my collarbone a few years back), but I'm not about to wear hockey padding when I bike. I DO wear a helmet and gloves, because I don't cherish the thought of being a vegetable that my family has to take care of. I don't carefully pick my way down the side of the mountain....I go as fast as I think I can possibly get away with! I was thinking about why it is that I like to do stuff like that, and arrived at the conclusion that I enjoy a good "death defying challenge". When I get back to the bottom of the mountain, and have successfully dodged thousands of sharp boulders, loose rocks, and tree stumps and limbs, I feel a small measure of pride that I cheated injury or death once again. I get the same buzz from landing my plane....I cheated it again! Folks have their own levels of comfort. Some fly spam cans, others experimentals, others with BRS chutes, some in ultralights or hang gliders, and some prefer to sit on their couches and watch TV instead of taking any kind of risk at all. I can't live that way. My willingness to take a risk is one reason why I had the audacity (and you thought it was confidence) to make as many changes as I did to my airplane. It has paid off so far, with the bottom line being some small measure of improvement to the KR design. More flight testing may be dangerous, but I get that buzz with it, so it'll be worth it. What's flying all about anyway? For me it's that buzz (and yes, I'm still juiced up after that dead-stick landing). If I die tomorrow, my tombstone will probably read something like "he died doing what he liked to do", and that'll be good enough for me. Just about everybody I know that's crashed a KR has promptly started repairing it or building another one. They've gotta have that fix. Ken Rand didn't sit on his couch and watch TV either, and we are all a little happier because of it. It's a personal choice, but don't give me a hard time for going without a BRS. I don't have a spare engine mounted on the plane either. We all have our levels of comfort. Flying is not an inherently safe hobby. I have a "living will" that basically says "if I get to the point that I can't pour myself a beer and drink it, unplug me! If my time is up, my time is up. At least I didn't die in front of my TV... Mark Langford, Huntsville, Alabama see KR2S project N56ML at http://home.hiwaay.net/~langford email to N56ML "at" hiwaay.net -------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ _______________________________________________ See KRnet list details at http://www.krnet.org/instructions.html End of KRnet Digest, Vol 347, Issue 422 *************************************** ================================== ABC Amber Outlook Converter v4.20 Trial version ==================================