Aviation BS and Photo Thread

I think float season is just about over for the year.

 

Now comes the wait between taking floats off and putting the skis on.

 

I wish! Unfortunately, the wait will be much, much longer than that. Not changing over this year. Gonna be parked till ice out.

 

https://youtu.be/TbMDqHezW8Q

 

Just got hired on at the regionals. $22,100 sign on bonus coming in January... so many mods

 

That sign on bonus is supposed to pay for the ramen you'll be eating the next three years on a regional paycheck.

 

I'll go in 0.1%!! It's about all I have right now but I figure it should be enough for the set of tires.

The early F4 models didn't have guns, as Cap'n said. Robin Olds book, Fighter Pilot, is a fun book about his time in the F4.

 

Which one did you go with? One of my friends just had his first trip with Envoy yesterday, another has a class date with Envoy next month and another with Republic in January.

 

Tax assisted or no?

 

Operation BOLO, baby! "Oooh, look at me, I'm a helpless

$33 F-105 with LC-10 lever clip F-Series Engine Oil Drain Valve, 1 Pack Golden

F-105 Wild Weasel....PSYCHE!! EAT SIDEWINDERS MOTHERFUCKERS!!!"



Sorry, Robin Old's epic mustache "puts me in a mood."

 

Almost ski season then!

 

https://www.aviation24.be/military-...stroyed-maintenance-collateral-damage-second/

 

Yikes. That Viper is toast.

 

Lockout/tagout works boys and girls. That ranks up there with the avionics tech who ejected himself inside of a hangar because the ejection seat safety was in his way. He died, BTW.

That poor Viper. RIP little Belgian lawn dart.

 

Gruesome.

 

I really enjoyed my first experience with skis last winter. Unfortunately, it’s probably the last time it’ll be going on skis for a while. The number of days where we have warm enough temperatures for it to be enjoyable, yet still having good solid ice for it to be safe, is short. Pretty much limited to March, which is a very unpredictable month weather wise around here. And I don’t take much much vacation during the winter to make it worthwhile. I save that for the warmer months. Might be a different story if I ferried it out to Alberta from Ontario for the winter.

I did get another flight in the other day though. It’s looking like the weather might hold long enough to get in a couple more before we pull it out for the year, and I head back to the Boeing, and a long 6 months of looking forward to next float season.

 

Maintenance worker servicing another Viper inadvertently triggered the Vulcan cannon, sending 20mm of freedom across the flight line and into three Vipers, including the one pictured in the original link. That poor thing was ready for a sortie as well.

Click for picture goodness.

 

Anyone have Aeronca 11AC Chief experience, good or bad to share? Looking at one locally for a very good price. 10hrs SMOH including new crank and cylinders, new wings, struts, cover. Older corporate pilot lost his medical and selling off his personal planes. The bad so far is the engine is the 65HP and the annual is 6 months past due.

Not looking to do anything other than putz around home, mostly by myself, for a year or so in it. Grass fields will be used often. I can't afford what I want right now and have restructured some debt that will allow me to get what I want in 18 months or so.

How about the process for buying a vintage plane, as this will be a first for me. Since the annual is past due, I will insist it be done and pass before purchase. Is that reasonable? Should he cover that expense? Split it? If it has an annual at purchase, should anyone else look it over who knows what they are doing, or is the annual in depth enough? I do plan to have a different person review the logs (they are all there) independently for any red flags. If the annual shows issues, reduce purchase cost or insist it be fixed prior?

Any advice you can give me for the actual purchase would be appreciated. I've bought and sold many vehicles, but never a plane, so I don't know the norms. I'm not paying much for it, but still, I don't need a $15K lawn ornament either.

I know there are many options in the price range, but I am LSA limited. Plus, I only want tail dragger as I will only be flying low and slow, landing mostly on grass.

 

@kodiakisland, The change of ownership process is probably somewhat different between Canada and the U.S. I can’t really offer any insight there, but the FAA seems much more streamlined and user friendly. I found, bearing in mind I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed, it to be an easy process. Should be a breeze for you as long as you’re not importing the aircraft.

I also don’t know anything about the Chief. If it’s anything like the Champ though, there’s more and heavier structure than its Piper contemporaries, making for a heavier overall aircraft. Pipers fly very nice, but seem heavy in roll to me. The Aeronca’s I’ve flown seem to feel all around lighter in pitch and roll. Very nicely balanced controls. Rudder airplanes though, but that might just be a float thing.

I’ve also never flown an Aeronca or Piper with the A-65. My Champ came with an 0-290, and we have an 0-320 now. I do have a bit of time in J-3’s with C-85’s and C-90’s. I think that would be a more ‘desirable’ power plant. Wouldn’t see much more speed wound out at cruise, but probably quite a bit better getting off the runway and climbing away, and with heavier loads (ie. a passenger, and or full fuel, and or some camping gear, survival gear, etc...), and at higher density altitudes. As long as you’re doing most of your flying alone, and those grass fields you’re going to aren’t surrounded by trees and power lines, the 65 is probably fine for your intended use. And if you like the plane, you could upgrade to a C-90 or 0-200 down the road. Same family of engines, so they probably use the same conical mounts, and you wouldn’t have to change cowling or baffling. At least, not much.

The new wing...metal spar? Metal ribs? New wings would mean new fabric and paint. Was the fuselage recovered too? Having to do new fabric shortly after you buy it, could double the price of the bargain you thought you were getting. Bad fabric would be a no go for me. If you know a mechanic who knows tube and fabric airplanes, have them go look at it with you. If you don’t, pay someone who does. Money well spent. Test fly if you’re able. If you know, or are able to find someone familiar with Chiefs and Champs, have them fly it. They might be better able to tell you if something is ‘out of whack’.

All in all though, a freshly overhauled engine, new wings and fabric, for 15 grand sounds like a good deal, and it seems like it’s pretty well suited to your intended use. Be honest with yourself about that though. Know what you want the aircraft to be capable of, and make sure you buy the right machine for your intended use. Seems like you know what you need from an airplane though. Sounds like this little Chief is worthy of your consideration.

 

I have not seen it yet, just talked to the owner. I know the mechanic that overhauled the engine and will talk to him. If I understand the owner correctly, wings are new with new wood spar and new covering except the tail. I don't know if that's both the rudder and elevator or just one of them. New wing and landing struts, and newer style brakes (whatever that means).

I will go see it next week and get a much better idea about it. I've flown in several aeroncas but not a chief. I wish they had upgraded the engine instead of putting so much work into the 65.

Oh yeah, forgot he said all new cables and pulleys throughout. No starter.