Jump to content

FlyingMonkey

Members
  • Posts

    8,166
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    181

Everything posted by FlyingMonkey

  1. Do you have some pictures or other information on where you placed the VGs to get the most benefit? EDIT: Never mind! I see the pics in the opening post. Thanks!
  2. Yeah, it's to put tension on the seat back to hold it away from the rear bulkhead. You can get cracks in the seat or the bulkhead if the seatback rests against the bulkhead with the pilot's weight on it.
  3. Good idea. You could also use a rubber washer under a metal one to help seal the hole.
  4. I second this idea, especially if there are already holes drilled in the composite for the antenna, since your plate can use those same holes. Trying to get a super flush appearance will probably require some expensive composite work. You could put the plate on the inside and then fill with some kind of resin or body filler, sand flush, and paint, but I'm guessing over time that might crack, discolor, or otherwise not look great. Also using Darrell's suggestion, you still have the antenna mounting location under the plate in case you need to mount something later. Depending on the exact location it might also make a nice hard point for a GoPro. Finally, if the hole is small enough you can just use Bowlus tape. I had my OAT sensor relocated from the underside of the fuselage to the correct position under the wing, which left about a 1/2" hole on the underside of my airplane. The mechanic slapped some Bowlus tape over it and called it good. I check it and replace the tape every couple of years, but otherwise it's been fine. But this isn't in a conspicuous location.
  5. The switches should have come with your airplane. If they got lost along the way, maybe reach out to the Gutmans at Airtime? If that fails maybe there's a CT owner in your region you could meet up with and borrow the switches. I don't know though, having -12 instead of -6 on the flap panel has to be good for a few knots of speed!
  6. Agreed. Couple this with lack of ongoing parts and support as airplanes age out, and I think if they want to stay legal *all* S-LSA eventually will become E-LSA. At some point new or even serviceable CT (or any S-LSA type) parts will be impossible to find, and if the manufacturer changes or goes away there might be nobody to issue LOAs for any changes, alternate parts, or methods. At that point it's E-LSA or the junkyard.
  7. It's got Beringer wheels and brakes...that's probably half of that.
  8. I second this, you can buy grade 8/8.8 nylocks and other hardware in all the sizes used on the CTs pretty cheaply from McMaster and the quality is excellent. I have used Grainger as well, but McMaster seems easier to deal with.
  9. Thanks Fred! This thread has gotten long, I must have missed that post...we need a TL,DR for this stuff!
  10. I'm at about 1150hrs, I only started having issues in the last 100hrs or so.
  11. Two types of CTs...those that have flap issues and those that will!
  12. How difficult and PITA is it to pull the entire flaps movement assembly from the airplane, and disassembling to clean & lube the jack screw (not necessarily disassembling the actuator)? I'll tear down the actuator if I need to, but trying to avoid it.
  13. Here's what my experimental marking looks like:
  14. Exactly, it's a category change. Your airplane is no longer really in the "Light Sport" Category, it's in the "Experimental" category and the airplane just happens to meet the definition of a Light Sport airplane. It's similar to how an Experimental Amateur-Build airplane like the Sonex can meet the definition of an LSA, but it's in the Experimental category.
  15. GPS has stayed very reliable in my experience. My alternate nav method is my eyeballs and the sectionals on my iPad.
  16. Having good relations with the FAA is a huge plus! My DAR was easygoing and not hard to work with, he just wants you to have all your paperwork and documents ready to make things go fast and smooth. I also took my LSRM-I weekend class with him.
  17. Also, the DAR let me put a single EXPERIMENTAL placard on the front of the spar carry-through, since it's visible from both doors. Might be worth asking your DAR about that location, since there's not a good aft bulkhead location and it will keep you from having to align decals on both doors.
  18. I found the email where the DAR I used told me all the requirements for the conversion, and how the process works. If you can get all these items together before calling the DAR, the process will probably run smoother: 1. At the time of my certification visit, you would need to submit a completed FAA Form 8130-6 Application for Airworthiness form and a “Program Letter”-- I can help you complete those ahead of time. 2. You would need to email me photocopies of the following documents for my review ahead of time. a. Current registration certificate b. SLSA airworthiness certificate c. SLSA operating limitations document d. Current empty weight and balance e. Original FAA Form 8130-15 from when the aircraft was certificated as an SLSA. f. Manufacturer’s ground test, flight test, and final inspection records—these may be logbook entries or separate paper forms, depending on how the manufacturer does it. g. A photo of your fireproof aircraft dataplate, showing at least the aircraft manufacturer, model, and serial number (which should match your registration certificate character-for-character h. Logbook entries showing that the aircraft had an annual condition inspection within the last twelve months and that it included a test of the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT). i. Evidence that all manufacturer’s Safety Alerts have been complied with j. Evidence that any modifications to the aircraft were approved in writing by the manufacturer 3. I would need to verify that you have a manufacturer’s Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) for your specific aircraft model and serial number and a manufacturer’s Flight Training Supplement (which may be included in the POH or may be a separate document). If you have these as computer files, you could email them to me. If not, I would look at them during the certification visit. 4. When I arrive for the certification, you would surrender your existing SLSA airworthiness certificate and operating limitations document to me. You would need to have the engine cowling and some of the access covers removed so I can do my inspection. In addition to a general inspection, I would be looking for the following. a. Current transponder/encoder test b. All equipment installed per POH c. All placards installed per POH 5. There are a couple of placard changes that would need to be made. a. You’d need to remove the placard(s) on the outside of the airplane that say “LIGHT SPORT.” b. You’d need to install new placard(s) that says “EXPERIMENTAL.” The letters must be 2” high and the placard(s) must be visible from any entrance. Oftentimes it is possible to use only one such placard on the aft baggage compartment bulkhead, just so long as it is easily visible from both doors. c. You’d need to remove the existing passenger warning placard and replace it with another one stating that the aircraft is an ELSA (for example, Aircraft Spruce P/N 09-01966). 6. My inspection would probably take 2-3 hours. Once it was done, I would hand you a new ELSA airworthiness certificate and operating limitations document and we would be finished.
  19. Technically it's a little more demanding than that, depending on the DAR (I know you know this, just stating it for the original poster). The airplane should be in the original condition as delivered as an SLSA. So, no modifications without MRAs/LOAs, all placards have to be correct and in place, etc. Again how far they take this depends on the DAR, and it's kind of weird since you are making sure a lot of things are a certain way just to be able to change them later. As an example, my DAR checked to make sure the LIGHT SPORT decals were on my airplane and correctly placed, even though once he signed off the change to ELSA they were no longer correct -- he then stayed and watched me remove them and add the EXPERIMENTAL decals. He's a great DAR, but kind of a stickler. There's a checklist that the DAR is supposed to follow, and some of the items on it are kind of silly like that.
  20. Thanks. I've always hated the quality of the CT exhaust, I'll start planning for this upgrade. Does it include a muffler, and if so is it the same dimensions as the original? Does it include its own heater shroud or use the factory shroud?
  21. I have an ELSA...post or PM me the price of this, I might be interested.
  22. Madhatter, did your CT exhausts ever make it into production? They looked beautiful.
  23. Agreed. It's the kind of thing that this forum is great for.
×
×
  • Create New...