Builders
Friday was the first day of our Flycorvair/SPA Panther joint open house – workshop. The first engine to hit to test stand was Jimmy Mathis’s 3,000 cc Corvair which will power his Bearhawk LSA.
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Jimmy and his lovely wife drove in from Texas, about 900 miles for the event, this was the furthest distance traveled of any of the builders who attended. His engine put down a flawless break in run. Look at the photos; This is the best of homebuilding, high achievement as the result of hard work and exercising newly acquired skills, all done among like minded friends.
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Above, Jimmy and his lovely better half. His engine is a 3,000cc Corvair which well be installed in the Bearhawk LSA he is building. There is a real satisfaction to building your own power plant, and really understanding it inside and out. The builders who get the most out of what we offer are the ones who take advantage of all the skills knowledge and understanding we share.
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Above, Dan Weseman and Jimmy go over timing light operation. 13 years ago I developed the modern Corvair E/P (electronic/Points) ignition, and over the years have made several hundred of these units. They have a near flawless record of service, there has not been a single forced landing attributable to the design. In a given year, perhaps 90% of the flight hours logged on Corvair powered planes in the world are accomplished with an ignition system I built. For all these years, we have also offered free direct hands on training at more than 40 Corvair Colleges and countless forums, workshops and finishing schools. The system is far easier for an amateur builder to understand and utilize than traditional magnetos, and it costs perhaps 1/3 what a pair of mags for an O-200 does. Unlike other alternative engines, the system is designed from inexpensive off the shelf automotive components. It contains no proprietary subcomponents.
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Above, a great family photo. Look at the smile, Jimmy is a fortunate man to enjoy full support on the home front. Get a good look at the motor, it is built straight from our manuals, parts and guidance. Jimmy’s engine will offer many, many years of reliable service because he chose to follow the path that Dan Weseman and myself have long proven. He didn’t look to the net and people with mystery online names for advice, he just went with two people who know what they are speaking of.
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What sets Corvair builders apart from most people in homebuilding? Read this an understand what motivates many builders like Jimmy: Thought for the Day: Mastery or?.
Truth…
Jimmy,
I do not know you or your wife, but I have stood where you stand now. I know how you must feel. I remember that feeling of joy, pride, satisfaction, accomplishment, and more that comes from seeing your engine run on the stand. You should be proud.
Congratulations!
Thanks Terry. I felt like a nervous father waiting for a baby before it ran. I really must say that my success was due to the knowledge imparted by William and Dan for the guidance in building this engine. This was truly a enjoyable experience. I also have seen a lot of engines run at the Corvair colleges. They all sound great!. I now have to figure how to post this to the Bearhawk’s forum as quite a few are interested in my progress.