Mail Sack, 4/21/13, Risk management.
Builders,
Here is a sample of the mail on this topic:
Zenith 601 Builder Ken Pavlou writes:
“William, I’m glad you write stories like these. It’s easy and nice to read about success stories, operational techniques, and product announcements, but I would argue that stories about judgment and consequences are far more important and valuable.
You would think that preservation of one’s life is more than enough motivation to do things right and practice good judgment. In the bigger picture though its more than just our own life that we are preserving. When we decide to learn to fly or build an airplane we become stewards of our hobby and aviation as a whole. We assume the responsibility of preserving our life, that of our passengers, and those on the ground.
We are also preserving our privilege to build and fly. Safety is absolute, it’s not an option. One can not and should not try to rationally talk themselves out of doing what is best for safety. If we stray too far from this we will see our privilege of flight regulated to the point of extinction. Thank you, Ken Pavlou”
On the topic of VE airframes, CC#17 &25 Host Arnold Holmes writes:
“Having read all of WW’s post on risk management, I can tell you that he is EXACTLY correct about the Varieze. I love flying my VE but I can honestly tell you that of all the airplanes I have flown I give the VE the widest margins. I find myself more alert and more attentive while flying it than any other airframe. It is not an unsafe design and it handles nicely but it is much less forgiving when you loose your engine on take off or need to land off field. In fact it is at least as bad at those things as it is good at others. That little canard up front has to work really hard and MUST have adequate airspeed to work. 50 feet in air in a climb configuration is no place to loose your engine or have a major power reduction in these airplanes.WW is giving everyone who takes time to read his post good, valid, experienced recommendations and you are foolish not to listen to what he has to say. He and I have known far too many that have died tragic horrible deaths simply because they refused to exercise good judgement, don’t be one of them!”
Builder Matthew Lockwood writes:
“There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots” In this case, ‘bold’ means ‘lacking judgement’
Builder/DAR Jon Ross writes:
“William, Your interest in philosophy is appealing. That said, your comments about risk management and judgment are opinionated, yet correct.
Like you, I express many of the same sentiments to those that will listen. The problem is, most people will not listen. I am often disappointed by people who seemingly seek sound advice when I later learn that they are simply trolling for someone to tell them what they want to hear. With the Internet being what it is, there are many so-called experts who will provide just about any opinion needed to satisfy almost anyone. It would seem that decisions based upon little or no sound reasoning or factual engineering basis would not be commonplace; yet they are.
In my travels as a an amateur built DAR, I am often queried by many builders about their projects. Many of the questions I am asked are related to advice that these builders have been given. You see some very interesting things in the field; and I often fly home with the thought of impending disaster after what I have seen.
With the cost of aircraft engines being what it is, I often am told that the power plant of choice will be the Corvair. I politely ask if they have seen your engine builders manual and recommend that they buy a copy and consider attending one of your workshops. Being around like-minded people (I am talking about a culture of safety) can have a very positive effect; it can be contagious. Unfortunately, the reverse is true as well.
My own current project is a Breezy, and the engine I am using is the Continental O-200B. I am often told (it is always an unsolicited comment) that I should use a Corvair power plant. While I believe that this could be safely done, the O-200 is in my opinion, a better choice for my intended application. While I am interested in the Corvair, I will likely never build one up for flight. But I find this suggestion to use a Corvair to be common; and the person making the suggestion is almost always someone with no credentials to be making such a recommendation. (With one exception; and that person is a mutual friend of us both). The point I am making is that builders are often bombarded by what may sound like seemingly good advice. When that advice is coupled with saving money, the advice given moves closer to being regarded as sound in the mind of the listener, that’s just human nature.
I admire your efforts to counsel builders on evaluating their decision-making process; but I have learned in my life that sound judgement comes from the heart. Like you I will keep trying, but I often take heat for doing so.”
Builder Rhett Ashton writes:
“I don’t usually comment on internet articles or blogs, but I feel compelled to make a comment here. Well said William. Rhett, Royal Oak, MI”
Builder Bruce Culver writes:
“This is all really quite sad, people paying you for your experience with the Corvair and the custom quality parts, and then not following your advice, but then I am reminded of what an old flight instructor told me years ago, “Remember, the pilot is always the first one to arrive at the scene of the accident.” Would that more people remembered that”
Bruce, 100% of people are never going to listen, but the goal is to make it 1% more than it was yesterday. In homebuilding, we have time to get people to listen and think. A flight instructor has but a few hours over a few weeks. I have many hours, often over several years. It is very hard to get people to change their ways on most subjects, but people do listen when things are said directly. I think too many aviation messages are blurred in with the rest of the ignored warnings in life because for the sake of family presentation and marketing, the warnings are ‘cleaned up’, Without frank discussion between thinking adults, the warning gets ignored just like the ones that came with every consumer appliance.ww
Cleanex Builder and flyer Dale Williams writes:
Hi William, This story reminds me of a choice I had to make on my Cleanex when building it. I had bought a brand new Aerocarb from another builder at a fair price. It was the size recommended for the Corvair. I had read your manual and seen stories where others were getting good results although some were having difficulty getting them to set correctly. I had even flown one before on an Aerovee powered Sonex that I used to own. But then something happened.
Dan Weseman had agreed, early on, to do the first flight of my Cleanex when it was finished as I didn’t have a tail wheel endorsement and Dan had built the engine and was confident in the building abilities of Dick Fisher who was my building mentor and is currently a beta builder for the tri-gear Panther.
But when Dan learned that I was considering using an Aerocarb he flatly stated, “I will not fly it with an Aerocarb on it.” I asked why and he plainly told me that he did not believe them to be airworthy. I mentioned that you had seen them used and they were a choice given in your manual. He told me that he believed that your view of the carb may have changed but nevertheless, he would not fly behind an Aerocarb. I respect Dan Weseman and yourself greatly and took those words to heart.
I earned my tail wheel endorsement and performed the first flight last year. BTW … she performs very well with a Marvel Schebler MA3-SPA Carburetor. Thank you for your brutal honesty. Dale N319WF”
PS: If you want to share this story and decide to “change the names to protect the innocent” I understand. If you decide not to protect the innocent, I understand that too.
Dale, Between thinking people having an important discussion, there is no need to shield anyones identity. I only do that when a builder makes a mistake and I want people to learn from it without having them focus on the ‘who’, as much as the ‘why.’ In this case, we are only covering builders perspectives on decision making. Not everyone comes to the same conclusion, but how they get there, the evaluation process is what we want to develop.
Notice, I don’t tell people ‘never do this’ without a reason. I am far more likely to say ‘I choose not to, and here is why.’ The first is only about controlling others actions. May work for a moment, but does not help the guy at the next decision. The second approach is a building process where the guy starts evaluating things for himself. Neither me, his airframe designer nor his flight instructor will be with the guy when he goes to fly. At that point, he is far better prepared if he has developed judgement than a list of do’s and don’ts.
The Aerocarb is a mixed bag. On a Corvair, it should never be used in an application with a fuel pump. Gravity feed, it has flown a long time. I would not use one personally. If I tell people simply not to use them, or if I ignored their existence, builders would rapidly find out that Joe Horton has flown on for 800 hours on a Corvair, and then many people would just skip to ‘it must be fine’ without a thoughtful evaluation of its qualities, limitations and their specific needs.
Reducing Dan’s perspective on Aerocarbs to ‘not airworthy’ is an over simplification of his evaluation of wether he would choose to use the carb on a Corvair powered plane he was going to fly. Neither Dan nor myself would pick an Aerocarb for our own planes. That doesn’t mean they have not worked for others, but it is an important judgement call. No one should take this as a knock at the Monnetts; Look at it in reverse, they would not choose to put a Corvair on their Sonex, even though it has long been shown to function. I am not offended by this, it is a judgment choice of theirs, just like the carb evaluation is mine.
The underlying theme in your story from successful builder to successful flyer is about developing your own judgement, but being willing to alter it when you are presented with more information. The number one reason why people resist altering perspective is they find out that they have to spend more money. Even 25 years after starting this, I still have never grown thick skin about people being cheap around planes. There is a very different perspective to working on a budget or looking for value. Cheap is a guy who lives in a $400K house, just drove to the airport in a $40K car, telling me that aviation is the most important thing in his life, and then complaining that an MA3 costs $400 more than an Aerocarb. Cheap will hem and haw and ask things like “well what if I” and point to examples, often on other airframes and engines, ones he has never seen in person. I have no tolerance for that. He isn’t looking for ‘why’ or even ‘how’, he is just being cheap, and people like that have harmed a lot of people in aviation, not just themselves.
Mentoring is important in this field. If you experience doesn’t cover the topic you need to exercise judgement on, then find someone who’s perspective you respect, a person with a proven track record that you wish to emulate. This is just what you did with Dan. You have plenty of opportunity when following his path to ask ‘why’ and understand the logic of his judgement, and in the process expand your own. -ww.
Mail Sack, Easter 2013, Part #2
Some more mail on the subject of thankfulness:
Builder Jon Ross writes:
“William, I fully agree with you. Having traveled the world I am constantly reminded of how lucky I am to have been born here in America. As I get older, I have taken notice of many things that in my younger years I was way too rushed to notice. Happiness comes in the most simplest of things; for me it is good time with friends, making a beautiful weld or some other type of craftmanship. I enjoy your observations as you wax philosophical; perhaps this is because I share many of the same observations as you do.”
KR2/Corvair builder/pilot Steve Makish writes:
“William, very good post. I also knew men like the person you vividly describe. I was in Detroit during the 1967 riots and last year at my Fathers funeral I saw nothing has taken place of the destruction of 1967. The old man I knew was in his eighties when I was a kid and he was the only one around with a chain saw and would cut our winter wood for us. He lived in a tar paper shack and drove an old Hudson “terraplane” He had many truisms but the one that sticks in my mind was “do you understand all you know about it?” Warmest regards your friend, Steve. “
Builder Allen Oliver writes:
“William: FYI: The book “For Two Cents Plain” that Joe Goldman referred to is by Harry Golden (1902-1981).
Good luck at SnF. Regards.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Golden– ww)
Piet builder Harold Bickford writes:
“Hi William, Printed out the numbering system list and added to the manual; that is the best way to say thanks to you and Grace for your work (aside from actually building up the engine).
The Easter comments were appreciated. There is so much to be thankful for rather than complaining about things often out of our direct control. I also think too many folks just don’t get involved in things bigger than they are so it becomes really easy to miss the people and opportunities that come our way daily. Off to the shop…..Harold”
Zenith 601XL builder/flyer Dr. Gary Ray writes:
“William, you and Grace are from a small part of humanity that I am lucky to know.”
Zenith 650 builder Becky Shipman writes:
“William,I very much like stories like this. The truly important people in my life always have time – although the people who are considered important generally don’t have time for anyone.
This story reminds me of a man I knew in my youth – “Uncle” Elwin. No relative, but he was everyone’s uncle. He started out farming (in Maine – not very lucrative). In the summers he ran a small group of cottages on the Maine coast by day, and was a maintenance man in the local sardine cannery by night. In the winters he and his wife took a trailer to Florida and picked fruit – a migrant worker from Maine. I knew him because my parents rented a cottage from him every summer of my life. On dump day, uncle would put the trash in the back of his ’47 Chevy pickup, put his two dogs in the cab, and several of us kids would jump in the back with the garbage. We’d go to the dump, and help him unload, and then he’d help us scrounge for material to make a go-kart or whatever. On the way back something would generally fall off the pickup – it was showing its age.
Sometimes people would just treat him like he was stupid. One day he was digging holes and putting birch trees in the ground that had been cut off the stump, and someone said to him “You know, those will never grow like that.” And Uncle rubbed his chin, looked at the tree, and then looked at the person, and said “Ayuh, you know I think you’re right”. And went on with putting them in the ground. They were there to support some kind of pea vine, but Uncle didn’t feel the need to bother pointing that out.
People would come by while he was in the kitchen, cat in his lap, dogs at his feet, smoking a pipe in his rocker, and they’d tell him the water didn’t work in their cottage. ”Ayuh” was all he’d say. The person would go away frustrated, and uncle would sit and rock, and about half an hour later he’d get up, and go fix it. He wouldn’t go fix it until he figured out what was wrong, but lots of people felt he was just lazy.
Maine grows blueberries, and they are picked by migrant workers during the summer, who lived in tar paper shacks in the blueberry barrens. In his later years, Uncle had some land on a river near there, and when he drove through he would leave some food from his garden at the shacks. When he passed away, he willed his land to the local native american tribe “It was theirs to start with”.
Anyway, your story reminded me of Uncle Elwin, and a number of really important people I met during my life who were never in Who’s Who. Thanks for reminding me about what’s important. Becky”
Mail Sack, Easter 2013.
A sample of the mail:
From Anthony Liberatore:
“Fantastic posting William. In a blessing of spending Easter with some friends in their home, the Dad Ted and I discussed are girls, their pursuits, and their futures. He mentioned their activities they engage in now and in the future especially if they are broad with give them perspective. This meeting with this humble gent and this article adds to my perspective and blessings. Well done Sir, My best to you and Grace on this Easter Day. Anthony”
From Sprint builder Joe Goldman:
“William have you read the book of editorials called “For two cents plain” This is about, and I forget the gentleman’s name, his writings in the Carolina Israelite. I think it was in the early sixties. You would find a kinship in the writings. Musings like why I never send back dinner when the waitress brings peas instead of the ordered string beans. See you on the 12th. Joe”
From builder Jackson Ordean:
No one ever flew higher than those on the wings of Love. You got it! Happy Easter, and Thanks! {;^)”
From builder Dan Branstrom:
“Thanks for your powerful words”
From Zenith 750 builder Blaine Schwartz:
“William, Your message is right on the point, as usual. We all have so many things to be thankful for. The very fact we can think about building and flying airplanes is evidence our daily lives have been blessed to the point that our cups runneth over. You mention those who can’t seem to find happiness; we should all view the cup as half full instead of half empty. Thank you for you thought-provoking expression.”
From Builder Bruce Culver:
“You see, William, this is why I make it a point to read everything you write, whether it’s strictly about airplanes and engines or not. This is the sort of deeply meaningful philosophy we don’t get in most places in popular culture, but this kind but poor man exemplifies the best of the human condition. And you’re in good company: Rabbi Harold Kushner, perhaps best known for his book, “When Bad Things Happen to Good People”, is quoted, “I used to admire people who are intelligent; now I admire people who are kind.” Intelligence is a gift; kindness is a virtue. The gift is nice, but the virtue is priceless. And for the record, that watchman may not have much in material things, but he is far richer than most in spirit. He does indeed have much to be thankful for…..”
Mail Sack, 3/15/13, various topics
Builders, here is a sample from the mail box:
On the topic of a Pietenpol/Corvair notebook, Harold Bickford writes:
“William, The Pietenpol/Corvair notebook is certainly on my want list. Tech data in a handy, concise format would be a great reference tool for building and flying. Motivational aspects could include the fun of the hunt for parts, making of assemblies and just the pure satisfaction of seeing a project come together. Actually visiting with builders and fliers at events becomes part of that process. It is far more than numbers, nuts and bolts. It is a goal with a journey into learning. The reward is being able to share that experience with others.and even motivate them to pursue the path.
In my case that goes back to high school days in 1966 when the pages of Air Progress covered an event in Rockford, IL for an outfit known as EAA. An old style airplane called a Pietenpol Air Camper was one of those homebuilts pictured. It doesn’t really matter why it took so long; the point is that the vision endured. On to Brodhead and beyon…Harold”
On the topic of Real Goals, builder Lyle Fast writes:
“William, I wonder if you asked the same old aviator if he ever knew a dedicated, competent, knowledgable, experienced and with good judgement pilot that died in his aircraft? I believe he would have known some maybe many. I believe it is not humanly possible to control completely the outcome of activities influenced by the forces of nature. Some of us will die in our aircraft, denying this or looking for things to blame is a normal response. Deciding that the activity(flying) is good enough to die for is worth examining. If each act of aviation(engine building, preflight etc) is viewed as possibly your last dance on earth surely we should all be motivated to make it the best dance we can! -Lyle”
“Lyle, I agree with you 100%. There will always be risk, but it is our task to eliminate unnecessary risk. Because I have been in aviation for 25 years, and went at it ‘full throttle’, and my wife is also an aviator (and a lot more charming than me,) we have had more friends in this than any human deserves. With this abundance of adventure seeking friends and the passage of time, we have lost many of them. I only count people we knew well enough to have stayed with them or reverse. I stopped counting when we got to 12. These people were smart, skilled, and understood what they were doing. About 3/4 of the accidents were preventable. People with good judgement who couldn’t find it that day, something left undone, weather. 1/4 was unavoidable, ‘wrong place, wrong time’. This said, None of these people were harmed by knowing too much, being too skilled, or having excessive mastery of their craft and situation. Without a doubt, we could not possibly count the amount of times our friends have avoided harm or have been spared it by their understanding, knowledge, skills and judgement.-ww”
On the same topic, Builder Bruce Culver writes:
“William, here is a thought I left on Mac’s blog ‘Left Seat’ in SA. It is based on my 25 years in military defense logistics, and the general direction of the GA pilot/airplane population:
One thing that seems to have escaped a number of people in the business: as the number of active pilots and planes declines, there is increasing pressure on the support infrastructure for GA aircraft. When the number of customers and planes falls to a sufficiently low-level, you’ll see A&P mechanics going out of business, FBOs closing, engine and prop shops consolidating and/or closing, radio and instrument shops ditto. It will take time, but gradually the support structure for GA will slowly disappear, and at some point, even the doctors and bankers in their $750K fancy airplanes won’t be able to have them serviced – and what happens if you have an AD that requires immediate compliance, and no way to have the work done? Ask not for whom the bells tolls – it tolls for thee….. The real irony here is that the people who will be least affected by this possible turn of events are those who have built their airplanes themselves, possibly even built their engines themselves, and who have the aircraft repairman certificates to prove it.”
On the topic of the new numbering system, 750 builder Blaine Schwartz
“Thanks William, you speak the bold truth! Now that I have built my engine (at CC#22). I look forward to attending more Corvair Colleges so I can better my skills at timing distributors, learning how to use a differential compression tester, and understanding how to conduct a 100 hour inspection and helping other builders. Building is great, but when I have completed building and am flying, I surely want to be able to keep my plane in the air and completely safe! Blaine “
Also on the topic of the new numbering system,, Zenith builder Marcus Wegmeyer Writes:
“William, I want to applaud you on the new numbering system and goal to develop a checklist to build the engine. I’m a new builder, my Zodiac CH 650 is a child in the womb being nourished, growing, and put together bit by bit. The Corvair is the engine of choice. Your check list will certainly help move that part of the project along in an orderly fashion. I’ll only have 1 day at Sun n Fun but it is my plan to stop to meet you and introduce myself as well. Marcus, Gaylord, MI”
Parting shot, follow-up on an earlier letter, Piet Builder Dave Aldrich shares:
“I wasn’t being serious either, ref the ice cream/Dockers/Polo shirts comments. I did buy one pair of Dockers new (Kohl’s, on sale, 30% off) for my (last) wedding which took place on a dock at a friends house down in Tavernier (mm 92, south of Largo). The color matched my shirt and sandals. Side story: The “best man” and I won the National Boatbuilding Challenge last summer in Belfast, Maine using the motto “Old age and treachery will overcome youth and skill.” Built a usable skiff to plans in 2 hours 45 minutes. Definitely NOT aviation or cabinet quality joinery but it floated well enough to race across the harbor. We both have seaplane ratings so it does have an aviation tie-in.- Dave”
Mail sack, 3/13/13 various topics
Builders: Here is a sample of the mail:
On the topic of a Pietenpol notebook builder Dave Aldrich writes:
“If you have the Pietenpol “notebook” ready for Brodhead, please set one aside with my name on it. Thanks.”
Dave, I would very much like to get it done of this years event. I have already collected up a lot of material on all things Piet/Corvair, but I am very interested in hearing from Piet builders on what they would like to have included. I would like the end product to be filled with data, but motivational also. I have stories and profiles on many of the current operators like Randy Bush and Kurt Shipman, because I think the diversity of people reflects the individuality of the planes.-ww
On the topic of reading carefully, builder “Jacksno” Writes:
“Excellent admonition re reading comp re all things aviation. I know you’re dead serious in our behalves (there’s a picture), but, “I am going to put an ignition from a go-cart and a Hartzel constant speed prop on my 601XL so it will do 200 mph in cruise at flight level 25, that is just as soon as I pull my first rivet and get a student pilot certificate, ” was just 2 funny! I’m very tempted to add enough bumpers on my car that I could post it there. Seriously, you are a standard-bearer of great value to all of us. Kudos.”
On the Panther roll out, builder Harold Bickford writes:
“Hi William, I remember JFK giving that speech. It was and is inspiring. Dan did his work just as Orville and Wilbur did theirs with the benefit of a larger knowledge base to work from. It is a matter of what Tom Wolfe called “The Right Stuff”. Why would people not want to continue that? Harold”
On the Panther roll out, Zenith 601 builder Brad Boon writes:
“Outstanding post!”
Builder Albert Wilson writes:
“Hello WW, My name is Albert Wilson and I am very interested in the Corvair engine, have been thinking about building a ch701, then a ch750 and now I’m liking the 650 as I keep hearing the 750 has a very poor glide ratio. I got my A&P several years ago from National Aviation and would like to put my training to use. I have done lots of research over the years and the zenith 650 with a Corvair engine looks like the way to go, see you soon, Albert.”
Albert, welcome aboard. While the 750 does have a short glide ratio, it has other qualities that it excels at. The glide ratio and the flare technique are very good reasons for 750 and 701 builders to get type specific training in these aircraft, Zenith has links to people who offer this. The 601/650 are far more ‘stol’ than most general aviation aircraft. With a little bit of practice, they can get in and out of small spaces, and they enjoy a faster cruise speed on the same power. They are both good choices.-ww
On the topic of Floats on snow, builder Roger Pepin writes:
“It’s great that Jeff was busy building and now flying his plane – not getting into internet discussions and taking “advice” from guys like “I seriously looked at the Corvair engines – but decided that with the wide front end of a Rebel – that the faster turning and therefore smaller diameter prop’ ( which you HAVE to use – in order to let the engine get up IN to it’s power band RPM range ) would be “inefficient” on the nose of such a meaty plane ( big front end ) Follow the people who are flying, learn from their experience, soon you’ll be flying.”
On th topic of CC#25, Piet Builder Dave Aldrich writes:
“45 years ago, a good friend maintained that the thing wrong with the US could be traced back to 3 things: white bread, French’s mustard, and American process cheese. His point was that mediocrity should not be a standard. Sort of ties in with your vanilla ice cream, polo shirts, and Dockers reference though I do take partial exception to your vanilla ice cream and Dockers remarks. Good vanilla, while hard to find, does stand on its own as worthy. I have several pairs of Dockers in my closet, all bought at thrift stores for $6 or less, and they work just fine too, grease, paint, and holes notwithstanding. Not one polo shirt on my side of the closet. Can’t say the same about my wife’s.”
Dave, never take comments I make about the social side of things too seriously. I personally love vanilla ice cream. I was just trying to point out that everyone is welcome at the colleges, and we have far more diversity than you see in the pages of flying magazine.-ww
On the “no politics at colleges rule” Zenith 750 builder Charlie Redditt Jokingly writes:
“what about the positive benefits of discussing politics?
1) Provides vigorous cardiovascular exercise.
2) Provides motivation to finish work quickly (so you can get the next word in).
3) Provides relief from work stress (impossible deadlines, flaky hardware, and other factors outside one’s control don’t bother one quite so much after a good political row).
4) Epithets are an excellent way to gain the immediate attention of a colleague.
5) Provides a wider perspective and helps people let bygones be bygones (i.e. your associates are still upset with you, but not so much about the equipment you damaged or bogus advice you gave them).
6) Relieves tedium and provides entertainment for those around you.
7) Provides a deeper understanding of personalities, and allows you to justify your dislike of others for reasons beyond manner of dress or grooming habits, and vice-versa.
8) A carefully crafted remark can be used to a) heighten everyone’s awareness while simultaneously b) stopping all useful work in the vicinity in such a manner that no one notices that you’re just looking for an excuse to slack off.
9) Enhances self-esteem by allowing people a chance to feel smug about themselves regardless of their level of competence.
10) Others might actually have passionate feelings regarding your person. Maybe not positive feelings, but at least they will remember your name.”
Charlie, Have fun now and get it all out of your system before CC#25, because we don’t even make fun of people who are talking about politics at the college. We keep the whole thing off-limits for everyone’s good-ww
On the topic of local ‘experts’, Pietenpol builder Earl Brown writes:
“I have one of those “self styled Corvair experts” in my EAA chapter
When mentioning that I was putting a corvair on my Pietenpol I was told that it was That he made a living working on corvairs and that they were terrible for airplanes, cranks weren’t strong enough and he wouldn’t recommend doing that. I just told him he was welcome to his opinion and walked away wondering if there are really enough corvairs driving around my area to make a living working on them.”
Earl, evidently there are enough ‘experts’ on Corvairs that every EAA chapter in america apparently has one. Take heart, I actually have a guy in my EAA chapter who always tries to tell me about Corvairs like I have never seen one before. He knows what I do for a living, but he can’t stop himself. Last month he gave ne a 4 minute monologue on how the Corvair was designed by Ferdinand Porsche. You are right to just walk away, S.E. Hinton wrote “Even the most primitive societies have an innate respect for the insane”.-ww
West Coast builder Doug Eaton writes:
William,
I sent you a letter about a month ago regarding the cost and parts necessary to assemble a corvair flight engine. Since then, I have noticed that you indicated that you are working on a platform of part numbers and engine profiles to help the builder better prepare for the rebuild of a corvair flight engine. I purchased your manual and learned quite a bit. I am having difficulty locating a late-model corvair engine. I have contacted over a dozen salvage yards in Northern California specializing in older model cars. The typical response to my inquiry is “hell no” we don’t have any corvair engines! William, since you have been at this so long and even though you live on the opposite coast line, I was hoping you or one of your confederates may have a lead for me regarding a reliable source for the engine somewhere in this neck fo the woods. Doug Eaton Redding CA”
Alright all you nothern CA guys, one of you drop Doug an email at: yrlender@aol.com And give him a good source near Redding Doug, keep in mind that running an ad on Craigslist is the most productive way to find an engine, this is how 50% of the people got an engine last year.-ww
Mail Sack, 2/22/13, Cranks, Kitfoxes and Painting
Builders; Some of the mail today:
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On the subject of Chinese crankshafts:
Zenith 65o Builder and industrial engineer Becky Shipman writes:
“The salesman to trust is one who has flown many hours behind the product he’s trying to sell. Dan W has taken the appropriate approach – he even has a “decision tree” that helps you decide if you need a new crank shaft. I am looking to buy a mill and a lathe for a home / hangar shop. 50 year old US made machine tools versus new stuff from China. Over the last 50 years, the ability to hold tight tolerances in machining hard materials has increased quite a bit. However, the desire seems to have faded. The People’s Republic has chosen to emulate the “what can I get away with” aspect of our business culture rather than craftsmanship. The “step up” in new stuff seems to be from Taiwan instead of the People’s Republic.”
Builder Roger Pepin writes:
“Hello William: I read your original expose on “Chinese cranks” with interest. What I took from it was the necessity of being vigilant as a builder needs to make himself / herself aware of the reputation of their suppliers and not be swayed by “bargains”.
Upon reading your post of Feb 17, 2013 I have a few thoughts / feelings:
1. Fear for the builders who build with unknown quality parts.
2. Anger at anyone who would knowingly advertise and sell substandard quality parts to homebuilders, easy prey as their expertise is seldom in metallurgy. If a seller is aware of the dangers and continues to market the product, it’s criminal.
3. Indignation, that in a country known for lawsuits ( McDonald’s coffee ) even a foreigner can set up a scam, apparently with impunity.
4. Indifference – I felt no embarrassment or shame that a fellow Canadian was the perpetrator of this scheme. I’m just pleased that someone can educate potential victims.
William, I commend you on your service. Thank you.”
Roger, I would like to say again that the cross border element in the story is just about how a fringe element abuses the world’s longest open border. I am quite sure that I have fellow countrymen behaving poorly on your side also. Individuals have no ability to seek fair treatment when a bad actor changes sides of the fence. I am well aware that Americans can be atrociously behaved abroad. I was cured of this as a kid growing up in Asia. My Father made it very clear that the slightest sign of disrespect for our hosts would not be tolerated. At age eight I once failed to stand perfectly still for the Thai national anthem. 42 years later I can tell you the exact words my Father used to express that I was an embarrassment to my family and Country.
In 2006 Grace and I were in Matera Italy. It is a UNESCO world heritage site, considered a holy place. It is where The Passion of the Christ was filmed. I am not particularly religious, but the setting, which is said to very closely resemble the Holy Land 2,000 years ago, was arresting.
With a group of Americans we walked through the 10th century monastery, marked in English in several places as “No Photography.” Ahead of us a couple who had a continuous stream of complaints had a video camera recording for several minutes. The Italian tour staff could say nothing, because they understood it could cost them a job. I walked over an told the man he had 3 seconds to put the camera away, or I would “make him very sorry.” He muttered something about ‘video not film,’ but his wife understood he was close to harm and put the camera away. Evidently the man and I had very different Fathers. The Italians thanked us later in private.-ww
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On the subject of Dale Williams’s Cleanex:
Builder Marty Rezmer writes:
“William, Dale Williams paint job looks great. Can we get some details like the brand and type of paint he used and the application technique? Keep up the good work, see you at Oshkosh with my engine core. Marty”
Marty, I am inviting Dale to write us a piece on his paint technique and products, many people would enjoy reading it.-ww
Builder Dan Branstrom (half-jokingly) writes:
It could be said that the “local VW expert” suffers from Dunning–Kruger effect. (From Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect ) The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which unskilled individuals suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly rating their ability much higher than average. This bias is attributed to a metacognitive inability of the unskilled to recognize their mistakes.
Dan, I read the link, interesting and ironically funny at the same time. Makes me want to see the Peter Sellers film ‘Being there” again.-ww
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On the topic of Kitfoxes:
Builder Craig Westedt writes:
“William, I only read your web page about once a week so imagine my surprise when I read about Thomas DeBusk’s Kitfox IV w/corvair 3000! I own a Kitfox II that I also am in the process of converting to corvair power.My conversion is rather extensive as I am not that happy with the flying qualities of the “fox” My aircraft has been flying for around twenty years. The fuselage has been lengthened behind the wing to correct for weight and balance and I added more fin area to improve yaw stability.I am building a new wing with “stanard” ailerons and a different airfoil because I like to experiment. This project has been quietly in the works for a while now but with Thomas’ project on the web I had to let you know that this corvair conversion seems to beg to be done. Great conversions seem to be everywhere. I look forward to more information as it becomes available. Craig”
Mail Sack, 2/20/13, Kitfox, Panther, Colleges.
Builders:
Here is a sample of the latest letters:
On the Panther engine run:
Builder Harold Bickford writes:
“Hi William, I expect also that someone will say that a 62″ prop and 2.520 rpm shows that the Corvair can’t turn much of a prop or something along those lines. Clearly any propeller driven airplane and engine for a particular flight profile will have an optimum prop. In the case of the Pietenpol climb performance in a draggy airframe means a different prop than Dan wants for the Panther. With the Piet/Corvair combination there is an experience base to draw from with real world results by folks who’ve done the work. That trumps the “I heard that….” type of commentary which is all too common. With the Panther, Dan and you are pushing the envelope in a different direction and adding to that real world data base. The fact that conventional wisdom is replaced with actual test and performance data is the critical difference. Build, learn fly; what could be better? Harold”
Harold, When people talk about pitch and diameter, they often forget to consider blade area which varies a lot from design to design. It would be like comparing aircraft stall speeds by just looking at wing span and angle of attack, but not taking wing area into consideration. This particular prop design had a fair amount of blade area. Also HP absorption on props is not linear, its exponential. An engine putting away 90 hp at 2800 rpm will only need a prop 1/4 the size of one absorbing 90 hp at 1400 rpm.-ww
Pietenpol builder Dave Aldrich writes:
“Under the “philosophy” section of this post, you could add the Lycoming/Continental (NOT Lycosaurus, an inappropriate and inaccurate term) engines that are used on many of the new homebuilts of today, even though some are almost as old as your box and pan brake. Sometimes the simplicity and elegance of a design doesn’t need “major innovation”.
Since you bring up the subject of firearms, in my gun safe are a 1903 Springfield 30-06 (as built, though the leather sling has seen better days), a 1930′s Stevens single shot lever-action .22 (the stock is a bit loose from an encounter with an irate goat on the family farm in Indiana) and an LC Smith side-by-side 20 gauge, also from the same time frame. All 3 still function perfectly. The sad part is that none of my sons have any interest in them so at some point I’ll sell them to some one who appreciates history and quality. Given the mood of the politicians, I may have to do that soon lest it be forbidden… Sic transit gloria mundi.”
Dave, friends who have been to our place recognize that the truck in the photo is sitting on the half of our yard with a big backstop that forms our 25 yard pistol/plinking range. We are lucky to live in a rural setting, and there is nothing behind our house for several miles. The range is a neighborhood resource here. While I am concerned about firearms issues, I remain optimistic, thinking of the example of how our extreme freedom to build any kind of aircraft we like in this country has remained in place through a number of challenges. Perhaps most people understand that when we walk away from individual choice and personal responsibility, we are walking away from the defining characteristic of being an American.-ww
Builder Chris Craver writes:
“Great video William. Love it!”
Zenith 601XL Builder and Flyer Andy Elliott writes:
“My 3100-powered, highly cleaned-up 601XLb taildragger runs a 64×47 Sensenich. It butts up against the LSA limits down low at 3250 rpm (sucking gas like crazy!), and will cruise at 115 KTAS up high (say 10500) at 3050 at WOT, just under 5 GPH.
Static rpm is ~2700 depending on the conditions, which is a little on the low side, but since the plane gets off the ground in ~1000′, and as I only use 100LL and am careful about adding throttle smoothly during takeoff at low altitudes, I think it’s a pretty good cruise prop. Even so, at full throttle on the ground, I can lift the tail with the brakes locked.
I have flown in and out of a number of paved airports at >9000′ DA, and the performance has been “acceptable” as long as I keep the plane at 90 KIAS in the climb, which usually yields about 2800 rpm. Andy”
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On the subject of Kitfox mounts:
Builder “PJ” writes:
“Great pictures of Vern welding. I just took the EAA Workshop Gas Welding class last week in Chesapeake VA. Cost me $329 for the 2 day class. It was a challenge learning to use the torch. We had 12 guys in a very small room with very hot torches and its amazing nobody set their eyebrows or beards on fire!”
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On the topic of upcoming Colleges:
Zenith builder Bill Mills writes:
“William, I just purchased a 1966 engine to convert for the Zenith 650 that I am scratch building. Started to disassemble, taking my time. Dan’s engine sounds great. Looking forward to college #25. Will you be confirming it soon? So much to learn about the conversion.
Bill Mills EAA chapter 282 Clearwater, FL”
Builder Gary McMullen writes:
“How do I register for the College before Sun n Fun and what are the cost? This would be for information and learning so that myself and another individual will be able to use Corvair engines in our homebuilts.”
Bill and Gary, I will have more info on CC#25 in the next day or two, Arnold is getting us motel info right now (we will also have free camping on site.) The College is free, but we may have a modest registration fee to give Arnold a small budget to cover tables and port a johns to supplement the regular women’s room in the hangar. We are planning on having EAA chapter #534 be on hand to provide all the food a la carte for modest cost. More info here in the next day or so.-ww
Zenith builders Craig and Val Westedt write:
“William I’m glad to see that you are going to Sun and Fun again this year. I wish Val and I could make it there too. Other commitments prevent us from doing so. I know that preparing for that event and CC25 will be taking up your time and plans but I would like to request a little of your time to indicate your thoughts on whether you want to have a college in Oklahoma. Our EAA chapter 1040 here in Cookson has set aside time the week after the Zenith open house for an event if you so desire. Thanks for your consideration, Craig ”
Builders, Although I have already spoken with Crag about this, and we came to the conclusion that it would be biting off more than we have the time budget for this year, I would like every one to see that we have people like Craig and Val, who after attending a College were inspired to ‘give back’ by going out of their way to offer to host an event with their EAA chapter. It is a good indication of the quality of people we attract to the Corvair movement. I have found plenty of “What’s in it for me?” types in other settings in aviation, but that is not the perspective nor the personal philosophy of Corvair builders. I told Craig that I would like to at least include their place as a stop on the “Corvair Air Tour” we have been trying to plan for the same time frame in September.-ww
Builder Tim Wall writes:
“William, Whats the possible date for CC at Chino? Tim”
Tim, we are still working on the Chino dates. 90% of the behind the scenes people working on the Chino event have voted for the middle of May. We will have more info here as we get it together.-ww
Mail Sack, 2/15/13 Various topics
Builders;
Here is a lot of mail on a number of different topics. Putting this together takes a few hours, and for a computer troglodyte like myself, they have to be quality hours of actually being awake, lest I hit the wrong key and evaporate an hour’s work. Builder mail is very important because it is a big part of giving my work feedback and focus. I have experience and perspectives, but many of the builders we work with have far greater accounts on both fronts. They are well worth listening to. I read all the mail carefully, and it fine tunes my picture of the Corvair movement. I spend a lot of the Colleges, Oshkosh and fly ins listening to builder’s perspectives because I, like everyone else, learned most of what I know by listening to, or reading the work of others. Even if I don’t initially see things the same way as a writer, I put real effort into following their line of thought. At Oshkosh every year I speak with a number of people who are very attached to an old wives’ tale or a piece of experience that doesn’t apply to Corvairs. I can tell that these people are not actually listening, they are just hearing enough to develop their next reply, a superficial debate move, not learning. I am not fond of this, and I put a lot of effort into not being “that guy” myself when I hear from people who see things differently.-ww
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On the subject of cold weather operations,
Click on: Thoughts on cold weather operation, minimum oil temps, etc.
601XL builder/flyer Dr. Gary Ray writes:
“William, When we installed my remote 4 line Oil Filter with the Sandwich for the Oil Cooler, we removed the original oil by-pass spring and valve from beneath the top block off top cover. Is this still the preferred set up? What is the effect on the oil circulation pattern (cold, hot)?
After reading this, I will definitely pre-heat every time.”
Dr. Ray,
Any time you have the sandwich adaptor in our system, you need to remove the stock cooler bypass. Its function is replaced by the bypass in the gold sandwich itself. With a flat block off plate on the side of the case where the stock cooler was mounted, the circulation pattern through the engine is retained with the sandwich. -ww
Merlin on Floats builder/flyer in Newfoundland Jeff Moores writes:
“Hi William, Thank you, thank you, thank you for your post on cold weather operation. Excellent information. As you know I have been operating my Corvair this winter and have been preheating before every start. It usually takes an hour minimum and I see it as a necessary part of winter flying. I usually spend the time inspecting the airplane, using the snowblower to clear the hangar doors or just having a lunch and a cup of tea. I’m in no rush….this is all for fun!!! The flight afterwards is well worth it. Before I start the engine I’ll also rotate the prop several times to help prevent a dry start. I don’t know where you find the time to write these posts but keep them coming!!!, Jeff ”
Note: More photos of Jeff flying Lotus floats directly off his snow covered lake in Newfoundland coming in an update in the next day or two. -ww
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On the subject of Cylinder heads,
Pietenpol builder/pilot Kevin Purtee writes:
“Good points about the cost of heads, WW. When I originally built my motor (1999), many of the parts and processes you recommend were not yet available. With the rebuild, we included the basic upgrades that you’ve researched and developed to make a better motor: 2nd generation Dan bearing, gold oil system, MP heads. I’ve followed your work since 1999 and have flown behind your motor for over 300 hours, I’d remind folks to not save on the wrong end. Kevin.”
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On the subject of “Calling all Zenvairs”,
Click on: Calling All “Zenvair” Flyers……601 / 650 / 750
601XL builder/flyer Lynn Dingfelder writes:
“William, I’m interested in your offer regarding flying in to Sun-N-Fun in my ZenVair 601, though perhaps I’m responding too late. I have uncertainty about being able to depart my home field in early April, due to potentially soft turf. Only the coming of spring here in snow country will answer that concern. I’ve done some initial flight planning, and am excited about the possibility of making this journey. Please let me know if your display openings are all spoken for.
Thanks, Lynn Dingfelder”
Lynn, we still have space in the Zenith booth, we will be glad to have you on hand at Sun ‘N Fun-ww
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On the subject of Oil Systems,
Land based Corvair guru Bob Helt writes:
“Hi William, You said the following in a recent posting: ‘If you would like to read the whole report, it is on flycorvair.com, search “2003 oil system test” in the search block on the bottom of the main page.’ I can’t seem to be able to locate the original test report. I keep getting the summary where I found the statement. Could you please point me to a copy of the original report. Thanks, Regards, Bob.”
Bob, read all the way down at this link: http://www.flycorvair.com/qasept03.html
On the subject of numbering systems,
601XL builder Oscar Zuniga writes:
“William: Please stop the world so I can catch up! I’ve been away from the flycorvair.net site for a few weeks since I’m buried with academic work, and I come back to see what’s up only to find a rich treasure of posts about building, choices, and costs, with a numbering system to track it all. Please tell me that this will be organized and published as its own book, manual, or supplement on Flycorvair.com? It’s worth what a builder will save in mis-spent money… and that can be a lot! Please consider publishing it as a separate resource for manual owners and builders.-Oscar”
Oscar, I Chose the title “Getting started in 2013” because that is the goal, to have the people who have hesitated to get started understand that this is the year, there is nothing to be gained by daydreaming another season away. The notes are to give these people a clearer picture of their personal path to success. I have a lot of the stuff written in great detail, but for right now I want to give builders a large overview; we will come back and look at every detail later.-ww
On Part #11, 3,000 cc Waiex builder Greg Crouchley writes:
“Amen. And thanks for continually striving to point this out. The life you save next might be mine.Best regards, Greg”
Builder Henry Vickers writes:
“In looking over your Web page, I note that you have put some supplies in a group – in particular 2775 and 2850. Are those prices firm or just proposed prices? Thank you”
Henry, the 2,850 price is our regular retail on that kit. We have sold about 30 of them. The 2,775 is just proposed, but since it is made of parts from the same suppliers, the estimated price is accurate, but the pistons are yet to be made.-ww
On “Part #14”, Builder “Jacksno” writes:
“CH-750 + 2850 is my main plan. I’m interested in hearing from others who may have used floats and 2 up (about 350# worth of meat). Plenty of fun on wheels to be had and I could drop this romantic notion without much fuss. Or if the notion remains stubbornly in place, elect to go the extra expense of the 3000 if that would make the difference in torque I imagine would be necessary to water operations. Are there others out there with float experience with 2850, 2 up? Or take the big step up to 3000 or fogeddaboudit? Thanks!”
We don’t have anyone who has flown a 750 on floats yet. From land based performance reports of the 2,850s and 3,000 cc on the 750 I have little doubt that either one would pull two people off the water in a 750-ww
Builder Douglas Cooke writes:
“Hello William, I have a 1964 engine/heads that has been disassembled and cleaned and a standard grind nitrided crank. I have the new piston/rod assemblies, rings, and the .060 Clark’s full fin cylinders to make it into a “sixty over” engine. I do plan to use mogas as much as possible (my home airport has 93 oct mogas). I don’t see the engine getting built this year, so going with your “2775″ engine seems to make sense as it would give better quench for more reliable detonation resistance and possibly a couple more horses than my current parts would. Might you offer a trade-in of my “brand new” (but about 5 years old) Sealed Power and Hastings “Sixty over” parts for the “2775″ parts, or maybe I should get my cylinders bored another .045 and go with a 2850? (I don’t quite know what airframe the engine will be going into). I am on a tight budget, but would be willing to spend a couple hundred or so more for a little more power, and most definitely I’d spend it for better detonation resistance/reliability. Thanks, Douglas Cooke”
Douglas, your motivation to build the best engine you can sounds like common sense to me. Since you already have the full fin cylinders, it would make the most sense to go for a 2,850 cc upgrade when the time is right. Your .060″ pistons will find a buyer with little trouble, they are still popular.-ww
On “Part #15”, Piet Builder/ATP/USMC Terry Hand writes:
“William, Count me in on the 2,775 cc pistons. I am still building my Pietenpol, so I am not in a rush necessarily to build my engine. Aviation is a lot like Medicine. For example, if you can hold off having a medical procedure done, the medical technology advances makes it better. The neck surgery I had done a year ago was a 1 and 1/2 hour outpatient procedure. 15 years ago it involved a week stay in the hospital with part of the time in ICU. Aviation advances in much the same way. I can’t wait to see the technology improvement in these pistons! Thanks to you and Mark for your work on these pistons.”
Terry, I consider the Corvair to be fully developed, with only detail improvements and small parts like the 2775 stuff as “mopping up” projects. The largest part of my efforts in the next two years will be improving the accessibility to the engine for first time builders. The new numbering system is the root of this. Having good stuff comes first, and we have that down, and proven with years of service. Now the focus is on motivating people to become builders and use the parts and information we painstakingly developed in the past 20 years.-ww
On Part #15 Builder Bruce Culver writes:
“This is a terrific idea, because if the folks working with the stock cylinders can get the detonation-resistant cylinder-head design, that makes operating these engines safer and improves reliability. Such a deal. You don’t see this sort of thing in most of aviation, or most other activities for that matter. Congratulations on working for us, no matter how we plan to build our engines. Of course, that beautiful billet crank from Dan is still calling my name – maybe for a 2850……William, I forgot to mention my choice of the Corvair….. Although I am thinking of the 2850cc engine, I originally looked at the Corvair as an affordable alternative to certified engines, as in, I can afford a Corvair if I build it and then I can fly. I can’t afford a new or even refurbished certified engine, so that way I can’t fly. I was a loggie (logistics analyst) for 25 years in the defense industry. Our watch word was “life cycle cost” – the total cost of acquiring, operating and maintaining an item. As you are well aware, with the Corvair, we could completely rebuild an engine with all new parts for little more than the cost of the valves in a certified engine. I have never considered any other engine than the Corvair ever since I attended your presentations at Sun ‘N Fun a number of years ago. To me, knowing the engine – its guts, and what makes it work – is more valuable than any engine I could buy, even if I had the budget. That’s why I’m here.”
On Part #17 Buttercup Builder Daniel Kelley writes:
“William, Clark’s Corvair OT-10 and ordering assembled they seem to want to use a single part number. Clark’s (www.corvair.com) sells the stock cam gear or the Failsafe gear as separate parts or you can have them mount the gear you choose on your choice of OT-10 cam (new or regrind) with a new key and thrust washer http://www.corvair.com/user-cgi/catalog.cgi function=goto&catalog=SPECIALTY§ion=OTTO&page=OTTO-8“
On the subject of “Getting Started Pt.#19”, 750 builder Charlie Redditt writes:
“Reminds me of saying ‘There is hardly anything in the world that someone cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price alone are that person’s lawful prey.’ Of course, most of your posts remind me of that saying, but this one particularly so. The irony is, of course, that Corvairs ARE the best deal for the money. It just requires a bit of self-education to realize this.”
Builder and International Man of Adventure Tom Graziano writes:
“William, Having flown in some of the most remote and inhospitable places on earth and having seen the consequences of various failures, there is no question that reliability should secure the #1 spot on the list for us aviators. (Interesting how safety and reliability so often go hand-in-hand.) Fortunately, we homebuilders and our experimentation and quest for a better mousetrap have led to much innovation and advancement. Unfortunately, there are those of our clan who have their minds made up and don’t want to be confused with the facts nor schooled about that which has already been thoroughly tried and discarded such as carbs, 5th bearings, fuel hoses/fittings, crash resistant fuel tanks, and such. The results are too often bad publicity from the ensuing accident or incident. I really wish homebuilders would put more thought and money into safety of flight vs. convenience of flight or the coolness factor.
I am really enjoying these Getting Started articles! Keep ’em coming! Tom”
601XL builder/flyer Dr. Gary Ray writes:
“Hi William, I am enjoying the new ultra-organized presentation of options for building the Corvair engines. I think this simplifies and clarifies the thought process for builders. Matching their engine requirements for a best fit to the projects is easier and provides a comparison of price/performance. This also lists all of the required parts, services, and timelines that need to be considered for the build. I am becoming inspired to start a new engine build just so I can have some of the fun. This is a really good idea and possibly should include all of the FWF item choices that you offer. Most kits do not include help forward of the firewall. As an earlier builder, one of the reasons that I chose the Corvair was the fact that you were building the same aircraft and I would benefit from going to school on your expertise on FWF systems design. Thanks to your efforts, I know a lot more now and I have avoided countless mistakes, possibly some that saved my life. I am sure this applies equally well to others building in the void between airports.
Thanks, Gary Ray”
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On the subject of 150,000 page reads,
Click on: FlyCorvair.net breaks 150,000 page reads, 2/6/13.
601XL builder/flyer Phil Maxson writes:
“Your readership may be even higher. I read this blog on email frequently and don’t hit the site directly. My “hits” may not be included in your numbers.”
601XL builder Becky Shipman writes:
“Congrats on your 150,000 page reads. FYI, I generally notice your e-mails on my work computer, which feels that Flycorvair.net is a dangerous site and won’t let me go there. So I read the e-mail but don’t go to the site. So it’s probably a little higher than 150,000 – I may not be the only one. Take care, Becky Shipman”
On the subject of “The JAG-2 Twin Corvair”,
Click on: JAG-2, Corvair Powered Twin, Jim Tomaszewski, N.Y.
Builder Allen Oliver writes:
“My interest was piqued by your first mention of the JAG-2, so I went over to the Web site before you posted the details of his project. I was frankly impressed at the scope of the work and the thoughtfulness behind his design. I tend to think of it as an 80% Piper Apache.”
Piet builder Bob Dewenter writes:
“Cooler than cool!”
601XL builder/flyer Rodger Pritchard writes:
“William, Thank you for keeping us posted on what people are doing. I had a smile almost the size of the one I get flying my ac just reading about Jim’s design and build. I hope to see it at Oshkosh someday.
Roger Pritchard, N20RB Zenith/Corvair, 106 hours on engine 97 on airframe”
Builder Dan Branstrom writes:
“This is neat, and obviously a labor of love.”
750 builder Charlie Redditt writes:
“Über kewl! A real-live Corvair twin!
I’ve also come across this on the web:
http://www.zenithair.com/gemini/gem-what.htm
but it doesn’t seem to exist quite yet. Spec’d for 80hp jaibaru, but I assume anything that would take a jaibaru could also take a Corvair.”
Charlie, the Gemini is an old project, it flew for many years, it is still out in Mexico MO. Chris Heintz was interested in an updated version based on XL stuff in 2004 when we first had our XL flying. I mentioned to him that Corvairs can be built in both L and R rotation, and were comparatively very cheap compared to Rotaxes or Jabarus. He was interested, but he was already looking forward to retirement in France.-ww
On the subject of “The case of the Murphy Rebel”,
Click on: The case of the Murphy Rebel, “eyeball vs. testing”
Builder and International Man of Adventure Tom Graziano writes:
“William, Good post. I take it ‘common sense’ is naysayer code for ‘insufficient research’? Whoever stated that about the Corvair and smaller props is misinformed and definitely doesn’t ‘get it.’ (For a few bucks the guy could get a copy of Jack Norris’ book on propellers and, if he read it, maybe he’d get it then, but I don’t hold out much hope in that regard.) Then again, most naysayers don’t want to ‘get it’ and they’re content rolling around in the muck of old wives’ tales and ‘don’t-confuse-me-with-the-facts’ tradition. All the best, Tom
P.S – anyone interested in what a well-designed prop looks like should take a look at the laminated prop example on the http://www.jcpropellerdesign.com/ web page.”
Builder “Jacksno” writes:
“Thanks for the intro to prop theory/practice! Especially interesting was thinking about too much pitch, the excess angle of attack leading to the blades stalling out – maybe they are still pushing wind back over flight surfaces, but no lift component when stalled, reducing forward energy. None of us can be surprised when we discover that people’s opinions are more precious to them than truth – a function of false pride and ego. Out here in the country, it’s called ‘ignorant.’ The meaning thereof is that the individual in question refuses to seek the true facts on purpose. Just my .02, I suggest you ignore them, but please keep on educating us!”
601XL builder and PhD engineer Becky Shipman writes:
“Almost everything we use that is manufactured is made by trying to optimize multiple factors. The one described here is relatively simple – props have performance that depends on things like length, RPM, pitch, shape, etc. Engines have torque and HP curves, and other factors that affect reliability. I think if you look at historical development of engines and props, much of the relevant info has been understood for at least 50 years. Thank you for elevating the debate by pitting 1960′s engineering versus ‘black magic’ and winning. Almost every design that works was done with some forethought by folks who knew what they were doing. Before changing it, it’s vital to take the time to understand why they did what they did, and then what might be different in the current situation. If you take a tractor transmission, driving big wheels with a diesel engine, and put it on a car with a 4-cylinder turbocharged engine and 14″ wheels, would you expect the optimum rear end ratio to be the same? Apparently our Murphy Rebel commentator would. (Probably not exactly the right analogy, but I bet someone who knows more about cars and airplanes could come up with a funny and relevant variation on this.) Sadly this happens in many fields other than aeronautics. For example, I carry around dimensionless heat transfer graphs from Carlsaw and Jaeger which were developed in 1906. I can settle arguments more than 100 years later by referring to these graphs and taking a few simple measurements with a thermocouple and a stopwatch.Thanks for a thoughtful post.”
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On the topic of “2,500 words on aircraft Finishes”
(2,500 words about levels of aircraft finsh……)
Builder Steve Dawson writes:
“Hi William, I was employed in EAA’s shops & knew Jack Cox. I also volunteered as an antique judge after my employment there. Finding your article quite interesting and tending to agree, I must say, ‘if’ Jack Cox was naive, he also edited the magazine which did build the movement for many years. This alone made him one of grassroots aviation’s greatest advocates. I flew a Vag., which had Colt wings, tanks, & struts for many years. It would carry anything, passenger, full tanks and all up to the Rockies. Yours is giving me nostalgia, etc…………………”
Steve, I spent little time with Jack Cox, but I read virtually ever article he wrote for the EAA. To me the best thing that Jack did was his own personal magazine, “The Sportsman Pilot.” It was a pretty good demonstration of his personal work aside from the EAA’s agenda.-ww
Builder Dan Branstrom writes:
“Hi Grace Ellen & William, The EAA sent out a request for feedback. I answered all of the multiple choice questions, but, at the end, after thinking it over for some days, this is what I put in the comments section:
The articles in Sport Aviation on hints to homebuilders, building techniques, and theory are too short. They need to cover those topics in more depth. I’m sorry, but while it is good to strive for professional writers and people with experience, too much of the orientation is becoming tilted towards general aviation, as well as flashy builds. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough orientation on the part of Sport Aviation that emphasizes form following function in the articles. Burt Rutan’s original homebuilts were built for performance, not beauty. He built them for lightness, efficiency, and speedy construction, not beauty. Those qualities need to be emphasized more.
Flashy paint jobs with airbrushed graphics are OK occasionally, but none of that helps an airplane fly any better, but often adds weight and work to a homebuilt aircraft. It also discourages people who are building, because they end up spending time on flash instead of flying because they think that is the standard they must build towards. If Burt Rutan built his designs that way, he probably would have had only about 1/2 or less of his designs fly. Another item that threatens the whole experimental aviation movement is the hired guns that turn out award-winning experimental airplanes. We all know they’re out there, and when, not if they are exposed, it will damage the EAA, as well as all of the homebuilders that hew to the rules. The recent rule changes only put them into a more stealthy mode. While I can appreciate J. Mac McClellen’s expertise in instrument flying was great in Flying magazine, but this is NOT Flying. I hope that he starts to change his orientation to more grassroots aviation.
I also object to having Jack Pelton heading up the EAA, particularly since he made the decision to construct the Cessna Skycatcher in China. The issues of technology transfer and lack of Chinese respect for copyright and patent protection obviously weren’t a consideration in the decision. I do not state that lightly, because, as the son of missionaries to China, I love and respect the Chinese people, but do not respect the mendacity of their government nor the way in which it operates. The Chinese government was, I surmise, a large party in the negotiations.”
On the subject of Expert witnesses:
Click on: Expert Witnesses in civil Aviation trials.
Note: After I wrote the story above, my friend Tom Graziano wrote me a letter defending the work of Harry Riblett. Tom said he had known Riblett and he feels the man’s goals were to inform and educate people about airfoils, and that Riblett had little control over what lawyers did with his data. He said Riblett was probably extreme in his statements for shock value to try to get the complacent to awaken and he didn’t think Riblett should be painted with the same brush.-ww
Jon Ross writes:
“Dear William: I salute your courage in stating these facts, and let me just say that I have had dealings with all three men which has led me to the same conclusions that you have arrived at. There are a few out there in aviation that ‘fly under false colors’ just as these three have.Very warm regards, JR”
Builder Dan Branstrom writes:
“I remember Burt Rutan in a seminar, holding up a dime and saying, ‘This is 10 cents more than any attorney will ever get out of me in a lawsuit.’ They never did. He probably spent far more money, and a lot of his valuable time, fighting lawsuits than it would have cost to settle, but he never lost, and I’d guess that he probably had some sleepless nights worrying about them.”
Builder Sonny Webster writes:
“Following the money trail and the hidden agendas which motivate actions always leads to the place in which truth is rooted. Your stories provide three additional reasons that rational minded, independent thinkers become cynical.”
Sonny, 98% of the people we have met in aviation have been really good people, not infallible, just regular people working hard to do something very extraordinary with their lives. Don’t let anything I say make you cynical of the big picture of building and flying. -ww
Builder Ned Lowerre writes:
“William I couldn’t agree more with your disdain for the tort legal system. Recently I was involved in an auto accident that totalled the car, deployed three air bags, and left me with a concussion and a sore body. I was not allowed drive or fly for several weeks, my primary methods of commuting, and therefore was not allowed to go to work. It cost me a couple of weeks work and pay as well as the cost of a new automobile. The fellow that hit me was in his mid 70s going to visit his wife’s grave site. He rolled a stop sign and accelerated across a posted 65MPH roadway which I happened to be on. After the accident I had attorneys contact me about suing the driver, suing the auto manufacturer, even suing my employer since I was legally on duty.
The reality was a person made a mistake. We will all make mistakes in our lives and some of them may hurt others. If our first response is how do I make money off this at someone else’s expense, than something is very wrong with our society. The eventual outcome will be a society where no activity with a risk of mental or physical injury will be allowed. Once we are painted into that little box the only flying someone in my income category will be allowed to do will be on a computer screen. What a shame!
Ned Lowerre”
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