Experimental Aircraft

[EricW]

I'm on my way to visit my friend with the homebuilts, and got to thinking about this thread...

I actually agreed to go flying with him in his Kitfox a few weeks ago and - sure as shit - the engine died on takeoff. Fortunately, we were on a 5000 ft. runway and started from the end, instead of the middle like I would have.

Because I was horribly concerned for his life, I sort of bullied my way into rebuilding his fuel system. In short, it's a horror story. Never in my life have I seen so goddamned many connections in a fuel system in so short a distance.

And the closer you look at the plane, the worse it gets. The bolts that hold on the engine mount are just plain bolts with hex nuts. No lock washer. No locking nut. And damned sure no castle nut and cotter pin like there *ought* to be. We're talking about an engine with a KNOWN vibration problem below 3K RPM.

Jesus wept.

Edited June 10, 2006 by EricW

[3quartertime]

I don't do general type aviation and commercial has beaten most of the joy out of my overall aviation enthusiasim, but I still get a kick every now and again. As an avionics lead at the local MRO I go on a pre-release test flight every month or so. A test flight for a commercial aircraft being released from a heavy maintenance visit can be a real roller coaster ride! Nothing like a smaller plane, but plenty for a big one. Most times I'll just sit in first class and let the younger cats sit up front. Kind of boring after a few times. But on approach I always jump up in the cockpit in the observers seat. My job is to keep the navigation and communication systems working and being there on approaches is priceless. Plus it's just plain cool to sit there during a CAT III (autoland) approach and watch the airplane do it's thing. Basically the pilot puts some info in a computer and then sits back as the airplane lands it's self! The first time is kinda intense, but after that the cool factor kicks in hard!!! lol...

Sorry for the drift. Nothing to do with homebuilt's, just thought aviation types would like it...