Neat!

I was doing some research on Tommy Smith this afternoon when I came across this link: http://www.flyinghigher.net/aeronca/N24286.html

The pictures should be familiar -- it's N24286 in the big hangar at the Clarion Airport!

November Morning

Yesterday was the first test flight beyond the pattern in the Chief since the extensive maintenance done during the annual inspection this November. The forecast promised light winds and mostly clear skies with a low of 32 and a high of 48. I stopped by the hangar on the way home from work Tuesday evening and set up the 100w pre-heater, prepared the cabin, and made sure everything was ready to roll Wednesday morning.

Wednesday dawned as promised, but with some local fog and widespread cloud cover. I figured it was the typical November grey and would not interfere with the flight. The airport was clear enough and the windsock was hanging limp so the forecast was close. It took a few minutes to pull the airplane out, preflight, tie it down, and prime it, and the cold engine took a few tries before chugging to life. I saved myself some work by tying the tail to the truck’s frame. Once it was putt-putting smoothly I pushed the hangar doors closed (no easy task), locked up, untied, pulled chocks, and climbed in.

Control check, radio check, trim set, doors checked on the slow taxi down to the east end of the runway. Winds are calm but a 27 departure offers a few more emergency landing options immediately after takeoff.

Run up is fine, mags check, idle good – announce intentions on the radio, pull out into the pavement, and add power.

The tail came up quickly and the airplane was light on its feet in a couple of hundred feet. Airborne at 40, speed increases to 50. The ground falls away and the four cylinders provide a steady roar. RPM is climbing from 2200 to 2300 as the propeller unloads. I probably could have waited a bit longer for the engine to warm, but so far, so good.

Announce left closed traffic, turn and climb into the left downwind, check RPM, oil pressure, and level speed – all good. Announce leaving the pattern southbound, starts a shallow bank right and maintain a steady climb.

The air is heavy with a fine haze under a solid layer of cloud. I tune the radio to the Morgantown AWOS:  ceiling 2800 feet, winds calm. No problem – I won't be more than 1000 AGL. The terrain straight ahead and to the west is rather featureless – a series of hills and valleys with no discernable pattern. It’s hard to know what road or what tiny hamlet is below, so I look for the Morgantown and Shinnstown powerplant plumes.

If I keep Morgantown off the left wing and Shinnstown ahead and to the right a bit I’ll be on course. I check the compass from time to time and nudge it back to a heading of 190 degrees. I keep the radio on set to 121.15 and listen to Clarksburg Approach. It’s quiet.

From time to time I pull the carb heat on. RPM drops. I leave it on a minute then turn it off – RPM increases. Good, no ice, and the carb heat box was properly installed.

Time passes slowly and every little change in sound gets my attention. Yet the engine is running steady and the airspeed indicator is solid at 85 MPH at 2500 RPM. I’ve seen 85 from time to time but not usually solo in level flight. Nice! The scent of warmed paint and cooked oil wafts into the cabin. I push the heater in but all that happens is a flood of cold air. I know the engine is warm – hmmm. I’ll have to check that.

I check my cell phone. A text from Dave, my ride from the airport: “U inbound?” I reply, “Yep. 0818 arrival”

I take the time to look around. It’s hard to see much in the haze. It’s VFR and visibility is at least seven miles, but the early morning light is diffused and the grey sky gives everything a flat appearance.

Soon I can make out the outline of a lake, then houses – Fairmont should be straight ahead. There’s the river – and the interstate. I switch to 122.8, listen, then announce 5 miles out.

I can’t make out the airport yet but know where I am in relation to it. Soon I see the bend in the river and the long stretch of pavement. I don’t hear anyone on the radio and see no activity on or near the field. Winds are calm so I head straight in, reducing power, lifting the nose, cranking up the trim -- feeling and hearing the airplane change its gait from cruise to descent.

The ground slowly grows; the numbers on the runway remain centered in the windscreen as the world spreads out from those ever-expanding numbers. It’s an optical trick that is useful – the spot that doesn’t move is where you’re heading.

Check speed – 60 MPH. The river slips below me. Now the runway is made – if I lose power I’ll still make it to the airport. Power to idle; pull back a bit on the yoke: 50 MPH. I crank full nose up trim but that only maintains pitch to just below 60 – I try to keep a calibrated pull back on the yoke. The numbers flash beneath the wheels, and now the sensation of speed as the pavement slips beneath. Hold it off, hold it off, keep it straight while dozens of feet slip underneath. 50 MPH is probably too fast – I’ll have to try 45 next time.

There’s a slight rumble in the back yet I don’t feel the mains yet  -- then the mains touch. Keep it straight, no brakes, back pressure, ok -- good. The oleo gear gives the impression that the airplane is still flying when in fact the wheels are rolling, but there’s still a half of foot of travel downward as the pistons compress. I’ve been landing on grass all summer so the sounds and sensations of a pavement landing are noisy and foreign.

Release back pressure and let the airplane roll freely along the runway the remaining thousand feet to the parking spot. I pull the plane in to a tie-down marked with new ropes, switch off fuel, run up to 1500 RPM, get straight, pull back to 1000, the engine coughs, dies. Mags and radio off, unbuckle, unload, tie down, and walk over to the car.

“Good morning, Dave!”

“Hey, Dan…”

I check my watch – 0818.

Sometimes I guess well.

Chief ad from 1940

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Yay!!!

FINALLY!!!



I took the morning off. Stopped by the airport last night after work and stayed until 1900. Put the wing root fairings back in, cleaned out the interior, and did a pre-flight check of everything else.

This morning arrived at 0830. John and I pulled it out on the ramp where we ran through the static tests -- everything ran as expected.

Put the cowling back on, bought 7.5 gallons of 100LL, and did another pre-flight.

Started up again (first throw with no prime -- before I had to prime every time) and taxied down to the end of 27. I had the airport to myself since it was a bit rainy with variable ceilings. It was VFR here now, though, so I did a radio check with Jim (the airport manager) and all was loud and clear (good -- I put the antenna back in correctly!)

Centerline, tailwheel straight, full power, oil pressure good, tail up, the earth falling away...

Nice.

I flew the pattern a few times, tried different power settings, hit 85 straight and level at 2500 RPM -- nice!

It was a bit bumpy 1000' AGL and the sky was dark to the south so I decided to land. Did one low pass then came around for the full stop. Nice touchdown and soon I was shut down in front of my hangar again -- it's been 5 weeks since I've been here!

Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/danmc61/N242862010Annual02

N24286 2010 Annual

Annual Completed!!

We will startup the engine after work and check everything. Should be able to move it to the hangar tonight!

A&P/ IA Accomplished

• Remove and inspect prop, replace prop retaining bolts with AN-55 bolts IAW Lycoming O-145-B2 Maintenance Manual. Compression test (70-71 over 80 for each cylinder). Replaced pivot bolt left aileron hinge. Replaced induction tube connecting hoses. Replaced windscreen with LP Aero windshield.

Owner Performed Preventative Maintenance

• Open boot cowling and clean. Remove venturi and clean.
• Remove floorboards and clean and vacuum interior.
• Remove glue and old carpet residue from floorboards.
• Remove and replace all inspection covers and paint.
• Remove all cowling pieces, strip old paint, prime, sand, and repaint Biscuit White
• Refinish pilot and co-pilot yokes, panel and structural tubing in flat black.
• Remove wing root panels to strip old paint, prime, sand, and repaint Biscuit White.
• Inspect and replace missing screws on wing root-mounted handheld radio antenna.
• Replace all exterior screws with aircraft-grade stainless steel screws.
• Remove surface corrosion on engine with wire brush, repaint engine with Randolph Engineering Lycoming Grey engine enamel (P/N    ).
• Remove and replace door gap insulation and hinge pins.
• Refinish aluminum windscreen retention strips.
• Remove corrosion from gas cap retention fingers, replace wire with 9” dualuminum (IAW Aeronca factory drawing     ), and refinish cork with varnish
• Removed and cleaned and repainted carburetor and cabin heat boxes with high temperature gloss black paint, replaced missing screws.
• Spark plugs cleaned, reinstalled
• All SCAT tubes removed, cleaned, reinstalled.
• Added original Aeronca logo decal on each side of vertical stab
• Oil cap and dipstick painted yellow.
• Firewall painted Lycoming gray.
• Induction tubes cleaned, repainted with black high heat enamel.
• All control pulleys lubricated.

Windshield is in!!

I stopped by the hangar on the way home and noticed the windshield is in! John and Darious worked it today and it looks good, but still has protective plastic on it, so won't see througg it until Saturday (I hope!)

Exhaust parts all cleaned and heat boxes re-secured and painted with high temp black.

I'm heading in tomorrow at 8 AM -- hopefully...?

Finally!

LP Aero called to say windshield is done! Pick up on Monday!

Plan this week:

• Assist in Windshield installation, steam marine plywood backing to shape, drop off cowling, install doors using new hinge pins, install intake tubes, check plug and head torque
• Install venturi, Install anti-chafing tape, install cowling, install propeller & spinner, glue headliner
• Set up radio and battery cabling
• Refasten headliner
• Check plug torque
• Check head bolt torque
• Mount propeller
• Install anti-chafe tape
• Mount cowling 
• Install Wing root fairings
• Vacuum carpet, interior
• Mount battery wires
• Aeronca Decals
• Lube primer, heat, carb heat, throttle controls 
• Tailwheel lube

Still waiting...

Still no update on the replacement windshield from LP Aero.

Grrr....