• Welcome aboard HomebuiltAirplanes.com, your destination for connecting with a thriving community of more than 10,000 active members, all passionate about home-built aviation. Dive into our comprehensive repository of knowledge, exchange technical insights, arrange get-togethers, and trade aircrafts/parts with like-minded enthusiasts. Unearth a wide-ranging collection of general and kit plane aviation subjects, enriched with engaging imagery, in-depth technical manuals, and rare archives.

    For a nominal fee of $99.99/year or $12.99/month, you can immerse yourself in this dynamic community and unparalleled treasure-trove of aviation knowledge.

    Embark on your journey now!

    Click Here to Become a Premium Member and Experience Homebuilt Airplanes to the Fullest!

Over here in England

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

bigflyingrob

New Member
Joined
May 20, 2003
Messages
2
Location
London UK
SO YOU WANT TO FLY AN MW THEN ?

I DID AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENED TO ME!
A few of you might remember that line from the Morecambe and Wise show. This sadly is the only part of this tale which is funny.
Well I bought a damaged MW6 some 4 years ago and set off to fix it. I got a local PFA inspector to check the repaired wing off before I covered it and he was happy. Sadly he did not sign anything but I was new to this and did not twig. I also had a bit of fun registering it as mine. It had not had a permit for some time so the CAA would not let me register it as mine. The PFA would not let me get it inspected as it was not registered to me! The song there’s a hole in my bucket dear lizer was sung many a time! Eventually this logjam was sorted but it took 5 weeks.
I then finished the repairs and transported the plane to my home strip and contacted the PFA about a new inspector. The first one did not want to travel the extra distance. They said the list was out of date but gave me a few number over the phone. Er out of date is hardly the word as I could not get hold of any of them. The PFA have a rule that they do not find inspectors for you, you have to find your own. I had visions of hiring a private detective !
Four MONTHS later I got out of my pram and asked the PFA how to put the plane on the American register as I did not want to play any more.
It was at this point I got an inspector and all was signed off.
A couple of years later I fitted a carb heat as I had a problem one day. I had a friend machine one as Rotax wanted £90. The inspector was happy but the PFA wanted a drawing. I did it in 3D but they did not like this so I did it again. They wanted details of the unions so I sent them one but the letter split and it fell out. I sent them another one and they replied as the permit was due how about taking it off so I did. So in the name of safety I now have an engine with no carb heat. I never actually cancelled the request to fit it but it has only been 2 years.
All was well till the end of last year when I fitted a new prop and my inspector retired. This and fitting the 415 kg mod was a BIG mistake. The snag is there are very few MW6s that get in under the 390 kg level if you put a set of honest scales under them. one person built one and was honest and opened that can of worms.
During the mods I damaged 1 drawing and asked the PFA for a copy as my inspector was coming the next day. I got a very reluctant response and the person at the other end came back with the drawings and said “ Which one do you want these are bloody hundreds!” I now understand a certain inspectors advice which was “ If you get this person when you ring up, hang up!”
The field was as muddy as hell in January so it was not until February could we take a look at it. Dave insisted we weighed the plane and do a weight and balance. Bad move as it came out 1/10 of an inch aft of rear limit with 2, 86 kg pilots and nil fuel. We lost 10 days while Dave asked Ken Cragie if we could alter the placard. The result was a verbal no objection so I sent of the request . I asked the PFA if I could placard it to say the heaviest occupant should be in the front.
Four weeks later I rang up the PFA to see if they were still alive and was told 2 different stories. One was yes it was OK , the second about 30 minutes later was I would have to contact the designer for a letter of no technical objections. In the morning I got a letter with a 3rd story that I could not fit such a placard.
I therefore fitted a cushion to the rear seat to move the moment arm and sent off another letter. Three days later I rang up to see if they had received it but the guy at the other end could not be bothered to look. One week later I rang up again to be told there were no outstanding paperwork issues on the plane but Francis was in late and would ring me. Sorry to be dense but no permit to fly is an issue as far as I am concerned. I rang back an hour later to find he had been and gone.
Anyone for a bonfire?
So there you go, how to spend a total of 5 months on the ground as we are now in May. So I as soon as I can get a permit on the plane I will sell it and go BMAA. The MWs are nice planes but I cannot face another PFA delay. I worked out the other day that nearly 25% of the time I have had this plane I have been grounded for paperwork. This does not include technical problems, it is just the downtime for paper.
If I had to I would always have any PFA plane inspected after 6 months to allow for the 6 month delay at the PFA end. Sorry if this is a downer but anyone who knows me will say a say it as I see it.
As I recall there was a proposal some years ago to merge the BMAA and the PFA. This fell through partly because it was revealed that 90% of BMAA members actually fly and something like 70% of PFA members don’t. I wonder if there is a reason for this? If the PFA need more people in the engineering dept then they need to get them. I suspect the trouble is with so many non flying members they outvote the flying members so it aint going to happen.

Yours , ROB
 
Back
Top