• 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!

Search results

Advertise with us
Find deals on ebay
Find deals on amazon
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
  1. thompsonbb

    Pros and Cons on Composites vs Aluminum

    PA-38 Tomahawk also has a life limit on the wing; 10,000 hours, if I remember right.
  2. thompsonbb

    Crashes in the News - Thread

    The NTSB are already hard at work taking apart the wreckage. They are working in the next hangar over, and I saw they had all the cylinders off. Hopefully, we'll know more soon.
  3. thompsonbb

    Instead of "Hot Dog on a Stick" I give you

    There is a DC-2 mounted on some impressive steel work over The Roasterie (coffee roasters) in KCMO's west bottoms area; easy little side quest if you're parked at MKC for a bit. If you've gone that far, you might also want to zip on over to Jack Stack BBQ for some burnt ends.
  4. thompsonbb

    Contender for an auto conversion - Daewoo Matiz / Chevrolet Spark

    This guy tears down a blown 1.4L Turbo; the video offers a good look at the internals, and some of the failure modes. Not saying this to DQ the engine as a conversion candidate, but it's good to know areas where the engine could use some revision.
  5. thompsonbb

    Question about cost estimation

    I initially had the DarkAero guys in mind; they CNC cut CF sandwich board and then assemble, thereby reducing the number of molded parts they needed. I have to imagine the rule of thumb set out here doesn't fit quite as well, but I figured it was worth asking in a room where people were actually...
  6. thompsonbb

    Question about cost estimation

    I.e. the model is most useful for government contractors who have to supply a fixed number of units to the DoD - which I'm guessing is exactly the scenario for which this model was initially built?
  7. thompsonbb

    Question about cost estimation

    While reading Gudmundsson's book, General Aviation Aircraft Design, he mentions that My question is, is this considered accurate, or is this now outdated that we've had some more time to develop techniques with tools such as CNC, 3d printing for moulds, etc? Curious what the real world...
  8. thompsonbb

    Weighing with electronic bathroom scales?

    In this discussion, we've tossed around the terms of both calibrated and certified scales. As far as my reading of AC 43.13-1B, section 10-15(e) goes, it looks like the regs clearly specify that the scale is calibrated (unless you want to debate the legal implications of the word "should")...
  9. thompsonbb

    Weighing with electronic bathroom scales?

    I used a set of automotive wheel jacks and a livestock scales kit (basically, just the load cells and a readout unit) to build my own set of aircraft scales. I did end up having to modify them a bit to account for the much smaller tire diameter common on aircraft, but they work pretty well. I...
  10. thompsonbb

    Exhaust Augmenter Design Question

    There was also a Fletcher kit to install augmenter tubes on the Navion. I've heard anecdotally from owners that have them that it improved cooling when compared to the original installation (which had fixed cowl exits), and are equal to if not slightly better than the adjustable cowl flaps added...
  11. thompsonbb

    B-29 Replica Takes Shape

    I just watched all the videos Tom has posted on youtube; the guy is a walking master class in CF layup techniques. Regarding the design of the B-29, it looks like it's largely aluminum skin over CF ribs. I have to wonder if that was primarily done for cost purposes? I mean, to do it all in CF...
  12. thompsonbb

    Lack of twin engine E/ABs

    Extra power from your remaining engine might not be the appropriate response in an engine out scenario. Assuming a conventional type of design, with the engines mounted out on the wings (i.e. not centerline or near it), it has to have enough rudder authority to resist flipping over on one...
  13. thompsonbb

    An Airplane to Make ‘Em Mad

    FYI - was reading through Chan King's history of the Navion (he was the powerplant engineer on the project), and there was a lengthy discussion on conventional gear vs. tricycle. It nearly happened.
  14. thompsonbb

    GM LH7 1.6 diesel engine weight thread.

    I'd be very curious how much a 3.0L Duramax LM2 engine would weigh, stripped of all the emissions controls and unnecessary bits. Specs show ~475lbs dry.
  15. thompsonbb

    What was the first airplane you flew in and how old ?

    DHC-2 Beaver on floats in Alaska. I was 15, and working through ground school for my ppl when we did a family trip to Alaska. My dad chartered a Beaver float plane to take us out to a forest service cabin on a lake on Admiralty Island. My dad suggested that I sit up front in the right seat next...
  16. thompsonbb

    Low cost scales for weighing aircraft

    I'm putting together scales made out of a livestock platform scale kit and a wheel jack. Do this x3, and it'll take longer to calculate the W/B than it will to take the measurement. All in cost is about $800. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PB6OVVC?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details plus...
Back
Top