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  1. A

    Number of Overhauls in a Life Cycle of a Lycoming Engine

    How many overhauls can be done before we have to scrap an engine? I do not think different Lycoming or Continental engines would differ much, but let's use Lycoming IO360 as an example.
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    drop atomization and spraying direction in agriculture airplanes

    This topic may not fit here, but experience told me there were all kinds of experts in this forum! During pesticide spraying a drop will atomize further if it has a relative speed to the air around it. The high air speed causes high air shear that will "tear" a drop apart. This kind of...
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    Spraying Arm Width of Air Tractor Planes

    The spraying arm width is shorter than the wing span in an Air Tractor plane. If the spraying arm increases its width to full wing span the plane would be more efficient due to a larger area covered. Why do not they design this way?
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    Wire on top of Air Tractor planes

    There is an exposed wire from the top of cockpit to the top of the vertical tail on an Air Tractor plane. I suspect this is for communication when the plane is low and close to ground. Which channel is using this wire? Does it have other functions, such as structural?
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    Moisture Absorption of Wood

    I am new to wood usage in aircraft. So please bear with me if these questions are rudimentary. How does one prevent wood from moisture absorption? Moisture absorption will change the weight and balance of the whole aircraft. It will also change the mechanical properties of the wood structure...
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    aluminum 7075 tube

    I am looking for Al 7075 tubes with a wall thickness of about 80/1000 of an inch, and ODs ranging from 7/10" to 4/3". I can't find them. Anyone has an idea where to search for them? I do not intend to use them in an aircraft, so aircraft grade quality is not required.
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    large high wing composite airplanes?

    I am looking for information on Part 23 high wing composite airplanes, and end up empty-handed. All the part 23 composite airplanes I know are low wings, like SR20/22, DA40, Cessna 350. Am I missing something here? Why nobody builds large-than-LSA high wing composite?
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    Interpretation of "Recreation and Education Purpose"

    The whole home-built thing is based on "for recreation and education purpose only". At least FAA sees it this way. If I the amateur build fly my kit airplane to work on every working day, I am using it as a transportation tool to meet my commuting need. This is beyond "recreation and education"...
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    Qualifications of A Kit

    What kind of qualifications must a kit obtain for it to be eligible for sale? I know that FAA has a listing of Eligible Amateur Built Aircraft Kits, but I heard that FAA only check the 51% rule for those kits. Since kit airplanes do not have the certification process, who makes the decision...
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    Propeller Pitch Determination

    Given the diameter and rpm of a propeller and a cruise speed, how do we choose a propeller pitch? Assume we are optimizing the propeller for cruise condition only. This will go down to the pitch angle at 70% (or 75%) radius station. It will also depend on the airfoil choice. Let's assume we are...
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    books/articles/lectures on biplane's wing structure?

    I am working on a wing structure for a biplane, and would like to have some reading on this before design. Are there books/articles/lectures/websites on this topic?
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    Minimum Aluminum Tube Wall Thickness as Control Push-Pull Rod

    There is a benefit to use tubes with walls as thin as possible to reduce weight while maintaining column stability. But other practical considerations, such as prone to damages, ease of reparation, should put a limit on how thin they can be. What are the minimum thickness and its major...
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    Resonance btw an engine and a control rod

    I am working on a design of a control system. Some rods are 5 ft long. The resonance frequencies of these long rods (the mode with both ends fixed) are lower than the 5800rpm max frequency of the Rotax engine used in this airplane. One design manual says the resonance frequency of a control rod...
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    What are your sources for general/experimental aviation news?

    I usually check AVweb » The World's Premier Independent Aviation News Resource. There are not much significant news there, maybe due to the state of the industry/technology. I am wondering if there are more and better news venues that I miss. What are your news sources?
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    Practical Propeller Thrust Estimation for STOL Takeoff Ground Roll Calculation

    I am trying to calculate the takeoff ground roll distance. Some parameters are required, such as roll friction, vehicle weight, CL, CD, thrust, lift-off speed Vlo, etc. The major challenge I am experiencing is the thrust of propeller at various aircraft speed. Ideally I would like to have some...
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    Center of Pressure on a Slotted Flap

    For a one-section airfoil, Center of Pressure (C.P.) is around quarter chord. We can assume its range is 0.23-0.27 for structural design. Where is the C.P. for a slotted flap? Does the main section ahead change the location? Pointers to papers on this would also be highly appreciated.
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    Optimal Elevator Hinge Line Location

    I can think of three considerations in elevator hinge line (H.L.) location determination: (1) center of pressure (C.P.) location, (2) surface protrusion when deflected, and (3) mass balance to prevent flutter. C.P. sets the aft limit for H.L. due to stability consideration. The further ahead...
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    Protrusion of control surface for energetic boundary layer and delayed separation

    In "Flying On Your Own Wings", 2011, Zenith Aircraft designer Chris Heintz talked about the protrusion of a trailing aerodynamic surface to energize the boundary layer and delay the flow separation on the trailing aerodynamic surfaces (such as an elevator or an aileron). One way is increasing...
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    Modification of Aircraft for STOL contest

    I am curious about what kinds of modifications are applied to aircraft to get the extreme performance at STOL contest in Valdez, Alaska. The following article mentioned a nitrous oxide as a fuel for the engine. Is nitrous oxide supplied to the engine during the takeoff only, or during the whole...
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    STOL： Zenith CH 701/750/801 vs Just Highlander/Superstol

    Guess this would be the ultimate comparison, or duel, in the current art of STOL design. The simplified question: which one is better? Chris Heintz gave a detailed description in this article: Anatomy of a STOL Aircraft. Just aircraft's Troy Woodland gave some explanation of its...
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