Finally! Got another 7" of new snow on Thursday, Saturday was the best XC skiing of the year if not the decade, but by Sunday afternoon even though there's still over two feet of snow on the ground it was 45° which seemed downright balmy in the sun, and time to work on the plane. Spent a couple of hours chopping the ice from the front of the hangar where the plow had pushed it, and put the new tailwheel on, though it was too windy to fly. Today after work I finished hooking up the springs, got the engine started, well, there's still a half hour until sunset, time to fly!
Just as I rotated my brand new leather flying helmet (birthday present from my daughters) blew off, I guess I didn't buckle it properly. Too late to abort, then when I turned crosswind I glanced back and saw it wrapped around the leading edge of the stabilizer. Figured it was a goner, but by some miracle it didn't fall off as I flew around the pattern, I landed and it stayed put all the way back to the hangar, where I retrieved it and made sure to buckle it properly this time. Much more comfortable than the heavy crash helmet I was using!
To go with the leather helmet I had gotten a set of active noise cancelling earbuds from Audio Technica, with a homemade adapter to connect to my handheld radio. They work surprisingly well, muting the engine noise considerably, but not other sounds like the noise of the wheels rolling on the pavement. Interesting. The new boom mike, clipped to my shoulder strap, still needs some work.
I also fiddled with the trim tab... it was built to be adjustable, but the builder used aluminum sheet instead of hinges and locked it neutral, which meant the plane was always trying to climb. I made a screw adjustment (not cockpit adjustable) and got it pretty close the first try; the plane now flies hands off in cruise, which is what I wanted.
I also replaced the brake cables, but the brakes still suck.
The new swivel tailwheel, which I made myself after being unable to find anything I liked, worked great... it weighs a bit less, and looks much better, than the cheap shimmying caster wheel that was on the plane.
All in all a good day!
Dana
Just as I rotated my brand new leather flying helmet (birthday present from my daughters) blew off, I guess I didn't buckle it properly. Too late to abort, then when I turned crosswind I glanced back and saw it wrapped around the leading edge of the stabilizer. Figured it was a goner, but by some miracle it didn't fall off as I flew around the pattern, I landed and it stayed put all the way back to the hangar, where I retrieved it and made sure to buckle it properly this time. Much more comfortable than the heavy crash helmet I was using!
To go with the leather helmet I had gotten a set of active noise cancelling earbuds from Audio Technica, with a homemade adapter to connect to my handheld radio. They work surprisingly well, muting the engine noise considerably, but not other sounds like the noise of the wheels rolling on the pavement. Interesting. The new boom mike, clipped to my shoulder strap, still needs some work.
I also fiddled with the trim tab... it was built to be adjustable, but the builder used aluminum sheet instead of hinges and locked it neutral, which meant the plane was always trying to climb. I made a screw adjustment (not cockpit adjustable) and got it pretty close the first try; the plane now flies hands off in cruise, which is what I wanted.
I also replaced the brake cables, but the brakes still suck.
The new swivel tailwheel, which I made myself after being unable to find anything I liked, worked great... it weighs a bit less, and looks much better, than the cheap shimmying caster wheel that was on the plane.
All in all a good day!
Dana
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