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Oshkosh Trip Report
by Fred Moreno 8-4-99
Below I have summarized information from notes, brochures, lectures, and
brochures obtained while at OSH. I make no guarantees for completeness, and
I have tried to be objective although my enthusiasm for some topics is
greater than others. I have organized the material into several major topic
areas. (Since I am building a Lancair IV, it was my primary focal area.)
Topics are in no special order.
FINISHING: I heard a lecture and demonstration by Jon Goldenbaum of Poly
Fiber. He was very even handed in describing the various finishing materials
and techniques. Key points:
1) Use only two component systems for aircraft. Anything else will not last.
2) Filling with their light weight epoxy instead of home mixed micro will
yield a lighter result which is much easier to sand evenly because it will
always be the same consistency. For micro or the Poly-Fiber filler, maximum
of 1/16 inch per layer, and if you must apply more than 1/8" of build up,
cover with light weight glass, and then continue finishing.
3) The top quality glass-like finish will require color sanding (wet sanding
final coat) with 600-1000-1500-2000 grit followed by slow speed foam disk
power polishing with medium and fine polish.
4) All finishes and epoxies settle with time (months, a bit faster in high
temperatures). Therefore, he recommends wet sanding and polishing after 3-6
months after all settling has stopped. I can confirm having repainted a
Mercedes 420 SEL dark blue, clear coat, color sand, and now 8 months later it
needs to be sanded and buffed again as the finish is now a bit wavy.
5) Do not fly the airplane in primer. Primer is not designed to tolerate
the flight environment. It is designed to let the final coat stick well.
Bare primer soaks up contaminants, and can never be fully cleaned of bugs,
oil, etc. prior to additional coats. He advises as a minimum priming and
then the finish base coat (all white for example) if you expect that you will
cut and fix the airplane. However, nearly all finishes can be easily patched
and repaired with sanding and polishing. Repeat: don’t fly in primer.
6) He is not keen on clear coats for airplanes. They have no UV inhibitors
since chemical UV inhibitors are brown and tint the clear coat. Consequently
they fail in 3-5 years. Moreover, auto finishes are made for quick repair
cycles: shoot on a lot in as few coats as possible, cover with clear coat,
ship it, and do it fast.
7) The Poly-Fiber water based polyurethane finishing system now incorporates
UV inhibitor in the Smooth Prime so that the layer of Silver Shield
previously required is no longer needed, simplifying the painting process.
Full disclosure: I have used the polyurethane Smooth Prime system and I love
it because it is water soluble, can be rolled on, fills pin holes very well,
and sands very, very easily. I have not tried the finish coats yet. They
are best applied with a conventional pressure gun instead of an HVLP system.
Goldenbaum said that any homebuilder can paint his own airplane even though
most choose not to do so. If you want to save money but are afraid to shoot
the final layer, do the priming and sanding yourself, and then wet sand and
polish the finish coat yourself months after the final coat is shot on.
909-684-4280
AVIONICS
Moving maps everywhere. They are coming out of the woodwork. And there is
lots of new good stuff including some that will blow your sox off.
Garmin 430 - Rapidly becoming the standard, displacing King. Will shortly be
able to display Stormscope information on its moving map display. Full
disclosure: I have flown a new unit in our partnership C-182, and I love it.
Sandel Electronic HIS - A beautiful instrument with an impressive display
with no jaggies. Crisp and clear. A natural match for a system with no
other moving map, but it requires a separate gyro and flux gate as an input,
so you will need King horizontal situation indicator driver equipment (gyro,
flux gate, etc.) or other comparable hardware in addition to radios to drive
it. If you have another moving map in the cockpit (especially the Garmin
430) you will not need it; it adds little more for a lot of money. I planned
to use a Sandel in my Lancair IV, but after a comprehensive demonstration,
found it adds little on top of a Garmin 430.
Sierra Flight Systems showed new glass for the cockpit that was the talk of
the show. I watched a B-767 captain tell them "I wish we had stuff this good
in our airplanes." The primary flight display makes the Archangel stuff look
obsolete since it shows terrain ahead using a USGS data base, and provides
highway in the sky symbology driven by an optional solid state attitude
heading reference system (AHRS) produced by British Aerospace and modified by
a supplier to meet their needs. A second presentation is a moving map with
terrain within 250 feet of your altitude shown in gray as well as all the
normal stuff. A digital engine monitor display is also offered. All
displays can be shown on all screens. You can buy and install 1, 2 or 3
screens although 2 seems like plenty. The package includes a GPS. You need
to supply a Nav-com with ILS to round out the package, and you are finished
and ready to fly. I spent a lot of time in the booth studying the equipment
and talking to the supplier who provides the AHRS package. The basic AHRS
package uses 3D sensors, each described as being like a small bell that is
vibrated in an oval mode. When bell is rotated the vibration mode remains
fixed in space (like a gyro) and the position of the oval is noted by a ring
of sensors around the bell. This is supplemented by accelerometers and a
flux gate that detects magnetic north. The system includes a processor which
massages the raw data and sends heading and attitude information to the
display processors. The sensor package is about the size of half a brick,
but a lot lighter. These packages are sold primarily for under sea robots
and small submersibles used for putting down trans-oceanic cables, underwater
oil wells, etc. This package will be the new standard for GA glass cockpits,
in my opinion. Bring money. But keep in mind that you will not need $10K
for that slaved King horizontal situation indicator, plus more $ for the
Avidyne (or equal) moving map display, or electric gyro (for the all
electric airplanes), or a separate panel mount GPS. Recommended back up is a
standard 6 pack primary instrument set on the right hand panel. Meeting with
the FAA next week to define requirements for certification for primary use in
certified aircraft. Web site: www.sierraflightsystems,com
Seagull Technology of Los Gatos, CA displayed their "Flightsense" solid state
sensor that uses the signals from GPS satellites received at three antennas
arranged in a T to deduce aircraft attitude, heading, and position. Attitude
is deduced by looking at the phase differences between incoming carrier
frequency waves, and the legs of the T are only about 18 inches long. The
development was supported by NASA who will fund the company to certify the
package, but there is no flight hardware yet. Cost yet to be determined and
production plans unclear. Nice brochure available. Www.seagull.com.
408-358-7071
ENGINES
I saw Michael Zoche again (every year) and this year the 2 years to go will
be shorter than last year’s 2 years to go. New news: he has worked a deal
with Partenavia in which a 300 HP Zoche 8 cylinder diesel will be mounted on
a Partenavia turboprop twin (above the fuselage) late this year for flight
testing. Partenavia wants to replace the Allison turboprops with two Zoche
diesels to double the range of the twin and maintain power at altitude. I
hope he gets these engines flying before I die as I would like to build an
airplane around one. But since I am already in my 50’s, I may not live that
long.
I spent time in the Eagle 540 (500 HP V-8) tent, and have visited their
facilities in southern California. This is a beautiful engine built by an
experienced engine guy (Darrell Buell) who knows his stuff, and the engine
and layout have been very carefully thought out. This is the engine Tigress
should have had. (Weight is in the under 600 pound area while the Orenda
goes out 800 pounds fully loaded, possibly lots more with all the extra
hardware required.) It would also be a perfect match for the Bellanca
Skyrocket pressurized 6 place kit offered at OSH (go fast, bring money). The
first Lancair IV with this engine (which uses a belly scoop for the radiator)
should be flying in a few months. Expect more time to work out the
inevitable bugs. It’s a LOT of engine on the Lancair IV air frame, in my
opinion. Expect to see some race winners if this package works out. Bring
money. Burn fuel. Hang on.
I spent a lot of time examining Jim Rahm’s 420 horsepower V-8 in a Lancair IV
this year, making several visits to see Al Joniec, Jim’s engine guru. This
package is a lot smaller than the Eagle 540 with the engine and radiator
package contained within the cowl. I kept coming back with hundreds of
questions, , and Al had solid answers. Full disclosure: I have a deposit on
one of Jim’s engines and expect to place an order when he gets the gearbox
production line warmed up. There have been a lot of refinements in the
installation during the three years the system has been flying. These
include larger and repositioned radiators (they remain along side the engine,
but are now behind the intercoolers for increased flow) that have eliminate
occasional cooling problems that previously occurred on hot days. Desired
power is now being obtained at lower RPM, and many details (too many to list)
have been refined. Jim’s Archangel display locked up without warning during
the EAA race from Kitty Hawk while he was jawboning on 122.75 with other
racers. He wandered off course for about 60 miles before noting that the
thing was not updating. Due to head winds he was on the deck at 3500 feet
making about 237 knots. He made up the time and won the event overall. He
even beat the famous Polan special which was recently sold and is flying
again. Jim is delivering engines with accessories completely assembled on
the engine mount, but without gearboxes which remain a sore point being a
year or more behind schedule. The gearbox supplier is very capable, but
pushed this job back to do some other work that led to major delays.
Gearboxes should be forthcoming shortly now (a few months). Phone number at
Engineair, Jim’s company, is 904-788-2852.
Crossflow Aero of Canada is rebuilding and blueprinting Japanese engines
(Mitsubishi?), adding vibration dampers and gearboxes, and selling 4 and 6
cylinder versions, all liquid cooled. These include electronic ignition and
fuel injection, alternators, radiator, exhaust, fuel and electrical systems.
Here is a sampling of prices and horsepower: 350 HP, $25,200. 320 HP,
$22,700. 300 HP, $21,100. 250 HP, $19,500. 200 HP, $18,700. 180 HP,
$17,100. They said one is destined for a Lancair IV should fly in a few
months. (Most common phrase heard at OSH - "It will be flying shortly.)
Www.crossflow.com. e-mail infor@crossflow.com phone 519-925-5255
If you need a rebuilt engine for your car, Jasper Engines and Transmissions
had a booth. They do 350 engines a day (that’s right, a day), and have a
performance division that also fields a NASCAR race team. They offer
warranty of 75,000 miles and 36 months. I was interested in an engine for my
63 corvette which is coming up on 180,000 miles which needs to burn less oil
and make MORE HORSEPOWER (of course). www. Jasperengines.com 1-800-827-7455
(Indiana).
The NASA AGATE program is plodding forward. The Continental diesel is
running on the test stand, but has not exceeded 30% power. The Williams 700
pound thrust turbofan is making good progress. Most interesting is the new
Williams 500 HP turboprop derived from the turbofan, now in design, and
starting testing late this year. Goal is under $100K and a specific fuel
consumption of 0.5 pounds per HP hr. (Would be 23 GPH of jet fuel at 300 HP.)
Renault Diesel (4 cylinder, 200 HP) was running on a test stand operated by a
university. It ran every hour. Sounds like any other four cylinder engine,
except at idle there is a little diesel sound. The program manager said that
the vibration level was under 0.5 inches per second (moderately smooth).
Specific fuel consumption is 0.32 lbs. per hp hour jet fuel, or 7.2 GPH at
150 HP. Larger engines will be gear driven, but I have a tough time
comprehending a 4 cylinder four stroke diesel engine driving a propeller
through a gearbox with the massive torque reversals occuring twice every rev.
Hmm.…
Rotary engines were on display again from the Wankel factory Most are for
ultralights, but supposedly a 5 rotor 260 HP unit is under development to
burn jet fuel. Www.wankel-rotary.com. In the US www.atkinsrotary.com
EPOXY and GLUE
Ultimate instant cement was offered in a booth. It bonds rubber parts,
rubber tubes to rubber tubes, etc. and I could not pull them apart. Neat
stuff, called PascoFix. Pasco Technologies, Port Charlotte, Florida,
941-627-9334 www.pasco@netway.at or weloewe@sunline.net (distributor).
At the Lancair meeting, one builder reported on a new Jeffco 3156, a 30
minute hardener that gives longer pot life. He handed out a sheet of
information and properties. Looks good. Jeffco at 858-576-9900. Goes into
your existing pump.
One of our group sat in on an epoxy technical briefing. Good news. Tests in
the weather for 20 years show better life time than suggested by accelerated
lifetime tests. Radomes have been sitting around at various locations for
years, paint flaking off, and even where the paint is off, the damage is not
that deep. New epoxy systems have softening temperatures of over 350F, but
as you might expect, they are somewhat nasty to use. However, the day of
glass or carbon fiber engine baffling is rapidly approaching.
SEAT BELTS
Visited the booth of AMSAFE, Phoenix 602-850-2850. Tom Hodgdon of AMSAFE
spoke with me about retractors, inertia reels, etc. for Lancair IV. He is
talking with Jim Griffin who does the super neat interiors in Redmond
primarily on Lancairs. He said he would send me some sample inertia reels to
see how they might fit in my Lancair IV. I will send them on to Dick Studer,
our resident crash safety expert for inspection. Goal: a standardized (read
lower cost) inertial reel package with web length long enough for Lancair IV
that you can buy from them (or Jim Griffin, I presume).
LANCAIR IV STUFF
Some builders have reduced rudder counterweight mass by extending the length
of the rudder counterweight arm farther forward. Sounds like a good idea
since you can cut up to 5 pounds, and the pressurized planes tend to be tail
heavy. I spoke at length with Mark Kirshner, a retired Boeing
aerodynamicist who consulted with Jim Frantz on Jim’s angle of attack
indicator (www.angleofattack.com). He just finished a beautiful LIV, and he
did the same (extended counterweight lever) giving it a blessing as long as
you don’t stick the counterweight out the front where it would get iced up.
Mark said that the Lancair IV has too little fixed vertical stabilizer area
which contributes to wiggles in rough air (like a Bonanza). This can be
partially addressed by keeping feet on the rudder pedals to fix the position
of the rudder during the wiggles. The rudder is more than big enough to do
its job as a rudder and when fixed (by your feet) the fixed area is
increased, and stability increased. Another possibility: extend the leading
edge of the vertical stabilizer a few inches (foam and glass) to increase
fixed stabilizer size. We also discussed how to get more speed. We agreed
that the airframe is as slick as it gets, and more speed must come from
decreased cooling drag, the next great challenge.
OTHER STUFF
Mac Servo has introduced a small (about 0.75 inch by 1 inch) black panel with
three green LEDs and three red LEDs for gear down and gear up indications.
For $49.00 it does not make sense to do it yourself. They no longer make
the 5 pin connectors for their trim tab servos, but a comparable product is
available from Radio Shack, part number 274-003A and 274-006A according to a
factory rep in the booth.
Mountain High has a new pulse oxygen box that meters oxygen in pulses
tailored to the altitude when you inhale. Same as their prior offering, but
smaller. And a bit more costly, natch. Www.mtn-high.com 800-468-8185
Talk about endurance. Henri Chorosz flew his fixed gear Glasair from Hawaii
to OSH non-stop in 22 hours. A map on the airplane showed long range trips
all over the world. Very impressive. Fuel everywhere (extended wings with
multiple tanks, bigger header tank, tank in passenger seat), and he has some
experimental tubes on the wing tips about 6 inches in diameter and as long as
the wing tip chord that decrease the wingtip vortex a bit like winglets. He
is selling the Glasair to raise money for research. Www.Hchorosz@aol.com
And yes, it was hot. On Friday the combined heat and humidity index was 118F
(actual temperature 104F, and very humid). I went to the air conditioned
museum to get out of the heat, and the place looked like a refugee center
with people lying down all over the place. Otherwise a great trip.
[Thank you very much, Fred, for this very interesting report... lots of
great information. The next best thing to being there, and without having
to put up with the heat. Bravo!!
<Marv> ]
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