Summer Distractions, or Airplane Fun?

The beginning of summer has been busy in the workshop with too many airplane projects. Earlier this year, I purchased a small unfinished airplane project; a TEAM Airbike. Originally designed as a single seat ultralight, I plan to finish it as an experimental amateur-built due to the weight restrictions of a Part 103 ultralight. After bringing home the fuselage, tail-feathers, unfinished wings, a large assortment of 4130 steel tubing, aircraft wood of various shapes and sizes and numerous fixtures for fabrication of sub-assemblies, my first task was to…well I wasn’t really sure. How do I start? Where do I begin? Even a small, relatively simple airplane build needs some sort of plan — right?   

The first task was to inventory parts, fixtures and raw-stock that now filled my shop and garage. Next, a detailed visual inspection of everything and spending time studying the plans. Before I could do this, I needed a table large enough to layout large parts and assemble the wood wings. And before I could do this, I needed to make room in my shop for a table this size. And, before I could do this, I had better study the plans enough to understand the size of the wings. I needed a plan and soon was reminded of the days as an airline maintenance manager when I studied and implemented (or attempted to implement) project management ideas into maintenance workflow.

About the time these first steps were done and I was ready to really start construction, along came the first distraction. My longtime aviator buddy Dave and I decided it was time for a major overhaul on the older model Lycoming O-235 engine in the Skyote biplane. After long conversations, pouring over engine parts lists, price lists, a visit to an area piston engine overhaul shop, we decided to change engines and look for a Continental C85/C90/O200 model, which is a better size and weight engine for the little biplane. The Skyote engine project has been an education so far. As many of you know, even small general aviation engines and engine parts are costly. More to come on this project as we get further into it.

Another friend of mine recently bought a pre-WWII Aeronca and he has been asking questions and bouncing ideas off me. I look forward to flying it when it gets here (and I do my Biennial Flight Review) and will likely help with some of the maintenance. Second distraction.

My son and I visited the old farmstead of a local person who recently passed. His son showed us around a couple run-down hangers housing a few old ultralight airplanes. Stacked in the back of one hanger were numerous model airplanes. Unfinished balsa wood models, crashed RC models, a few old control line models and miscellaneous parts and pieces, all decades old and all in need of some repair. I love the appearance of uncovered balsa wood models and built many myself also decades ago. Third distraction.

Did I mention summer means outdoor lawn and garden projects? Forth distraction. All good stuff.

Keep ‘em flying safe, Ron