Waiex Project

[LarryMcG]

Last for now!

Still battling for time, as have now started travelling to PE, to get PPL!!!

Weighed the plane roughly last night, using a bathroom scale, and got to about 275kg, with about 5 - 10 kg still to go, unpainted. Was hoping to be below the 262 M/L kg limit, but not to be. Tried to get a small jabi onto my instructors rating, about a week ago, and was told not possible on M/l now, will have to be flown on ppl, until RPL comes through, so looks like they might have clamped down on all the heavy M/L aircraft already.
So, looks like Waiex might have to flown on ppl, or RPl, when out.

So, now need to decide on painting???? Opinions? Am worried about the mirror glare from top of wings while flying, if left unpainted. Thought about all red - always faster - with white fibreglass sections.

LM

[AndyCAP]

She looks lovely Larry!! Good luck with the final bits & pieces and the CAA!

I would like to suggest a mixture of white & red with some black checkerboard (as trim here and there). I think it will look much more striking than an all red plane. See Rudi's RV7, Morph's Explorer and Mogas' Explorer for some ideas. One tip that I know from my modelling days is that you should use some black trim lines to seperate colours (e.g. between red & White) It makes a world of difference to the overall look.

If I were you I'd consider flying it bare if you are not sure about colourscheme. i saw on the Sonex website that a number of guys have done that in the US (perhaps you can mail them and hear what they experienced in this regard?). I would however suggest that you paint the instrument panel 'roof' matt/ satin black (like they used to do with P51 Mustangs) so that the glare does not bother you - particularly since you have three flat surfaces there. The wings will mosly be in your periferal vision and should not bother as much - also because its curved.

Good luck!

[grostek]

Something like this perhaps?

[AndyCAP]

by grostek on Sat Aug 16, 2008 4:29 am

Something like this perhaps?

Ja more or less. thats not bad (although IMHO have seen better ). The final details will be very dependant on what the owner likes - a VERY subjective thing. the pic you posted does however show how effective a thin black stripe can be. This was not 100% what I was suggesting, but if you try and imagine what it would look like without the black stripe, you'll understand what I mean (might look a bit bland?). It is however an effective variation on the theme.

My idea was to use the black stripe on the boundary of the red & white (i.e. thin black stipe seperated the red from white) - almost the same as the look you get when colouring in a picture which is drawn with black lines.

A bit of Checkerboard adds a bit of Zingg in my opinion!

PM Mogas and ask him for a pic of his BB. In my opinion he has a very nice colourscheme - as does Morph's Explorer. I am not suggesting you copy them, but use them for some ideas.

As A general rule one does not have to be very fancy with a colourscheme. Often a simple colourecheme consisting of straight lines is the most effective visually. Its also much easier to apply than something with compound curves (e.g. Rudi's RV which looks awesome but must have been tricky to do)

[RudiGreyling]

BAIE MOOI!
Red and White you say YEAH! I like red and white, maybe adda silver stripe, wonder why I like r&w www.rudigreyling.com ???
GOOD LUCK with final portions!!

[LarryMcG]

Thanks, Guys!

Rigging seems all done and ok.
Inspection on Saturday.
Unforunatley away for a week after that, but am hoping to get docs to CAA while away, and then ready for test flying.

Will decide about final painting after test flights, registration etc.

Red and white sounds good, will need to look at layout!

Lm

[Old, Fat and Hairy]

Any more news?

Not keen on the factory yellow scheme?

[coastwise]

Larry's away at the moment and will only be back on Monday, so there won't be any news until then.

[LarryMcG]

Registration through!! ZU -FBA

Still need to finish final fitting of cowling, and fuel filler cap, and sdjust rudder pedals back a bit. Snag list finished. Will fit basic upholstery for testing.

Filling in final documentation today, to get prooving flight autho. Will be doing some taxi testing this weekend.

Proving flight autho dep at CAA has changed dep, now with Andre Swanepoel. Hoping to get that through by next weekend, and then FLY!!

Pics next week!

Lm

PS Nice to meet Rudi, Ian, Andrew etc in Barberton!!

[LarryMcG]

Feeling the ground!

Taxi's like a nose wheel, engine sounds great, instant power, very light small prop.
Sorting out final cowling screws, and engine rpm.

First flight - Saturday! Got A high hour Monster Pitts / aerobatic guy to test for me - Bob Hewing

Bad is that I cannot get permission to fly it on my MPL!!! They seem to be insisting on the 260 /450 kg thing now. Will have three options - finish ppl / get Rpl or??? Guessses? Not my fault!! When I bought the plane, could have flown on mpl, so now?

LM

[Massimo]

Gees you must be excited
Well done

[RV Sometime]

Nice one Larry, old Grumpy Bob is a very good friend of mine & an incredible pilot & instructor. You could not have asked for better to fly your baby. He is my nav in the ptar, we missed this year because I navved for Guy Leitch from SA Flyer in FPI, but he is being summonsed back next year when we fly the twinco in the ptar.

You must be very deservedly chuffed, I will give him a call if the bugger answers his phone & ask him about his impressions. Did he drive in with his dirty great big Bronco

Lovely to see the project coming to an end, pity about the mpl scenario, man the ppl tests are tough now, especially nav.

[justin.schoeman]

Bad is that I cannot get permission to fly it on my MPL!!! They seem to be insisting on the 260 /450 kg thing now. Will have three options - finish ppl / get Rpl or??? Guessses? Not my fault!! When I bought the plane, could have flown on mpl, so now?

I have an idea - you sell her to me, and build yourself another with the 2200 motor !

Seriously though. Lovely plane! I hope the CAA get the collective **s in gear and sort out the RPL so that you can fly it!

[AndyCAP]

Larry you must be well chuffed!! She looks awesome!Cant wait for that flight report

I have an idea - you sell her to me, and build yourself another with the 2200 motor !

Nice try Justin, but AFAIK Larry did fit a 2200 to this one. I must say I would be very interested to see how she performs at the reef and also how the performance compares to the Aerovee.

Good luck Larry - Min dae

[justin.schoeman]

Oops - thought it was the 3300. But I see even with the 2200 the empty weight is just too high.

I certainly hope the RPL becomes a reality soon - would be terrible to leave such a beauty in the hangar .