Bushbaby Explorer # 130

[Dusty Eagle]

Hi Massima,

I saw you, as I do all who over fly and wonder who will brave the runway.

Werner has it taped, as does Mike in his Samba, Dennis has also been in with his Sabre.

Please feel free to drop in anytime you want, always nice to have visitors, and coffee's a kettle away.

Hi Tailspin. No red faces from you please, I'm the one with the problem. My computer just wont make them smaller enough for posting, so at your earliest convenience.....?

I braved the cross winds today and did some more runs, handles well on the dirt strip.
I taped up 30% of the oil cooler and this time it showed temps starting when the CHT showed 95 deg. Will tape over some more and try again. I also need to close a couple of holes in the baffles around the radiator.

I did a OupaG with her today, the tail lifted quite easily at 5350ft ASL. No chance I can do that with the Maule up here.

I'm having some pictures posted tomorrow.

First flight booked for this weeken.

Regards,

[KFA]

Nico send me some pic's to post. Well done Nico

[KFA]

Struggling to upload. But here goes

[Stephan van Tonder]

Dusty Eagle - go to this site - download something called irfanview. This is a viewer that will allow you to resize your pictures. Once you have loaded it - you can follow the menus at the top or simply use a few shortcut keys - the one you want is CTRL+R - this will opena resize window - you choose the size - I normally use 800 x 600 for web viewing - it will reduce the size - click CTRL + S and save the picture under another name so you don't lose the orginal sized one. Voila - pics sized for web posting.
http://www.irfanview.com/

[AndyCAP]

Nico Congratulations!! LLV (jr) looks awesome!

Hope you get da peppas sorted soon.

Still have not managed to make time to visit you , but would love to see your two babies up close

PS I stll think a red spinner would look really cool

[Dusty Eagle]

Hi Stephen.

Many thanks, will give it a shot.

Hi AndyCap.

Yep, sorted today, told I can collect authority for proving flight on Friday.

I do agree, a red spinner is the preferred colour and would look really great, but I had green in the pot at the time and it will serve as a great primer until I decide to change.

Still looking for ideas on decals, posters, placards etc to give it that " military look " , things like " NO PUSH" " LIFT HERE"
" Tyre Pressure: 0.9Bar " so ideas will be welcomed.
I really had to resist the temptation of orange, white and blue rondals, invasion stripes etc so far. Want to keep it fairly simple, yet want it to look the period as well.
The yellow 130 is of course, kit # 130.
Now I need a squadron emblem, I am leading towards our family shield.

Please drop in anytime, just call ahead to see if I am here.

Regards,

Nico
083 376-1153

[Mogas]

Well done Nico
Very nice looking aerie.
Who will do the test flight?
Please remember to set the stabilizer at the top hole and the aileron bell crank at its least sensitive for the first flight. Also be sure the CofG is in range and limit the flap travel.
We can help with the ordinary decals but not badges etc. Send me a list in Word or Excel of all you want, where they will go and I will work on a quote for you.
Mogas at saplanes.co.za

[AndyCAP]

Thanks Nico will definitely make a plan to visit.

My suggestion would be to base the colourscheme loosely on SAAF Bosbok/KUDU/C185 and use the squadron badge - see pic. (If your family badge is too elaborate it might not look period - but it will also be a nice touch)

The other suggestion is to paint the whole top of the nose matt black up to the windscreen (as per pic attached)

I have a few books on the SAAF which may have some ideas regarding markings. Generally you can stencil maintanance info in Yellow such as tyre pressures, lubrication points, hook marks where lifting points are, Hold/no-hold etc. - also remember emergency escape signs/instructions. Aslo the yellow tyre/rim slip indicator stripe (see bosbok below)

I am sure the SAAF museum will be able to assist with info?

Good luck

[Boet]

Nico, did it FLY then? And whe ah da picthaas?? C`mon man, stop keeping us in suspense.

[Dusty Eagle]

Hi All.

No, very sad, she did not fly.

Mike Cathro got in , strapped himself in tight after a thorough pre-flight and briefing, started up and Werner and I walked half way down the runway to take pictures.
About 4 minutes into the warm up, we saw legs hanging out the door and a minute later, the engine stopped.

Mike said, when we got there, that fuel was pouring down from behind the dash.
Well, off with the boot cowl and after a while we found a crack in the top of the header tank where a mod had been made to accomodate the length of Icom A210 radio. A bad joint between new and existing glass.

Why this had not shown up before??????? Well, on all run-up's etc, the fuel pump was never needed other than a 1/2 second busrt to prime when cold,.... and all the fast taxi runs, idling, engine power tests, prop setting etc were never done with the pump on,#$@*%# Damm .
What an absolut waste of time and cost.

So, As per the Rotax instructions, fuel pump on at take off, and when Mike switched it on, the combined pressure turned the crack into a gap and put a damper on my weekend.

I removed the header tank yesterday and spent most of today repairing,and then painted it.

I will find a gap this week to refit it, but I will have to wait for Mike to be available to start the process again.

Keep you posted.

[grostek]

Hi Nico,

Well done on a fine looking airie.

Eish fiberglass tanks, they sure can be problematic.

Good luck with the repair.

Kind regards,

Gunter Rostek

[KFA]

Hi Nico, not good news. Remember that the fuel pump must be AFTER the header tank and not before even if it was not modified. The headertank must only get the gravity pressure.

[Dusty Eagle]

The header tank is before ther fuel pump and is gravity fed.

The problem comes with the introduction of a return pipe which t's off after the mechanical pump with a restrictor and is routed to the top of the header tank.

I guess with the engine idling and both pumps working there must be a " little ' pressure build up in the header tank which will push backwards to the tank

We might not even be talking 'pressure" here, but enough to allow the crack to leak. We think that before the use of the electric pump there may have been an air pocket which now was displaced with fuel, and then leaked.

will keep you posted.

[Boet]

Wanner vliee hy dan nou???

[Dusty Eagle]

Hi Boet.

Peter spent Thursday and saturday rewiring the redio as all sorts of things went wrong.
Everything is now sorted, cowlings will go on and I spoke to Mike just now for a possibility to do the test through this week.

I flew down to Barberton in the Maule and had a great time, even met Stefan who recognised me by my voice. Had a great chat.

Will keep you posted.