The last issue dealt mainly with the trip up and experiences there in.
This is supposed to deal with the week spent at Oshkosh and then the trip
back. I do hope, at this point, that I can still remember the
things that happened that I keep remembering on occasions that would
be considered significant.
I arrived on Monday the 27th, two day's before
the air show actually started. Again it took about two hours to get
the bird tied down with all the questions and fascination. When you
think about it this was rather flattering. These people were not
the general public, this was the people, like myself, that were considered
part of the show, they had their own airplanes there! Anyway, bird
tied down I begged a ride to my home for the week.
For the third year now, we had been staying
with the Todryk's who live in Oshkosh. They were found by luck through
the Housing Hotline
set up for the air show every year, for people like myself that decided
to plan a little late. Very gracious people to the point of self
sacrifice. The other residents of the week are becoming old friends
as we have been seeing them for three of the past four years. This
makes for great conversation on the back deck in the evenings after the
show. I was unable to go to the airport on Wednesday, since I had
to get to Milwaukee to pick up my wife. I informed one of the fellows
going on out that he could tell the neighboring airplane to feel
free to uncover the canopy on my bird for display on this the first official
day of the show. The Three fellows from Connecticut took it upon
themselves to take care of this task. Great help! I just wish
I could have seen this team, led by a nuclear sub. engineer trying to figure
out just how to get the cover back on that evening! With best intentions,
a very appreciated and effective, but backwards solution was reached.
This again made the back deck conversations enjoyable for the evening.
By Thursday, I was getting smart. I
had a pocket full of mints and a jug of water by my side to fight off the
dry throat! Too much talking! I left the cowl off for a majority
of the week. The people really seem to enjoy this. Lots of
questions! I don't think there was a one that I hadn't asked myself
at one time or another. My wife heard the stories so many times that
she started being able to answer a few her self, when I wasn't available.
One fellow told her he desperately wanted to buy the airplane cause he
"really loves those Subaru engines!" Once informed, by a "girl",
that it was a VW, he with red face in hand, disappeared into the masses.
You can call it anything you like, if your money is good,
Sold!
Friday I decided to give the bird a good preflight
(condition inspection) to determine if I had an air worthy bird for the
trip back. Starting at the tail, I noticed that in addition to the tail
wheel push rod being bend, that the whole assembly was fairly loose.
The nut holding the tail wheel castor was loose, and the nuts at both ends
of the push rod were loose. Check part 43 and you'll see that one
should not be using fiber lock nuts in a rotational situation. So
that's what it means! Castle nuts coming up at the next condition
inspection. Moving forward I found nothing significant until I reached
the wheels. The people at EAA had cut nice grooves in the sod to help keep
the rows straight. The groove was cut about 1 1/2 inches deep.
My wheel pants were only about an inch off the ground on hard surface,
so this actually pressed them into the dirt. No damage obvious but
I would leave it alone until I moved the bird for departure.
Firewall forward, I found only a few things.
No oil (Amzoil) had been burned off, and no seepage noted. When it
got to the prop, I did
notice a dusting material coming off each bolt in a scimitar pattern,
and the spinner was able to wobble! We have a loose prop! I
guess the
dryness in TX and the hours since I last torqued it has taken its toll.
I decided Saturday would be the maintenance day.
Later Friday I had some good conversation
with John Monnett, the designer of the Sonerai. Though he playfully
beat me up over my
pressure cowling, he agreed to stop by and look at it during the day
on saturday. That night at his annual hanger get together for his
builders, he continued to abuse me over the pressure cowling. I guess
he has me talked into building a box type cowling over my cylinders and
heads. They are known to cool the heads better. And head cooling
is really the only problem I am still fighting on this bird.
Saturdays work on the airplane took about
half a day for 30 minutes of items. Again, not only were they interested
in the airplane, but asking why I was having to do all the work.
"Is this a problem?" I would tell them no, just maintenance.
I found a few of the prop bolts back at about 5 ft/lbs, but no other abnormalities.
I snugged them all to about 13 ft/lbs and called it good. The forward
spinner bulkhead was cleaned up and I added a round of electrical tape
to snug its fit to the spinner bowl. Since I would pass the 25 hour
mark on the way home I went ahead and checked the valve clearances.
Opening the valve covers I find everything spotless and in place.
All clearances were normal, and no adjustment was needed. I entered
a few things in the log books and put it all back together, considered
ready for the trip home. Sunday was spent
pretty much roaming the show again. The only time at the sonerai
was spent merely again cleaning and looking over it closely to see if I
had missed anything for the next mornings early departure.
Other events of a more personal nature happened
but for the life of me, I can't remember just what day or time it was.
Out of nowhere I had
my EAA's chapter (661) vice president, Brad Smith, show up to abuse
me for a while. My sonerai mentor, Formula "V" race pilot and friend
Tom
Walker was around daily to assist and field questions from the masses.
Then a model airplane mentor, coach and friend from my Jr. High days in
Chicago, showed up on the spot and good sparing and fun was to be had.
One other event has been mentioned in the last issue, and that is the
appearance of some fellow with a kit bag closely looking over
and photographing my airplane. Through his Polish accent I learned
that he
writes for a Polish aviation magazine and would like to do an article
on my Sonerai. He requested some air to air photos be sent along
with
information about the airplane. In the next few weeks I hope
to get the photo's done and get a pile of information out to him.
Yes I'm flattered!
Well Sorry I didn't get to the trip home but
hope you enjoyed the blow by blow ramblings of the week. I'm in the
middle of dry walling our living room and I think the putty is dry
enough to get back to work. Later. . .jim
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