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Army Aviator Goes Rogue

Beautiful machine, I might've flown my A-14 Solo in that bird...checkin' my dog-eared flight logbook!:D
BzB
 
Have you read "Cannibal Queen" by Stephen Coonts? If not, do so. You'll be taking that baby on a ccx in no time.
 
phrogdriver said:
Have you read "Cannibal Queen" by Stephen Coonts? If not, do so. You'll be taking that baby on a ccx in no time.
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Had it on my shelf for years, I think when Coontz made his trip 100LL was about 1.69/gal. Just to ferry it from IL to WA I had to budget $1,700. The C.O. may put the stops to XC wandering for the near term.
 
yak52driver said:
That was a fun book, it's been years since I've read it. Thanks for reminding me about it, I will have to dig it out.
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Not to get all doommsdayish on everyone, but I seriously think we're a generation (or less) from not being able to fly these planes anymore. Parts , especially engine components aren't being produced anymore, and you can only overhaul pistons ,cranks, and cases so many times. The expertise required to maintain/restore them is getting thinner every year.

The old engines, especially radials were designed to run on leaded fuel, they don't even like 100LL that much. Finally, fuel availability and prices will probably do us in. I just don't think it'll be realistic for guys like us to fly cross country trips like they used to at $6.00/gal+ and it will be limited to the very wealthy as in the European model. We've also Mike's J3.jpg got a restored J-3 Cub that burns 4gph and old Schweizer 2-22E training glider, they can fly those all they want:)

At least my sons will be able to tell their kids about it I guess.

Mike-
 
Straight up replacement parts CAN be made, but the price will make you shit bricks.

Place I worked at in college would make replacement engine parts from scratch for out of production cars, such as Packard, Rolls-Royce, White, etc.. Jay Leno was a semi regular customer IIRC..

Then again, since airplane parts already sell for 8x what they should.. The cost of absorbing custom manufacturing should not be that bad. In all honestly, making a new block/case as long as it does not have cored passages (drilled, like oil returns and pushrod gallerys are OK) is not all that hard once you make the CNC program and have a suitable billet of material chucked up.. It's the engine blocks/cylinder heads for water cooled stuff that was HARD. Especially when they want the look of the old part.
 
MasterBates said:
Straight up replacement parts CAN be made, but the price will make you shit bricks.

Then again, since airplane parts already sell for 8x what they should.. The cost of absorbing custom manufacturing should not be that bad. In all honestly, making a new block/case as long as it does not have cored passages (drilled, like oil returns and pushrod gallerys are OK) is not all that hard once you make the CNC program and have a suitable billet of material chucked up.. It's the engine blocks/cylinder heads for water cooled stuff that was HARD. Especially when they want the look of the old part.
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The manufacturing isn't the expensive part, it's FAA certification which for something as simple as a Cub engine can cost several (hundred) thousand dollars in "engineering reviews". There will never be the demand to recoup the certification development, which is why the homebuilt/experimental movement is so popular now. Folks just got fed up with the expense and red tape of the certifcation process.
 
As an engineer.. Seriously, how much stuff is there to "Review" if it's a 1 for 1 dimensional replacement of a current part, made of better materials, with a modern process that is less likely to have hidden defects.

OH WAIT.. THE FAA IS INVOLVED.

I no-shit remember, as a kid, that if your family could afford to have and operate a newer 22-23 foot boat.. That a 4 place airplane was also in your reach.

Now? I could maybe afford a C-150.. Which aside from training or local sightseeing, is not all that useful in reality.
 
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