What Has been happining

[Metal Master]

It has been a while since I have posted anything here. I started a new job at Boeing early this year. Between trying to go to a regular job and still keep working for myself as Jim’s Aviation Services. I have been to busy to post anything although I have managed to look at the Forums occasionally. And Fly the 170

I managed to get about 50 – 60 hours on the 170A since I completed it in the spring. My partner flew it to Montana with his Family on board. So I got the chance to finally fly the 140A for a while. I am getting ready after I complete the annual on a customers T182 RG to bring the 170 in and start the Annual. Big on the list is to install a later model fuel selector valve which I purchased at a reasonable cost from Faeth aircraft in California. I was getting quotes from the various salvage yards for an as removed price of $450 - $650. Got the unit with new O-rings installed for $375 no exchange. I’m still going to take it apart to inspect it internally though.

Since May I have gotten pretty comfortable Flying the 170A and prefer it to the 140. I have not had a chance to load it up and go camping yet. But the reports from my partner flying it to Montana with two adults and bags on board are encouraging. I have found the 170 with the gear properly set up to be a wonderful airplane on the ground. Flew a Citabria for years and although I do like an airplane with a stick the 170 is mine. It handles Cross winds just fine 20 knots straight across is the most I have experienced. It handled so well I was pleasantly surprised.

I still can not believe that the airplane required no rigging after the first test flight. I installed the wings with the controls set to neutral and the bushing in the wings set to out board neutral. Then I checked the wings with a laser level just for giggles and an extra data point. It flew hands off straight and level and stalls straight ahead. This is the first of many Cessna’s I have rebuilt wings on the needed no further adjustment

I hope to get stripes painted on the fuselage this winter and change out the Mixture control for a new vernior to replace the one I have. I have new exhaust stacks to install. My Partners trip to Montana put exhaust stains down the side of my brightly polished fuselage. My partner complains that he can’t land at an airport with out having to give a tour of the airplane to whoever sees it.

Any Way I Like my 170 real well.

My first passenger as a private pilot was my Red-Bone CoonHound Dude in a 172. He liked seeing the Sea-gulls at his level. My second passenger was my Wife Phyllis. I took her to visit her sister. Hoping she could see that an hours flight beat the pants off of a 4-5 hour drive. It’s been a few years now and she has only flown with me twice more. Turbulence just makes her have fits. She does like that it makes it easy for me to hop up and pick the grand kids up. Regards,

Happy Holidays

Jim

[lowNslow]

Jim, welcome back! I was wondering where you had gone. Any chance of posting some photos of your competed project?

[Metal Master]

I will post some pictures when we get Phyllis's computer working a little faster. It's like pulling teeth.

Jim

[GAHorn]

Jim.... spoken like a REAL MAN!!!! (take your best fre'n...the coon-hound up FIRST!)
I LOVE IT!

[iowa]

hi jim
i'm envious that you have restored so many airplanes!
but it sounds like you have the skill and ratings to do so.
could you post a pic of your c170?
thanks
iowa

[jatkins]

Hi ,
I am just rigging up my flight controls.
Can you please confirm 2 things for me ?

1. what exactly do you mean by," the bushing in the wings set to out board neutral" ? are you saying the wide area of the adjusting nut set outboard ?

2.and how exactly did you ceck the wing with a laser level ?

Thanks John

[Metal Master]

I have a spinning laser that will place a laser chalk line around a room if the room is empty so that noting is in the way of the laser. In the hanger with the Laser set on a tripod so that the chalk line would shine on the leading edge center line. I raised the tail so that the bottoms of the wings were leveled for and aft with a carpenter’s level set on the bottom of the wing just out board of the lift strut. Then I checked the aircraft level laterally across the seat rails and upper door frame as two references. Note this is not necessarily the level flight attitude.
Then I hung targets from the leading edge at the inboard wing leading edge, just forward of the lift strut leading edge and at the wing tip just inboard of the wing tip and about 14 inches inboard of wing tip at the second to last rib. I did not look up the station numbers. I also hung targets at the trailing edge of the wing at the same location just forward of the flaps and aileron. I adjusted the laser so that the chalk line would appear on the leading edge. The inboard section of the wing in the A model has no dihedral so the laser line appeared right down the centerline of the leading edge to the wing strut. The wing has taper built into it as the ribs get smaller from here outboard. The laser line could be measured down from the leading edge at each station and compared from side to side. I then lowered the laser down so that the chalk line appeared about ¼ of an inch below the inboard trailing edge. I then was able to measure the distance from the skin down to where the chalk line appeared below the trailing edge at each station out board from the wing attach point. In both cases the laser was placed in front of the aircraft at the center of the aircraft.

Note this was probably all over kill for the needs and the first time I ever tried this after rebuilding a set of wings. I made no adjustment from my findings from the laser check because it showed both wings at exactly the same position which completely surprised me.

There is a funny part too all this. When I first turned on the laser I had it positioned it so that the chalk line appeared completely around the hanger above the airplane. As I lowered the tripod with the crank to position the chalk line on the leading edge the first time the chalk line disappeared. I thought something was wrong with the laser. I checked the switch and the batteries. I started over with the laser back above the aircraft. Every thing seemed fine. I started to lower it again when it got to the leading edge the chalk line disappeared. I checked the switch and batteries again. I started over. The same thing happened. Then I looked up. The laser was being refracted all over the hanger by the reflective surface of the wings. I had polished the wings. DUH! It was quite a light show although not moving. After that I put masking tape around the leading edge to act as a target along with my hanging targets.

Jim

[Bruce Fenstermacher]

Jim you've done with the laser what I wanted to do for 2 years know but havn't gotten to it. Glad to hear it works.

What laser model did you use. Christmas is coming you know.

[doug8082a]

Just don't polish your airplane, Bruce C'mon, I know you're thinking about it...

[Metal Master]

Bruce,

Craftsman Laser Trac TM 360 deg. Rotary laser Sears Item on line:
0094824249000 ; Mfr Model # 48429.

I happent to already have a tripod and then I set that on top of one of my tall aircraft jack stand adapters.

Jim