Badland Part 103 Pilots and Builders Forum

ksatter26

New sleeves pass the niccopress guage.

ksatter26

Lots of adjustments after 2nd taxi testing adventure: (1) Removed my 3/16" rod/clevis fork folded wing stays and replaced with 1/8" 0.75" L-angle stays. Seem to be much more rigid. (2) added larger washers as bushings to the AN5 tailwheel axle and torqued down on the AN5 bolt connecti...

ksatter26

Great day for the testing ... 76 degrees, slightly overcast, and 12 MPH SSE winds. The 13 mile trailering trip TO Caddo Mills was uneventful ... light traffic and good road conditions. The process of unfolding the wings and unloading the beast off the trailer getting easier with practice. I remember...

ksatter26

Looks like Tuesday (30 April) will be dry and only 11 mph winds at Caddo Mills Airstrip. Hope to get some taxi/hops in. I adjusted the brakes, replaced the tailwheel/rudder springs and fixed the port folded wing stay. We'll use MY camera for the pictures so we won't have the iCloud storage/transfer ...

ksatter26

They are pretty stiff, but if you look closely the two do not match. I guess I didn't check them when I pulled the pair out of the "spring bin" at the hardware store. I'll remedy that tomorrow, but it looks like they'll work fine. IMG_1288.JPG Reset and tightened the brake and rudder cable...

ksatter26

ksatter26

I believe i finally have a good set of springs. Relaxed, they are about 2.5" + 3/8" for the mounting ring. Diameter is about 0.5". Will try mounting later today. Anyone out there know how to copy .MOV files located somewhere in the great void of the iCloud ( that can view on my Androi...

ksatter26

I taxied on the asphalt for a start. That's when I noted that the stb brake was weak and the rudder cables could be tighter ... probsbly also a function of the weak tsilwheel springs. I then taxied off to the grass. With the weak stb brake I managed to get the stb gear into a small hole. I was able ...

ksatter26

I have an "old timey" hardware store close to me. Stock goes back to pre-WW-II. I picked over their stock with no joy. I've even pulled out the old Physics book to try and understand the relationships between loaded lengts, travel, compression, and tension. It's been a loooong while since ...

ksatter26

I'm convinced that the tailelwheel problems can be greatly ameliorate with stronger springs. Still searching for a spring tat I can stretch to get a mid-point and will compress to the rudder travel stop. Still looking.

ksatter26

We are still trying to breakup the larger .MOV files into smaller .MP4 files for transfer to my PC ... will hopefully get that done this evening.

Here's the unloading video ...

Unloading01.MP4: (11.09 MiB) Downloaded 40 times

ksatter26

While trying to get videos loaded, I can report on the 20 minutes of 1st taxi testing ... misty rain and marginal winds cut us short. (1) DEFINITELY need to find better tailwheel springs! The ones I have installed are WAY TOO light. (2) I need to add larger washer spacers between the nice tailwheel ...

ksatter26

Fred took the documentation videos on HIS iPhone. We are now experiencing a great deal of difficulty getting those transferred to me (via either my Android or Windows PC). When I get them downloaded they go to an iCloud directory (as .MOV) files which will only SHARE the smaller videos. We are worki...

ksatter26

Forecast today was for showers after 4PM, so we loaded up the F-3 to do the trailering and (hopefully) some taxi testing this morning. Loaded02.JPG Loaded01.JPG To start the trailering test, We took the 2016 Ford Escort and trailer a mile down the road to a circular drive at a nearby church parking ...

ksatter26

No rain forecast until late this afternoon. Will try to get the beast off to the testing strip.

Added a couple of small wheel chocks to the kit.

ksatter26

Peet is a " fat finger" reference to Peer ... zip ties and safery wire added ... thanks.

ksatter26

I put together a kit of the things I believe might be needed for road-trips to/from the testing strip (13 miles away): Badland F-3 “Let’s Go!” Kit 1. Rubber Malot 2. 25’ Nylon Rope 3. Gloves 4. 6” length 3/16” rod (tighten turnbuckles and clevis ends) 5. Portable Tire Inflator 6. Roll Duck Tape 7. S...

ksatter26

I haven't posted any updates on the project in a few weeks due to some weather related problems and a faux pas on my part. We've had some standard North Texas crazy weather ... not as bad as Peer is getting in SoCal, but enough to cause me problems. As I've stated before a North Wind driven rain ove...

ksatter26

Attached (I hope) are the F3D files for the Spar Caps (as transmitted to me from my 3D printer buddy). You will probably want to modify the half spar (rear) cap by removing about a half an inch of the circumferential flange to make a better fit against the AN5 mounting bolt. I used pop rivets to pro...

ksatter26

Of course I haven't even tried any taxing yet, but just moving around the hangar that tailwheel always looks cock-eyed. I've tried a number of sized springs but can't seem to find the right spring size/length/strength combination. I bought several from the local "old-timey" hardware store,...

ksatter26

My 3D printing buddy is out of town for eclipse viewing. He said he'd get the files to me on Tuesday (Eclipse tomorrow). I will give him some mods that should make the rear spar caps easier to use: (1) reduce the length of the circumferential flange so that it clears the AN5 bolt. I trimmed mine wit...

ksatter26

Will post the 3D Print file and pix. The aft spar cap is held in place with a rubber band and a pop rivet.

ksatter26

I moved my converted boat trailer into the hangar/shop to make further adjustments for trailering the A/C. trailer.JPG The gear tread just fits on the converted trailer bed so I added rail/fences to both the Harbor Freight ramps and the trailer to keep the beast positioned and provide locations for ...

ksatter26

Just came in from adding 5/8" ply "fences" to the Harbor Freight ramps. I will also add these fences to the perimeter of the trailer.

ksatter26

Same here ... no primer or paint on the aluminum spars. I did prime and paint (to match the white airframe) the struts (lift and jury) and the exposed elevator control tube ... also the solid aluminum tailwheel tube (spring ?).

ksatter26

I thought the same thing. I'll probably bolt a 1x4 inch "fence" to the ramps.

I have a Harbor Freight electric winch bolted to the back wall of my hangar/shop. So I'm covered on witching onto (mechanical boat winch) and off-of the trailer.

Now 8f icon just get the CG right.

ksatter26

Still waiting on the accurate parcel scale to complete my CG calculations. So with 2 days of nice warm dry weather after the rains, I decided to put the beast on my converted trailer to work out a procedure and to get some measurements about where to mount the tailwheel bracket. Once again a valuabl...

ksatter26

It was supposed to be an easy, feel-good job this morning. The plan was to open the hangar door and roll the beast out for test loading onto my converted boat trailer (read: heavy, over-kill) to mark the locations of the D-ring tie-downs and the position of the tailwheel/spring clamp. The adventure ...

ksatter26

Preliminary CG calculations using three Walmart bathroom spring scales produced crazy results. 1st try put main gear weights at 120 and 122 pounds. I had expected readings on the high side (before removing "not essential for flight" items like cushions, cowling, prop extenders, iPad Air, f...

ksatter26

Waiting on two 3' 10-32 threaded rods. The "design" is now for a bent L-bracket drilled for 3/16" clevis fork at the rear spar tie-down (drilled 5/16" so I have a 5/16" od by 3/16" id bushing to make the attachment). At the 3/16" bushing welded to the base of the v...

ksatter26

Typical North TX weather with thunderstorms, possibility of winds, hail, and tornadoes, but I still manage to get at least an hour or so of work a day. Slow going. Controls all set and cotter pins inserted. Working on a mount/brace for the folded wings that utilizes the tie-down fitting on the rear ...

ksatter26

Much prettier than mine. Great job ... welding., like painting, ... not my forte. I caught a sale at Harbor Freight and picked up a nice set iof ramps. They also had d-rings on sale for $2/pair Currently working on some removable braces/brackets to position the folded wing and support mount for the ...

ksatter26

30 miles NE of Dallas ... about 450 miles from Memphis. I just finished routin my flapperon control cables ... they run under the seat and cross-over each other above the fuel tank; running high over my shoulders to the wing butt ribs. I'm only 5'9" and there's plenty of clearance. Additionally...

ksatter26

I got the port wing mounted and with some creativity got the flapperon hung. As I documented in many previous posts, the IKEA wood table and 4 chairs have proven very useful. IMG_1243.JPG It really looks like an airplane. IMG_1245.JPG IMG_1246.JPG As I posted earlier, I need to repair the stb wing r...

ksatter26

Port wing (minus flaperon) is ready to mount. Awaiting my extra hands Grandson to get it done. IMG_1239.JPG IMG_1238.JPG I did note a problem with positioning the flaperon cable through the fabric of the stb wing. Folding the wing back exerts a rearward pressure on the cable/grommet which ripped the...

ksatter26

The OraCal 165 vinyl is from a Fellers warehouse in Ft. Worth. Lots of color selections (OraCal, Avery, 3M). Available by the yard in 48" or 60" widths (mostly under $10/yard).

I got the ToKo iron on Amazon.

ksatter26

This should probably be posted in the Preferred Vendors or Discussion areas, but ... When covering with Oratex you'll need some tools ... IMG_1236.JPG (1) The FELT PAD is really helpful. BAF included one in my order. (2) Steinel Heat Gun. Adjustable temperature levels/indicator seem very reliable. 2...

ksatter26

After completing the tip rib cover, I positioned the Sky Blue Leading edge strip in place and set a line of fixing tape to set the edges of the glue line. IMG_1227.JPG I then removed the leading edge blue panel and applied glue to the topside panel (to the fixing tape line) and to the corresponding ...

ksatter26

Crazy weather in North Texas ... yesterday no higher than 42 degrees in the shop ... no work done. Today's high is projected at 73 degrees and at 8 this morning it was already near 60 so a 15 minute run of the propane heater had the temp comfortable enough to glue the port topside panel in place. IM...

ksatter26

It did get to almost 90 yesterday. Only 74 today. The Fixing Tape does a pretty good job and really limits the "seepage" of the glue outside the fabric overlap. I use a foam brush and run the glue along the tape line and to the edge of the fabric that will overlap. Works pretty well. Norma...

ksatter26

The rotating ends sometimes provide a better grip on the slic fabric surface.

ksatter26

I make liberal use of the Oratex Fixing Tape, which works so much better than painter's masking tape. I probably use it more than most because of my alternate (blue) leading edge scheme. Here's the trailing edge overlap tape line which provides a crisp glue line (very little "spill-over" o...

ksatter26

the clamping arms of my cheap plastic clamps rotate from flat to a more biting surface ... I'll get a picture tomorrow. I only use them to position the fabric long enough to mark the inside surface ith a rough pencil line too indicate the glue areas.

ksatter26

Port wing topside panel layout. Doesn't look like much but it's a lot of circling the table pulling and clamping the edges in place prior to applying glue lines to both the structure and the Oratex. Much easier as a two-man job ... maybe should have waited for my Grandson's Spring Break. That cardbo...

ksatter26

Started the Oratex process on the port wing. Hopefully it will proceed more easily (and quicker) after the learning experiences on the stb wing. waiting for the underside trailing-edge glue to dry.

ksatter26

Looks to be a good space to build. The folding wings are a real help. I put up some hangers on the big hangar door and stored the wings and flapperons there. I also have an 8x4. Worktable ( cut down from 12x4.

ksatter26

I set the grommet in a piece of the windscreen plexiglass after testing a superglue/Oratex bond. I may put a circular patch of Oratex over it ... or maybe not as it is pretty much only visible with the wings folded.

ksatter26

With the stb wing re-mounted I was able to install the stb flapperon and run the control cable thru the wing root rib and lower Oratex surface. I had some trepidation about fishing the end of the cable thru the bottom of the wing but that proved to be an easy task. I did place a light source on the ...

ksatter26

Starboard wing covering completed and remounted on the airframe. All that is required is to remount the flaperon and route/connect the control cable.

ksatter26

Just finished adding the final EasyPlot trim stripes. Another good learning experience and a bit of luck. The Easy plot tape rolls are EXPENSIVE.. With some luck, it took all but 6" of one roll to do the stb wing, so my estimated calculation for TWO rolls seems to be right on. Technique ... DEF...

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