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Thread: Building a Nieuport 11...

  1. #911

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    The wife says my production values have risen by 2%.

    https://youtu.be/liRNl70oVZA

    The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

  2. #912

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    I think it's very helpful, Frank, that you are showing us the process by which you are methodically improving your techniques.

    P.S. And thank you for the blood donation advice. :-)

  3. #913

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    Thanks for your kind words!

    I re-thought the jig for bending once again, and this time left myself enough "tail" on either side of the bend to tie into the sheeting.



    Right about the time I was just about finished, it dawned on me that since I'm not tying the gun mount through to the bottom sheet I could have just run a piece of fabric held in place with some velcro up with just a thin strip across the center to the top.

    But I was well into it by then and said to heck with it.

    The reason for this center section being removable is really for Conditional Inspections; I can look down the wings via cutouts on the end ribs. Between that and the holes around the wire mounts I don't need to mess with inspection panels.

    And if I were ever to trailer it the pieces would all come apart neatly.
    The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

  4. #914

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    I re-armed the Nieuport.



    I mention at the start that I took the plane up prior to making this video and that it was bumpy. That's quite the understatement, as a slow start put me into the heat of the day and it felt like I was doing hurricane recon. Since I'm in Alabama, living with thermals and boiling air is just par for the course, and I've learned to deal with it in my light little aircraft - and how to take advantage of them to climb - but I can't say I was thrilled about it on that flight. I went up to 4K and it just didn't seem to get any better.

    A guy in a Mooney stopped by for some gas on his cross country and said it didn't peter out until a bit over 5K.

    On the video - yes, that aviation nut I tried to put onto standard threads went into the trash and no, I didn't use a single cleco when building the aircraft, so why start now?

    The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

  5. #915

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    First fly-in on Saturday, taking the short hop over to Greg Koontz's place for a fine day of getting sunburned, talking to pilots, watching the really great shows, and eating surprisingly good food.

    First time landing on grass, too! Naturally I was over-thinking it and sort of muffed it....never get too far ahead of the aircraft.



    Since the plane is kind of cute and has a fake gun on it, kids seemed to like it. I put a bunch in the cockpit for fun.

    Best exchange was with this eight year old (or so) girl, who sat in the cockpit, ran her hands along the coaming, looked at the panel, over it through the windscreen, out the sides down over the wings, and said:

    "I could do this."

    I responded with "No, dear, you need to do this."

    Her father looked at her, beaming, and then at me.

    "What the hell, she doesn't need a college fund anyway."
    The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

  6. #916
    rwanttaja's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Giger View Post
    First fly-in on Saturday, taking the short hop over to Greg Koontz's place for a fine day of getting sunburned, talking to pilots, watching the really great shows, and eating surprisingly good food.

    ....

    Since the plane is kind of cute and has a fake gun on it, kids seemed to like it. I put a bunch in the cockpit for fun.

    Best exchange was with this eight year old (or so) girl, who sat in the cockpit, ran her hands along the coaming, looked at the panel, over it through the windscreen, out the sides down over the wings, and said:

    "I could do this."

    I responded with "No, dear, you need to do this."

    Her father looked at her, beaming, and then at me.

    "What the hell, she doesn't need a college fund anyway."
    Neat story, Frank. I run a lot of kids through my Fly Baby cockpit. I found a place that prints up cheap customized wings I ordered some and hand them out as souvenirs.



    They were about $2 each, buying 50 at a time.

    https://www.customizedmemories.com/choosewings.html

    Two weekends ago, there was one little tyke who did NOT want to sit in the scary airplane. But then his older brother did, and got a set of wings, so suddenly he decided he needed to sit in the cockpit, too.

    If it's in the hangar, I've got a spare helmet and goggles set aside for them.


    One of the advantages of my power lift seat (due to a bad knee) is that I can run it up to the top when I'm putting kids in the plane so they don't sink into the "barrel." The seat is up in the above photo.

    Ron Wanttaja
    Last edited by rwanttaja; 10-08-2018 at 12:53 PM.

  7. #917

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    On goggles - I got a cheap costume set for Christmas last year, and brought them along, letting the kids wear them or not as they chose.

    I'm going to pass on the wings (though they're a great idea), simply because I already preen in front of my airplane like a rooster as it is.
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  8. #918
    DaleB's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Giger View Post
    I already preen in front of my airplane like a rooster as it is.
    As well you should, Frank... after all you built a freaking airplane.
    Measure twice, cut once...
    scratch head, shrug, shim to fit.

    Flying an RV-12. I am building a Fisher Celebrity, slowly.

  9. #919

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    This whole flying machine stuff is crazy, to be honest, and we're all just a bunch of nuts.

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  10. #920

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    I think the last time I adjusted the landing gear bungees I made them too tight. Did some touch and goes and was a bit too bouncy, even when floating her down the runway.
    The opinions and statements of this poster are largely based on facts and portray a possible version of the actual events.

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