Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 19

Thread: First flight of my J4A since 1975

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Minnetonka MN
    Posts
    142

    First flight of my J4A since 1975

    N414K a 1941 Piper J4-A had its first flight Friday Apr 26 at SSQ, Shell lake WI, having last flown in 1975. The rebuild was started by others for the first 20 years, then I bought it over about 12 years ago. It has been upgraded with a "freshly overhauled" C-85 engine (put together but never run over 25 years ago), metal prop, Groves brakes, Ceconite cover & Randolph products, Cessna 150 mufflers, and a new cowl and baffling system. I removed the electrical system and put in a lite weight starter powered from a cockpit panel-mounted Piper APU plug & a ground based starting battery.

    The 20 minute test flight was done by Sandi Randall of Romeo Aviation, Cumberland WI. Now she gets to teach this 2000 hr 172 driver a tailwheel rating.Name:  FirstFlight 005A.jpg
Views: 3620
Size:  89.6 KB

  2. #2
    Check 6's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Posts
    125
    Congrats! She is a beauty.


  3. #3
    EAA Staff / Moderator Hal Bryan's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States
    Posts
    1,296
    Congratulations! Great to see a classic returning to the air! And have fun getting the tailwheel endorsement - to me, that's the most enjoyable and rewarding kind of flying there is!

    Hal Bryan
    EAA Lifetime 638979
    Vintage 714005 | Warbirds 553527
    Managing Editor
    EAA—The Spirit of Aviation

  4. #4
    JimRice85's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    In a house with my laptop.....somewhere in Collierville, TN
    Posts
    185
    Quote Originally Posted by Check 6 View Post
    Congrats! She is a beauty.
    The plane or the test pilot/instructor?
    Jim Rice
    Wolf River Airport (54M)
    Collierville, TN

    N4WJ 1994 Van's RV-4 (Flying)
    N3368K 1946 Globe GC-1B Swift (Flying)--For Sale
    N7155H 1946 Piper J-3C Cub (Flying)

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    10
    Quote Originally Posted by Check 6 View Post
    Congrats! She is a beauty.
    The plane is pretty nice too

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Jul 2012
    Location
    Circle Pines MN
    Posts
    245
    Congratulations, that's a great looking plane and instructor. Once you get the endorsement, increase your experience in small steps. These planes are so light that any amount of wind has a huge effect on them, x-winds for example. Always know where the wind is coming from and what it's doing to you. Know the planes and your limitations and you should be fine. You're going to have a blast flying it.

  7. #7
    cub builder's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    North Central AR
    Posts
    456
    Congratulations. Having taught a number of pilots tailwheel in both the Champs and the J-4, I can tell you it doesn't get any easier than the J-4. You're gonna love that plane. It's well mannered and handles crosswind conditions better than many tricycles.

    -CubBuilder

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Posts
    6
    Congrats!

    I owned and flew a 1940 J-4A out of Brodhead, WI, for quite a few years. It's a very sweet (and highly under-rated) airplane. You'll learn to love it!

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Minnetonka MN
    Posts
    142
    The test pilot reported a temporary partial engine sag-off during an aggressive climb out. I have a cowl tank (~1/2 full) feeding a Marvel Schebler carb. Speculation is is a loss of head pressure. Has anyone else encountered this on cowl tank Cubs? THX

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    8

    "Sag-off" cause?

    Quote Originally Posted by nrpetersen View Post
    The test pilot reported a temporary partial engine sag-off during an aggressive climb out. I have a cowl tank (~1/2 full) feeding a Marvel Schebler carb. Speculation is is a loss of head pressure. Has anyone else encountered this on cowl tank Cubs? THX
    Yes, IMHO this might be normal with this powerplant. The plane was designed and built with an A-65 engine unless you have installed the specified wood prop and then you can install the C-85-12.... but I couldn't find anything other than the limited prop requirements.

    But anyway, it was not envisioned to be able to climb at the attitude the young lady (probably) was climbing with the C-85 (notably more powerful). There is also a possibility that the fuel line designed for the smaller engine, was not sufficient for the larger engine.
    I'm not an A&P, but I do have many hours in a J-4A (back in the '60's) and this may be a possible answer to the "sag-off" to which you refer.

    Hank
    Last edited by 233507; 05-03-2013 at 04:39 PM.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •