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FunInAviation
08-24-2011, 08:55 AM
I have a hangar buddy story from long ago.

My friend M**** bought a brand new box fan to cool off those hot summer days a few years back. It was big and heavy, but really put out a nice breeze. M**** decided it was too heavy to move around, so he put wheels on it.

I heard the fan come to life and felt the wind, very nice. But soon the sound receded and I head M**** screaming as he chased the fan out the hangar door and down the static area. Luckily the 100 foot extension cord soon brought the fan to a stop.

http://www.smittysrv.com/images/littleHomer.gif

Anybody else got a funny story?

Rick Galati
08-24-2011, 11:43 AM
I was alone in the hangar, toiling away completing the wiring of the starter relay, master and ignition switches on my brand new O-320 equipped RV-6A, going over all the electrical details in my mind when with a brilliant flash of insight, it occurred to me that finally...after years of building, it now seemed technically possible to engage the starter and see the propeller rotate...or would it? Would the prop really turn if I moved the ignition key to "Start"? I thought to myself, the crankcase is filled with oil, the fuel system has not been plumbed yet so there is no way the engine could fire. It would be satisfying to see the first real stirrings of mechanical movement finally occur. I anticipated the sensation would be similar to the warm and fuzzy feeling you get the first time you hook up a control system and delight its smooth geometry and effortless movement. "Lets see, this wire goes here, that wire goes there, seems good, seems good......why not? Lets give it a try!" So I clamored aboard and settled into the cockpit all alone with my thoughts. I hesitated for a moment, then with a deep breath and wide eyed wonderment turned the key to "Start". The propeller rotated! Then...BANG!! What the....Holy Cow, what was that? I scrambled out of the cockpit and went around to the engine compartment.

http://i52.tinypic.com/14tr02p.jpg

In my blind enthusiasm to see some real work yields, I neglected to remove the plastic dessicant filled plugs temporarily threaded into the spark plug holes. The clear plastic casing on the top plug of number 3 cylinder shot out of its threads and instantly went ballistic at an ever upward angle and bounced about the overhead trusses in the hangar, showering those tiny blue dessicant beebee's all over the place. To this day, I still find an occasional beebee lodged somewhere in the hangar.

Bob Meder
08-24-2011, 12:24 PM
Ok, I'll 'fess up. I flew a friends's Seminole back from the show this year, while he drove back to Missouri. We had the plane parked in GAP parking across from Basler's all week. I departed on the Monday after the show, due to being both a volunteer and the storm that was blowing in on Sunday. Of course, it rained during the week, so the ground had gotten soft.

After I did my preflight, I got in and did my run-up, per the Piper checklist; brakes set, check props, mags, etc. I called ground for clearance and attempted to taxi. Great, the plane wouldn't move. OK, just a bit more throttle, ready to yank back on the throttles when she starts to move. Hmm... Maybe a little more... Great, we're at full throttle and nothing's happening - she's sunk into the mud. Grrrrr. Ok, time to get help. I shut her down and I got some of the Basler line guys to help, since, being by myself, there was no way was I going to move it. Well, with the help of, eventually, four guys, we got the plane out of the holes into which the gear sank.

After we moved it a little, one of the guys said "Did you check the parking brake?"

Uh, hang on a sec...

It was kinda funny when they all yelled "Yeah! We can push a plane out of the mud with the brakes on!!"

If anyone from Basler's reads this, thank the guys, will you...