General Update on Pitts' stuff

The engine parts should be here from AERO tomorrow...Jeanie will take them over to the machine shop in Los Banos on tuesday..I had the pushrod tubes and engine mount powder coated here in Salinas for the engine in the S2-S.. Sean did a great job.. powder coating is really cool nowadays. I had to move one of the tubes on the engine mount over an inch to make room for the B&C sd-8 alternator to clear...I'm tired of the battery charger routine and want a somewhat more normal setup..My aerobatic experience level won't be able to tell the 3 extra lbs.....
I finally finished the crate to fit the Whirlwind prop in...I'll have that dropped off at the freight company tomorrow..Should take a month or so to get it back..I'm thinking the budget will allow me to switch it from a 400 Rocket to a 400C...
I've been selling "treasures" on Ebay ...With those funds I bought my own powder coating setup..I have to get all of the lower wing parts beadblasted and coated to send to a builder in N.M. Also going to pickup a used oven to do the parts curing/ cooking in tomorrow off of Craigslist...

RV-3 gear in Straight!

I had to make a new assembly, the first one was too wide due to using the wrong blueprint..
the first one I had drilled the tubes and the gearlegs at the same time and then welded ...When I had finished the assembly I had gotten too much heat into it and messed up the alignment of the gear legs.That created a impossible to get straight situation with the gear/fuselage alignment..
The new assy. I welded a little at a time to keep from warping the assy. Then I drilled one hole in the top assy, installed the legs and jigged them straight and centered.I filed the hole to match the gearleg holes...Then chucked up the assy. in the drill press and used the gear legs to line up the back hole...Everything turned out straight this time..
This time I clamped the assy. into place and measured off of the tail post...less than a 1/16th in. difference !!the assembly also sits perfectly in the middle of the fuse centerline! I'll go with it! I tacked it into place and have to tack the remaining 4 support tubes in place, then remove the engine mount and finish weld a little at a time to keep from heat warping/moving anything around.

The New Machine

I've been having a hard time borrowing welding machines back and forth with my buddy Jack due to his hectic schedule ,so I bought this machine from a friend of a friend...400$ and it works perfect..

S2 and S1 work

The S2 is down..560 hours on the plane and engine.Engine just didn't run as smooth as i'd like..Found 2 blades were loose on prop..Prop on it's way back to whirlwind for overhaul...Compressions were down into the 60's on 4 cylinders...removed cylinders to find surface rust spots aren't going to allow High 70's....New P10 pistons on the way and cylinders are being ground and ohauled..

Had to redoRV gear mount on S1 project..was made too wide per following the wrong drawing.My Buddy Jack and I borrow welders back and forth..he's grumpy from night shift at powerplant..Went and bought used Tig300 Lincoln to resume production repair...

Finished up new assy. last nite..have to line up in motor mount and tack in place..

Flying S1 has found a new home.. 2hangar doors down .

Things Change...

Well,It's funny how things can change..I closed the deal on a Pitts S2-S...All of the S1 stuff is now for sale...This project on this blog will be put back together bone stock instead of a with fancy upgrades..

Go Pro Hero camera install

My buddy ,Kenny from the r/c field and now a skydiver ,picked me up this cool little camera to put in my flying S1-S . I mounted it on a tab held in place by the canopy halo.The camera sits right at the canopy/windshield junction, about three inches above and forward of my head.I still have to figure out the sound on it though.The plane has a cut down for Reno canopy but there is just enough room.
The sequence is the 2009 Sportsman IAC . I'm flying over my friends grape vineyard .The dark green that you see in the video is about 3200 feet long and the pond is center box.The sequence begins and ends with the traditional 3 wing wags.I liked this video and will have to get some coaching from the ground as I see some flaws in some of the 45 down lines.(Shortline after roll.)

Had to practice a little