Flint Stone

Hoss,

There is no spring kit for the tail strut. I know you have seen them with springs, usually old valve springs that someone thought was a good idea, cause they didn't want to rebuild the strut properly. ie re chrome the inside. What we have found, the 195 group as a whole, is that struts filled with springs caused cracking on the toilet seat bulkhead, the aft most bulkhead that the strut attaches to.

As for my R985 powered 196, it's one of four converted by Parks Aerial Survey for high altitude photo mapping, they routinely flew these aircraft in the high 20's while mapping the Rockies. They were able to make the power to get up there by putting a blower from an R1340(12 to 1) on the R985 which has a 10 to 1 blower, all done by STC that is still available today. Like a B757, it's an over powered joy to fly! Till you stop by the fuel farm...

JungleBus

Bought a Pacer in Montana last month, I posted pics in the MD88 flying thread before starting this one. Reposted below. Have her based at KFCM.

Still have the share of the Cub Club. Will probably be selling it in the spring/summer, we'll see.

Airhoss

Flint,

Thanks for that. I have seen the spring in the tail wheel and assumed it was a kit.

ShyGuy

Thank you for this. I'm going to use this as an example. "Fate is the Hunter" type right there! I live in the NYC metro area and am too reluctant to fly GA here with a wife and lil kid. My biggest apprehension is a midair. There are far too many GA weekend warriors out here that it's not "big sky, little airplane" it's more like "little sky, far too many planes." Even coming into EWR in an airliner at 6,000 feet we get told there is a VFR aircraft at 6,500. Well he isn't at 6,500 he's actually 6,300. Why? Because he can. TCAS RA, we dive and of course land uneventfully. But that's with TCAS and we knew he's there.

Your collision story is phenomenal. Unreal that the tail could rip off and the guy still landed safely enough to walk away. Midairs are a true example of fate is the hunter and your chances of survival aren't so much pilot skill as it is how much plane is still left intact. For me it's like wanting to ride a motorcycle. I would love to and would like to get back into GA. But it's the other drivers on the road that quite frankly have me concerned. I would be a lot more open to it in the good ol' country side (Dakotas, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota) where it seems most of the tail draggers are anyway.


The only place offering a taildragger close to me is still a good one hour away, Andover Flex in NJ.

Andover Flight Academy > Rates and Prices

What's the difference between a Super Cub and a J3 Cub? It seems they only allow a Super Cub for dual only, and solo rental on J3 Cub. With a wife and kid I assume that a J3 is a 2-seater and therefore a no go? If I do fly GA out here it won't be a on a weekend. Far too many weekend warriors. It'll be on a weekday during work day business hours.

ShyGuy

Congrats! Is that a 2-seater? 4-seater? Got any interior pics? Andif you don't mind, what kind of hangar fees are you paying in Flying Cloud?

I don't mean it in a bad way, but I assume don't have kids yet? I tell ya things change when one of those buggers come. Currently I'm putting $500/month into his 529 college fund which did get me thinking, for that amount I could easily maintain hangar/insurance/annual fees for an aircraft ownership!

JungleBus

4-seater, though similarly to a 172 it's more like 2+2. You're not gonna get 4 adults in! You're right, no kids, understand that changes the disposable income equation considerably. Paying $200/mo for a private t-hangar, may end up getting a cheaper spot in a friend's hangar next spring. Could save money by just tying it down but that's not very nice to do to a fabric-covered bird....

Interior:

Razor

I think if I was going to get another 170 I'd go for one with a 180hp motor. The performance is so much better.

ShyGuy

That is one nice looking plane!

One of my local airports has a published rates for grass tie down, hard surface tie down, and for hangars it says "please call." I'm sure it's north of $250-300+/month. But like you said many planes just aren't designed to be tied down outside in open air (and especially on grass!)

Will you have a problem selling your 1/12th Cub share?

JungleBus

Yup. The C145/O-300 is smoooth but just not quite enough power, really the 170's only downside. Guy at my hometown airport has a 170B with an IO-360 and a CS prop, she moves! Puts it on floats in the summer, skis in the winter. He won't let it go at any price, though.

JungleBus

The newer synthetic fabrics actually tolerate being left outside in moderate latitudes fairly well - it's UV exposure more than the elements that's tough on them. In Alaska the vast majority of planes are left outside in rain and snow and 60mph windstorms, there are very few hangars. Of course, in AK they tend to rebuild their planes every decade or so anyways! My plane has somewhat older Stits Poly-Fiber, it's still in pretty good condition. I'll delay recovering it as long as possible because with a 62-year old airplane, it's *never* as simple as a recover. It'll end up being a major years-long project, I'm sure. Hangaring to get the longest fabric life possible is cheap by comparison.

You should call about the hangars, you might be surprised. Friend of mine in an expensive part of CT snagged a large beautiful T-hangar for only $150/mo.

Club has a waiting list for shares, I have a friend who called dibbs but if he ends up passing should sell pretty easily.