Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

Sky Captain · Dec 10, 2005, 09:07 PM

I've flown RC planes out of airfields bigger then this one!

The stall horn was squealing through the climb! Then I had to negotiate the ridges just past the trees. I'm exhausted.

Anyway, here's a video of my departure...

http://home.comcast.net/~wltison/MOVIES/beech.mov

SuvsareRetarded · Dec 10, 2005, 09:09 PM

Pretty plane. No V tail eh?

wdlove · Dec 10, 2005, 09:18 PM

Awesome congratulations.

The Godfather · Dec 10, 2005, 09:21 PM

Wow. That's a tiny plane.

Kevin · Dec 10, 2005, 09:35 PM

Glad knowing ya.

Pendergast · Dec 10, 2005, 09:55 PM

Awesome!

Piloting was my dream. Happy for you!

Sky Captain · Dec 10, 2005, 09:56 PM

Eh, it's a 4 seater. And I picked it up for a song.
The V-tails are known to break apart in severe turbulance. The V will oscillate, causing cracks and ultimate catoscrophic failure. But they're FAST. I've flown a couple of them. They DRINK gas.

Pendergast · Dec 10, 2005, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by Sky Captain

Eh, it's a 4 seater. And I picked it up for a song.
The V-tails are known to break apart in severe turbulance. The V will oscillate, causing cracks and ultimate catoscrophic failure. But they're FAST. I've flown a couple of them. They DRINK gas.

Now we know why you support the war in Iraq!

SuvsareRetarded · Dec 10, 2005, 10:06 PM

Originally Posted by Sky Captain

Eh, it's a 4 seater. And I picked it up for a song.
The V-tails are known to break apart in severe turbulance. The V will oscillate, causing cracks and ultimate catoscrophic failure. But they're FAST. I've flown a couple of them. They DRINK gas.

Does the tail really make them that much faster? Or is it a totally different airframe?

Sky Captain · Dec 10, 2005, 10:12 PM

Less drag with the V. I had one over 180 MPH in smooth air @ 75% power.
They generally have a 470CU ot 540CU 6 cylinder engine.

My Cessna has a 160HP 320 CU engine and my Beech has a 150HP 320CU engine.

SuvsareRetarded · Dec 10, 2005, 10:19 PM

I figured it'd be less drag, but I didn't think it'd make that much of a difference. Big engines help too.

I'd like to have one of these, and pimp out the interior with a minibar, tiny kitchen, bedroom, and entertainment center. Then I'd just live in the carribean flying from island to island. It'd be sweet.

Sky Captain · Dec 10, 2005, 10:25 PM

Sigh, the life of the rich and famous.
I've seen "aircampers". It was a Grumman Widgeon set up as an island hopper/camper.
The radial engines were replaced with 540CU 6's.

Pendergast · Dec 10, 2005, 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by SuvsareRetarded

I figured it'd be less drag, but I didn't think it'd make that much of a difference. Big engines help too.

I'd like to have one of these, and pimp out the interior with a minibar, tiny kitchen, bedroom, and entertainment center. Then I'd just live in the carribean flying from island to island. It'd be sweet.

The irony would be to turn these in a cigar lounge...

Sky Captain · Dec 10, 2005, 10:39 PM

The problem with these old PBYs are they spent their lives in salt water. So they need many airframe parts fabricated to replase corroded parts. And it's all hand fabrication. =$$$

SuvsareRetarded · Dec 10, 2005, 11:09 PM

They're still sweet.

ghporter · Dec 11, 2005, 12:16 AM

The only things the V tail has going for it are somewhat higher speed and coolness factor. Everybody I've ever talked to or read that mentioned the V said it was not worth the extra care needed in anything other than dead calm air.

Sky Captain, that's a beautiful craft. Enjoy!

iLikebeer · Dec 11, 2005, 12:56 AM

Awesome! Looks like a good cruiser for some weekend trips.

I'm curious what resources you used to find it. Through a friend, trade-a-plane, aopa...
I've been keeping my eyes open for a 152 Aerobat, but haven't ever owned a plane.

Sky Captain · Dec 11, 2005, 09:38 AM

Folks are mighty proud of the 152 Aerobat. In fact they're more than I paid for the Beech.

I've seen 2 in aerotraderonline.com
Both were better than $30K

iLikebeer · Dec 11, 2005, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by Sky Captain

Folks are mighty proud of the 152 Aerobat. In fact they're more than I paid for the Beech.

I've seen 2 in aerotraderonline.com
Both were better than $30K

Yeah, I'd consider a regular 152, but my home airport is at 5000 feet and surrounded by mountains. That extra 15 hp makes all the difference. And who doesn't love snap rolls in a 152!
Unfortunately, only 300 of them ever made out of 30,000 kicks up their value a bit.

Are you going to hangar that new baby of yours?

SuvsareRetarded · Dec 11, 2005, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by iLikebeer

Yeah, I'd consider a regular 152, but my home airport is at 5000 feet and surrounded by mountains. That extra 15 hp makes all the difference. And who doesn't love snap rolls in a 152!
Unfortunately, only 300 of them ever made out of 30,000 kicks up their value a bit.

Are you going to hangar that new baby of yours?

Why not just take a regular 152 and mod it for 15 extra horses?

iLikebeer · Dec 11, 2005, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by SuvsareRetarded

Why not just take a regular 152 and mod it for 15 extra horses?

Because of lawsuits in the 80's and FAA regulations, airplanes don't work like that unless you want to register it as "Experimental" which increases insurance costs and places limits on the types of flying you can use it for. You can get mods called STC's (Supplemental Type Certificates) that have gone through testing and certification, but it's usually more expensive. Also, the 152 Aerobat takes its name from being able to handle aerobatics. It's got a beefier wing spar and better performance in general.

SuvsareRetarded · Dec 11, 2005, 11:14 PM

Oh, the beefier airframe and spar makes sense...but ... as for the engine... ****. I think I'd just take the heads off, drop them off at a performance shop, and resinstall them without telling anybody. >shrug<

Tesseract · Dec 12, 2005, 02:07 AM

Originally Posted by SuvsareRetarded

I figured it'd be less drag, but I didn't think it'd make that much of a difference. Big engines help too.

I'd like to have one of these, and pimp out the interior with a minibar, tiny kitchen, bedroom, and entertainment center. Then I'd just live in the carribean flying from island to island. It'd be sweet.

http://www.northamptonshire.co.uk/ev...s/image012.jpg

Jimmy Buffett beat you to it.

iLikebeer · Dec 12, 2005, 02:12 AM

Originally Posted by SuvsareRetarded

Oh, the beefier airframe and spar makes sense...but ... as for the engine... ****. I think I'd just take the heads off, drop them off at a performance shop, and resinstall them without telling anybody. >shrug<

Then when you go for your annual inspection you get screwed when they notice an unapproved mod. You can have approved engine kits or mods installed, but the paperwork has to be there. Otherwise if you crash and there was an engine problem, you are going to be liable in court, especially if there were any injuries, deaths, or damage to private property.

Sky Captain · Dec 12, 2005, 08:27 AM

You can get a 337 mod for a 125HP Sparrow Hawk conversion.
No problem at all. Hell, I've seen a 150 O-320 shoe-horned in the nose of a 150.
All STC'd.

Hey I have a 150 project I may part with...

SuvsareRetarded · Dec 12, 2005, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by iLikebeer

Then when you go for your annual inspection you get screwed when they notice an unapproved mod. You can have approved engine kits or mods installed, but the paperwork has to be there. Otherwise if you crash and there was an engine problem, you are going to be liable in court, especially if there were any injuries, deaths, or damage to private property.

Please tell me how they'd be aware of any headwork you've had done considering everything is internal.

Sky Captain · Dec 12, 2005, 10:30 AM

A standard auto machine shop is not equipped to remove the heads form an aircraft cylinder. It dosen't just unbolt, it's "part" of the barrel.
To have an aircraft machine shop do the mods, it has to have a "green tag" follow it.(liabilities)

Now you can build a noncertified engine. Then have the plane recieve an experimental certificate. It's $300 I believe.

SuvsareRetarded · Dec 12, 2005, 11:08 AM

Remove them yourself. I'm assumign they're just a boxer type engine, so why couldn't you just remove the cowling and start unbolting things? How is a regular machine shop 'unable' to unbolt the heads?

SuvsareRetarded · Dec 12, 2005, 11:10 AM

Remove them yourself. I'm assumign they're just a boxer type engine, so why couldn't you just remove the cowling and start unbolting things? How is a regular machine shop 'unable' to unbolt the heads?

SuvsareRetarded · Dec 12, 2005, 11:11 AM

How are they 'unable' to remove the heads? Seems like it's just a boxer style engine. Remove cowling, remove valve cover, remove head. Simple. ?