Our long lost buddy, Cliff, that moved to OK came back for Thanksgiving with his kids last week. We set up a flying day with him, and it happened yesterday on a chilly but calm and dry day, I flew my SNAFU three times. Took the 7HV but elected to not fly it so others could have the sky. Nice day!
Another nice break in the weather today…45-50F when I flew around 10-11:30. Got the two big green machines out…the 7HV and the Ultrastick. On the second flight of the US, I came swooping in with full flaps, and was pretty crooked to the runway! Last second I saw I was heading at the bearcat weathervane but lower. I immediately pulled up and whack! Miraculously only my prop hit the prop on the bearcat, knocking it off completely. Yups! So the plane was headed out to the field and I was going to cut power and dead stick but it wasn’t vibrating like nuts, and the engine still responded, so I nursed her 180 back and landed on the runway. Inspected the plane and found not damage except the broken prop! Pretty sure that if i didn’t pull up, my plane would be wrapped around the same pole as the bearcat, lol. At home, I found a new Xoar 20-8 and installed it on the plane.
FIRST POST TO MY BLOG IN A FULL YEAR! JUST LOST INTEREST!
Fuel leaked out bottom of plane during fueling when at field yesterday. Suspected loose stopper on tank because this plane was built many years ago (by Tad). The stoppers just get loose from hardening, aging. Had two good flights anyway. Inspected at home. Was bear to remove because bulkhead opening for tank is too tight fitting. I think Tad had to push it in….much easier to force it in than to pluck the slippery devil back out with no space to grab the tank. Used Dremel to widen bulkhead opening. Finally got tank out…indeed stopper was loose and spinning. Opened tank up and checked clunk, clunk tube, and alum tubes. Added fuel line to vent alum tube to get it to touch top of tank. Clunk tube looked real good so left in place. Closed up tank and got stopper on real snug, hopefully without expansive pressure that will crack the tank seam open. Put tank back in with new external lines, new foam to cushion (old foam was sopping wet with fuel). Used old balsa block to hold tank forward as it did not break on removal, and it accepted CA to hold it to bulkhead. Ironed down some loose covering, sealed some fuel soaked loose edges with heat, CA, accelerator, soldering iron too. Looks good and ready to fly again.
