First flights.

I finished the new Cardinal and Profile Nobler finally. I didn't have spare engines for both so I used the only spare available, a .40LA. I flew the Cardial first and it's working out pretty good. I swapped the engine into the Nobler and it flew quite well also. I knew that swapping engines wasn't going to work so we went to the hobby shop and I bought a used .46LA for the Cardinal. I ran it on the bench for two ounces of fuel to loosen it up and set the needle. I installed it in the Cardinal and it's ready for more testing this morning. The hobby shop has a used ASP .52 just like the one I already have in Nomad 4 tht runs very well. I didn'thave enough money for two engines but I'll go back in a week or so.

Window of opportunity closes.

I've been flying the Pathfinder and it's going very well. There was a problem with the stock muffler on this engine that I've not had with other engines. Even though there was a lot of exhaust smoke the engine would be quite hot after a flight. I re-bolted the engine securely to the plane and changed to a Fox .35 muffler. Being an ounce or so lighter than the stock muffler I figured there would be a change in how it flys. I was surprised that it flew about the same but the turn was improved a lot. Now if it doesn't break a wing I'll be happy. I got the chance to clear coat the two planes yesterday and got them prepared for painting. I set everything up so there wouldn't be any wasted time after I mixed the two part clear paint. I started to measure the paint and hardener when I found the hardner was a gooey mass in the can. I ordered two cans of spray paint. Maybe next week I'll get the job done.

Locked gate saves plane.

I've been flying the Pathfinder a lot lately. It has been flying very well. We went to the park and found the gate locked so we went home. I had removed the spray bar for cleaning and was going to re set the needle for flight at the park. At home I figured I could run the engine and get the setting close without flying. As the engine was running I noticed the flaps and elevators flopping around more than usual. After a short inspection I saw the flap control horn had broken. I shut the engine down and started to figure how to fix the broken horn. Had this happened in flight I would have had no control and crashed. The vibration had fatigued the metal to failure. Possibly the metal had been chrystalized during the brazing process. Either way

it was no longer usable and had to be repaired somehow. My first option was to install a plastic horn like the one that comes with the kit. Then I rembered that I could make a horn out of aluminum angle that would be much stronger and work just as well or better than the broken part. The plans show a horn that should give better performance so I duplicated it on the aluminum angle. Some hacksaw and file and drilling work and the new horn was ready for installation. I used 4 screws to hold the new part on the flap and a piece of plywood underneath for the screws to anchor in. The weather isn't cooperating right now but may get better a bit later for a trial flight, if the gate isn't locked.

The wait begins.

I have the new Cardinal assembled and just about ready for paint. And there it sits. I'm having the usual problem trying to come up with a color scheme. So I just putter with it while I try to find something that apeales to me and is easy to copy. The Nobler in the previous post is waiting for the Cardinal's completion so I can spray the clear on both planes at the same time. I'll have two first flights at the same time.

Good flying weather.

It rained for several days and then stopped. The temps have been in the high 70's and light winds in the morning when I go fly. Ihaven't been bothered by the local farm animals either. I try to fly all my planes once in a while to keep the engine/fuel system loose and ready for a contest. I built a Pathfinder several years ago with a .51 size engine that didn't work out. I had shortened the nose 1/4 inch to compensate for the engine weight. I sold the engine and instlled the one on the plans. I hadn't flown it in several months so I took it out for loosening flights. I really like the way it flew. I don't know what happened as I don't remember it flying this well before the lay off. I have a new way to start planes with inverted engines. I used to fuel them and turn them upside down, attached to the stooge, and start them and turn them upright. I managed to run my hand through the prop doing this. Now before fueling and hooking to the stooge I turn the plane over and run at least 3 primes through the engine. The big boys call this burping the enigne. On the very expensive engines they use they all use after run oil when putting the plane away after a session. Burping flushes the oil out. I burp the engine to warm it up a bit. If it's below 50 degreesI pre warm the engine with hot water so it will run the prime out. This puts residual fuel in the system and it's like the engine just finished a flight. I upright the plane, hook it to the stooge and fuel it. A flip of choke and it fires right up safely without having to turn the running engine over and set the plane on the ground. It's just further proof of "Perry's Law" that "Pain is an excellent teacher". My fuel supply ws getting low so I mixed up another 5 gallon batch a week ago. After today I will start using the new batch which won't be any different than the old one. I had ordered 2 gallons from a guy but he wan't able to make the El Dorado contest due to weather so I had to got to the hobby shop and buy a gallon of the fuel I used to use in my batches. My castor oil suppplier raised his prices from 17/gallon to 27/gallon. Still a lot cheaper than getting it from Sig Mfg. Klotz synthetic oil didn't change from the last time I bought it but net time it may change. I haven't checked with my methanol supplier so I don'tknow agout that price. Flying the electric planes extend the fuel supply.

Using the Adjusto-Jig.

I've had this tool for over 20 years. I've probably built 100 wings on it.I finally figured out the best way to build a wing on it. I set up the template for drilling the jig rod holes so that I can put the top and bottom leading edge sheeting on, the top rib cap strips and the top center sheeting before removing the wing from the jig. This kit, the Brodak Cardinal, is set up with their own jig rod holes but that makes you build one half of the wing at a time and I'd rather build the whole wing in one shot. The Adjusto-Jig lets me do that but with smaller jig rod holes. In order to set the holes so that I can assemble most of the wing in the jig I have to tape most of the knock-outs in place and drill the rod holes in the knock outs. I install shear webs between the spars and between the trailing edge sheeting while in the jig. I also carve and sand the leading edge to shape in the jig using the "shoe shine" sanding method. Then I make a radius gage and check that the leading edge is as close to the same along the entire wing as possible. I always use a suspended bellcrank on my planes for max strength. The Cardinal has two center ribs close together. The jig is open in the center area so I used the provided thingy and glued it to a 3/8 balse piece and used that to align the center ribs. The jig rods passed over the balse and through the center ribs.

El Dorado contest is in the books.

Saturday was a bit cool with a light breeze. I flew in Old Time Stunt and Profile expert class stunt. I got first in Old Time and second in profile. On Sunday more experts showed up bringing the total to 10 in my class. I managed to place 5th which is good for me with that bunch of people. I have been trying toget the ElCamino to idle smoothly ever since I installed the new engine 12 years ago. I finally asked our son about it and he said it was the PCV valve. I plugged the hole in the carb. and the idle smoothed out instantly. I bought a new valve and installed it but it didn't idle as smooth as plugging the hole so I took the PCV out of the system. Now when I start it cold it will keep running without pulling the choke out.