brinykraut

Forgot to mention in that last post...

 

The starter Bendix cover developed a crack at 50 hours. It was cast, as much of the Gen 4 is now. Jabiru replaced it with a CNC cut cover. Then the Bendix itself failed to engage properly and they replaced that on warranty.

 

John M

Had identical issue with the cast cover on my Gen 2 2200 at--~50 hrs! Jab US sent the machined replacement.

Agreed, Planey. Just trimming it back a smidgeon, within tolerance.

 

Yesterday arvo I poked my inspection camera down the plug holes. Wish I hadn't; up close, the encrustations on top of the piston look like massive geological structures.

I've been religiously using AvGas for a decade, mostly for it's known quality, but would love to get away from lead. Is there any additive I can use to clear those internal deposits?

Yessir, I had the same reaction after inspecting my pistons during the first 100 hr check, more crud than I expected, anyway. Exhaust valves have me guessing even more. I have started using TCP: TCP Fuel Treatment, 1 Quart | Alcor, Incorporated A very popular additive up here, recommended by A&P's as well. I think it's more of a preventative to build-up rather than a cure, but I will be monitoring closely over the next inspections.

Needs full flaps for a short field no go-around landing like that!

Hi Brinykraut,

 

Interesting instrument/engine control layout.

 

What I see:

2 seat ultralight

Warm weather

In cloud/light rain @ 860 ft (AMSL ?) probably only 500 ft, or less above terrain.

Very low oil temperature - good pressure.

What looks like part of a transever control less frequencies ??

Level/slipping turn @ 75 knots indicated - inclinometer overly sensitive (I have one too)

Engine speed (2500 rpm) indicative of a direct drive engine (Jabiru ?) @ about economy cruise power

Interesting split EGT/CHT - I see your 4 way switch - size & complexity suggests an obsession with engine temps.

Navigation tablet - cant read it very well and I dont recognise the App

Hard wired ELT

What are the two black oblongs (OAT & time?)

Centre engine/ electrical control - recognise all but the "gold" thing top left (Starter??) and the white button bottom right (circuit breaker ?)

Hey Skippy, quite the inventory! Let's see,

Avid Flyer C model, empty weight 604 lbs. Registered here (USA) as E/AB, does that make it ultralight in OZ?

Yep, Jab 2200 with hydraulic lifters, 2015 vintage. After attending Jab USA engine workshop I follow their advice and run no less than 2800 rpm for cruise, avg 75- 80 knts high cruise at around 4 gph.

That shot was taken en route to our Hood River fly-in in the Columbia gorge, about 800 ft above the Columbia river in low cloud and drizzle--fairly common weather conditions in the Pacific NW.

OAT was in the 50's F, and yes, oil temps ran low due to cool air and rain. I've installed an adjustable blocking plate that keeps temps in the suggested 180-200 degree range now.

I have no transponder, just the intercom and a hand-held on a swivel mount overhead with PTT switch on the stick.

I was banked slightly left turning upriver--you're correct, sensitive (and 'inexpensive') inclinometer, added after removing a ridiculously heavy electric T&B. Works fine for both yaw and bank.

Mr. K, I love that bespoke skid ball with the bearing and corks! That's some home brew engineering alright.

The engine monitor gauge came with the plane (I am owner #2) and I am happy to have it without having to spend for a 'nicer' digital display. The sensors are screwed into the cylinders rather than spark plug mounts.

Ah, the nav--iFly, out of Dallas, Texas. I can't say enough about the user friendliness vs. capability of this system, so I won't. They have a very good online user base/info.

I removed the old voltmeter and had room for a digital voltmeter and Ammeter--I like data, this adds without burdening.

The gold knob is a primer circuit added by the builder, though I find I only use it in coldest weax.

The builder also split the electrical system with two ckt brkrs, one for radio.

I redid the original panel along with a lot of mods and fixes after purchase. So far the engine only required a new machined starter housing after the cast one cracked. Very good customer support by Jab USA.

Cheers all!

For what’s it worth having been an engineer for all my life, while digital look nice when you are up to your neck in a swamp with crocs all around you can glance at an anologue gauge and note the needle position and can tell if it’s right, but in a bumpy ride you have a problem reading the digital values.

For reading the CHT I have thermistors under 1 spark plug per head which all go to a four way switch before a cable goes onto the gauge then I can just rotate the switch to read all the heads (but tend to leave it on no.4 the hottest)

I feel much the same--using old-school split CHT/EGT gauge with 4-way switch to monitor all, especially #4.

Brinky, I have similar safety straps on my bungee gear and also they seem completely inadequate...in fact

 

http://www.lightaircraftassociation.co.uk/2015/Magazine/Oct/safety_spot.pdf

 

though tbh the strap does seem heavier gauge than the one in the OP

Thanks for the LACA article--makes me glad I at least replaced the original bungees during my post-purchase overhaul. They weren't visibly worn, but 15 years on... I'm upgrading to wider gear legs this year, I will be sure to upgrade the safety cables as well!

That very much resembles the safety cables/snubbers around my landing gear legs. They're supposed to keep the gear legs from collapsing in the event of the bungees failing. I agree they seem too small to do the job, but that's what came with the plane...

Here is another "whats this" (the cable not the tape!) found in the hangar today and have no clue what it is off.

 

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I currently don't have a pilots license, I was working on it (had about 20hrs-10hrs solo) when we started a family and couldn't afford both so I quit flying and raised an amazing family. My son is a C-17 Pilot in the Air Force and my daughter is a stay at home mom of my wonderful grandkids. Unfortunately my wife of 40 years passed away from cancer about 5 years ago. (MISS HER EVERY DAY) I'm thinking of retiring and going back to finish what I started so may years ago. I hope to gain some knowledge from all you experienced pilots. Thinking of purchasing a Zenith or Savannah STOL and plan to put a 2000' runway and hanger on my farm so I can go play when I get the urge!!!! With the current events it seems I picked a scary time to start a new adventure my but my dad always told me "Tough times don't last tough men do"

I had to wait until retirement to afford my own plane. I decided I didn't want to wait another year (or two) while building, so I found a Jab powered Avid C model in pretty decent shape and took it home. After going through it very extensively in my shop, modifying it to my liking, I've been having a great time flying it all over the Pacific Northwest. I initially wanted the Zenith, I thought the pulled rivet construction would allow a lot of solo building as opposed to my experiences bucking rivets.

The folding wing feature has really made me a convert, I wouldn't be without it. Being able to transport and store in tight spaces has been a game changer. Performance in tight strips and off pavement at slow speeds adds so much safety that I don't hanker for higher speed any longer.

The good news is lots of choices and vastly simplified construction nowadays makes your dream very accessible--go for it, time's a wastin'!

I really want one of those Bonanza trees! Or better yet, a Caravan tree!

Okay, so I've been running my preowned S/N 37** 2200Jab in an Avid Flyer for ~110 hrs since installed in 2015 (shorter flying season up here in the Yank hemisphere near the Pacific coast) Hydraulic tappets, Does all that make it a Gen 3? Sorta fuzzy on the distinction.

Leakdowns have stayed at 80/70, CHTs around 300-350 dependent on OAT's, EGT's 1350-1400, all fairly consistent with one another. Using 100LL with TCP to scavenge lead, Camguard, Phillips X/C 20w50 changed @25hrs/6mos. Have to tape over the oil cooler and block the inlet until summer to get 180F, so she definitely runs cool.

We have a several Jabs and two Camits here in our small EAA chapter, all running for more years than mine with no major issues. As others have pointed out, they are 'economical' alternative powerplants, reliability seems tied to operation and maintenance as much as most other engines.

Full disclosure: this airframe went through 2 VW's and an early Jab with valve spring failure before I got it, so I'm aware Jab has had it's teething problems.

I appreciate the knowledge/experience base here, even if it is 'upside down'!

Cheers,

G

Thanks everyone for your input. No the aeroplane is not in a hangar with other aerplanes its in my driveway outside my workshop. It could well be a part from something out of the workshop. I have been working on the electrics ie; distributors, coils, spark plug leads etc so wanted to be reassured that it wasnt something from any of them.

An instructor of mine told me the story of him getting in a cub one day and finding a washer on the floor. The pilot said, "ah it doesn't look important, ignore it", so they did until at 3,000 feet enroute, the rudder cable disconnected from the pedals. They had a very interesting landing some of which was on an airstrip.

Hence my paranoia.

I understand the concern! Looks like a good query for Jabiru. Pete Krotje at JabUSA has been very helpful up here in the evil empire.

Cheers,

G

I bought this Avid flyer with a 2200 Jab. First thing I did was pull the old wood panel and make a wiring diagram. Got rid of the 5+ lb electric turn and bank—damn thing just made me queasy tipping back and forth like that.  Remade the panel to fit digital volt and ammeter, and the best—an ifly 740 GPS.  Can’t praise this unit enough, I’m a convert. Finding all sorts of grass strip fly-ins in the Pacific NW, the steam gauge panel’s ideal for this bird and it’s mission!

Beautiful January weather allowed for an afternoon flight up the majestic Columbia River.                                                                             Flew through a few cloud canyons along the way, just like in dreams...Then it's back to the nest for the little blue sparrow...till next time.

Hello from the land of the Bald Eagle.   Can't speak to the Rotax, but FWIW I've been flying a 17 yr  old C model with a 2200 Jab for a year now, up here in the Pacific NW of Washington and Oregon.  The plane was originally VW powered, so of course motor mount and wiring harness needed replacing. Battery had to be relocated to correct CG change, and oil cooler as well.  I would guess you would have similar  issues going to Rotax. 

I can confirm the Jab is a great match for this airframe, climbs and cools well for 3.5 gals/hr at cruise.

In our EAA group's experience it has been very reliable engine, with hundreds of hours on five 2200's in STOL and two Sonex's.

Not to sound like a salesman, hell, I'm not even Australian! But I like your little engine...Good on y'all!

Just a pleasant sunset flight down the Northern Oregon coast.  Landed at a seaside strip where the treeline provided a welcome block to the strong East crosswind, just in time for touchdown.  Narrow enough to keep me on my toes! Still stretching the envelope in my first tail-dragger..

I thank you for the background Waraton, afraid most of our understanding of down undah comes from cinema. Pretty clear why the Pommies viewed the continent as an ideal prison at first glance--no worries about escapes!

That said, many parallels to U.S. development--British/European colonists=rapid terraformers. Give us a century or two and we'll make anyplace productive.

Yeah, we drag the aboriginal inhabitants along against their will, but that seems to be the history of the HUMAN race, dunnit? Steamrolling along towards the future.

(BTW, we're currently binging the series 'A place to call home'--enjoyably nostalgic soap opera, does require some idiomatic translations for us, though!

Enjoy your 'magic carpet' and the adventure of exploring! Icarus' dream realized, hopefully without the hubris.

As mentioned, I always marvel at being able to expand my horizons from above rather than bobbing along on a camel or mule, enduring the horseflies and heat! I'm no T.E. Lawrence, that's certain...

As you may know, we have our own version of the Outback--the 'Great Basin', basically between the Cascade/Sierra Nevada range and the Rockies, pretty sparse.

... Cheers!

Today we finally flew the Darling river between Menindee and Wilcannia today. Have covered it in each direction beyond that but for some reason had never done this short hop. Not much water in it around Wilcannia at the moment, mostly deep holes.Wilcannia township from the East looking West with the Barrier Highway centre. The Wilcannia strip is top right.

 

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The Darling River has a river distance of around 400km between Wilcannia and Menindee but is only 130km direct. Below - taken not far from Menindee.

 

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fly over rather than trek on foot, eh?

Well worth flying over Mt Buller enroute to Millawa (Brown Brothers Winery) for lunch on a nice day with friends.....[ATTACH=full]61793[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]61794[/ATTACH]

Hmm, I guess I posted to the wrong forum--sent some trip reports to 'Welcome' page. Oh well, here's one from this summer--

first fly-out with this plane, went to the Arlington, Washington fly-in. Great campout with good pilots all around.

Everything gets strapped in tight with shoulder harness and belt.

Mini-Oshkosh, lots of experimentals...

And big iron flying around, too...

50th anniversary Reno shirt came to 50th Arlington--next year, they'll join a 50th year at Oshkosh shirt--the trifecta!

Last month I flew a couple hundred miles to Bend, Oregon to finish some business--why drive if you can fly, I says to meself?

My route took me up the Columbia gorge over the open badlands east of Mt Hood--didn't want to fly over the forests of the

Cascade range.

Flew high enough (6500'MSL) to avoid turbulence. That 2200 Jab runs cool and smooth!

Departing, Columbia river near Kelso, WA (that's Washington state to you Ozzies ;>)

Looking back at Portland, OR

Bonneville Dam=cheap electricity

East face of Mt Hood--the next Mt St Helens? We've got a few in waiting...

My Blue Sparrow in the high desert at Bend.

The dry side, Central Oregon.

The pink smudge (Phos-chek) shows where the fire bombers won this battle--lots of wildfires these days...

Flew down to the Hood River (Oregon) fly-in not long ago. Squeaked under some Columbia river rain showers in the AM,

had a very scenic weekend with good company!

Avid fits in a half hangar, or I'd pay twice the rent--and still be on the years-long waiting list...Thanks for the great design

Dean Wilson! And Jabiru for your smooth little engine!

After flying around the Pacific Northwest for the last 8 months, I can enthusiastically second the positive comments about the Jab engine

and the Avid airframe. I've done a couple of 200+ mile cross country flights, loaded up with camping gear, 1000fpm + climb.

Climbs to 6500ft to take advantage of wind and smooth air. CHTs and EGTs @300/1300 degrees, Oil tmps 180< even on 90 degree day climbouts--

Of course, short and rough field is her forte. I couldn't ask for better performance for the money.

As others may have indicated, engine support has been sterling--I had a (3 yr old) cracked starter housing replaced within a few days, cast part replaced

with a machined piece at NO cost--very responsive customer service.

Many Kitfox/Avid builders and owners around who can (and do) fabricate and even rebuild these aircraft, very little needed in the way of replacement

parts that can't be made.

I got a kick out of your location--I live across the river from Longview, WA. Small world...

G

Hello all--and G'day from the PNW!

Just bought a well-kept Avid Flyer with a 2200 Jab, sprightly little bird!

Looking forward to summer skies (snowing here at the moment).

Cheers,

GW