Marty d's CH-701 build log

[M61A1 2,532]

At least you can drive from one end of your state to the other in a few hours.

[Marty_d 2,653]

Well, I drove up to the other end of the state on Monday and bought an engine!

 

Thanks HITC for putting me on to Peter.  

The engine is 2000 hour ex-training plane (Foxbat).  Came with brand new muffler & pipey bits, brand new oil tank, and a hell of a lot of advice - most of which I can't remember.  (I did write down everything I could when I got home!)

 

Now I have no excuse - I need to get on to building the mount!

 

 

[Kyle Communications 2,294]

No excuse now except getting bent over paying the exhorbadent costs from Floods for the bearings and seal kits. I picked up my engine for the S21 almost 2 weeks ago now. Still waiting on the big bore kit to arrive.

 

I am not sure if I mentioned it to you before but your gearbox will need a overhaul as well so be aware of that. Usually the schools with get that done at 1000 hours but of course the engine is now another 1000 hours older so the gearbox needs to be done again because the school doesnt get it done at the end of engine life

 

 

 

[Head in the clouds 2,639]

10 hours ago, Marty_d said:

Thanks HITC for putting me on to Peter.  

You're welcome Marty.

 

10 hours ago, Kyle Communications said:

.....

 

I am not sure if I mentioned it to you before but your gearbox will need a overhaul as well so be aware of that. Usually the schools with get that done at 1000 hours but of course the engine is now another 1000 hours older so the gearbox needs to be done again because the school doesnt get it done at the end of engine life

 

 

 

Not meaning to put words into Marty's mouth, but I think his intention is to run it on condition as long its critical signs bear up well.

 

The 'Peter' referred to is Peter Reed, formerly of the Skyflyte flying school at Kooralbyn, Qld. I've known him for 33yrs and worked several years with him as an instructor at Skyflyte, and I can safely attest that he is one of the very most diligent engine and airframe maintainers I have ever come across. When Marty said he was looking for an engine I knew Peter had one coming up for replacement so I called Peter and asked him about it. As has been the case in the past for as long as I can remember, Peter has been having the oil spectrum analysed at each oil change to detect any abnormal changes to component wear rates and he has been fastidious about the gearbox maintenance - and also running the engine on premium unleaded mogas. 

 

If my memory serves me correctly, Peter was one of the first, many years ago and well before this engine, to report the effects to the gearbox clutches, of using Avgas. Consequently he has avidly avoided the use of avgas whenever possible, and on the odd occasions where he has not had an option, he always flushed the engine at the first opportunity and refilled with new oil.

 

In the USA there have been countless reports of well maintained 912s running faultlessly to TBO in excess of 3000hrs in non-commercial operations, and several cases of them even exceeding 4000hrs.

 

Naturally I can't offer any absolute guarantees, but I will say that I would not have any hesitation in using one of Peter's ex-school engines, and just keeping an eye on suspended elements in the oil, oil consumption rate, and compressions of course.

 

I will also mention, as Marty did, that Peter is one of the most generous public-spirited people you are likely to meet, freely giving his time and absolute wealth of hard-earned knowledge, (of both planes and flying - he'd have well over 10,000hrs by now, most of it instructing), to anyone who asks.

 

[Kiwi 195]

How is "Power off Pete"

[Thruster88 197]

There is another one of these fabulous engines with exelent history for sale in the classifieds.  

[Marty_d 2,653]

1 hour ago, Kiwi said:

How is "Power off Pete"

He's as busy as a one-armed taxi driver in Beirut.

 

All of what HITC says is true (and by the way, he had some very nice things to say about your engineering skills HITC - from the pictures of your Doomaw build I reckon he's right!)

 

I spent a couple of hours with Peter and Gill at their place in Railton - 90 acres with a strip at the top of a ridge.  Peter flies to work which would be a lovely way to commute!  He gave me heaps of info and I could tell by the way he talked about Rotaxes that he's got a deep reservoir of knowledge.  

We discussed flying over the Strait, which he apparently does on occasion.  I asked him if he went over the islands (King or Flinders) - his response was "Nah - straight over!"  He said that the islands quite often attract some weather, whereas if you pick your time (early morning) and have a good chat to BoM about the weather on both sides, you can usually go straight over with no problems.  (He also showed me the very sensible PFD with attached 1-person inflatable raft that sits on his lap - designed for Bass Strait!)

 

I only wish we lived a bit closer, as I'd like to do my ticket with him.  Devonport is about 3.5 hours drive away from me - standard commute for you mainlanders but a very long way for Tasmanians!  Still, maybe I should camp up the north for a couple of weeks in the caravan and do a block of training with him.  I know it's hugely important to get a good instructor.

[Head in the clouds 2,639]

9 hours ago, Marty_d said:

.....

 

I only wish we lived a bit closer, as I'd like to do my ticket with him.  Devonport is about 3.5 hours drive away from me - standard commute for you mainlanders but a very long way for Tasmanians!  Still, maybe I should camp up the north for a couple of weeks in the caravan and do a block of training with him.  I know it's hugely important to get a good instructor.

I don't think there's anything more important than having a good instructor. It makes the difference between being a safe and confident flyer, or being forever slightly on edge because of the things you were never taught ...

 

And there's only one other instructor I know who is even remotely in the same class as Peter. He has so many years of experience and yet never seems to tire of teaching, as so many do. And that's often the problem - the new/young instructors are often full of enthusiasm and goodwill but don't have the depth of knowledge, varied experience or the skills to pass on, and unfortunately by the time they become 'old hands' they are often weary of instructing and become unenthusiastic, impatient and lazy. There are many exceptions, of course, but Peter is one of the bright stars in the sky (and on the ground in the classroom).

 

If I was you I would definitely use your caravan, choose a few days' window of good weather and do some block training at Peter's school, you won't regret it. You'll learn all the basics of course, but also those invaluable skills of finesse and survival under pressure.